There was a time when it was customary for students to complete their post-graduate degrees from the same institution they completed their bachelors. Job requirements were more lenient, an undergraduate degree being sufficient for entry-level jobs and sometimes for mid-level positions as well. Needless to say, things have changed on both fronts. A master's degree has become more commonplace and most organisations have upped the bar for minimum education requirements to include it. When it comes to the value and quality of the coursework of such degrees though, unfortunately, our country is still not up to the mark on many levels. Therefore for post-graduate courses, students often turn to universities in other countries. Amongst these, Australia has always been one of the top picks. It is easy to see the reasoning behind this – Australia has the best internationally accredited institutions after the US and the UK, while being less expensive and comparatively easier to get admittance. Being from a country still considered to be developing, it is easy to see why the cost is the prime determinant for many students’ choice of educational institution. Fortunately, the Australian government welcomes international students to study without any complications. Jobs and work permits are not hard to come by, and the government itself offers up to AUD $250 million a year in grants, scholarships and financial aid to international students based on merit and other criteria. This significantly reduces the strain on the student and their family to make ends meet while studying. With such a great opportunity, questions naturally arise as to which are the best study options for completing your post-graduate degree in Australia. For prospective students, here are the GradConnect top 10 picks for post-graduate studies in Australia. The list is in no particular order, and shall be continued the following week as well.
Monash University, Australia Centred in Melbourne, Monash is ranked one of the top 50 universities in the world. It is one of the “Group of 8” best universities in Australia, and the only Australian university in the M8 Alliance of Academic Health Centers, Universities and National Academies. Established in 1958, it is also the second oldest university in the State of Victoria. Housing major research facilities such as Australian Synchroton and Australian Stem Cell Centre, it is one of the most lucrative study destinations in the world for both undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. It has 11 campuses in total, with some located in different countries, although the Clayton Campus is still the main one. Monash offers double degrees, and is renowned in sectors such as accounting, physics and even biological sciences for post-graduate studies, both coursework and research based. Estimated costs are around AUD $28-$33,000 per year in tuition fees, with work permit for students as the standard. The location is also a big help for students as Melbourne is one of the biggest business hubs in Australia and jobs are easy to come by. They also have an extensive collection of scholarship programs for international students.
The University of New South Wales University of New South Wales (UNSW) is another “Group of 8” member in Australia, among the top five of the country and is also ranked one of the top 50 universities in the world. Specialising in public research, it is a very lucrative study destination for post-graduate research students. It is located in Kensington, only seven kilometres away from central Sydney. Although it offers many degrees, it has a good selection of programs in the engineering sector and arts. Students pursuing masters in engineering and engineering sciences should make this university part of their list.
University of Melbourne Once named the best university in Australia in multiple listings, University of Melbourne is a public university which was founded in 1853 and is the oldest in Victoria. Listed among the top 50 universities of the world, Australia’s “Group of 8” and listed as second best in the world for degrees in education (eighth for accounting and finance, tenth for psychology, twelfth for medicine and fifteenth for computer science and IT), it is in the top picks for any student from all over the world. Located in Parkville, the central campus is in the suburbs of north Melbourne, close to the central business district. For students who have to earn to pay their tuitions, the location is very convenient. Their courses are very intensive and thorough, but the fees are quite high – AUD $34000 a year – and scholarships are less available than others. Still, it is a lucrative place to study, especially for accounting and finance, medicine and IT students.
Australian National University One of the few universities founded as post-graduate research university, Australian National University (ANU) was founded in 1946 and is situated in Canberra, in the suburb of Acton in Australian Capital Territory. Ranked as one of the top 50 in most lists of the best universities in the world, it has six Nobel laureates in its faculty and alumni. It is also in the “Group of 8” of the best universities of Australia. It has student exchange programs with the likes of University of Oxford, Berkeley, and Yale University. ANU has colleges in the fields of Arts and Social Sciences, Business and Economics, Engineering and Computer Science, Law, Medicine and Physical and Mathematical sciences, all focused on research and coursework programs, with the Science departments having one of the best faculty and research facilities in the world. With lots of scholarship opportunities and waiver of courses for selected students, it is a great place to earn both your masters and PhD degrees. Annual fees are in the order of AUD $34-$36000, but being situated in the capital, it also offers a job-rich environment for its students.
Hold your visas! The second part of the feature shall be published on April 3, 2016. The content was reprinted from www.grad-insights.com