Boomerang Australia advise you to learn about the Australian educational system before you enrol in any programme and thus avoid to take a wrong decision.

Deux important facts to know :

- Australia is a Federation; each state is independent and has its own Ministry of Education. It means that each state operates differently from one another. Eg: the A level in NSW is called HSC (High School Certificate), in Victoria VCE (Victoria Certificate of Education)…

- Certain training such as Lawyers, Teachers… are only applicable in the state in which you have studied. So if you intend to work in NSW, you’d better study in NSW!!

The Australian educational system is very simple: it has been legalised under the AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework) and offers 2 pathways : vocational training and Universities. See all details in the table below or consult their official website: www.aqf.edu.au .

Australia counts with 38 public Universities and two private universities (Bond University and University of Notre Dame), whose most famous are the « group of 8 »: University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of Queensland, Adelaide University, Australian National University, University of Western Australia, Monash University and University of New South Wales.

The university pathways include Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes and are open to all students who successfully graduated from year 12 (final Secondary studies diploma)
For more information, please refer to: University Studies

Vocational training offers Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas (completed in maximum 3 years), awarded by the TAFEs (public technical schools), Universities and private Business colleges. These qualifications are open to all students who successfully graduated from year 12 (final Secondary studies diploma) or year 10.
For more information, please refer to: Vocational training.

To help you understand where you stand in the Australian academic ladder, we have established a table of equivalence. Refer to the information below.

- Final Leaving School Certificate in your home country : you will need to have completed 12 years of schooling in your country to correspond to the final year of secondary studies in Australia, the YEAR 12. If the Final Leaving School Certificate in your country counts only 11 years of schooling, then you will need to show you have completed one year at any university in your country or complete a Foundation Programme* in Australia.
Pathways : allows you to apply in any Bachelor Degree or Certificates/Diplomas issued by Universities, TAFEs and business Colleges. Warning: Admission in any Bachelor degree is not automatic, it depends on your final results to meet the UAI index. If your results are insufficient, you will have to apply for a one-year or more Foundation Programme*.

- International Baccalaureat: corresponds to the final year of secondary studies in Australia, the YEAR 12.
Pathways : allows you to apply in any Bachelor Degree or Certificates/Diplomas issued by Universities, TAFEs and business Colleges without any English entry requirements. Warning: Admission in any Bachelor degree is not automatic, it depends on your final IB results; the minimum score is fixed by the universities themselves. If your results are insufficient, you will have to apply for a one-year or more Foundation Programme*.

- 2 year university studies: should correspond to the first 2 years of any Bachelor degree.
Pathways: may allow you to enter in the 3rd year of any Bachelor Degree. In this case, you will need to provide not only your final academic results translated into English but also apply for a “Recognition of Prior Learning” *(RPL) and provide the official description of all subjects you want to be exempted from in English. You can also apply for a "Study Abroad"* programme for 1 or 2 semesters in any Australian university.

- 2 or 3 year of Technical studies: should correspond to the Diploma/Advanced Diploma issued by the TAFE and private Business Colleges.
Pathways : may allow you to enter in any Bachelor Degree with or without “Recognition of Prior Learning” *(RPL) or in any Diploma/Advanced Diploma issued by the TAFE and private Business Colleges, in the same career or others.

- Bachelor Degree in your home country: should correspond to the level of any Bachelor Degree, either you have been studying 4 or 5 years in your home country
Pathways : may allow you to enter in any Postgraduate programme : either Graduate Certificate (6 months) or Graduate Diploma (1 year) or Master (from 1 to 2 years) - or MBA; you may apply for a “Recognition of Prior Learning” *(RPL) if your Bachelor degree is over 3 years of duration.

- MASTER in your home country: should correspond to a Master Coursework
Pathways : may allow you to apply in any Master coursework or Master Research (2 years minimum full time) or MBA

- Master research in your home country : should correspond to a Master Research or Bachelor (Honours) Pathways : may allow you to enter in a Doctorate-PhD (3 years minimum full time) or any Master coursework or Master Research

- DOCTORATE /PHD: equivalent to an Australian PhD

* Please refer to the relevant section (University studie or Vocational training) to get to know the exact definition of these terms.