Education in Australia consists of three levels: primary education (primary school), secondary education (middle and high school) and higher education (university and vocational colleges).
Primary school: 7 or 8 years, from kindergarten/preschool to grade 6 or 7. Due to the regulations of different state governments and territories, students' compulsory education age may start earlier or later. Some states end primary school at grade 7 and start part of the secondary school system.
Middle school: 3 or 4 years, from grade 7 to 10 or grade 8 to 10.
High school: 2 years, Grades 11 and 12.
Primary and secondary education in Australia is compulsory education for students aged 6 to 16 (Grade 1 to Grade 9 or 10), with a total of 13 years of primary and secondary education. Students who complete high school studies (Grade 11 and 12) in Australia can obtain a formal academic qualification certificate after passing the examination. This certificate is widely recognized by Australian universities, higher education institutions, vocational education and training institutions, and many international education institutions.
Australian higher education includes higher education above university (including university education) and vocational education and training (VET). English is the official language of Australia and the main language of instruction in the education system. Australia's higher education ranks among the world's top.
Australian universities offer three main types of higher education courses, awarding bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctoral degrees. In Australia, many students enroll in dual or joint degree bachelor's programs to obtain two bachelor's degrees.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses in Australia are a joint government-industry program. Australia's VET sector is run by a partnership between government and industry. VET qualifications are awarded by government-established vocational technical and further education (TAFE) colleges and a number of private training providers. Many VET courses include a period of internship, which means that students not only receive classroom teaching, but also gain valuable industry practical experience in a real working environment.
- Bachelor's degree: Generally issued by universities. The structure of Australian bachelor's degrees depends on the course area and related departments, including ordinary bachelor's degrees and honorary bachelor's degrees. Ordinary bachelor's degrees usually refer to ordinary or basic degrees that students must obtain before studying for a graduate degree. The course is usually three years, and some bachelor's degree courses are four years long. Honours bachelor's degrees generally require four years of study. Students must achieve excellent results in ordinary bachelor's degree courses. The additional year of study generally involves professional study in a certain course, including research and submission of a paper.
- Graduate Certificate and Graduate/Postgraduate Diploma: Graduate certificates and graduate diplomas are mainly applicable to the study of specific majors, such as the expansion of knowledge and skills acquired in undergraduate courses, or the development of knowledge and skills in new professional fields. Graduate certificate courses usually last for one semester. Graduate diploma courses last for two semesters. Students who have graduated with a bachelor's degree are eligible to apply for this type of course. However, some universities will also consider applicants with relevant work experience but no bachelor's degree.
- Master's degree: A master's degree generally requires one year of study after four years of study or an honors bachelor's degree, or two years of study after a three-year degree, but the requirements vary from subject to subject. Australian master's degrees are basically divided into two types, one is a research-based (by research) master's degree, and the other is a taught master's (by coursework). The vast majority of Chinese students apply for a taught master's degree, which does not require a graduation thesis, generally does not have a fixed supervisor, and the study time is correspondingly shorter than a research-based master's degree.
- Doctoral degree: In Australia, the most common doctoral degree is a doctor of philosophy, which mainly involves literature review, experiments or other systematic methods research in related knowledge fields. This degree is generally required after obtaining a master's degree or an honors bachelor's degree, and the course length is generally three years.
Australian universities are generally divided into two semesters, the first semester is from mid-February to late June, the second semester is from mid-July to the end of November, and December and January are summer vacations. Universities implement a credit system, and students can graduate after completing the required compulsory and elective courses. Student grades are divided into five levels: fail, pass, medium, good and excellent.
+852 5369 1629(Hong Kong consultation hotline)
+86 18923428554(Shenzhen consultation hotline)
Address：Room 2502, International Exchange Centre, 33 Wang Chiu Road, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong
Office hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am - 6:00pm
