If the countries of the world were to be symbolically represented as batsmen in a cricket team, then Australia would verily be the ‘No 3 Batsmen’ while the USA and UK take the opening slots. While most students flock to the USA and UK for higher education, Australia remains yet another favourite hotspot for students from the Indian sub-continent because of the abundant opportunities, favourable climatic conditions and globally recognized schools and universities. We have listed some of the reasons that make Australia an attractive option for overseas education:

The changing scene of education

Australia presents many new opportunities for Indian students with each passing day and work prospects only get brighter and brighter for someone who has studied in Australia and obtained degrees from Australian universities. Australia offers courses and degrees across a broad spectrum of subjects and disciplines including the more offbeat and unconventional subjects like Agriculture and Forestry, Archaeology, Bio Sciences, Communication and Media Studies and many more.

Ease of Communication

Since English is the language that is spoken predominantly in Australia, Indian students find it relatively easy to adapt and live in a country like Australia. Most students are able to understand the Australian accent and slang words and hence do not find it hard to adjust to their ways of speaking and communicating. Students from all kinds of backgrounds come to Australia from all over the world making it a very culturally diverse country adding to the overall pleasant experience of studying in the country down under.

Since English is the language that is spoken predominantly in Australia, Indian students find it relatively easy to adapt to and live in a country like Australia.

Working while studying

Many programs in Australia having internships integrated into their curricula– which means students can get hand-on experience in their subject or field of interest while they study which allows them to supplement for living expenses as well. They can also figure out where their interests lie while they get an opportunity to work and gain exposure to the various roles and titles within their stream or subject.

Finding ample job opportunities

Australia is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and there are plenty of job opportunities for Indian students in all sectors. Besides getting a work permit easily, Indian students can also repay any educational loans they may have taken in order to study in the Aussie land with the income they get from their jobs.

Besides getting a work permit easily, Indian students can also repay any educational loans they may have taken in order to study in the Aussie land with the income they get from their jobs.

Living in a multicultural environment

Indian students can be assured of a highly rewarding experience on campus while they study in Australia. Australia is home to people from more than 200 countries around the world which makes it very culturally diverse and multi-linguistic in nature. Australia has a very strict gun control law which makes it safe for students from the Indian sub-continent to study in Australia.

Getting unparalleled quality of education

Australia has unique national quality assurance systems in place. The Australian Quality Training Framework has been set up by the Australian government to strengthen, structure and boost the quality assurance processes in education. The Australian education system is characterized by ‘levels’ and each level is associated with a particular degree or qualification. International students enjoy an unparalleled level of service and financial protection in the form of scholarships, grants and bursaries. The country has a strong commitment towards providing affordable and quality education for all.

Finding opportunities in R&D

Indian students who are interested in getting into research and development will find that there are plenty of research opportunities in Australia. Students from streams such as Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Bio Sciences and others will especially benefit from the research opportunities that are available in Australia. Australia has several programs for PhD candidates and offers country-based research opportunities.

While we would highly recommend Australia as a study abroad destination, we would also suggest you take counseling to clear any ounce of doubt you could be having about the pros and cons of studying in the country.

Why not get in touch with HURRAY’s overseas education counseling team for the support? You can contact us at Hurrayoverseas@gmail.com

Video: How HURRAY helped Abhilash fulfill his wish of getting into Australia’s RMIT University

Study in Australia: Major Cities and Industries

When Indian students go abroad to study in Australia, they are jet-setting not only into their futures but also jet-setting into some of the most livable cities on the planet! Australia is home to some of the best cities in the world with well-planned metros and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Canberra is the capital of this country which has also been referred to as ‘The Lucky Country’ and ‘The Land of Plenty’. Sydney is the financial and business capital of Australia and also happens to be the largest manufacturing hub in Australia. Other student-friendly cities include Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Gold Coast.

Key industries of Australia

Although Indian students work predominantly in the IT sector of Australia, there are jobs in almost every sector and there are three major industries that rule the roost when it comes to job opportunities and finding employment. We have listed them below for our students:

The Financial Industry

The Business Consulting Industry

The Healthcare Industry

The Financial Industry

Those who want to excel and build a career for themselves in the banking and financial sector can be assured of good jobs and plum salaries in the Aussie land. Australia is home to Commonwealth Bank (CBA), Westpac (WBC), National Australia Bank (NAB) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), commonly known as the “Big Four”. The financial industry is considered to be a key economic contributor to the Australian economy along with being a key instrument in driving economic growth in the near future.

The Business Consulting Industry

After the recent global financial crisis and with the economic growth being shifted to Asia, many global business consulting firms are located in Australia and numerous other domestic agencies provide expert assistance and consulting advice to large and small companies. The Australian consulting market is the largest in the world and comprises of four main categories that include:

Strategy and General business consulting

Human Resource consulting

Information Technology consulting

Sustainability consulting

Key players in this sector include well-known companies such as IBM, Oracle, Accenture, Boston Consulting Group, Ernst & Young, Deloitte and McKinsey. There are also many local top-tier consulting firms that were founded primarily in Australia that are competing alongside these major multi-national companies that include Nous Group, Pacific Strategy Partners and Port Jackson Partners. Other smaller, local strategy-consulting firms have been set up to assist small and medium-sized businesses.

The Healthcare Industry

Although many biotechnology companies are found in the Indian sub-continent, Australia offers a ray of hope to students from Biotechnology, medical electronics and other life sciences background who want to pursue and build careers for themselves in the healthcare industry.

Biotechnology companies, pharmaceuticals, medical practitioners, pathology operators, junior life sciences and medical device companies are all included within Australia’s diverse healthcare industry. Australia is home to a whopping 450 biotechnology companies, making it the prime location of biotechnology companies and a dominant force in the Asia Pacific region. Those who want to pursue a career in the noble profession of nursing can find plenty of job opportunities in Australia as the nation is plagued by an acute shortage of nurses particularly in regional areas.

The other major industries include the metal and mining industry, the energy and utility industry, the service industry, the tourism industry, the manufacturing industry, the agricultural industry and, finally, trade.

Do get in touch with HURRAY’s overseas counseling team for choosing the city and industry that would best suit your budget and mindset. You can reach out to us at Hurrayoverseas@gmail.com

Applying for an Australian Student Visa: Requirements and Procedure

Indian students seeking to fulfill their study-abroad dreams in Australia need to first procure a valid student visa. The Australian Government opens doors to all Indian students to study in the country and a student visa can bridge the gap between your ambitions and education opportunities in Australia.

The visa you require will depend on your age, the type of course/program you want to pursue, and how long you intend to stay in Australia. As an international student from India, you would most commonly require a student (subclass 500) visa, irrespective of your field of study.

Generally, Indian students apply for a student visa for the following programmers:

• Bachelor degree
• Associate degree
• Graduate certificate
• Graduate diploma
• Masters by coursework
• Higher Education Diploma
• Higher Education advanced diploma

(Note: Anyone who is going to study or live in Australia for more than 3 months has to apply for a student visa.)

Getting clear on Student visa (subclass 500)

What is subclass 500?

Implemented since July 1, 2016, a student subclass 500 visa lets you stay in Australia for the duration of your study program which is a period of about five years. Students can remain in Australia as legal immigrants only as long as the visa is valid and they must abide by the conditions that are mentioned on their student visas. For more information, please talk to our overseas education counselling team. Also visit Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website.

What documents and credentials are required for visa processing?

We, at HURRAY, have prepared a checklist for our students containing the important documents required for an Australian student visa:

• Proof of enrollment (your electronic confirmation of enrollment)
• A valid passport
• Your visa application fee
• Your Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) statement
• Academic and work experience documents
• Evidence of your English proficiency skills
• Evidence of financial ability (tuition fees, living expenses, expenses for dependents, return airfare)
• Details of your health insurance policy (Overseas Student Health Cover)
• Statement of purpose
• Passport sized photographs

Minor students under the age of 18 years will also need to furnish additional documents such as parental consent.

For further information regarding the documents required for visa processing, please consult our overseas education team at Hurray who will be able to provide detailed and comprehensive information about the same.

Online application process: Creating an account with the Australian immigration authorities

The trend has now shifted towards online application for Australian visas. Students will first need to create an account using DIBP’s online application system – Immi Account – in order to complete and submit their student visa applications. Once they have submitted their applications, documents and other details, they can also track the status of their visas and get updates via ImmiAccount.

Students must make sure to time their applications in such a way that it is no later than six weeks before the start of their course and no earlier than 12 weeks.

The HURRAY way

Hurray is committed to guiding and helping anyone aspiring to study in Australia. We assist our students in all stages of visa processing right from providing the appropriate information, preparing the right set of documents required for visa processing and other aspects involved in procuring an Australian student visa.

What is the cost of a student visa?

As an international student going abroad to study in Australia, you will have to pay approx AUD575 as your visa fee.

English language requirements

One of the most important pre-requisites for an Australian student visa is being proficient in the English language and being able to communicate well in English. In order to prove this proficiency, you will be required to take some standardised tests like the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

HURRAY being the best IELTS training centre in Bangalore provides spoken English classes for students. We also provide many strategies, tips and pointers to our students so that they can build on their current IELTS test score and get an even higher score! We train them in all aspects of the IELTS test preparation and help them build their grammar and vocabulary skills along the way.