How to Apply for UG & PG Courses in Australia

Australia has long fascinated the student population of the world. It is next to USA and UK in its popularity as a study abroad destination and has one of the highest numbers of the international student population in the world. Over 1200 institutions offer a wide range of courses (over 22,000 courses) to both domestic and international students. The friendly Visa Guidelines for Australia and the relaxed student work permits have added to the many factors that make Australia a go-to country.

When to apply?

An Academic Calendar in Australia usually starts in February or March. Accordingly, all the UG and PG courses often start in either of the months. Some of the universities/institutions would also offer semester entry (two intakes in a year – February and September) while some might even offer trimester entry (three intakes – February, August and September). While it is not necessary, most of the universities have a minimum of two intakes in the year.

The application to the universities starts at least 5 months prior to the month the course starts. In other words, admission for February intakes ideally start by the month of September and close usually by late December or in some rare case in the month of January. This holds true for both UG and PG courses. It is always recommended to check with the Admissions Office of the university you are interested in to get a clarity of the deadlines.

For the different Certificate Programs offered by the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Institutes in Australia, the intakes might be multiple times a year, depending on the length of the course. Usually, the courses run from 3 months to 36 months and accordingly it is advisable to reach out to the institute/ university offering the course to understand the actual deadlines.

Refer to the following articles on Australia Timeline:

• Australia February 2022 Intake
• Australia July 2021 Intake

How to apply? The Application Process

Generally speaking, the application process for Australian Universities and Colleges is rather simplified and similar to colleges in the UK. There is a centralized organization called the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) for university admissions in the region of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Almost all undergraduate applications and some selective postgraduate applications in the region are routed via UAC.

For the other regions and courses, students are supposed to apply directly to the university/ institution in Australia. The same is applicable to all regions if the students are desired to applying for a VET/TAFE course in any institute. That holds true even for the states of New South Wales as well as the Australia Capital Territory.

Whichever route one might have to take, the application process for both bachelors and masters courses would entail:

Preparing for and writing the required examinations

English is the official language for Australia. For Indian Students, hence, it is mandatory to prove English language proficiency. Both IELTS and TOEFL are accepted across a majority of the colleges in Australia and students can opt for both. Apart from this, C1 Advanced, Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Pearson Test of English (PTE) is also accepted by some Australian Universities.

Before writing the examination, it would be wise to check the requisite test scores. On average, an IELTS score of 6.5 and above and a TOEFL score of 92 and above is required. This is again an average score and may vary from university to university.

Check out about IELTS Score for Australia

Students are advised to take the exams well before the applications open to ensure they have enough time for a re-test if required.

While no standard scholastic tests are required for undergraduate courses, many colleges would require GMAT or GRE for its postgraduate courses. This again is not mandatory and before you plan to write them, it is always advisable to check whether they are required or not by the University of choice. Average GMAT scores across universities that require it in Australia are around 600.

Read: GMAT Colleges 2021

Registering with the college

Almost all colleges in Australia have an Online Registration and a student can simply register with the college from the comfort of their homes. This is an important step because it would provide you with all the relevant information. Once you register, you can start preparing the documents as listed by the institute/ university.

It would be advisable to register well before time so that you can complete the application at your own pace.

Getting the eligibility validated/ appearing for any exam required (if not already taken)

A student requires an equivalent of Australian Class 12, which is similar to the 10 2 score of an Indian school. Once the student registers, it is always advisable to get the certificates’ recognition validated by the university admission office. Usually, a student counsellor from the International Students’ office of the university would be able to help you with the same.

As already mentioned, the university requisitions may vary. So in case, the university requires a different test, you would have to write that.

Preparing the admission related document

Almost all Australian Universities would require you to submit an admission essay as per their directives. While the universities might simply ask for a Statement of Purpose for the undergraduate courses, on the other hand, for post-graduate courses, it usually has a set of questions. These questions are provided to you at the time of registration. The admission essays play a crucial part in the admission process and students are advised to not rush into submitting the application. A student should prepare a rough draft first and then improve on it over a period of time. Along with it, you may be asked to submit your resume or CV as well.

Submitting the application, the essays, the transcripts and the test scores

Once you are ready, you can submit the applications along with the test scores as well as the academic transcripts required. Almost all the universities have an online submission. In case it requires a physical set as well, you must courier it before time to avoid delays.

Submitting letters of recommendation

While some universities might require you to submit the letter of recommendations along the applications, some might only ask for them after the applications have been submitted. You should be prepared with the kind of questions the university might ask of your recommender. Often, you would be required to submit reference letters from minimum two and sometimes three people. These recommenders can be your professors, teachers and ever people you have worked with (reporting managers/ colleagues).

Specific entry requirements

There might be a requirement of additional documents for some special cases, such as:

• If you recently changed your name or got married, an official proof is required
• If you applied for a UG or MS/MBA course while still in your final year, then you would need to submit your final grades
• If your documents are drafted in any other language than English, then you would need to get them translated first from authorized translator and get it certified accordingly

University Application Deadlines

You need to make a note about the university deadlines as well while applying to Australian Universities as each University will have their own deadlines. Make sure you research well and apply well in advance so as to make most of the scholarship and other academic grants. Generally, Australian Universities have the following intakes:

• Fall In-take: Late October—mid-November
• Spring In-take: Mid-April—mid-May

After this strenuous process, you just have to wait for the admission offer letter, apply for a visa and fly to Australia.

So, start searching now for the right course and college in Australia!

Check out the timelines for applying in Australia:

• Study in Australia: Timeline for July 2022 intake
• Study in Australia: Timeline for February 2022 intake 

Also, see the standardised exams required to study abroad: