Types of Institutions in Australia

TAFE: Technical and Further Education

TAFE Institutes in Australia are government-owned providers of VET courses. VET courses are also offered by private Registered Training Organizations (RTOs), typically known as private colleges. The TAFE sector is the largest education and training sector in Australia. The types of qualifications that can be obtained through the TAFE system include:

• Certificate I–IV: These courses are designed to provide basic skills and training. They offer industry-specific knowledge and skills in communication, literacy and numeracy, and teamwork. The duration varies from six months to two years.
  
  
• Diploma: Diploma prepares students for corporate, industries, enterprises and paraprofessional careers. Diploma typically requires one to two years of full-time study.
  
  
• Advanced diploma: An advanced diploma provides a high degree of practical skills for paraprofessional work in areas such as accounting, architecture and engineering. Students can complete some advanced diplomas at university level. Advanced diplomas vary in duration from one to two years of full-time study.
  
  
• Vocational graduate certificate/diploma: The vocational graduate certificate and diploma are the equivalent of the higher education graduate certificate and diploma. The graduate certificate usually requires six months to a year of full-time study, and the graduate diploma usually requires one to two years of full-time study.
  

Entrance/Test Requirements

The most important prerequisite is English language proficiency. At all Australian universities, English is the language of instruction. An applicant has to provide evidence of proficiency in the English language.
English Proficiency:

• IELTS: IELTS or International English Language Test is frequently administered by the British Council. Most universities require international students to take this test.
• TOEFL: TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language is an alternative to IELTS. This test is carried out by ETS and accepted by most Australian universities.
  

For International students: Broadly speaking, universities have the following entry requirements for bachelor degrees from international students:

• An overall score of at least 6.0 in the international English language testing system (IELTS).
• A score of at least 550 in the test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) and a score of at least 4.5 in the test of written English (TWE)
  

Other requirements

Applicants also require an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of at least 70 (80 for engineering and other select courses). The ATAR required for each course changes from year to year, depending on demand.
Each Education provider will have different entrance requirements such as prior knowledge in certain subject, work or volunteer experience, portfolio, Official academic transcripts, test or interview.

Universities and Institutes of Higher Education in Australia

Are you looking to pursue a university programme in Australia? The Australian Universities and Institutes of Higher Education offer plenty of those at every level. For details see Universities in Australia