Study in Australia

We have recently been asked about this question by one of the community members on our YouTube channel, that “Is Australia a safe study option for females?”

And we are sure that some other female international students could have the same question in their minds as well.

So in this article, we are answering that question.

Women Safety in Australia

Australia is a considered to be a safe country for women.

The country offers a high level of personal safety, and the living standard is pretty good. Australia has a well-developed economy and a stable political system.

Australia has made an effort to make the country more welcoming for women by promoting gender equality and fighting sexism.

The country has also taken steps to reduce sexual harassment in public spaces, such as on public transport or at nightclubs.

Public transport including taxi’s are very safe and reliable in Australia.

There are also specific welfare, domestic violence support, child care, skills development and other programs targeted towards female equality and women empowerment.

Statistics about Crime Rate, Safety and Life Quality in Australia

Here are some statistics about key statistics about Australia’s crime, safety and quality of life.

According to Global Peace Index, Australia is ranked 16th among 163 countries.

Australia ranks 80th in the Crime Index among 142 countries as measured and reported by Numbeo.

And when it comes to quality of life, Australia is ranked 8th ahead of Canada, New Zealand,, United States and United Kingdom (United Nations Human Index Report).

Both Sydney and Melbourne has been consistently ranked among Top 10 safest cities in the world as well. (The Economist).

The low crime rate in Australia is also a result of the country’s strict gun laws. In 1996, after the Port Arthur Massacre, Australia passed a law that prohibited all automatic and semi-automatic guns, as well as pump-action shotguns.

Other factors that make Australia safe includes: Stable economy, Low unemployment, Strong political system, Less corruption.

Tips to keeping safe in Australia as a female international students

While, Australia is a safe country, there are some common sense and other best practices you still need to follow. This section is about tips to keep you safe in Australia as a female international student.

• Always be aware of your surroundings and avoid walking alone at night.
• Always keep your belongings close to you
• If you are going to drink, it’s best to do so with friends and stay in a group
• You should also avoid wearing expensive items that show off your wealth or possessions because this may attract unwanted attention from people who could pose a threat to you
• Avoid dark and secluded areas like parks and alleys
• Keep emergency contact numbers handy
• Be aware of natural threats in Australia including bushfires, floods, etc.

Conclusion

The article concludes that Australia is still one of the safest countries for women in the world.

Many female international students come to Australia solo and study by themselves without stressing too much about their personal safety.

That does not mean you should let your guard down and be completely careless.

But when considering studying abroad, this is one of the key factors that makes female students choose Australia over some other destinations.

Are you planning to do your secondary education in Australia?

It is a certainly a great pathway to enter Tertiary education with unmatched learning experiences.

This guide will give you a quick heads up on Australia’s secondary education system.

How does Secondary education in Australia works?

Secondary education in Australia is a stage of education that follows the completion of primary school. It is known as high school also.

Secondary schools offer students the opportunity to learn more about their interests and to prepare for their future careers.

You can choose to study in a public or private schools for your secondary education in Australia.

Secondary education in Australia starts from year 7 onwards and to complete and move to tertiary education, you will need to pass year 12.

Secondary education is divided into two stages in Australia:

• Secondary school – Depending on the state, runs for 3 or 4 years (Years 7 to 10 or 8 to 10).
• Senior secondary school – Runs for 2 years (Years 11 and 12).

Each state in Australia has a different set up for last 2 years of the study. But all the states will require you to take a test at the end of those 2 years in senior secondary education. Scores from those tests will help you determine your ranking in the year 12 across your state. This score plays a huge role in university placements.

How long is the school year in Australia?

Australian school year starts from late January until mid-December. There are 4 terms during the year.

Each term goes for 10 weeks and then there is school holidays in-between each term.

Generally, school timings are from 9 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday.

You must apply few months before the start of the term in order to get your application approved and other visa requirements sorted.

What are the entry requirements for secondary education in Australia?

Like education system, entry requirements for secondary education in Australia varies from state to state.

However, some of the common entry requirements include:

• Certificates of previously completed study
• Previous academic performance
• English test scores
• Other non academic achievements
• Homestay or guardian arrangements

How much it costs to do your secondary education in Australia?

As per the Australian government’s website, Study Australia, to do your school education in Australia as an international student, it would costs you anywhere $7,800 to $30,000 per year. It depends on the city, type of schools, year level, you are choosing to study.

It is important to note if you are under the age of 18, then you will need to also arrange welfare arrangements as well. For this, you will need to have a student guardian who will look after student’s need. It could be your parents, legal custodian, or relative over 21 years of age.

It is a condition to enter Australia for international students under the age of 18 years of age that they must have welfare arrangements sorted before arriving in Australia.

You can also choose to have Homestay option with local family to meet the guardian requirement.

So, consider these cost of living expenses of your guardian or Homestay as well along with your education costs also.

Top secondary schools in Australia

Based on Cluey learning’s ranking, here are the top 10 school for secondary education in Australia:

1. James Ruse Agricultural High School – NSW
2. North Sydney Girls High School – NSW
3. North Sydney Boys High School – NSW
4. Sydney Girls High School – NSW
5. Sydney Boys High School – NSW
6. Baulkham Hills High School – NSW
7. Perth Modern School – WA
8. Hornsby Girls High School – NSW
9. Normanhurst Boys High School -NSW
10. Sydney Grammar School – NSW

If you liked this article, then you should consider reading our guide on the Australian grading system.

Comment below about what education level you are planning to study in Australia?

If you’re moving to Australia to study, it’s a good idea to be prepared for your first week in the country. It’s natural that you’re going to be a little disoriented in a brand-new city not knowing what you need to do or worse, how to do it.

That’s why we’ve put together a student checklist to get you started and organised during your first week in Australia. And whilst you’ve probably organised a lot of your move, like your accommodation and OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) before you get on your flight, there are some things you won’t be able to do until you land.

After you’ve gone through immigration and customs at the airport, there will be some things you need to organise, and it’s better to get them done in your first week so you’re ready and settle in before university starts. 

Not everything in this guide might apply to you, however we hope it helps if you’re feeling overwhelmed and anxious about moving to study in Australia. 

Check into your accommodation

First things first, it’s time to stop carrying your luggage around!

If you’re not staying with family or friends then ideally, you’ll have booked your accommodation prior to landing in Australia, so all you need to do is check into your new home. 

If you’ve booked privately, you’ll likely have been in contact with your student accommodation provider who will know when you’re arriving. So all you need to do is turn up with a form of identification (ideally your passport) to check in and be shown to your new room. 

Tip: It’s a good idea to have the address of your accommodation written down in case you don’t have any phone signal or cannot remember its exact location. You can then give it to your driver or transport officer in case you get lost.  

Haven’t booked your student accommodation?

If you haven’t booked your accommodation prior to entering Australia, it’s often easy to find a hotel or hostel for a few days. Or you can contact private student accommodation providers, like The Switch, who take short term bookings. You can then easily extend your stay if they have a room available. 

Ensure your visa details are correct (VEVO)

A lot of students who have just arrived in Australia feel anxious about their student visa and its validity. But with the Government app VEVO, you don’t need to worry. 

Once you get through immigration and customs, simply download the VEVO app on your phone. It’ll ask you for your visa grant number and once entered will let you know that you’ve activated your student visa and are onshore. 

Ticking this off your student checklist isn’t a must, but it definitely provides peace of mind for a lot of international students!

Purchase a transport card

One of the most important things to do in your first week in Australia is to get yourself a transport card so you can use public transport with ease. 

In Australia, each city has a different system, so which card you get depends on where you live and study. Take a look below to find out which card you need and where to top yours up:

Sydney

If you’re moving to Australia to study in Sydney, and you wish to use public transport, you’ll need to get an Opal card. You’ll find these at local newsagents or Woolworths supermarkets and can top up there and then. 

Once you’ve got your card, you can also download the Opal app which can be used to top up your card, plan your trips and track any transport cancellations. 

Although in Sydney you can also tap on and off with your bank card using paywave, a lot of Sydneysiders still use their Opal card to track their travel and get perks such as the $50 weekly cap and student prices. 

Perth

In Perth, you’ll be looking out for a SmartRider card. Using much the same concept, you need a SmartRider card to ‘tag’ on and off when you use trains, buses and other public transport. 

To get a SmartRider card, simply visit a Transperth Infocentre or most small Newsagents. Here you can get your card and top up. 

Much the same as in Sydney, you can top up online or at the machines located at most stops. 

Adelaide

In Adelaide, you’ll travel on public transport using a metroCARD. Alternatively you can also use your debit or credit card to tap on and off the city’s trams. 

You can purchase and top up your card online or through retailers located around the city. 

Melbourne

Any ideas of the name of Melbourne’s transport card?

It’s myki. 

With your myki card, you’ll be able to travel on Melbourne’s trams, buses and trains using either your physical or digital card. If you want to buy a physical myki card, you can do so at all 7-Eleven stores or some station ticket offices. But really, the best way to start hopping on and off public transport is getting a digital card using your phone. 

Tip: Follow the relevant pages to find out if you’re eligible for a student card in your city. This will make your trips on public transport around Australia cheaper. Score!

Set up your bank account (or pick up your bank card)

Depending on what bank you’ve chosen to set up your account with, you may have already set up your bank account whilst outside Australia. In which case, all you’ll need to do in your first week is pick it up from your nominated bank. 

If you aren’t quite that organised, it’s likely that you’ll have to set up your bank account in your first week in Australia. 

Your first decision is which bank to go with. Lots of people go with Australia’s big banks such as ANZ, Commonwealth or Westpac, however there are many options, so do your research and pick the one that fits your situation best. Believe it or not, there’s also a great selection of ethical banks if you’re keen on keeping your money a little cleaner. 

In the meantime, make sure you bring some cash or an international credit card with you until you receive your new one. 

What do I need to set up a bank account?

• 70 points worth of identification. This usually consists of your birth certificate, passport, another card with your name on it and your driver’s licence if you have one. However it’s best to check with your bank. 
• Your postal address
• Tax File Number (if you’ve got one – if not, read on!)

Set up your phone

This might be of high priority if your phone provider doesn’t allow international roaming. Whilst there’s a lot of free wifi on offer at the airport and across Australia, buying a new sim card for use in Australia is a must do when you land. 

There are so many options when it comes to mobile providers, but Telstra and Optus are two of the most popular that allow for the most coverage across Australia. 

The most important things to explore when searching for a new phone plan are:

• Choosing a pre-paid vs post-paid plan
• Which provider to choose
• Price
• Inclusions (data, calls, texts)

Purchasing a sim card is the easy bit. You can either order your sim card online, head to a local phone store or pop into your local Coles, Woolworths, Officeworks or Post Office branch to pick one up. You’ll then be able to follow the instructions to activate and top up monthly. 

Apply for a Tax File Number

What’s a TFN? 

A TFN, or Tax File Number, is a number you legally need to work in Australia. So if you’re looking to work part-time whilst on your student visa, you’ll need to apply before you can get a job and get paid. 

Your TFN helps the Australian Government determine how much you should be taxed. If you’re on a student visa you’ll pay an average of 15.5% tax on your earnings which you’ll see when you do your tax return, however this is subject to change. 

Setting it up is easy. Simply visit the ATO website and fill out the form. Your TFN will then be sent via post to you and should arrive within a week or two. 

Get ready for O Week

Once all the admin is out of the way, it’s time to prepare for what you came for! It’s likely that you’ll have received communication from your university regarding Orientation Day and the rest of the activities happening during ‘O Week’. A week of markets, parties, games, tours and activities that occur the week before university officially starts. 

This is a great way to meet people on your course, make new friends and get to know your campus and city before you start the semester. 

Make sure you know when orientation day is, you’ve signed up for activities you want to take part in, research university societies you’d like to be a part of and organise your timetable for the week. This way, you won’t be overwhelmed when you’re being pulled in all directions!

Decorate your room

This is the fun bit! During your first week, make yourself feel at home by decorating your room to make it a little more ‘you’. 

Before you leave, print some photos out, collect some keepsakes or your favourite pieces from your own bedroom to bring along. By decorating your room, it’ll feel cosy from the moment you move in.

Stuck for decoration ideas? Head to your local Kmart or Target for cheap homewares that fit perfectly with any student’s budget. 

Explore your new home

Aaaand breathe. All the hard stuff is done. All you need to do now is get out there and explore all that your new city has to offer!

Take public transport, hire a bike or simply get your walking shoes on and take a look around at where you’ll be sipping coffee before your 9am lecture, where you’ll be hanging out with your new friends, your route to university and places you’d love to explore in the coming months. 

By getting to know your surroundings, your next few weeks in Australia will be much easier and you’ll feel much more at home.

As the Australian borders remain closed for the time being, many international students are considering their options for studying in Australia and one of the key thing they have to consider is whether they want to defer a course or to start studying online.

So in this article we are going to discuss about some of the pros and cons of deferring a course

Pros or benefits of deferring a course

1. Study in Australia

One of the first and most important benefit is that when you defer course, most likely you might be able to come back to Australia and start your study when the borders reopen. So deferring a semester or two does make a perfect sense if you can come to Australia and start studying in Australia.

Studying in your home country online to studying in Australia will be a completely different experience, so that is an obvious benefit of deferring a course.

2. Face-to-Face study

While online study can be good for some students, other students might struggle when they are studying online and study experience is completely different in class and online.

So you really can’t compare those two study options and that is another benefit if you defer a course there is a possibility that when you come back to Australia you can complete your study in class.

3. Access to campus facilities

When you do come back to Australia and start studying here, you will have access to the campus facilities and other facilities offered by your university or college. Lots of universities have got great campus facilities including gyms, swimming pools, libraries, computer labs and many other.

So deferring a semester or two could mean that you will have access to these facilities when you come back in Australia.

4. Australian lifestyle

Australia is a multicultural country. So when you start study in Australia, you will have a chance to meet new people, make new friends, mix up with other cultures and understand the lifestyle in Australia.

Lifestyle in your home country could be really different to the lifestyle in Australia and that can be a great learning curve as an international student for you. It is one of the most important element of studying abroad, so consider this factor for deferring your course.

5. Work in Australia

As an international student you are allowed to work 40 hours per fortnight and unlimited hours during your school holidays.

If you defer your course and when you come back to Australia, you can start working as per your visa requirements along with your studies. It can be great for your career to get some work experience and some cash to meet some of your expenses.

6. Time to reconsider your options

Last but not the least, it gives you time to reconsider your options for studies. So obviously, you will have time to rethink regarding your goals, your institution, course or even your country you have chosen to study.

The deferment of the course certainly gives you time to rethink all these options and consider what’s the best option for you as student as you are investing time, money and efforts.

Cons or drawbacks of deferring a course

1. Extension of a visa

One of the key concern for many international students is that once they defer a course, there is a possibility that they may have to extend their visas at the end of their course.

Usually, when your visa is granted by the Department of Home Affairs, it will end on a specifc date. So if you do end up deferring a semester or two, it could mean that your study could end up after the expiry of your visa which means you may need to apply for a new student visa.

For more information on this, please consult with your educational consultant or registered migration agent.

2. Impact on career Progression

Now, deferring a course could mean that there is an issue with your career progression. It could directly impact your long-term plans and career goals.

So for example, after your studies, if you become eligible to apply for a skilled migration visa and deferring a course means that you could lose some points based on your age, then it could impact your career goals and progression.

Please note that the primary aim of the student visa is to come and study in Australia and not only seeking a migration benefit. But you still need to keep in mind that deferring a course could impact your career.

3. Deferral fees

Some universities or colleges can charge a deferral fee for deferring a course.

While some universities or colleges might wave it off but there is a possibility that your university or college will charge that fees. So consider that fees as well when you are making a decision whether to defer or not defer the course.

4. Condition of the course

Some courses or universities may have a very specific entry requirements to the course, which includes english testing, entry requirements, age or some other specific requirements.

If that’s the case, then you may have to reconsider your options for differing as the deferral here could mean that you may have to meet those requirements again or you have to do some specific things again in order to get entry into the course.

There could be issues regarding intakes as well because some universities have a specific intake during the year for a particular courses.

If you miss that intake or you defer that intake that could mean you may have to wait longer in order to get entry to that course again.

5. Conditions of the scholarship

Last but not the least, if you have got a scholarship for your course, some universities will have a condition as a part of your scholarship that if you defer a course it could mean no grant of the scholarship.

So it’s very important to read the terms and conditions of your scholarship to understand what does a deferral of the course means for your scholarship.

Summary

Obviously, it is a huge decision to defer a course for any international student and there are many factors you will need to consider whether to defer or not defer a course.

Apart from the pros and cons we discussed above, every individual may have their own personal circumstances to consider as well.

So we certainly can’t give you an answer whether you should defer or not defer a course as it depends on lot of factors and your personal circumstances but hopefully this information has given you some ideas on what factors you should consider when deferring a course.

We would love to hear from you regarding what options are you considering for deferring or not deferring a course. Please leave your thoughts in the comment section.

How does getting the full tuition fee, living expenses and even getting money to study in Australia sounds? Great, right.

Well, Australia Awards Scholarship can make this dream come true.

In this article, we are covering everything you need to know about the Australia Awards Scholarship 2024.

What is an Australia Awards Scholarship?

Australia Awards is an Australian Government’s prestigious scholarship offered to students from developing nations to study in Australia.

This scholarship covers not only tuition fees but airfares, living costs, OSHC and provides students stipends also.

In 2023, Australian government awarded 1,141 scholarships worth $250 million to students from 55 developing nations.

The purpose of this scholarship is to help Australia’s partner countries to develop and promote growth and stability in the region.

Opening Date and Closing Date

The application for Australia Awards Scholarships usually opens around from Feb till April every year. The actual dates can vary based each year.

Applications for the year 2024 are open from 1 February 2024 to 30 April 2024 11:59pm AEST. If you are planning to get this scholarship, then you must apply between this timeframe.

Benefits

If you are awarded with Australia Awards scholarship, you can be receive the following benefits:

• Full Tuition Fee
• Return airfare expenses
• Establishment expenses
• Health Cover (Overseas Students Health Cover)
• Introductory Academic Program
• Living expenses contribution
• Additional academic support
• Pre-course English fees
• Fieldwork costs (for research students)

Documents Required to Apply

You might be required to submit these documents when applying for an Australia Award scholarship:

• Passport
• Birth Certificate
• CV or Resume
• Reference letters
• Academic transcripts
• Copy of certificates
• IELTS results (if available)
• Plan to return home

Additional documents might be required by the Australian government in order to assess your application. The documents required can also vary for the each eligible country.

Selection process

The selection process for Australia Award scholarships is very competitive. Only eligible and shortlisted are contacted for this scholarship.

You will need to go through an interview as well if you get shortlisted.

The selection criteria are based on the three main aspects:

• Your academic competence
• Potential outcome for your home country after your studies
• Professional and personal leadership attributes, including relevant work experience.

How to Apply

Before you start applying for Australia Awards Scholarship, you will need to read the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook.

This handbook gives you all the information you need to apply this scholarship including participating institutions, the selection process, your entitlements, responsibilities and general ideas about the eligibility requirements.

After that, you will need to apply for this scholarship via OASIS portal (Online Australia Scholarships Information System) except for Indonesian and Philippines Students.

If you are a student from Indonesia, you need to apply here and if you are student from Philippines, you need to apply here.

Let’s talk about the students applying via the OASIS portal.

First, you will need to register online via the portal.

After registration, you will be issued a unique registration number, username and password in your email. It can take a few minutes for this email to arrive.

Once you log in after changing your temporary password, there will be a few questions to ascertain your eligibility for this scholarship.

Then you need to start a new application for this scholarship and complete the details for all the parts of the application.

The sections of the application you will need to complete include:

• Personal Details
• Contact Details
• Spouse Details (if applicable)
• Children Details (if applicable)
• Emergency Contact Details
• Previous Scholarships
• Proposed Study Program
• Qualifications
• English Language Details
• Computer Literacy Details
• Computer Training Details
• Current Employment
• Previous Employment
• Supporting Statement
• Professional Memberships
• Communication
• Documentary Evidence
• Declaration

You will be required to submit all the supporting documents for your application via OASIS portal.

Note: You don’t need to complete the application immediately. You can save the draft and complete the application at a later stage. Although you must submit the application before the closing date.

Tips for the application

Here are some tips that might help you in preparing your application:

• As the selection process is very competitive, Ideally you should be spending time and efforts preparing your application.
• Explain your motivation to study in Australia and your course selection.
• Highlight your English language skills
• Provide any relevant information for work experience
• Show any leadership qualities
• Challenges faced by your home country and how the study can help you make an impact in your professional area in your home country

Participating countries for this scholarship

Please note that each year the Australian government decides to choose various developing countries for this scholarship. The list of countries can vary each year.

If your home country is not on the list this year, please check back next year for that.

Alternatively, you can check other fully funded scholarships for international students here.

For the year 2023, students from these countries are eligible to apply for this scholarship:

Asia

• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• Cambodia
• Indonesia
• Laos
• Maldives
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Sri Lanka
• Timor-Leste
• Vietnam

Pacific

• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji
• French Polynesia
• Kiribati
• Marshall Islands
• Nauru
• New Caledonia
• Niue
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu
• Wallis and Futuna

Middle East

• Occupied Palestinian Territories

Africa

• Africa

List of countries in Africa include:

• Algeria
• Benin
• Botswana
• Côte d’Ivoire
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Mauritius
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nigeria
• Rwanda
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Important Conditions

If you wish to apply and receive this scholarship, then you need to meet these important conditons:

• You will need to sign a contract with the Commonwealth of Australia that you will meet the conditions of the scholarship.
• You will be required to leave Australia for a minimum of 2 years after completing this scholarship.

If you fail to meet these conditions, then you will need to pay back the total cost of the scholarship back to the Australian government.

In order to get the complete picture of the scholarship, please check the policy handbook for the Australia Awards Scholarship here.

Are there any courses that I can’t study under this scholarship?

Yes, there are certain courses and areas that you can’t study under this scholarship, including:

• Flying aircraft
• Nuclear technology
• Military training

Importantly, the study program you choose must be related to your country’s priority areas for development. Check the links above (in the participating countries) for your country.

Want to prepare a good application for your scholarship?

Check all the 6 steps to make your application stand out by clicking here.