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Studying A Masters In Australia

Studying a Masters in Australia is an exciting proposition!

For European students, the system of university-level education in Australia will be familiar, and with over 40 universities in Australia to choose from, there is a wide range of subjects available to study at masters level at an Australian university.

Let’s take a look at what is involved in studying a masters in Australia. 

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Entry requirements 

As a general rule most masters level courses at universities in Australia require an undergraduate degree to gain entry. The classification of the degree is important as well and if you have also gained a bachelors degree with honours, then you will find that you might be able to study a masters level course in a little less time. You will find that there is quite a big difference in the entry requirements from university to university and from masters degree to masters degree. For example, some courses – such as the University of Adelaide's Masters in Applied Project Management – require an Australian undergraduate degree with a GPA of 4.0 or the equivalent, which would be a first class honours degree in the UK. Whilst other postgraduate programs – like the Masters in International Relations and Journalism at Monash University – require an Australian undergraduate degree with a result of 60% which is equivalent to a British undergraduate degree with a result of a 2:2.

Postgraduate courses in Australia always require a good command of the English language, and this is either shown by the student gaining a degree from an English speaking country as recognised by the Australian Government or by attaining the necessary grade at an English test

Duration of masters courses in Australia

Masters courses in Australia last anywhere from one to three years of full-time study, depending on the course and sometimes on the level of undergraduate degree or work experience the student already has. For example, the Masters in International Relations & Journalism at Monash University can last anywhere from one and a half to three years of full-time study depending on the student’s previous undergraduate degree result and if they attained an undergraduate degree with honours. 

Masters programs available in Australia 

There are currently 43 universities in Australia and the vast majority of these are publically owned institutions, which means that they are mostly large universities offering a full range of subjects and degrees. The result of this is that there are hundreds of masters courses to choose from in Australia, with a good range of universities offering masters programs in popular subjects such as Law or Business, plus more niche subjects such as Cultural Studies with a focus on trading in and with China and other parts of Asia. For example, the University of Western Sydney offers a Masters in Cross-Cultural Relations

Cost for international & home students 

Tuition fees vary between the institutions in Australia and for international students tuition fees can be anywhere between a total of AUD$50,000 (approx. £22,750) to around AUD$100,000 (£55,500) for two or three years studying a masters degree course. For domestic students the tuition fees are from around AUD$40,000 (£22,000) to AUD$90,000 (£49,000) for the same courses. However some courses at some universities cost approximately the same amount for both domestic and international students. For example the Masters in Chinese Cultural Relations at the University of Western Sydney costs AUD$28,960 per year for two years in tuition fees for domestic students and AUD$29,040 per year in two years for international students, while the Masters in International Relations and Journalism at Monash University – which can take up to three years to complete – costs AUD$22,000 per year for all students.

Study visa requirements 

International students wishing to study a masters in Australia must have student visa for the duration of their studies. To successfully apply for the student visa they will need a letter of acceptance for a full-time course, proof of their English test results if necessary, and they must pass a medical check. Any student wishing to enter Australia on a student visa must also have the funds available to support themselves and any dependents for the duration of their course. The immigration law in Australia changes regularly so it is best to check directly with the Department of Home Affairs for the most recent regulations. Read our section on Student Visa Australia for more information.

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