Australian Visa

[Mercury53]

Greetings,

I have been interested in Australia, as well as the UK, for my postgraduate education. I have numerous questions to ask about this, along with some other things. How hard is it for an American to get accepted into a Australian University, such as Melbourne or Sydney? Would there be any assistance available for me?

I also noticed I somehow quality for the Skilled Work Visa, although I still can't quite believe it. How hard is it to get this if I have enough points too? Let's just assume for a minute, I get the visa in question. I am at an equal footing with employers? What I mean is, I am legally allowed to work in that country, but sometimes it seems those of another nationality are held at a lower standard and will be passed up for those that are nationals. All things being equal, do I have just as good of a chance to find a job as any other Australian?

Thank you for your time.

[Weebie]

Originally Posted by Mercury53

Greetings,

I have been interested in Australia, as well as the UK, for my postgraduate education. I have numerous questions to ask about this, along with some other things. How hard is it for an American to get accepted into a Australian University, such as Melbourne or Sydney? Would there be any assistance available for me?

I also noticed I somehow quality for the Skilled Work Visa, although I still can't quite believe it. How hard is it to get this if I have enough points too? Let's just assume for a minute, I get the visa in question. I am at an equal footing with employers? What I mean is, I am legally allowed to work in that country, but sometimes it seems those of another nationality are held at a lower standard and will be passed up for those that are nationals. All things being equal, do I have just as good of a chance to find a job as any other Australian?

Thank you for your time.

You would have a very good chance of getting into a top university as an American Foreign Student. But their would be absolutely NO financial assistance offered to you and scholarships in Australia are rare.

Australia's migration policy is based around skill shortages and not highly skilled migrants like the US. They don't want the best of the best in Australia they want people to fill gaps in employment shortages.

I guess it really depends on what you do and your level of experience but yeah if you have a PR visa 176 then you should be on equal footing with many people going for the same job.

[Mercury53]

Are scholarships in general rare, or just for overseas students? I do a lot of things mate, my degree is in Communications / Mass Media and I work for a automotive tuning company, ECS Tuning, who I guess are big in Australia. I do Marketing, Copy Editing / Writing and PR.

[Weebie]

Scholarships are only offered for the top students locally, for example people who would begin medicine at 16 might get a scholarship. As fees are heavily funded by the government there really is no point in offering scholarships in any country except the US where the majority of the population is poor and the Uni fees are astronomical.

For international students unless you are some sort young protege you would never be offered a scholarship and even so if you are that smart early on I would assume they would be more interested in studying in America.

Education is big business and Australia makes billions off it. Based on what you've told me you won't get any assistance or a scholarship. In fact I doubt (as a marketing student) that a scholarship has ever been granted to a marketing student. Australian Unis pump out tens of thousands of Marketing grads each year there is no point.

On the plus side a mastes in Australia would greatly improve your work chances here.

Good Luck!

[Mercury53]

Originally Posted by Weebie

Scholarships are only offered for the top students locally, for example people who would begin medicine at 16 might get a scholarship. As fees are heavily funded by the government there really is no point in offering scholarships in any country except the US where the majority of the population is poor and the Uni fees are astronomical.

For international students unless you are some sort young protege you would never be offered a scholarship and even so if you are that smart early on I would assume they would be more interested in studying in America.

Education is big business and Australia makes billions off it. Based on what you've told me you won't get any assistance or a scholarship. In fact I doubt (as a marketing student) that a scholarship has ever been granted to a marketing student. Australian Unis pump out tens of thousands of Marketing grads each year there is no point.

On the plus side a mastes in Australia would greatly improve your work chances here.

Good Luck!

Thank you very much for your help. If I get a Masters in Australia, would I be able to easily get a visa that would allow me to stay to search for work without sponsorship?

[Weebie]

It really depends on what area you decide to study. It helps with the visa process but in recent times it's not a guarantee. Up until about a year ago it was a legitimate pathway to Permanent Residency

[Mercury53]

Originally Posted by Weebie

It really depends on what area you decide to study. It helps with the visa process but in recent times it's not a guarantee. Up until about a year ago it was a legitimate pathway to Permanent Residency

Might I ask what changed?

[_Sarah_]

Originally Posted by Mercury53

Might I ask what changed?

I'm not sure but there is a visa for people who have just studied in Australia for 2 years (or more), and you don't need to be sponsored as the visa if granted will give you 18 to gain skilled work experience. If, during that time, you manage to find an employer who will sponsor you, you can apply for a more permanent visa.
Skilled – Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 485)

Of course, you can always just use a student visa and (if you qualify for skilled migration like you said), and then apply for a skilled work visa after that. You don't need an employer to sponsor you on a skilled visa, you have the choice of coming independently or sponsored.

[Zultan]

Originally Posted by Mercury53

Might I ask what changed?

The government found out that many 'colleges' offering diplomas in hairdressing and the like, were really visa factories offering a short cut (no pun) to permanent residency.