# College courses in Australia question



## canecm (Oct 6, 2014)

Hi guys, 

I would like to know what do the certificate numbers mean in a certain college course (e.g. Certificate I, Certificate II)? Do they indicate difficulty level?


----------



## Lingskoh (Oct 6, 2014)

Whoa! Good question! 

I'm also confused. Do I have to take each level chronologically?I mean, do I have to get 1 before I could take 2?  

Help us understand people of Australia.


----------



## aussiesteve (Mar 16, 2012)

Lingskoh said:


> Whoa! Good question!
> 
> I'm also confused. Do I have to take each level chronologically?I mean, do I have to get 1 before I could take 2?
> 
> Help us understand people of Australia.


It is the level of complexity of the study that the numbers refer to.
In most cases you can do a certificate 3 without doing any previous certificates.
Be warned though a certificate is of no benefit to you should you think of immigration as a skilled immigrant. For that you need a trade or degree.


----------



## canecm (Oct 6, 2014)

aussiesteve said:


> It is the level of complexity of the study that the numbers refer to.
> In most cases you can do a certificate 3 without doing any previous certificates.
> Be warned though a certificate is of no benefit to you should you think of immigration as a skilled immigrant. For that you need a trade or degree.


Thank you for your response Mr. Steve. I am actually planning to study in Australia. I'm not planning to work in a big company or something. Small jobs will do in order to sustain my cost of living. It's nice to know that I can do a certificate 3 without undergoing certificate 1 and 2.


----------



## Lingskoh (Oct 6, 2014)

aussiesteve said:


> It is the level of complexity of the study that the numbers refer to.
> In most cases you can do a certificate 3 without doing any previous certificates.
> Be warned though a certificate is of no benefit to you should you think of immigration as a skilled immigrant. For that you need a trade or degree.


Thank you for answering! That sounds great! Like canecm, I'm also planning on studying there.

Question for you aussie: What can you advice on our case? We want to study on Australia for at least 2 years maybe, depends on how much it'd cost. Should we take a bachelors degree or do certification? Which among of these cost less? Practicality wise. 

We're really sorry for taking so much of your time.


----------



## aussiesteve (Mar 16, 2012)

Lingskoh said:


> Thank you for answering! That sounds great! Like canecm, I'm also planning on studying there.
> 
> Question for you aussie: What can you advice on our case? We want to study on Australia for at least 2 years maybe, depends on how much it'd cost. Should we take a bachelors degree or do certification? Which among of these cost less? Practicality wise.
> 
> We're really sorry for taking so much of your time.


Hi
Depends on what your final plan is.
If you hope to seek a path to PR then it really would need to be a degree. However if your qualifications allow you may be able to undertake a bridging course.
What were you looking to study?


----------



## Lingskoh (Oct 6, 2014)

If given the chance, we'd love to live there. I know migrating is not gonna be that easy and I accept that. I'm willing to take the risk instead of just sitting here, doing the same thing for years and wait for the day that I'd regret not pushing my luck overseas. 

I'm afraid bridging course is not a good idea because the level of education here is too low compared there. (Real talk) So I was thinking of taking a fresh course on where I could use as my stepping stone and as a start of my progress. As for the course, I'm not really sure yet but I'm thinking of taking an Aged course or something that would benefit my stay there. 

Based on what I've understand on my researched, you are qualified to apply for a PR if you studied 2 years on Australia right? 

You've been really helpful.


----------



## canecm (Oct 6, 2014)

Lingskoh said:


> If given the chance, we'd love to live there. I know migrating is not gonna be that easy and I accept that. I'm willing to take the risk instead of just sitting here, doing the same thing for years and wait for the day that I'd regret not pushing my luck overseas.
> 
> I'm afraid bridging course is not a good idea because the level of education here is too low compared there. (Real talk) So I was thinking of taking a fresh course on where I could use as my stepping stone and as a start of my progress. As for the course, I'm not really sure yet but I'm thinking of taking an Aged course or something that would benefit my stay there.
> 
> ...


Same here.


----------



## aussiesteve (Mar 16, 2012)

canecm said:


> Same here.


Hi
I am afraid that a certificate in aged care would not be acceptable. To even be considered for a temporary visa you would need a degree.
Please check this link Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) document checklist.
There are many more requirements than just 2 years study.


----------



## Lingskoh (Oct 6, 2014)

aussiesteve said:


> Hi
> I am afraid that a certificate in aged care would not be acceptable. To even be considered for a temporary visa you would need a degree.
> Please check this link Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) document checklist.
> There are many more requirements than just 2 years study.


Thank you for the information mate, I guess I'll just have to do it step by step and seek for a consultant about my case and future plans.

Wish me luck on my journey!


----------



## Lisa.Scarlette (Feb 27, 2014)

*From my experience*



Lingskoh said:


> Should we take a bachelors degree or do certification? Which among of these cost less? Practicality wise.


This site Education costs in Australia gives a very good idea of the cost of different courses and certifications in Australia for one year. 
I think the cheapest schooling option is TAFE (which falls under vocational training on that site). That's the option that gives you Cert. I to Cert. IV. Of course, it really depends on what you want to study and if you want to pursue residency based on schooling. 

As a former international student, here's a friendly warning: there are many other costs associated with becoming an international student here as well; the visa itself is 530$, the overseas student health insurance is $300+, IELTS is $300, medical checks are $100+, and there's the cost of living (rent, food, transport). Also, it's good to be aware that international students have restricted work hours here, and can only work (I think) 40 hours per fortnight. *(The fees for things change with different situations, but that's basically what I've found to be true for most students I've met, hehe)*
Hope that helps


----------

