Before making a decision to study in Australia, you and your parents need to be very serious about choosing the course of study that best suits your career goal as your decision will determine the quality of life you want to live after completion of your course of study. There are many important issues that you and your parents also need to consider before making the decision to study in Australia. Some of these have been briefly outlined below:

Choosing the Right Course of Study

You are making a decision to go to Australia for further education that leads you to a better quality of life and better future. Our experience tells us that  many students and parents do not pay enough attention to this.

First of all you need to realise that you are going primarily for study in Australia and to prepare a foundation for your future career. Your primary purpose is not to work in Australia. For that reason, you and your parents or guardians should be focused on selecting the right course of study. You need to seek parents’ and/or educated relatives’ help in choosing the right course & institute. Otherwise, you will end up with a course in which you will not have any interest at all. This will make difference in your future career.

Our experience tells us that many students who have entered Australia on a student visa do not make the right decision in choosing a course of study. Because of their wrong decision, they waste thousands of dollars on tuition fees, living expenses & time costs. You need to consider which course will give you the best career outcome, how much it will cost and what you need to qualify for entry.

We have also known that many young students do not involve their parents’ and/or educated relatives’ participation in their decision making process. Involving parents and/or educated seniors in your decision making process not only helps you to make right decision but also helps them understand where you are going and what will be their future financial obligation in supporting you. For this reason, please involve your parents in your decision making process. This makes a difference in your life.

Australia offers a wide range of educational institutes ranging from business colleges, TAFES and universities with a fee structure ranging from very low to very high. You will have a wide range of choices in selecting courses & institutes to suit your goal. Oli & Associates will be very happy to take part in your decision making process & advise you with the best course of study that fits your past academic performance, your interest, your career goal, your financial circumstances and your future migration interest.

Achieving your Interest of Migration to Australia

Our experience indicates that many students have focused too much on some migration related courses in which they don’t have interest at all. It may be because of misinformation they have received from their relatives and friends in Australia and/or from local educational consultants. The misinformation exists even within students already in Australia.

Australia needs qualified people in a wide range of skills ranging from Accountant, IT Professional, Engineers, Teachers, Dieticians, Lawyers, Psychologists, Radiographer, Social Worker, Welfare Worker, Hair Dresser, Plumber, Electricians, Cook, Chef etc. If you gain good qualifications in any of these areas, you will be able to migrate to Australia in one way or other if you are within a certain age group and have good level of English.

Our focus is in advising people to choose the right course of study to fit within their budget. For that reason, we advise you to carefully consider your study choice so that it will not only qualify you for migration in Australia in future but also qualify you for a well paid job.

Please note that the information you receive from educational agents or your friends may not be always true and complete. Not all educational agents and friends can have the required level of skills, qualification and experience to provide you with the right information. Even if the information is right, it may not be complete. Many local agents do not have agreement to recruit students in a wide range of courses. That’s why they may attempt to push you in a certain course at a certain institute. It is you who need to judge the information and need to work in finding a credible consultant who can provide you with correct & complete information.

Changing Course of Study in Australia

We have noticed that hundreds of Nepali students change their course of study after they arrive in Australia. Some change their course because they have failed, some because they have chosen the wrong course and some because they are looking for an easy way to migration. Nepali students loose Millions of Dollars in tuition fees, living costs & time costs every year in Australia by changing their course of study. Why this is happening? It is because they chose wrong course of study & institutions in the first place. We don’t want this to happen to you.

In most cases, overseas students can not change their institute within the first 6 months of the commencement of their principal course of study unless the institute gives the student a release. And, generally institutes do not give a release to international students in normal circumstances. In most of the cases, student would have paid two semester’s fees by the time he or she is allowed to change. This means, students who change their course of study after 6 months waste a lot of money & 6 very precious months of their life.

However, if you make a wrong decision and want to correct the past mistake, you will be able to do so after 6 months from the commencement of your principle course of study.

Oli & Associates, Australia will be very happy to assist you to make the right decision and to change to an institute that best suits your career goal.

Attendance & Academic Performance

As an international student, your primary purpose is to study in Australia. To make you focus on your course of study, you need to meet the minimum requirement set by the institution.

Generally, a university looks at your academic performance as the measure of your genuineness. If your academic performance does not meet the minimum set standard by the university, you may be expelled from the university. The University may report this to the Immigration office which may result in your visa cancellation. However, if your academic performance is poor because of exceptional circumstances (for example sickness), university may consider your circumstances before making their decision.

Similarly, other institutes and business colleges may consider your attendance or academic performance or both to determine your genuineness. To meet the requirements in attendance, you must attend the college at least 80% of the total contact hours. However, if the attendance is poor because of exceptional circumstances for example sickness; the institute will give you an opportunity to present your case if you can provide evidence. If no such circumstance exists, the institute may report you to Immigration and your visa may be cancelled.

For the above reasons, please work hard to pass the course you have enrolled in and attend the institute or university regularly. If you can not go to classes because of sickness, please visit the doctor and get a doctor certificate and place in a file. If you can not go to the classes because of other circumstances, please keep a record of that & collect evidence of the same as much as practicable.

Notifying the Current Contact Details

 Please notify the college or university and Immigration Department of your new address, telephone numbers and e-mail as soon as your arrival in Australia. Each time you move, please notify them. It ensures that you receive all correspondence sent by your college or university and Immigration Department.

Work Limitation

A student will be allowed to work 20 hours a week during the course of study in session. However, the student will be able to work any hours during holiday. Student dependent spouse can work only 20 hours a week at all time. However, student dependent spouse is allowed to work any hours if the student is undertaking a master degree or above level of study.

Respecting Australian Values

It is generally expected that all people who live in Australia respect Australian values, the Australian way of life and follow Australian law. Any kind of discrimination & harassment is not tolerated. Physical attack is a serious crime and attracts a jail a sentence. 

Generally, Australia maintains excellent social and racial harmony. Because of strong law against discrimination of all kinds, there are insignificant incidents of social, racial, religious and other discrimination against any people.

You will be completely protected by law as long as you follow the law. Generally, if you stay within generally accepted way of living life, your stay in Australia will be safe & enjoyable.

Finding jobs

Australia currently maintains one of the lowest unemployment rates in its history. It is among one of the lowest compared to similar countries. Meaning, more jobs are available these days in the Australian job market.

Despite the above facts, we have experienced that some Nepali students have difficulty in finding their first job in Australia. However, if you look at the number of Nepali students in Australia and number of unemployed Nepali students, the proportion of unemployed students is very low. It is true that some students face difficulties in finding their first job in Australia because of various factors including:

• Low English language ability
• Lack of knowledge of Australian culture in finding jobs
• Lack of work experience and skills
• No or weak connection with friends and relatives
• Shy nature & lack of confidence in approaching the employer
• Poor presentation skills
• Etc.

However, it is not impossible to find a Job in Australia. Once you find your first job, you will not face much difficulty in finding second job after the first one if you work honestly and for reasonable period of time with the first employer.

The difficulty in finding your first job is not confined to Australia only. It is true for everywhere in the world.

If you improve your skills on the above mentioned issues, it will be easier to find your first job. Then you will be on the right track.

Please note that the job does not look for you. You need to find the job. Even if you find a vacancy for a job that may suit you, you may not be able to get the job. It may be because the employer may decide that you do not have required skills, confidence and ability to learn.

It is up to you how soon you find the job. A skilful, smart and forward looking person will not have much difficulty in finding his / her first job in Australia. Once you get your first job, you will be able to find jobs more easily in the future.

The sources of finding vacancies are newspaper, internet, personal network, door to door visit etc. Please use all strategies and be focused, active & tirelessly look for the job by improving community connection and building friend’s network.  The harder you work, the quicker you will be in the work force.

Finding a place to live

At present, there is high demand of rental property in major Australian cities. It is generally difficult to find a rental property soon after your arrival in Australia. For that reason, we advise you to contact your friends or relatives before your arrival in Australia. If you do not have a friend or relative in Australia, you may find temporary hostel for short term living immediately after your arrival in Australia. The cost of such hostel depends on how you want to live. If you want to share with others in a room it can be as low as A$70 per week. However, if you want to live in a single room, the cost will be higher. It all depends on your lifestyle and affordability.

It is your responsibility to arrange place to live. However, we may guide you if in case you can not find one by yourselves.