Are you an international student tingling with excitement to study in Australia? Being a top destination for education, we completely understand both the thrill and the anticipation of the potential experience. After all, this is a decision that may flip your life 180 degrees and transform all your dreams into a reality. 

Therefore, if you find yourself in a dilemma to pick the best course for yourself from all the different ranges of courses, this is a beginner’s guide for you. This guide has been designed to provide you with all information required to proceed with this life-changing decision and we hope at the end of this guide you will be more certain of what you need to do.

Many students move to Australia, not only to study the best course that will land them the best career but also to get a permanent residency to be able to continue living that life. If you are someone who’s thinking of getting a permanent residency after you have spent such a crucial phase of your life in Australia then you have got to be thinking about that from now on.

We hope that this concise and systematic guide will be easier for you to follow and in case you do have further questions, you can always reach out to us.

Step 1: What is Your End Goal?

Before you start with anything, you must figure out what is this one thing that you are really trying to achieve from this experience and most definitely can’t compromise on. Is your end goal:

• The quality education that you’ll be acquiring;
• All the places that you can visit in Australia;
• Landing the best-paying job in your field of interest;
• Getting a permanent residency.

The list goes on, but depending on exactly what you want to achieve from this experience of studying in Australia you should do your research. If you are certain about the course or field of study that you’d pursue, we suggest that you look into the following places first:

• QS World University Rankings: This website will provide you with all the information about the universities that are ranking at the top for your field of study. This helps make your search easier and also less overwhelming. 
• Quality Indicator for Learning and Teaching (QUILT): This has got to be your go-to website to learn all the information about what your uni life is going to be like. They have all the latest information, collected through surveys from students, graduates and employers to give you a realistic picture and help you make a wise decision.
• University website: This is something we just can’t stress enough, go to all the university websites that interest you and find out all about your course. Since that’s where you will be studying at the end. Find out about:

• The course structure
• The duration of the course
• And most importantly the cost of the course

‍

Ensure that you are comparing one university program with the other, and if you need more information, never hesitate to reach out to them. The universities in Australia have a whole international student admissions team that is eager to connect with you.

If you want to get a permanent residency, then you should know that students who have studied and stayed in Tasmania for two can apply for a subclass 190 visa after the completion of their studies.

Step 2: Self-Assessment 

After you have figured out what your end goal is, you need to undertake a preliminary self-assessment. This helps achieve a more realistic understanding of yourself and how to adjust your goal if you must.

To conduct this self-assessment, we recommend that you carefully go through the following list of questions. At the end of this exercise, we hope you will be more focused.‍

‍

What are your current age and the age you’ll turn into when you graduate? 

• Your age is a crucial factor, especially if you are hoping to get a permanent residency.
• The skilled migration program in Australia follows a point-based system, and in most cases, the age is capped at a maximum of 45 years old.
• Furthermore, depending on your age, you may choose the course with the most feasible duration so that you are not turning 45 when you graduate.
• If you are not worried about permanent residency or other kinds of visas, then you may ignore the age factor.

‍

What is your budget?

‍

• When you are thinking about budget you also need to factor in the living cost, along with your tuition fees.
• If you are being sponsored or you are getting any form of scholarship you must also take into consideration any fee hike in upcoming years, particularly if your course is more than a year long.
• Generally, approximately AUD 21,041 is considered to be an ideal minimum budget to cover your living expenses in Australia.
• Also, make sure you can buy a health insurance plan for any health-related issues.

‍

What is your career goal?

‍

• You can make a list of a couple of occupations that you can pursue after you have graduated.
• If you are after permanent residency, we recommend aligning your career goals with the occupations on the Skilled Occupation List.

‍

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

‍

• This is an important aspect to factor in since it will help you stick to your goals. Also, why would you want to pursue something you don’t like, especially when you don’t have to?

‍

How have you prepared for studying abroad?

‍

• This is where you need to align your current academic background and English proficiency with the minimum requirements of your interested course.
• If you fall short of any requirements, you can always take steps to fulfil those.

‍

Step 3: Australian Migration Law

Migrating to a new country will teach you a lot about its immigration laws, are you prepared to dive into Australia’s? The first place we recommend you have a look at is the Department of Home Affairs website. This will help you get a fundamental understanding. Moreover, you will also find a detailed list of all the different kinds of papers you need to make any application for visa approval.

Do note that the papers required will vary depending on the state and territory you are planning to go to. Thus, take your time as you carefully navigate your way around this complex maze of obtaining a visa. Along with it, we also recommend that you seek professional advice, just so you are receiving the proper guidance and not missing out on any opportunities.

The Best Course

After you have completed all the steps, we are certain that you will have a list of courses from different universities that best satisfies into:

• Your interest
• Your budget
• Your skill sets
• Your prospects of getting a permanent residency

This is the best pool that you should consider applying to and pursuing.

Disclaimer: Kindly note that the information provided here does not constitute legal advice. This must solely be regarded as content that provides general immigration information and is not a substitute for professional legal advice that occurs between an immigration lawyer and a client. 

Path Migration strongly recommends readers to contact certified immigration lawyers for a holistic overview of the Australia immigration system and a detailed analysis of each case.