Australian Opportunities
In Australia, Foundation has long been a significant sector of the educational business. Out of 37 Australian universities, five have their own preparatory courses. Additionally, such courses are organized at private colleges, secondary schools, and institutes of technical and further education (TAFE). The cost of these programs ranges from 6,000 to 12,000 Australian dollars.
Completion of most Australian pre-university preparation programs guarantees admission to the first year. As in other countries, some programs only allow entry to one university, while others let you apply to multiple universities. The latter includes, for example, the Unilearn course, which is accredited by twenty universities simultaneously. Another example is the University of Queensland Foundation Year Program: upon completion, students receive a Certificate IV in University Preparation, which entitles them to apply to any university in the country, although many prefer to stay in Queensland, where they are already known and expected.
Each of the existing options has its advantages: for example, a 'multi-purpose course' is good because it offers greater freedom of choice. At the same time, a program focused on only one university helps the applicant to be better prepared for studying exactly there. After all, they are trained in subjects based on specific entrance requirements. Moreover, if the courses are taught on the university campus, future students become familiar in advance with the teaching staff, the university's infrastructure, its academic buildings, library, as well as traditions and aspects of student life.
Such a program is offered, in particular, by the well-known Melbourne university Monash University, more precisely, its preparatory department MUFY (Monash University Foundation Year). The structure of study here is as follows: English is compulsory, and from the remaining subjects students choose three or four according to their future specialty. The list of specialized subjects is wide: accounting, biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, geography, fine arts, history, music, physics, etc.
Interestingly, at MUFY and other Australian Foundation programs, not only foreigners—for whom these programs seem primarily intended—study, but also young Australians. The fact is that 12-year school education assumes that the last, twelfth year is the preparatory year for university. But older 'lads' aged 18-19 prefer not to wear out their jeans on a school bench anymore, but instead enroll in preparatory departments, thereby changing their status from schoolchild to 'almost a student', which is more appropriate for a nearly adult person. And importantly, with such preparation, admission to the first year is guaranteed. So a foreigner studying Foundation is not limited to a circle of fellow 'transients' but has the opportunity from the very start to get to know the character of local residents.
Australian preparatory programs are divided into three types depending on duration: Express, Standard, and Extended. Which one to choose depends primarily on your knowledge of English.
In addition to Foundation, preparatory institutes and colleges at Australian universities also offer full diploma programs. Strictly speaking, they are not just preparatory—after them you can work in your field. But you can also continue your studies, and immediately enter the second year of university. Such programs usually last two years, but there are exceptions. For example, at the aforementioned Monash University, the largest and most popular faculties are Business and Economics, and Information Technology and Computer Science. For those eager to become students of these faculties, a fast track has been developed: if after 11th grade a student enrolls in Monash College, which operates at the university, then within 12 months they can complete a preparatory program and again enter directly into the second year. And for the most impatient, a nine-month program is also available. The preparatory course is so intensive that it is considered equivalent to 12th grade plus the first year.
Similar programs have been created at some other Australian universities, for example at Sydney's Macquarie University. Here, the college SIBT - Sydney Institute of Business and Technology operates. Despite its name, at the institute, located on the university campus, you can study a wide variety of specialties, from commerce and management to humanities and computer science. After one year, a graduate receives a diploma with which they can immediately skip to the second year of Macquarie University.
The preparatory program is also available at the University of Sydney, the oldest and one of the best in the country. It is taught not at the university itself, but at the Taylors preparatory college and includes classes in the subjects required for admission. These are English with in-depth study of specialized vocabulary in core disciplines (medicine, mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, etc.), a mandatory computer science course for everyone, as well as Australian culture and history. Additionally, the program includes a subject cycle in one of the areas of specialization: natural and technical sciences; medicine; humanities and media - commerce and economics, and also music. Taylors College also offers programs for admission to other Australian universities. And not only Australian, but also New Zealand ones. The college has branches in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney (Australia), as well as in Auckland (New Zealand). At this New Zealand branch, based at the University of Auckland, the TAFY (Taylors Auckland Foundation Year) program is taught. Those who complete it can apply to any university in both Australia and New Zealand. The program includes English (with an international exam) and four general education subjects of choice. The certificate awarded upon completion of the 40-week course guarantees admission to university.
On the Approaches to Kiwi Education
The education system of New Zealand is similar to the Australian one, and the admission requirements for universities in the two countries, if not completely, then largely coincide. Nevertheless, to prepare for admission specifically to a New Zealand university, one must, of course, do so on the territory of the kiwi country itself. Recall that on these blessed islands there are six universities, and to get into them, foreigners with a "non-convertible" diploma must take a preparatory course. There are plenty of preparatory programs for foreigners here as well. True, as in Australia, there are many local applicants in the pre-university preparation programs.
Thus, educational institutions belonging to the Academic Colleges Group (ACG) are very popular among local and foreign applicants. Among them are a language school, a secondary school, an institute, and the foundation programs we are interested in for preparing for university admission, which our applicants can also apply to. The ACG preparatory course lasts only eight months, while in other institutions it is longer by a whole trimester. Successful completion of the Foundation guarantees enrollment in three of New Zealand's largest universities: the University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, and Victoria University of Wellington.
For each of these universities, ACG runs its own program. Completion of the Victoria University of Wellington Foundation Studies Programme guarantees enrollment in a bachelor's program at the capital's Victoria University. The AUT International Foundation Certificate opens the doors of Auckland University of Technology. And for preparation for the University of Auckland, one can choose one of four courses: the one-year Certificate in Foundation Studies, an accelerated version of the same program (the so-called fast-track), a six-month Pre-Foundation Programme, or a Post-Foundation Programme also lasting six months.
Preparatory departments are also open at other universities - Massey, Otago, and Waikato. The programs are typically designed for one year of study and have similar content: students choose several academic disciplines, acquire the skills necessary for university study (essay writing, effective information search methods, etc.), and of course, study English. The choice of subjects is determined by the future specialty - for example, those planning to enter the Faculty of Natural Sciences will choose physics and mathematics, humanities students will choose history and literature, etc. Upon completion of Foundation studies, students receive a document - Certificate of University Preparation (CUP). It gives them the right to enter university on par with New Zealanders.
What is required to enter an Australian or New Zealand Foundation program? Very little. First, you need to present a secondary education certificate, and second, pass an English exam. The requirements are not too high - about 5-5.5 points on IELTS. So, dear applicants, study the language.
Advantages of Studying in Australia and New Zealand
* English language and educational system of British origin.
* International diplomas recognized by employers worldwide.
* Almost all universities in these countries are public, receiving huge budget allocations, and their curricula and teaching quality are under state control.
* Best price-quality ratio for education (for long-term programs): the cost of a year of study is 15-20% cheaper than in Europe or America.
* Low housing prices and low living expenses.
* Availability of a special support service for foreign students at each university.
* Opportunity for legal part-time work during studies.
* Open immigration policy: after graduation, foreign graduates receive a six-month work visa to find a job and build a career in the country.
* Shortage of qualified personnel in certain areas, filled by foreigners.
* Friendly attitude towards foreigners.
* High level of safety and minimal crime rates.
* Mild and warm climate, good ecology, and abundant natural resources.