Study in Australia
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
Australia
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
The majority of UK graduates who work in Australia will do so on a temporary basis while travelling, under the Working Holiday visa scheme.
For professional and permanent employment, you will need to apply through the competitive General Skilled Migration (GSM) scheme via SkillSelect . This scheme gives priority to people who have skills, qualifications and experience, and applicants are awarded points depending on how in-demand the job is.
It may be possible for a UK/EU graduate working for an international company to work in its Australian branch for a period of time.
Detailed information on all the visas available can be found at Australian Government: Department of Immigration and Citizenship .
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
Applying for jobs in Australia is very similar to the UK. Companies usually request a CV (called a résumé in Australia) and covering letter, or they may have their own application form. The content and layout of a résumé is similar to a UK CV.
Speculative applications are common in Australia and if you have a particular company in mind that you wish to contact there is nothing stopping you from applying direct.
It is not generally a good idea to apply for graduate jobs in Australia before having the correct visa and residing there. The exception is if you already work for an international company that has branches in Australia or if you have specialist skills or a profession included in the General Skilled Migration (GSM) programme.
For additional information on applying for jobs, visit Career Guide Australia .
Your résumé should be no longer than two or three pages and should outline your main skills, qualifications and achievements. It may be useful to include how you can add value or contribute to the workplace in Australia.
The careers services of many Australian universities offer advice on résumés and applications, for example, The University of New South Wales Careers and Employment Service . Job search websites, such as Career One Resume Writing - Australian Style , also offer guidelines.
There are various types of interview including telephone, formal or group interviews. Employers may also recruit through assessment centres. Prepare thoroughly for interviews and try to anticipate questions the employer may ask. Research the company as they are likely to ask questions about their operations.
Top tips for attending an interview in Australia are:
While the education systems of Australia and the UK are similar, most Australian companies may not automatically recognise your UK qualifications. It is important that you are able to explain the equivalent Australian qualification. Study in Australia provides information on Australian qualifications.
For many occupations, you will need to have your qualification checked by the relevant professional body. Australian Skills Recognition Information (ASRI) allows you to search for your occupation and find out how to have your qualification assessed.
In some cases, a bridging course or additional training may be required to supplement existing credentials.
If you are planning to live and work in Australia, check your UK tax and National Insurance position with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to ensure that you are not losing any UK pension rights.
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
Realistically, most graduates do not start their job search until they arrive in Australia but you should do some preparation before leaving the UK. Start with your university careers service for information on work and study in Australia.
The Recruitment & Consulting Services Association Ltd (RCSA) is the professional body for the employment services industry. The RCSA website contains a searchable list of accredited recruitment companies.
Private employment agencies are also listed in the Australian Yellow Pages under ‘Employment services’. Many of these agencies have websites advertising vacancies. Most agencies are free and you can register with as many as you like to increase your chances of getting a job.
Australian newspapers are a good place to look for current vacancies. All main daily newspapers carry job supplements and are generally state or territory based. Examples include:
Graduate Opportunities (Australia's premier graduate jobs directory) is full of careers information for graduates and has links to major employers.
Job Services Australia is an Australian government initiative aimed at helping people find employment.
Regional career fairs are held throughout the country. For more details, visit Graduate Careers Australia .
As many jobs aren’t advertised but are filled via an informal network, it is important to understand the hidden job market. You need to be proactive, realistic and persevere. Take advantage of networking opportunities and expand your networks by joining professional associations and Chambers of Commerce or undertaking voluntary work. Contact employers direct and ask if they are currently recruiting. It may also be a good idea to follow up an application with a phone call or a personal visit.
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
There are several work placement and exchange programmes operating in Australia. Organisations usually help with visa arrangements, transfers from the airport, accommodation for the first few nights and finding you work. These schemes may make a charge but often provide an instant network of fellow visitors/travellers. Examples include:
IAESTE (The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience) provides science, engineering and applied arts undergraduates with the opportunity to partake in exchange programmes. These typically last up to 12 weeks during the summer.
If you have a Bachelors degree and the relevant visa, you may be eligible to apply for the Teach for Australia graduate programme. It is a government initiative addressing educational disadvantage in challenging schools in Australia and is affiliated to Teach First in the UK.
The International Teaching Fellowship is an exchange programme between Victoria state teachers and international teachers, while the Department of Education - Teacher Exchange is the programme between Western Australian teachers and international teachers. Information on an exchange with Northern Territory teachers can be found at Department of Education and Training - Exchange programs and Queensland teachers at Department of Education and Training - Teacher Exchange Program . Teachers exchange places for an academic year, beginning January or July.
Teach Aussie is a scheme for international teachers with Working Holiday visas to teach in New South Wales.
Organisations with voluntary work projects include:
If you are on a Working Holiday visa, you will be interested in finding short-term, casual positions to fund your travels. Some job search websites advertise casual positions, in particular Seek , Careerone and JobSearch - Australia , or for more support while in Australia and help finding casual work try sites such as Work n Holiday .
You may be able to find casual work for certain occupations including retail, hospitality, labouring, tourism and fruit picking by targeting particular companies, farms or outlets and going in person and handing over your résumé. Keep an eye out for advertisements in shop windows and on community, café or backpacker hostel notice boards.
Organisations with gap year opportunities include:
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
Australia’s education structure follows a similar model to the UK and students have the same range of choices if they decide to stay in education. The length of courses is also the same with the majority of Masters degrees taking one year.
Qualifications awarded from Australian universities are internationally recognised and highly regarded by global employers.
Australian universities offer taught and research postgraduate programmes ranging from six months to four years in duration.
Graduate Careers Australia has information on postgraduate study including profiles on the types of courses available in a range of degree disciplines. Search for courses or particular institutions, including entry requirements, using The Good Universities Guide .
Study in Australia has a useful six steps to studying in Australia feature that outlines the stages of looking for a course and applying to study.
The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) has a useful guide to graduate and postgraduate study and a course finder that enables you to search by country, university, level of study and subject area for the course you wish to pursue.
Universities are located in all state capitals and other regional centres and cities. For a complete list of universities in Australia, see Australian Universities .
The Group of Eight , or Go8, is a coalition of Australia’s oldest research universities and comprises the Universities of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales, Australian National University and Monash University.
Australian universities often feature in the 'Top 100 Universities' in global rankings, such as:
To be accepted on to most postgraduate courses in Australia you will need an undergraduate qualification, usually a three-year Bachelors degree, from a recognised international institution. To find out whether your qualifications are recognised in Australia, visit AEI - Assessment of Overseas Qualifications .
Specific entry requirements will differ from course to course so check with the individual institution for details or use Study in Australia - Study Wizard .
Most Australian universities operate on a semester basis, with the academic year starting in February. Closing dates for applications depend on the course and the institution, and some courses accept applications year round. Applications are made directly to universities, and this can usually be done online. For information on applying for Australian universities, see the Study in Australia website.
Tuition fees are individually set by each institution and vary depending on the course subject. A postgraduate diploma or certificate, Masters or PhD course will cost in the region of A$15,000 - A$36,000 each year (around £10,000 - £23,500).
The Australian government outlines that international students must have funds of A$18,000 (approximately £12,000) a year to cover living costs while studying in Australia, although this may vary depending on the location. For more information on fees and living costs, see Study in Australia - Study Costs .
As there are limited places available for the international student scholarship programme offered in Australia, most students will pay fully for their university fees. Contact the university directly for details of available scholarships. More information about scholarships is available on the following websites:
Individual universities will have exchange agreements allowing you to study part of your degree at an Australian University. Contact your international office or careers service for more information.
Consult ENIC-NARIC for recognition of Australian qualifications.
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
As you will require a visa to work or study in Australia it is important to obtain the correct one before you go.
For more information see Australian Government: Department of Immigration and Citizenship .
For further details on all visas, including information on visitor (travel) visas, business visas and partner (family) visas, visit Migration Expert , and for more information and advice see Working in Australia .
You will need to apply for a visa before you go to Australia, and processing times can be lengthy. Applications can be made online. For more information visit the Australian Government: Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.
If you are not a UK national, contact the Australian embassy in the country where you are currently residing about how to obtain visas and work permits. If you are living in the UK, go to the Australian High Commission in the UK .
You might also find it helpful to contact your ministry of foreign affairs (or your own embassy if you are not living in your home country) to ask whether there are any issues to be taken into account when considering working in Australia.
If you are considering working in Australia on a more permanent basis then you should apply for a visa through the General Skilled Migration (GSM) programme via SkillSelect . For more details, visit the Australian Government: Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.
From 1 July 2012 new applicants for independent, family or state/territory sponsored migration need to record their details on the SkillSelect website (called an Expression of Interest (EOI)) to be considered for a skilled visa. Unless rejected, applicants would be issued with an invitation. The next step would then be to lodge a visa application. The first round of invitations is expected in January 2013.
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
Centrelink is part of the Department of Human Services and includes the Assessment Subsidy for Overseas Trained Professionals (ASDOT) scheme.
University careers services in Australia generally offer a similar range of services as UK university careers services, e.g. careers counselling/interviews and job search training, general careers information and links to employers including vacancy listings. The specific services and the amount of help they are able to provide for international students and graduates will vary between institutions.
For links to specific university websites, visit Australian Universities . For further information, see Graduate Careers Australia .
The British High Commission in Australia has information for British nationals who are temporary residents or visitors to the country. It also provides information on help in an emergency, as well as travel advice and issues to be aware of when visiting Australia.
To contact the British High Commission in Australia, call the main switchboard: (+61) (0) 2 6270 6666. This number is not for passport or visa enquiries.
The general emergency contact number in Australia is 000.
Take the first step towards enjoying your student life abroad and find a university in Australia to suit you.
Find the latest travel advice and a traveller’s checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.
