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Scholarship and Financial Aid Options for International Students

2010-07-30T18:45:22Z

The majority of international students who come to Australia to study pay the full fees themselves. There are options, however, for students who are unable to afford the fees on their own. Financial aid and scholarships opportunities are available to students who meet the requirements.

Scholarships

There are a variety of scholarships offered by the Australian government, individual educational institutions, and other organizations that target specific fields of study or students from particular world regions.

Managed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), Australian Scholarships include:

1. The Endeavour Awards: The Endeavour Awards is a competitive, international, merit-based scholarship award program run by the Australian government for students of the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions. With an emphasis on study, research, and professional development, the Awards give students the opportunity to advance their professional or academic careers. A limited number of Awards are open to European and American students.

2. Australian Leadership Awards (ALA): Specifically for students who are in a position to positively impact social and economic conditions of their home countries, ALAs are postgraduate scholarships that allow students to focus on specialized research. Students who are granted an ALA are required to return to their home country or region for at least two years after study completion.

3. Australian Development Scholarships (ADS): Geared toward arming students with the skills to aid governance, human development, and economic growth in their home countries, ADS gives students the tools to make positive changes. ADS provides opportunities for students in underdeveloped countries to study full time in Australia in undergraduate or postgraduate studies.

In addition to scholarships, the Australian Leadership Awards (ALA) offers Fellowship programs which
are intended as short term study opportunities for research and learning. Available Fellowships cover a range of fields, including development, education, economic growth, environmental issues, food safety, gender equality, government, health issues, human rights, agricultural and rural development, clean water and improving sanitary conditions.

Other sources of scholarships include charitable organizations and educational institutions. Most of these must be applied for in the student's home country.

Some scholarships assist students in paying for travel and living expenses as well as for educational expenses.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to some international students. Many countries offer governmental financial aid that may be used while studying in Australia. Aid must be applied for and granted in the student's home country. General requirements for being approved for financial aid are:

1. Demonstrated financial need.
2. Citizen or eligible non-citizen of the country.
3. Be enrolled as a student at a specific percentage (varies).
4. Maintain a satisfactory academic record.
5. Not be in default on any other federal loan.

Students should meet with a study abroad adviser to ensure that any federal aid they have been granted will transfer to international study programs in Australia.

Australia's outstanding reputation as a world class educational center along with its unequaled beauty and unique cultural diversity make it one of the most popular destinations for international students. A scholarship or a financial aid loan may open the door for lower income but academically gifted students to study in Australia.

Distance Learning Programs in Australia

2009-11-04T22:17:42Z

Australian distance learning programs are an ideal option for students who wish to take advantage of Australian educational institutions but may not be able to, or may not want to, relocate to Australia for the duration of their study. Australian distance learning programs allow you to manage family or work obligations that may restrict your ability to relocate or travel while you achieve your educational goals and gain the knowledge and skills you need to advance your career and increase your earning potential.

Students considering an Australian distance learning program can ensure their success by keeping the following tips in mind:

1. Determine your overall educational goals and select a distance learning program accordingly. For example, if you intend to continue your education beyond this degree, check with the institution you will be applying to in order to ensure that your course credits will be accepted. There are many accredited, well-respected distance learning programs available in Australia, making it easy to select a program that will be recognized by other institutions.

2. Look into the student services and resources available through each program you are considering. If you are a fairly independent student that works best on your own, the services available may not be of concern; however, if you prefer working in groups or want to ensure that you have ready access to instructors, seek out schools that offer organized online study groups or that encourage regular contact between instructors and students.

3. Consider your current obligations to determine the time you have available for a course of study. This will help you determine the number of classes you can take at one time and help you estimate the time you will need to complete courses.

4. Come up with a plan for staying motivated. The self-paced nature of distance learning programs provides students with flexible educational options for accelerated or extended timeframes. Create self-imposed deadlines, set aside study time and establish a cohesive plan to ensure you stay motivated and complete assignments and courses at the pace that works best for you.

Distance and online learning programs in Australia include programs offering certificates and diplomas, as well as MBAs and post-graduate studies. With a wide variety of programs and study topics from which to choose, Australian distance learning programs are an appealing option for students around the world.

Australian Student Language Guide

2009-02-23T06:50:17Z

Ever heard the phrase “Shrimp on the Barbie”?

We have compiled the ultimate Australian language interpretation guide. Below are popular words and phrases that might not be found in a dictionary, but are commonly used by Australian natives. Study this guide before arriving to Australia and you will fit right in when you arrive.

Ace!: Nice. Good one!

Ankle Biter: A toddler or young child. Taken from the idea the child is so small he or she could bite your ankles.

Apples (she'll be): It'll be okay.

Aussie: anyone born in Australia.

Aussie Salute: Brush away flies with the hand.

Barbie: A barbecue. (n.)
Bathers: Swimwear

Bail Out: leave, angrily. "Right, I'm gonna bail out!"

Beaut(y): Nice, lovely.

Bingle: A bad vehicle accident.

Bitzer: A mongrel dog. (it's bits of this breed, and that breed...)

Bloke: dude, male.

Bloody Oath!: That's right!, For Sure!

Bodgy: Of bad quality, second-rate.

Bonzer: Ripper, awesome!

Boomer: A large male kangaroo.

Boozer: A pub.

Cactus: Dead, used up, not working.

Cheers: Thank You.

Chunder: Puke, hurl. Also called "Liquid Laugh".

Click: kilometer.

Coldie: A beer.

Conch (conchy): A person who prefers to study or work rather than going out and having fun. Short for conscientious.

Cooee: Close. (originally used by indigineous Australians to find people or attract attention) "Within Cooee" means close, and "Not Within Cooee" means not even close.

Date: Butt, usually used with "Get off your"

Dinkum, fair Dinkum: The real deal, authentic.

Dipstick/Dropkick: really stupid.

Dole: Unemployment.

Down Under: Anywhere in Australia or New Zealand

Dux: #1 in the class (n) -- to be #1 in your class (v.)

Earbashing: Never-ending chit-chat.

Exy: Pricey (expensive)

Face, off one: drunk, intoxicated beyond recognition

Fair go: A chance. "Give 'er a fair go!"

Flick: Ditch, lose, refers to a person when you "give him the flick".

Footy/Football: Aussie Rules Football. Soccer is called Soccer and American Football is called Gridiron.

G'day: Hi!

Going Off: A place that's very exciting or fun "This nightclub is really going off!"

Good on ya!: Nicely done!

Greenie: Hippie, environmentalist.

Holy Dooley!: Same as "Holy Cow", an expression of surprise.

Hooroo: Bye-bye!

Hotel: A pub.

Hottie: A hot water bottle.

Jackaroo/Jillaroo: A station manager or hand (Jackaroo refers to male, Jillaroo to female)

Jug: electric kettle. (Also 1.14L of beer.)

Kelpie: An Aussie Sheepdog. Initially bred from a Scottish collie.

knock back: Reject (n.), rejection (v.)

Lair it up: To behave badly.

Longneck, also Tallie: 750mL bottle of beer.

Lucky Country, The: Australia!

Mate: Buddy, friend.

Mate's rate: A discounted rate for a friend.

Mickey Mouse: Very good! (in some parts though it means inconsequential)

Moolah: Cash, dough.

Nipper: A young surf lifesaver.

No Worries/ No Drama: Forget about it. It's okay.

No-Hoper: Someone who's hopeless, will never do anything right.

Ocker: a crude or unsophisticated person.

Oldies: Parents.

Outback: Australia's interior.

Oz: Australia

Piker: Disassociative.

Pint: 20 ounces/570mL of beer.

Plate, bring a: Bring your own food.

Porky: misstatement, falsehood.

Prezzy: A present.

Reckon: Certainly!

Ripper: The Best! "That ride was ripper! Can we do it again?"

Rock up: Arrive.

Root: A polite way to say a not nice word.

She'll be right: It'll be alright.

Sheila: any woman (not just one named Sheila)

Shark biscuit: An inexperienced surfer.

Shonky: Of questionable morality, shady. "This place is shonky. I don't think we should be here."

Skite: Boast, brag.

Station: A big farm or grazing property.

Sunnies: Shades.

Tall Poppies: Successful people.

Too Right!: Absolutely!

Tucker: Food.

Two Up: Gambling Game -- you spin two coins at the same time.

Ugg Boots: Sheepskin boots worn by surfers. Known for being ugly.

Uni: University.

Unit: Apartment, Flat.

Waggin' School: Truant.

Whacker: A jerk, someone you've had just about enough of.

Wobbly: Testy, easy to set off.

Woop Woop: Some small town of no significance.

Yabber: Talk (a lot)

Yakka: Work

Yewy: A U-turn in traffic.

Information on Special Tertiary Admissions Test

2008-11-19T03:59:52Z

Prospective students who are 21 years old or older before January 1st of the year that will be applying for admission may be eligible to apply for the STAT. The STAT stands for Special Tertiary Admissions Test. If you pass the STAT you will gain special entrance admission into the prospective University. You cannot apply if you have earned or completed an AQF diploma or another higher level award from any Tertiary Institution, TAFE, or University. Also if you were enrolled and studied in a schooling program that leads to a higher education diploma, certificate, or award within the last three years you will disqualify for the STAT if you finished more then one full-time year of study. The STAT (Special Tertiary Admissions Test) is a two hour long testing period. Some Universities or programs that accept the STAT for admission entrance might also consider students past employment experience. Their has also been stories of students gaining admission through their written personal competency statement. All entrance forms and options are listed in the SATAC Guide located at http://www.satac.edu.au STAT Testing: The STAT test are held every year in different centers in Southern Australia, Adelaide, and the Northern Territory of Australia. Applying for Universities and taking the STAT should be done either midyear or at the end of the year. The STAT test has 70 multiple choice questions that will test student’s critical thinking skills and how well they can make sense of different types of material presented to them in various types of questions. Along with the multiple choice there is also a one hour written English test. The STAT is administrated in the tertiary centers in each State. For more information, details, forms, or to contact the STAT please visit them at: http://www.satac.edu.au

Completing your Undergraduate study in Australia

2008-10-16T07:48:31Z

YOU should definitely consider getting your undergraduate degree in Australia. It is a great place to work and study. Additionally, international students should strongly think about getting a student visa and studying in Australia.

• A Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree will be issued to those students who complete their undergraduate course of study.

• Eligibility to gain admission into an Australian university in order to complete your undergraduate study necessitates an Australian Senior School Certificate of Education or an overseas equivalent documentation from your high school, notifying that you have graduated.

• There are pre-requisite subjects that some courses may require.

• In order to meet academic entry standards, some universities provide preparatory studies, known as bridging or foundation courses.

• It is strongly suggested that international students inquire your study abroad counselor about the admission requirements for certain courses prior to applying.

Getting your Bachelor's Degree

•   Studying full-time for 3 to 4 years
•   You will gain knowledge and skills to work in your industry of choice.
•   You will have the freedom to chose any major or specialization that you wish to pursue.
•   Completing your bachelor degree will give you the opportunity to pursue advanced studies down the road.

Getting a Bachelor with Honors

Students should achieve strong results in their Bachelor’s degree in order to be considered for an Honors program. Students who have their eyes set on higher research are typically required to complete an Honors degree. Those students that want to lengthen their education with research experience or thorough study of a certain issue must complete an Honors year after receiving their Bachelor’s degree. The Honors year is generally a combination of course assignment and research projects.

Receiving a Certificate

Certificates can be typically completed in one semester of full-time study or you study part-time for 1 or 2 years. A Certificate is a credential one receives stating that he or she has specialized skill in a particular industry or profession. A lot of certificates only need the student to complete Year 10 studies, but certain certificates need you to have more advanced studies completed.

Receiving a Diploma

A Diploma is usually more intensive than a Certificate, but still provides skills and knowledge directly relevant to workplace activities. Diplomas generally require a completion of Year 12. A Diploma typically requires the student to have more intense studies than a Certificate. To get a Diploma, you usually have to complete Year 12 of study.

Studying Abroad in Australia

2008-10-16T07:44:12Z

Australia offers one of the top academic destinations to study abroad. Secondary and tertiary educational systems consist of the following:
•   High Schools
•   Senior colleges
•   Vocational Institutes
•   Universities

The above educational systems offers summer programs for students to take courses in. Australia is located in the southern hemisphere, so first semester starts in February and ends in June. Second semester starts in July and ends in November.

Australia hosts a diverse educational institutions and students can find just about any type of desired course to study in Australia. A lot of institutions provide students with housing options on campus and off campus. Student health is covered by the student’s institution or by another agency who deals with student health insurance.

Every institution should have a medical facility that student will have access to using for medical related cases.

A majority of the institutions allow students to take summer study abroad programs that include field trips, hands on studies, and other forms of educational traveling around Australia or nearby countries. The cost of the student travel is different at every institution.

Past places where students have traveled to have been New Zealand, Fiji, Gold Coast, and the Great Barrier Reef. Some unique study abroad summer programs include the following:

•   Wildlife
•   Tourism
•   Recreation
•   Conservation
•   Art

Please contact your desired institution to find out more details and cost.Cost of the time the institution will cover the cost in the tuition and fees.Students come to Australia for its variety of study programs, but also for Australia’s amazing landscape and natural beauty.

Educate yourself about Student Loans

2008-10-16T07:40:43Z

Completing university is a very tough process. You must work hard and spending a lot of time studying, therefore you do not need the extra stress that lack of finances can bring. You are investing in your future with a university education and there is a lot of evidence which suggests that getting a degree will give you many job opportunities and the potential to earn much more during your career.

Fortunately, the Australian government and many banks offer various loan programs to assist you in your finances and supporting yourself during your university studies. A number of these programs allow you to defer your payments until you have graduated or completed your studies and some of the programs even defer the interest until you have completed your course of study. You need to assess all your options and your financial situation in order to pick the student loan that best fits you.

It is pretty easy to get a student loan. Lending institutions understand that most college students will probably not have a solid money situation or consistent stream of revenue; therefore the loans that you receive are based on your future income potential after your study. Some of the loan programs will require you to have a co signer or guarantor who will support the repayment terms if you are unable to pay it. The guarantor is typically a parent or guardian.

The best option for student loans are government programs because they typically offer the best loan repayment terms. The reason for this is because the government is not trying to make profits off of your loan as a bank would. If you receive a government student loan, repayments will not be necessary and you will not build up interest until you file a tax return that show that you are making over 40,000 dollars per year. This is the best type of government student loan because it gives you the lowest cost option for funding your study.

Not everyone is qualified to get a government student loan and even those that are qualified may notice that they are not given enough money to cover all of their educational expenses. These are the people who will need to dive into private student loans in order to cover their expenses. A bank or lending institution will offer you a student loan that is typically below the general personal loan, making it an appealing offer for most students.

Furthermore, many of these programs will permit you to put off payment on the loan for some time, generally after you complete your study, and many times even longer than that. As a result, you are given time to enter the job market and begin your career without worrying about paying off your loans. The one down side to these loans is that you will be accruing interest starting from the date you take out the money and the amount of interest that piles up can be significant.

As a result, just a slight difference of a half of a percentage point could potentially make a large difference in the amount you will eventually be obliged for. It is strongly recommended that you do some research for the loans that will be the most suitable for you.

It is also suggested that you only take out only the amount of money that you sincerely need and nothing more. Although you do not want to be left hungry, you also do not want to be living extravagantly off of money that you will have to pay back.

Finance your study abroad with Financial Aid

2008-10-16T07:36:03Z

If you need help paying for your costs of studying abroad, then you are in luck because there are many bursaries, scholarships, student loans and studentships at your disposal.
These awards are given out on a merit basis and you are required to be studying through a student exchange program or an in-country language program that you are getting the units for.
Scholarships

1. Understanding Study Abroad Bursaries

Bursaries financially help out second year and up undergraduate students and all postgraduate students in their endeavor to study abroad for credit towards their student degrees.
Depending on the location of the study, a bursary will offer stipends of $3000, $2500 and $2000.

2. Undergraduate Studentships: Robert and Maude Gledden Studentship

This specific studentship offers financial help to undergraduate students who are in their second year and higher in the specific industries of Agriculture, Engineering, and Science. The assistance helps students study abroad for credit towards their degree.

3. Getting to know the Australia University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific Program

Undergraduate students are financially assisted in their student exchange programs through the Australia University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific (UMAP) Program, the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). Eligibility for a scholarship has the following requirements:
• Australian citizen or Permanent resident of Australia.
• Undertaking an official university exchange program for 1 or 2 semesters.
Previously, financial backing was offered to students who studied abroad in China, Hong Kong, Canada, Singapore, Japan and the United States. You should verify with your study abroad department for more recent information about what universities have been designated.

4. Information about the Australian Cheung Kong Student Exchange Program

This student exchange program is financially backed by the Cheung Kong Group of companies based in Hong Kong and the Department of Education, Science and Training. It provides students with transportation finances in order to support undergraduate involvement in the exchange program at associate universities in Asian countries.

In order to qualify for a scholarship you must meet the following criteria:
• Australian citizen or Permanent resident of Australia.
• Undertaking an official university exchange program for 1 or 2 semesters.
Previously, financial backing was offered to students who studied abroad in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. You should verify with your study abroad department for more recent information about what universities have been designated.

Australian Universities Online Education Services

2008-10-15T05:50:05Z

Australia Online Educational Services

Online services are made up of university services and information, that are all accessible though the internet.
Below is a survey showing the online services provided by universities:
Key findings

• A majority around 87% of universities in Australia have internet access for all of their students and 70% offer access from off campus.

• Most universities let students gain online access to their school handbook and calendar which is a nice free resource.

• Around 90% of universities let students browse their library via the internet and most of them also provide students credited journals, magazines, and case studies.

• Today, because the internet speeds up the process for teachers and students, most schools use an online course management system such as WebCT and Blackboard which allows students and teachers to post and submit homework, assignments, and discuss certain topics.

• Online class registration is used at most universities.

• Universities also offer different types of online support.

Studies such as Management, Health, and Commerce Technology are great examples of courses that would be fully available to take online. Some postgraduate studies have all course work conducted online because the students also participate in full-time work or internships.

Studies such as Physical Science, Creative Arts, and other laboratory work would not work well with online learning because they need to physically conduct their work and create sample products, demos, plays, etc.

Australian universities are rapidly progressing with the online resources made available to students and teachers. We have seen a huge increase and an upgrade of quality in library access via the schools’ online portal.

Taking online courses in Australia

2008-10-15T05:42:48Z

Taking courses online

Online courses allow for students to complete assignments, read lectures, post work, and interact with professors and other students via the Internet. This allows students to do their work from anywhere they feel most comfortable and at a time that is most convenient.

Important facts

The results of a survey discovered that there were 207 courses offered online from 23 Australian universities. Of these courses, 65 of them (31 per cent) were taught exclusively online.

Most of the online courses (90 per cent) are from the postgraduate level. Typically, the majority of postgraduate online courses tend to focus on specialized courses instead of the more general ones.

More than a quarter of courses being taught online came from the field of Management and Commerce (55 courses).

There are 35 courses from the field of Education and 32 from Health.

The 85 remaining courses range among the following:

o   Creative Arts
o   Agriculture
o   Society and Culture
o   Engineering and Related Technologies
o   Natural and Physical Sciences
o   Environmental and Related Studies
o   Information Technology
o   Mixed Programs

Online units

Online units are defined as the subjects or courses that have at least some course content through some of the interaction with the professor and other students performed through the Internet.

The fields of study that offer the most fully online units included:

o   Management and Commerce
o   Education
o   Information Technology
o   Health

The fields of study that offer the least use of the web included:

o   Food, Hospitality and Personal Services
o   Creative Arts
o   Society and Culture

Information Technology has the highest use of the Internet when compared to the other fields of study.