Australia is fast becoming a preferred destination for international students. Australia is third largest country in the developed world  that attracts  great number of international students after the US and the UK.

Australia comes above countries likes Germany, Netherlands and Japan by ranking eighth in the Universitas 2012 U21 Ranking of National Higher Education Systems. Therefore Australian education experience can makes a real difference to your career. Graduates from Australia are also highly employable and hold prominent positions  in various sectors including business, arts and sciences.

Earning a degree from Australia will surely accentuate your resume. Australia is open to welcome international students to explore its highly accredited education system through numerous international scholarships. Each year over $200 millions are provided by the Australian Government for international scholarships for undergraduate, masters and PhD degree courses.

Private and missionary organizations are equally encouraging when it comes to providing scholarships to international scholarships. These organizations offer partially or fully funded scholarships.

Studying in Australia has multi dimensional advantages; it helps in inculcating innovative, creative and independent thinking among students. Most importantly, upon graduation you will be highly sought after for international as well as Australian recruiters.

Australian Government Scholarships

International Student Visa

All the international students must apply for student visa, which is issued by Department of immigration and citizenship (DIAC) much before the commencement of their program. Courses shorter than three months can be pursued under visitor/ holiday visa. It’s is mandatory to have student visa longer than three months courses. You must apply for visa as soon as you receive a letter of offer or electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for your full time course of study, which is provided by your education provider. Remember, you can only apply for those courses which are registered with Australian government and offered to international students. Read following link for visa application form and other details.

Tuition Fee

Tuition fee for such courses varies from university to university. Nevertheless, if you are planning to pursue undergraduate degree then be prepare to spend around A$ 14,000 to A$ 35,000 Per year, whereas, post graduate course will cost your near about A$ 15,000 to A$ 36,000 per annum. You can undertake English language training program for which fees varies significantly depending on the course duration or institution.

Work with your study

International students are allowed to work in Australia to meet out their expenses, but it is subjected to receive working permission along with your visa grant. If you have obtained permission to work then you can pick up work for around 20 hours per week while your course is in session. You also need to procure visa label in your passport to demonstrate your authenticity to work in front of your employer.

International students can expect to earn around A$6- 16 per hour. International students can easily find a work opportunity in the sector of retail, hospitality and administration. Tutoring is also a good option for international students. All international students who are inclined to work while their stay then they must procure Tax File Number (TFN) for various official procedures like opening bank account etc.

Living cost for International Students

Migration regulation of Australia expect from international students to show evidence that they have sufficient funds to bear out their expenses during their stay. Living cost includes clothing, food, accommodation, transport, and entertainment expense. On an average an international student is subject to spend A$ 15,000 to A$ 18,000 per annum. Finding a accommodation that too in your budget is quite challenging, so it is recommended to look for temporary shelter rather than looking for permanent surroundings. Hotels are quite expensive; spending a night in hotel can cost you around A$ 150. You can also contact property agents for finding accommodation. Weather conditions in Australia are just not hot and windy year around. June, July, August are extreme cold month, and December, January, February are hottest month. So arrange your wardrobe accordingly.

Scholarships for International Students

Broadly, Australians scholarships are offered in three categories, i .e, Endeavour Awards, Australian Leadership Awards, Australian Development Scholarship. Endeavour awards, is a need based scholarship especially cater to citizens of the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Europe and the America’s to undertake study, research or professional development in Australia, Australian Leadership scholarships are designed for Australian as well as Asia-pacific region’s students to promote outstanding students who can influence social and economic policies. Australian Development scholarship, it is broadly for Australian students, but Australian’s partner countries also participate for this scholarship. Australia’s extensive scholarship scheme focuses on knowledge promotion, building education links between Australia and other nations. All Australian awards are categories in two way, i.e, an achievement stream and a development stream. Prior one aims to invite the best and brightest students, researchers and professionals to Australia, and later one is focused on developing nations. Lets see following database of scholarships open in the year 2014:

Scholarships for International Students in Australia 2014
Scholarships are offered by university of Queensland, Griffith University and many other Australian Government endorsed programs for various subjects.

Undergraduate Deans’ Scholarships for International Students in Australia, 2014
Above mentioned is a undergraduate scholarship for International Students in the field of Business, Communication, Social Science offered by Faculty of Higher Education, Lilydale in Australia.

Sydney Achievers International Scholarships at University of Sydney in Australia
2014 Sydney Achievers International Scholarships, Australia, scholarship is pertaining to undergraduate and post graduate study.

Scholarships for International Students at Bond University in Australia, 2013/14
Bond University offers international scholarshipsfor undergraduate and postgraduate students in Australia. Applicants must currently be or have previously been in the top 5% of their high school or university class.

Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achiever’s Scholarship in Australia
Charles Darwin University offers Vice-Chancellor’s International High Achiever’s Scholarship for international students who have a record of educational excellence and high achievement.

Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships in Australia
Macquarie University, Australia is offering full scholarships for international students. The scholarships are available for pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degree level at university.

Melbourne International Research Scholarships (MIRS) in Australia
The Melbourne International Research Scholarships (MIRS) are awarded to international students wishing to undertake graduate research degree studies (e.g. master’s by research, PhD or other research doctorate) at the University of Melbourne. 

Mandatory test for international students

All the international students who belong to some non speaking country must demonstrate their English language proficiency skills by taking TOFEL/ILETS test other than the basic educational requirement. However, you may be exempted from this test if you have completed your previous degree in any English speaking country.

After your Course Completion

Studying in Australia will surely prove a life changing opportunity for you. Once you have completed your course you can safely return to your homeland and search for employment options. Many institutes in Australia run home returning seminars. These seminars are quite useful for international students. These seminars equip with useful tips for resettling and various other information. However, you can also opt for further study or employment in Australia. Visit Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s for visa extension and other formalities.

Australia is not only a great place to seek education but it is also a fantastic place to live in. Australian earned degree gives a great return of money invested. So if you are planning to study abroad, opt for Australia. Later you’ll not regret upon your decision I bet!