Study Abroad / Internship

Each year, thousands of international students choose to study in Australia because of the excellent reputation of its education system and courses, and for the great lifestyle and travel opportunities.

International Education Agency -Australia Study Abroad services

Since, In an exchange program, the home university or school has a formal exchange agreement with the Australian institution, My Study in Australia does not provide any service for exchange students, International Education Agency – Australia only accept the Study Abroad application.

In a study abroad program:

· The home university, school or college does not have a formal exchange agreement with the Australian institution.

· The student must typically take leave from their home university/school.

· Fees are usually paid upfront to the Australian institution.

· The student must work out with advisers at their home institution if they can receive credit for their study abroad subjects.

Study Abroad Courses and qualifications

Study abroad programs normally involve completing one or two semesters of study overseas. Some or all of your results from this study are credited towards your course back home. The amount of credit transferred for studies completed in Australia varies depending on the academic system at your home university or school.

Students are usually allowed to enrol in any subjects offered by their Australian institution. Entry to some subjects, however, may be dependent on the student having fulfilled certain prerequisite subject requirements so it is important to check with academic advisers at both your home and Australian institution.

Before you commit to a study abroad, you should consider the following questions:

· Does my home institution give credit for subjects taken overseas?

· Am I able to count subjects taken overseas as part of my study abroad towards my major?

· Will subjects taken overseas show on my home transcript with or without a letter grade or a grade point average?

You are strongly advised to speak with your home university’s academic advisor and/or exchange coordinator for answers to any questions you may have.

Study Abroad Program costs

Students taking part in a study abroad program will need to pay fees, usually upfront, to their Australian school or university. Fees vary depending on the course and institution. It is therefore important to discuss fees with My Study in Australia Student Counsellor.

Average tuition costs is around AUD$6000 per semester. This figure is approximate as fees vary. You should discuss tuition costs with My Study in Australia Student Counsellor for selected Australian university.

Study Abroad Program Entry requirements

You can generally apply for study abroad programs in Australia through My Study in Australia Student Counsellor to make direct application with the Australian institution.

To be eligible for study abroad programs students generally need to:

· have completed a minimum of two semesters of full-time study at their home institution

· satisfy minimum academic requirements set by the Australian institution

· have satisfied any necessary subject prerequisites

· satisfy English language requirements if from a non-English speaking country.

Students may be required to fulfil a number of other application requirements such as providing academic and character references, a financial statement, and a copy of their academic results.

Admission requirements differ between Australian institutions so it is important to check specific details with My Study in Australia Student Counsellor before applying.

To obtain a student visa, study abroad students must be enrolled full-time at their Australian institution. The minimum commitment, one or 2 semester of study.

CQUniversity – Study Abroad

Deakin University – Study Abroad

Edith Cowan University – Study Abroad

International College of Management, Sydney – Study Abroad

La Trobe University – Study Abroad

Murdoch University – Study Abroad

RMIT University – Study Abroad

University of Ballarat – Study Abroad

University of Melbourne – Study Abroad

University of New South Wales (UNSW) – Study Abroad

University of Newcastle – Study Abroad

University of Notre Dame – Study Abroad

University of Queensland, The – Study Abroad

University of Sydney – Study Abroad

University of Tasmania – Study Abroad

Victoria University – Study Abroad

My Study in Australia currently offers several types of study abroad internship placements for students and individuals interested in gaining valuable work experience in Australia.

• Full-time internships for a semester, summer or other period where you pick your own dates.
• Part-time internship in conjunction with an academic or work abroad program.

The My Study in Australia Internship Program will give students and recent graduates entry into Australia’s leading organizations and ensure that they receive training compatible with their employment and/or educational history.

Due to Australian Immigration regulations, paid internships are rarely offered for non-Australian citizens.

Locations
Most internship placements are located in urban centres such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane, but other locations are available.

Eligibility
Prospective interns are expected to have relevant coursework or employment experience in their area of interest since these study abroad internships do not involve routine office duties.

Generally speaking, Interns will be notified of their specific project and company/organization assignment before they commit to the program and depart for Australia.

Students will receive an evaluation report from the Australian host organization at completion of their internship abroad program.

Duration
Students may participate in the Group Intake Internship Program with set intake dates and program durations throughout the year, or choose an Independent Program with their own dates from four to 52 weeks.

The most common study abroad internship placements for past participants have been 6, 12 and 20 weeks.

Benefits of an internships

An internship placement is a practical training experience within a company, business or organisation. Designed to complement prior learning in a particular field, an industry-specific placement allows individuals to apply theoretical understanding, develop knowledge, qualifications and skills in their area of expertise while working within a host company.

Kick-start your career: gain a competitive edge by undertaking a professional internship placement.

Increasingly, employers place the value on graduates with practical experience. Australian Internship provides the opportunity for you to enhance your Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume and increase your employability through work place based international experience.

While the benefits of completing an internship may vary individually, for most it includes:

• Career fast-tracking – a stepping stone into the job market
• Gaining practical training in your field of study
• Adding international experience to your CV or resume
• Developing your professional skills
• Developing industry contacts
• Obtaining a statement of service or reference from a recognised company
• Demonstrating your initiative and ability to take on new challenges
• Learning to deal with different situations and people
• Credit towards a university degree with the right experience
• Gaining cultural understanding and experience in a different country
• Becoming more independent and confident
• Making friends from all over the world

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put your academic knowledge into practice whilst gaining international work experience.

Professional and Hospitality Internship Program Inclusions

• Custom designed internship – with years of experience and industry contacts we will get the perfect match for you (note: some restrictions on choice of location for Hospitality interns)
• Placement guarantee on acceptance of your application
• Comprehensive orientation and information pack before starting your internship (held in Sydney or Melbourne)
• Monitoring/support throughout internship from our team of highly experienced professionals (visits and calls)
• Offer of a 24 hour emergency contact phone number
• Public liability insurance
• Representation from a third party with an established relationship with your company
• Visa assistance and handling/endorsement
• Access to a large network of international interns
• Weekly newsletter
• Weekly social activities
• Company reference letter at completion of internship
• Monash Professional Certificate of completion
• Discounted prices on weekend trips (offered by external companies)
• Discounted prices on mobile phones and calling cards

Additional Services (Optional – fee charged)

• Accommodation placement service
• Airport pickup
• Assistance obtaining travel and personal liability insurance
• Cambridge Certificate in Work Experience
• English Language Studies
• Preparation for the Workplace

The Professional Year is a new concept to assist former international students obtains workplace skills in their chosen occupation.

A person that completes a specified Professional Year will be awarded with extra 10 points under the General Skills Migration points test. Points can only be awarded for Professional Year courses that have been specified by the Minister.

Available courses

The following Professional Year courses have been specified by the Minister.

· Computing Science

The following course is scheduled to be available at a later stage.

· Accounting

The Professional Year program is a new initiative that is designed for international students who have graduated from undergraduate or post graduate degrees within the last 6 months in Australia, through a course with two years of credit points over a minimum of 16 months.

They have been designed, under Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) guidelines, principally for international students seeking to gain permanent residence.

The Professional Year program aim to provide a quality workplace related experience to enhance the participant’s career and employment skills through relevant practical training, and provide a bridge from university into permanent employment in Australia.

It is a 12 month program covering a minimum of 44 weeks which includes a 12 week internship component within a host company. Participants will experience practical hands-on learning with an emphasis on workplace preparation – culture, work place ethics and expectations.

The Professional Year in Computer Science (regulated by the Australian Computing Society) commenced in mid May 2008 in Melbourne, and the first cohort for SMIPA commences in June 2008. Date for these programs in Sydney, as well as a Professional Year in Engineering, will be announced later in 2008.

It is expected that participants in theses programs will be holders of a 485 Skilled Graduate Visa. However, they are available to all students, and particularly those waiting to have their 485 visa approved.

The Professional Year will consist of four modules:

• Business Communications Skills
• Australian Workplace Skills
• Professional Internship
• Professional Element (to be offered in conjunction with participating industry bodies).

On successful completion of the program, permanent residency (PR) applicants will have gained 10 points towards migration. Please note that neither the Professional Year program guarantees permanent residency. Further information on a 485 skilled migration visa can be found at:

As enrolments for these programs are limited early applications lodgements are encouraged at http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/485/index.htm