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Your education journey

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Education Providers

Geelong is fortunate to have so many quality educational institutions that are registered with the Government to offer courses to international students. Whatever stage you are on your educational journey there are many options to choose from.

  • Private Higher Education College

    Private Higher Education College

    Providing higher education for post-secondary students, qualifications range from certificates to bachelor degrees. Marcus Oldham College graduates commence careers in agriculture or para-professional roles. Deakin College students pathway into the second year of Deakin bachelor degrees.

  • Secondary School

    Secondary School

    Catering for students from Year 7 to Year 12, upon successful completion students will have achieved either the: Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) or International Baccalaureate (IB).

  • TAFE

    TAFE

    Providing vocational training that focuses on hands-on learning, qualifications offered include certificates, through to advanced diplomas, as well as apprenticeships and traineeships. Graduate students commence careers in trades or para-professional roles, or pathway to university.

  • University

    University

    Providing higher education for post-secondary students, qualifications range from bachelor degrees to post graduate doctoral degrees. Graduates are highly skilled to work in a diverse range of academic, professional and research roles.

Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian education system is a national policy that covers qualifications from the tertiary education sector (higher education and vocational education and training) in addition to the school-leaving certificate; the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education. This is known as the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)

The AQF has 10 levels and links school, vocational and university education qualifications into one national system. This allows you to move easily from one level of study to the next, and from one institution to another, as long as you satisfy student visa requirements. It allows for choice and flexibility in career planning. All qualifications in the AQF help prepare you for both further study and your working life.

Our institutions are linked across the country and across the world, which makes it easy to move throughout the education system between courses or institutions and formal agreement and recognition frameworks mean every step of the path will contribute to your future no matter what your study or career goals.

Pathways

Multiple study pathways and exit points exist between secondary school, TAFE and university. Each stage of study brings its own qualification and can be the completion of your studies, or it can provide a pathway onto the next stage.

Your current year and skill level will determine what course level or institution you are eligible to apply for. Where you finish will depend on the career outcomes you’re hoping to achieve.

pathways

  • Student Events and Activities

    Student Events and Activities

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  • Student Resources

    Student Resources

    Where can I get help with......

    Browse the Study Geelong student resources for international students.

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  • Are you the next Study Geelong Ambassadors for 2024?

    Are you the next Study Geelong Ambassadors for 2024?

    We have 10 spots available for our 2024 Study Geelong ambassador volunteer program for international and domestic students who have relocated to Geelong to study.

    If you’d love to explore more of Geelong and The Bellarine, get to know other international students and help share your adventures on social media, then becoming an ambassador might be for you!

    Read more

Student Stories

  • Eun Jeong Ji

    Deakin University

    A story from Eun Jeong Ji, she came from Korea to Deakin Nursing with a prior qualification of Registered Nurse from Korea, with this she was granted CPL for 16 credit points.

    Eun Jeong Ji

    A story from Eun Jeong Ji, she came from Korea to Deakin Nursing with a prior qualification of Registered Nurse from Korea, with this she was granted CPL for 16 credit points.

  • Bo Li

    The Gordon

    “I chose to study at The Gordon as they have an excellent reputation, with a lot of great chefs who have graduated and now own their own restaurants.

    All the teachers are professional and experienced and they make the training interesting and memorable. I have not only learned how to cook a great meal, but also learned how to be a team player. After studying with my classmates all year, we have become like a family. We study from each other, help each other, and have a lot of fun. As an international student I was always shy to speak out, but in the cookery industry you have to communicate with others and my English has improved dramatically. I’ve not only learnt English, but also some specialised words in French, Italian, Japanese and others.

    I am now working in a local restaurant and continuing my studies at Certificate IV level to gain more knowledge and experience. I hope to own my own small restaurant one day. ”

    Bo Li (Allen)
    Certificate III in Commercial Cookery
    Recipient of 2016 The Gordon International Student of the Year Award

    Bo Li

    “I chose to study at The Gordon as they have an excellent reputation, with a lot of great chefs who have graduated and now own their own...

  • Samual Pardi

    DUELI

    Samuel designs cars, prints in 3D and learns to surf

    Hi, my name is Samuel Pardi and I am from Venezuela. I came to Australia wanting to achieve a higher level of education and to have international experience in the design industry.

    On my trip to these goals I started with 10 weeks of English for Academic Purposes at the Waterfront Campus in Geelong. I was eager to experience new situations and cultures, and I feel I was blessed for choosing an English course in Geelong. DUELI in Geelong offers small classes that allow for more interaction between students and the lecturer. I met very fun and easy-going people from different cultures that I still am in contact with.

    I have to say that I felt sad to leave the English course behind because I was so comfortable there, and the staff were so friendly and awesome. However, starting a master’s was an important experience for me to start developing new skills that made me feel more self-aware of my abilities in the engineering field. For instance, I had to design the suspension of a university race car within a team, and coming up with a working solution and seeing the real-life application was a boost to our confidence. Now I am keener to have an opportunity in the design industry in Australia.

    I cannot say my master’s has been an easy course but I like it so far. I have improved in areas that I thought were not possible to improve, such as my communication skills and my leadership skills. Of course, I have chosen subjects that I feel will have more impact in my career, such as Engineering Leadership. Right now, I am doing my engineering project on 3D printing of titanium, which is highly related to the aerospace and biomedical industries. I am also preparing to apply for an internship for Trimester 1 of 2016. I hope to get the opportunity to start experiencing industry-related projects and to start showing my abilities as an engineer, especially the skills that I have developed at Deakin.

    With my previous experience in Venezuela and an internship in Australia, more and better opportunities are around the corner for new and challenging positions within competitive industries. Nevertheless, participating in research and development teams, and being able to influence others with my personality and experience are one of my short-term objectives. As a long term-objective, I would like to create my own company with some ideas that I have developed during my master’s, and also influence society with products that are sustainable and sensible to community needs.

    Although studying is important, having fun and enjoying life is what motivate us. So I also decided to try to surf and experience that environment. Of course, some of my friends were having a laugh at me because I was falling all the time. It is not as easy as it seems. But I definitely enjoy surfing, and I am going to keep trying this summer.

    I want to conclude this post by telling you that anything is possible. I come from a developing country with a poor economy. I did not have many resources but I have kept fighting for my goals. I have been working part-time, studying, practicing English every day, and I still have time to enjoy my weekends and get good grades.

    For further information about studying at Deakin and to view the many degrees on offer, visit our international student page. Or ask us a question by visiting our international student enquiry page – we’re happy to help you get to know Deakin better.

    Samual Pardi

    Samuel designs cars, prints in 3D and learns to surf

    Hi, my name is Samuel Pardi and I am from Venezuela. I came to Australia wanting to achieve a higher level of education and...

  • Annie XIN

    The Geelong College

    I obtained my VCE from Geelong College in 2003. After that, I received a scholarship to study a Bachelor of Philosophy (PhB) degree majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology at Australian National University. PhB is a unique degree from ANU that tailors for high-achieving students and prepares them for a career in academia by offering a research focused undergraduate degree.

    During my undergraduate studies, I did an exchange semester at Stockholm University. After Sweden, I returned to ANU and completed my Honours research project at the John Curtin School of Medical Research under Professor Chris Parish. I was winner of the University Medal and recipient of the Janet Elspeth Crawford Prize recommended by the Dean of the Faculty of Science. I continued on with research and completed a PhD in molecular immunology at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. My project investigated how cells in the immune system perceive cues from viral infections such as influenza and translate these cues into forming an appropriate immune response to defend the body from invading pathogens.

    My study resulted in authorship in high-ranking academic journals including Nature Immunology and Immunity and part of the study was chosen for presentation at the 14th International Congress Of Immunology in Kobe. I was the sole recipient of the Australian Academy of Science Adam J Berry Memorial Scholarship in 2010 and completed a traineeship at the National Institutes of Health in the US under the prestigious Dr Warren Leonard. I have since pursued a career in medicine and am currently studying my 2nd year of the postgraduate degree at St Vincent's Hospital (a clinical school belonging to University of Melbourne).

    Annie XIN

    I obtained my VCE from Geelong College in 2003. After that, I received a scholarship to study a Bachelor of Philosophy (PhB) degree majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology at Australian National...