# Higher Education in Australia



## M3M

I am applying for Australian PR soon. I was wondering if anyone could share their knowledge with me in regards to higher education in Australia?

My wife wants to go to university to do a medical course (shes a nurse now but has been a housewife for a couple of years). I want to know how much it would cost us(or her) and whether help or loans are available in Australia for PR holders?

I've done some research but I didnt get anywhere. It sounds like there are different types of domestic students, eg common wealth and fee paying.

Can someone please tell me how the system works and how much it would cost? Or if you know any websites that explains this fully?

I am in the UK at the moment and here you now will be charged £9000/ year but you can get loans for tuition fees.


----------



## JandE

You might find this page useful: Student contributions and tuition fees - Future Students - The University of Queensland, Australia


----------



## scattley

M3M said:


> I am applying for Australian PR soon. I was wondering if anyone could share their knowledge with me in regards to higher education in Australia?
> 
> My wife wants to go to university to do a medical course (shes a nurse now but has been a housewife for a couple of years). I want to know how much it would cost us(or her) and whether help or loans are available in Australia for PR holders?
> 
> I've done some research but I didnt get anywhere. It sounds like there are different types of domestic students, eg common wealth and fee paying.
> 
> Can someone please tell me how the system works and how much it would cost? Or if you know any websites that explains this fully?
> 
> I am in the UK at the moment and here you now will be charged £9000/ year but you can get loans for tuition fees.


The cost for PR holders is quite high for medicine. Around 25-40K per year (Medicine post grad is around 125K for the entire course). As a PR this is the Australian cost BUT you are not eligible for any loans and have to pay this up front each year.

Also, if your wife is not holding a PR visa on the first day she goes to classes, even if she gets PR later (even a week later) or gains citizenship during the course she is considered an International Medical Graduate which means a) she is not guarenteed an intern placement and b) when she specialises she cannot access medicare benefits for 10 years in a capital city (so she can only work in rural Australia for 10 years).

So it might be best to wait until you have PR or citizenship before applying for medical school


----------



## M3M

Thank you very much.

Is this just the tuition fee (25-40K)? Would the cost be lower if she became a citizen? Do cost vary by university? (or is there a cap on tuition fee like £9000/ year in the UK)? 

How much support would an Australian citizen get? (I assume they get loans covering all fees and some for maintenance like the UK?)

Thanks


----------



## JandE

M3M said:


> How much support would an Australian citizen get? (I assume they get loans covering all fees and some for maintenance like the UK?)
> 
> Thanks


Australian citizens did get a better benefit than Permanent Residents, for University.

Commonwealth supported place is for citizen or permanent visa holder

HECS‑HELP is only for Citizens, NOT normal PR
FEE‑HELP appears to be the same

HELP Paying My Fees - Study Assist

The HECS‑HELP 10% discount on upfront payments (for Citizens only) is being discontinued soon.


----------



## scattley

If a citizen, this is the same cost but you can apply for a HECS/HELP loan but not all medical places offer this option. If her high school scores are lower (less than equal to 99.8%) or less than a distinction average for her undergrad degree...you may be offered only a full fee paying one. You start paying the loan back as soon as you start your internship and it's an extra tax. There is no cap on the fees...the differences are between undergrad, postgrad and private unis (Notre dame or bond)

If she is married there will be no other support for living as the expectation is that you will support her. If you are unemployed and she has been employed FT in the past (18 months prior to starting uni) she may get some support.


----------



## M3M

So she may get support if I am unemployed and she has been working for 18 months? If not then no? I thought you could get benefits after 2 years.

Anyhow I am thinking about worst case scenario because we will have child care costs too and I was hoping she could get some sort of loans!


----------



## aussiesteve

M3M said:


> So she may get support if I am unemployed and she has been working for 18 months? If not then no? I thought you could get benefits after 2 years.
> 
> Anyhow I am thinking about worst case scenario because we will have child care costs too and I was hoping she could get some sort of loans!


Scattley was talking about once she became an Australian Citizen, and that will take 4 years.


----------



## scattley

M3M said:


> So she may get support if I am unemployed and she has been working for 18 months? If not then no? I thought you could get benefits after 2 years.
> 
> Anyhow I am thinking about worst case scenario because we will have child care costs too and I was hoping she could get some sort of loans!


As a PR she cannot get any support for studying at university. As a citizen IF she meets the work experience component (FT over the past 18 month) she can get suppport if you are unemployed. Nowadays students going from high school to uni cannot get financial support unless their family is considered poor (and they parents are already getting financial support).

Some benefits are after 2 years but that is only as a unit.. for unemployment you both cannot be working and your benefits to not kick in until you have no savings left....e.g. if you have 10K between you in the bank (regardless of what loans you have to repay) you do not get any benefits for 20 weeks ($500 per week...so the government says you can survive for 20 weeks without support). Most people expect to be able to keep their savings and get support - thats not how it works. You have to be destitute to get any government money


----------



## shylhier09

scattley said:


> If a citizen, this is the same cost but you can apply for a HECS/HELP loan but not all medical places offer this option. If her high school scores are lower (less than equal to 99.8%) or less than a distinction average for her undergrad degree...you may be offered only a full fee paying one. You start paying the loan back as soon as you start your internship and it's an extra tax. There is no cap on the fees...the differences are between undergrad, postgrad and private unis (Notre dame or bond)
> 
> If she is married there will be no other support for living as the expectation is that you will support her. If you are unemployed and she has been employed FT in the past (18 months prior to starting uni) she may get some support.


Hi do you happen to know where to find certain list of requirements needed for me to study in sydney?i'm currently a bachelor's degree student in the philippines but i'm planning to finish it in australia ..


----------



## JandE

shylhier09 said:


> Hi do you happen to know where to find certain list of requirements needed for me to study in sydney?i'm currently a bachelor's degree student in the philippines but i'm planning to finish it in australia ..


Some years back my ex wife had her Philippine degree assessed in Australia and it was classed as the equivalent to the NSW High school leaving certificate.

It is definitely worth following up in the State you are heading to.

Anyone can study here. But the cost depends on the visa type.


----------



## shylhier09

JandE said:


> Some years back my ex wife had her Philippine degree assessed in Australia and it was classed as the equivalent to the NSW High school leaving certificate.
> 
> It is definitely worth following up in the State you are heading to.
> 
> Anyone can study here. But the cost depends on the visa type.


Any uni in mind that offers cheaper tuition fees? I am an australian citizen by the way ☺


----------



## JandE

shylhier09 said:


> Any uni in mind that offers cheaper tuition fees? I am an australian citizen by the way ☺


Start looking here: FAQs for future students - Study Assist

One website shows the Australian Catholic University as the cheapest at $22,000 compared to University of Melbourne at $95,000. Both priced for an MBA.

It may be one to start looking at.


----------

