Popular Institutes of Australia

There are 39 public universities and two private universities in Australia, which offer both undergraduate and Post Graduate programs. The most popular courses of study amongst Indian students at the Post Graduate-level include studies in-

• Business Administration,
• Management,
• Computer Science,
• Information Technology,
• Engineering, and
• Surveying.

Note of Caution: Interested students should bear in mind that all universities and institutions approved to offer degrees and other higher education awards are listed on the registers of the 'Australian Qualifications Framework'. Institutions that are not listed on the AQF are not recognised by Commonwealth, State and mainland territory governments of Australia.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Institutes

Australia specializes in vocational education and training. The VET sector is divided into two sections - a nationally recognized government system of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and private providers. Students can study vocational courses at both public TAFE institutes and private colleges. The government ensures the quality of courses, staff and teaching by carefully monitoring these institutions.

The vast range of courses under this category includes;

• Information Technology,
• Business And Management,
• Marketing And Communications,
• Health,
• Science,
• Design and the Arts,
• Television Production And Media,
• Environmental Studies and Land Management,
• Sport and Recreation,
• Engineering and Building, and
• Hospitality and Tourism.

English language training and university preparation courses are also offered. TAFE is the largest provider of tertiary education courses in Australia with approximately 250 institutes and 41,000 international students.

Industry training is common to all the VET programs. The awards in VET sector are:

• Certificates,
• Advanced certificates,
• Associate diplomas, and
• Diplomas.

Studying at TAFE level is also described as a way of gaining entry to Australia's universities. Most TAFE institutes have arrangements with specific universities, enabling students to gain credit for a portion of their study undertaken at TAFE.