Secondary Education in Australia

• From year 7 to 12 and is typically for students from the age of 12/13 to 17/18.
• Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE), whose name varies from state and territory, awarded after successful completion of Year 12.
• TVET courses, typically known as Certificate I and II are offered in Year 11 and 12.

Tertiary Education in Australia

In Australia, the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) governs educational qualifications that classify qualifications from Vocational Education and Training (VET) and higher education institutions. There has been a growing overlap between the two sectors, as the Vocational Education and Training Sector (TAFE and RTO’s) may now provide Vocational Graduate Certificates and Vocational Graduate Diplomas, and Universities may provide Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas (Higher Education).

AQF Qualification by Sector of Accreditation http://www.aqf.edu.au/aqfqual.htm

Certificates
Certificate I through to Certificate IV prepare students for employment and further education and practical training in a wide range of fields.

• Offered at Technical and Further Education (TAFE), registered private training providers (RTO) and Adult and Community Educations centres
• There is no specified duration
• Typically there are no prior qualifications needed as entry requirements, but some courses may require demonstrated work experience or prerequisite subjects

Kaplan International Colleges Sydney offers the Certificate IV in Business, aimed at preparing students for entry-level positions in the areas of Human Resources, Marketing, Management and Administration, or for further Vocational or Higher Education studies. 

Diploma and Advanced Diploma
Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs in Australia teach complex theory and practical elements in a wide range of technical and/or management functions.

• They are offered at TAFEs, private providers and Adult and Community Education centres.
• Two to three year program.
• Entry requirements typically require Certificate IV in the field of study, some courses may require additional demonstrated work experience or prerequisite subjects

Kaplan International Colleges Sydney offers the Diploma of Business and the Advanced Diploma of Business, aimed at preparing students for supervisory positions in the areas of Human Resources, Marketing, Management and Administration, or for further Vocational or Higher Education studies. 

Bachelor’s Degree
Bachelor’s degree programs prepare students for professional careers and/or postgraduate study. A variety of programs are offered in Australia, including a professional degree, double degree, graduate entry degree and Honours degree.

• Requires a Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12) or overseas equivalent. Alternatively an Advanced Diploma of Business will gain entry into most business related Bachelor Degrees and may also provide credit recognition.
• Three to four-year program at a university
• An Honours degree awarded after an additional year of research.

Postgraduate study in Australia

Master’s Degree
In a master’s program, students gain advanced knowledge and skills in a chosen field of study or area of professional practice. Programs include coursework Master’s programs, professional Master’s programs and research Master’s programs.

• Coursework Master’s: consists of coursework, project work and research. Requires successful completion of a Bachelor’s degree or Graduate diploma.
• Professional Master’s: involves work-based projects. Requires relevant qualification and professional experience.
• Research Master’s: consists of research and a thesis. Requires successful completion of a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s preliminary year, Graduate Diploma or equivalent research experience.
• Most MBA programs require successful completion of a Bachelor’s degree and work experience.
• A Masters is typically a two year program at a university or registered provider.

Doctoral Degree
Two types of Doctoral degree programs, research and professional, are offered in Australia and provide advanced knowledge and skills in a chosen field of study.

• Research Doctorate: mainly consists of supervised research. Requires research Master’s degree or Bachelor Honours degree.
• Professional Doctorate: consists of coursework, research and professional practice. Requires Master's degree, Bachelor Honours degree.

International students

To study in Australia, international students must take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test in order to prove English competency. Each school requires a different level of IELTS. The 2 hour and 45 minute IELTS is scored on a scale from 0 to 9 and assesses the ability in English to listen, read, write and speak.

Kaplan International Colleges schools in Australia have a range of IELTS preparation courses which consist of highly focused exam preparation classes that cover all sections of the exam in detail and teach the verbal and test-taking strategies you will need to succeed.

In addition to proving English language proficiency with your IELTS score, other requirements include:

• The equivalent standard of education, of an Australian Year 12 qualification for undergraduate study.
• Passed requirement subjects for some courses.

If it is your aim to get a degree from an Australian university, the Kaplan International Colleges University Placement Service (UPS) will help you gain entry (we can not guarantee the entry, especially for the universities which we do not have agreements with). Student using this service will benefit from our extensive network of partner institutions and our long experience of guiding students through the admission process.

For more information, email ups.australia@kaplanaspect.com
or visit the Australian Qualifications Framework
Official Government School 
or the Australian Government Education.

View a diagram of the routes to university or college in Australia.