Australia is among one of the popular destinations for students to pursue their higher education. The percentage of Indian students studying in Australia has shown a 39% growth in the year 2019, which accounts for 107,673 students. There are a number of factors responsible for this huge influx of students to the country. The cities in Australia are safe for international students. They have one of the best education systems in the world. The students get scholarships and they can get good jobs once their graduation is complete. All these factors have led to the huge influx of students from all over the world to this island country.
Having a complete idea about the courses, expenses can help you a lot in your higher education plans in Australia.
Top Universities in Australia
5 universities in Australia rank among the 50 global universities in the world. Some of the other renowned universities in the country are mentioned below:
- The University of Melbourne
- RMIT University
- The University of Sydney
- The University of Queensland
- Monash University
- The University of Adelaide
- Deakin University
- Victoria University
- Griffith University
- La Trobe University
- Central Queensland University
- Australian National University
- University of Tasmania
- Western Sydney University
- University of South Australia
Affordable universities in Australia
- IPAG Business School – tuition fees start at 13,000 AUD/year
- Victoria University – tuition fees start at 21,800 AUD/year
- University of New England – tuition fees start at 19,100 AUD/year
- Flinders University – tuition fees start at 10,350 AUD/year
- University of Wollongong – tuition fees start at 18,800 AUD/year
Popular courses to study in Australia
- Information Technology
- Business, management and commerce
- Engineering
- Health
- Natural and Physical Sciences
- Society and culture
Scholarships and student funding in Australia
There are different kinds of scholarships and grants available to international students. Some of the scholarship providers are the higher education institutions, the Australian Government and the public/ private organizations.
Here are some Australian scholarships that you must know about:
- Australia Awards- The scholarships and fellowships are funded by the Australian Government. This covers full tuition fees, travel expenses and part of the living costs monthly.
- Destination Australia Program (DAP) – financed by the Australian Government, this mobility program encourages both the international as well as the Australian students to enrol in the educational institutions in the different regions of Australia.
- Australia APEC Women in Research Fellowship Program – With this fellowship program, the women researchers from various APEC economies are provided financial aid to pursue their individual researches in partnership with the various Australian universities.
- Melbourne Graduate Scholarship- Applicable for the Masters program at the University of Melbourne.
Tuition fees in Australia
This depends on the course that you want to pursue, the degree level and also on the University from where you will be completing the course.
Tuition fees for international students:
- Bachelor’s degrees courses between 20,000 – 45,000 AUD/year
- Master’s and PhD degrees courses between 22,000 – 50,000 AUD/year
The Business and Medicine degree courses at the top universities like the University of Sydney, Australian National University or the University of Queensland costs over 60, 000 AUD/year.
Living costs in Australia
An international student has to spend 1400 to 2500 AUD/month for their living expenses in Australia. However, the student must keep this in mind that when they apply for a visa, they will have to give proof about their financial resources.
Average cost of living in top Australian cities is mentioned below:
- Sydney: starts at 1,900 AUD/month
- Melbourne: starts at 1,500 AUD/month
- Adelaide: starts at 1,300 AUD/month
- Brisbane: starts at 1,400 AUD/month
- Canberra: starts at 1,400 AUD/month
Accommodation costs in Australia
Majority of the Australian universities have dormitories for the students for on-campus accommodation purposes. However, international students can also live in private properties or opt for homestay (live with a local Australian family).
Average prices for common accommodation:
- Student halls of residence: 440 – 1,100 AUD/month
- Homestay: 450 – 1,200 AUD/month
- Share a rented apartment/house: 380 – 850 AUD/month
- Rent an apartment: 750 – 1,700 AUD/month
Apart from rent, a student also has to bear extra expenses like:
- Internet: 70 – 120 AUD/month
- Utilities: around 200 AUD/month
Food costs in Australia
There are cheap supermarkets like Coles, Aldi and Woolworths from where you can shop for groceries. The groceries cost around 500-1000 AUD per month. There are Italian, Asian and Greek restaurants if you want to eat a specific cuisine. The average cost of a meal at an affordable restaurant costs 18 AUD while a three-course meal for two will cost 80 AUD.
Transportation costs in Australia
There are universities that have a private transport supplier that helps the students who live on the campus to go to remote areas. Or else, a student can apply for public transport pass for the students which costs between 30-70 AUD per month depending on the city where you live in. One can also go around the city by using a bicycle. One can rent a bicycle for 40 AUD per day.
Australian Student Visa
To study in Australia, you need to have a student visa. Indian students going to study in Australia for the first time need to apply for an Australian Subclass 500 Student Visa. The process is moderate.
It takes 17 to 32 days for the visa to get processed. However, at time sit can take even three months to get the visa processed. Hence it is better to apply three months beforehand for the visa so that you have enough time on your hand.
The Visa cost per student is 620 AUD or 30,541 INR
Jobs after course completion
If you have completed your Bachelors or Masters Degree programs in Australia, and plan to stay and work in the country, then the individual will be eligible for Australia work visa subclass 485. It is very important for an international student to have a working visa before they start working in the country. The average monthly salary that one can get in Australia is 7500 AUD.
Work permit: You can apply for the work permit for 2-4 years on completion of your course.
Some of the high paying jobs in Australia are in a field like- Executive management, Financial Services, Legal department, IT & Software development and legal and paralegal. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are the cities where the highest paid jobs are available.
Some of the companies providing employment are GE Capital, Wesfarmers, Telstra, Accenture, Toyota, PwC, Nomura and others.
Know more: Financing your MBA abroad: How to do it?
