University & Study
Choosing courses, university life, fees and support — explained on Walaal first.
What do I do now?
You want to study — here is where to start
- 1
Write down your goal: a job, a skill, a career change. It decides the rest.
- 2
If English is your second language, check free classes through the Adult Migrant English Program first.
- 3
Compare TAFE/vocational courses (practical, faster) with university degrees (deeper, longer).
- 4
Search courses on the official sites, and check each one’s entry requirements, fees and start dates.
- 5
Apply through the right channel, and look for scholarships early — many go unclaimed.
Understand it first
1How Australian study works
After school, study splits into two main paths: vocational education (often at TAFE — hands-on, job-focused certificates and diplomas) and university (deeper study leading to degrees).
Qualifications stack: certificate → diploma → bachelor degree → postgraduate. You can start small and build up, and many diplomas give credit towards degrees.
What this means: TAFE is not "less than" university — it is a different tool. Many Australians build careers on vocational qualifications.
2Undergraduate vs postgraduate
Undergraduate study is your first degree — usually a bachelor degree, three or more years full-time. That is what "going to university" usually means.
Postgraduate study comes after: graduate certificates, masters and doctorates for deeper specialisation or career change.
3TAFE and vocational education (VET)
VET courses teach practical job skills — trades, healthcare support, hospitality, childcare, IT — usually in shorter courses with placements in real workplaces.
Governments subsidise many places, so fees are often much lower than university, and fee-help schemes exist.
4How to search for courses
Search official course directories and institution websites directly. Compare the same course across providers — content, location, online vs on-campus, and fees vary a lot.
Attend open days or ask student services questions by email — institutions expect questions from future students.
5Choosing a course
Start from the life you want, not the course that sounds impressive: which job or skill are you aiming for, and which qualification actually leads there?
For each option check the practical things before you fall in love with it: length, campus vs online, total cost, entry requirements, and whether it includes real work placements.
What this means: Choose for the life you want, not the course that sounds most impressive — employers hire skills and experience.
6Comparing universities and courses
The same course name can mean very different things at different institutions — different units, placements, costs and outcomes.
Compare on the official course pages: the exact units you would study, practical placements, fees, support services, travel time, and what graduates of the course typically do next.
What this means: Look under the name: the units, placements and costs tell you more than a university’s reputation.
7Prerequisites and entry requirements
A "prerequisite" is a subject or qualification a course assumes you already have — for example Year 12 maths for some science degrees, or a portfolio for design.
Each course page lists its requirements. If you studied overseas, institutions assess your overseas qualifications — many mature-age and pathway programs exist for people who do not match the standard pattern.
8How applications generally work
School leavers usually apply through their state’s tertiary admission centre, which passes applications to universities. Adults returning to study can often apply directly to the university.
Applications typically ask for your study history, English evidence (if relevant), and sometimes a personal statement. Deadlines for popular courses are usually months before the start date — check early.
9Offers and enrolment
Offers arrive in rounds. Accept the offer you want (you can often also defer — delay your start by a year). "Enrolling" then means choosing your subjects for the semester.
Orientation week before classes is designed for new students — campus tours, clubs, and explanation of everything. Go, even if it feels awkward.
10Fees, HELP and common costs
Citizens and many permanent residents get Commonwealth supported places — the government pays most of the fee, and you can defer your share through HECS-HELP, a loan repaid later through tax once you earn above a threshold.
International students pay full fees. TAFE courses vary by state, with many subsidised places. Budget for extras beyond tuition: textbooks, transport, and living costs.
What this means: HECS-HELP means you do not pay upfront: study now, repay a slice of your pay later, and only once you earn enough.
11Subjects, units and credit points
A "course" is your whole program (e.g. Bachelor of Nursing). It is made of "units" — individual subjects like "Anatomy 101". Each unit is worth credit points, and you graduate by collecting enough of them.
Full-time students usually take 3–4 units per semester. Each unit has its own assessments: essays, exams, group projects, practical placements.
What this means: Think of units as bricks and the course as the wall — you build the degree one subject at a time.
12Changing courses, deferring and leave of absence
Changing is common — not a failure. Talk to a student advisor first: completed units may count as "credit transfer" toward the new course, and census dates determine whether you pay for a dropped unit.
If life interrupts study (work, family, health), you can usually take approved leave of absence for up to about a year and keep your place.
13Census dates and withdrawals
Every unit has a census date — an official deadline early in each teaching period. Withdraw before it and you pay nothing and nothing appears on your record.
Withdraw after census and you pay for the unit (or it adds to your HECS-HELP debt) and the withdrawal appears on your academic transcript.
What this means: Find your units’ census dates in week one and put them in your calendar — they are the most important dates of the semester.
14If you are struggling academically
Ask for help early — universities expect it. Free learning advisors teach study skills, many courses run peer tutoring, and "special consideration" can extend deadlines or adjust exams when illness or hardship hits.
If you fail a unit, it usually means repeating that unit (and paying for it) — speaking to an advisor before things get bad is genuinely the cheaper path.
15Disability and accessibility support
Every university and TAFE has an accessibility (disability) support service — free and confidential. Mental health conditions, chronic illness and learning difficulties all count, not only physical disabilities.
They arrange reasonable adjustments: extra exam time, note-takers, accessible materials, alternative assessment arrangements. Register before the semester starts so support is in place from day one.
What this means: Registering with accessibility support is not special treatment — it is the system working as designed.
16Balancing study and work
Most Australian students work part-time while studying — it is expected and manageable with planning. Build your timetable before the semester starts: classes, work shifts, study blocks and rest.
If work grows and study suffers, act early: reduce shifts, and talk to student services about extensions or special consideration. Treat full-time study itself as close to a full-time workload.
What this means: Protect one full rest day a week — burnout costs more time than the day saves.
17Student support and wellbeing
Every university and TAFE has free student services: counselling, health, disability support, careers advice, financial assistance, and clubs.
Counsellors understand student stress, and international student advisors understand visa questions. Using these services is free and confidential.
18Scholarships and financial support
Scholarships come from universities, TAFEs, governments and community organisations — for marks, financial need, fields of study, or background. Some receive few applicants because people assume they will not qualify.
Search your institution’s scholarship page, and apply for every one you plausibly fit — applications cost an afternoon.
19International student considerations
Your student visa has conditions attached — enrolled study, attendance, and limits on paid work while your course is in session. Check the current rules on the official Home Affairs site before planning work.
You will need health cover (OSHC) while studying. Institutions have international student advisors whose whole job is helping with these rules.
20Graduation and pathways after study
When you finish, you graduate at a ceremony and receive a testamur (your degree certificate) and an academic transcript — keep both; employers and further study ask for them.
What comes next: further study (honours, masters), graduate employment programs, professional registration in fields like nursing or teaching, or straight into the workforce. University careers services usually stay open to recent graduates.
21Common university terminology
Semester — a teaching period, usually two a year plus shorter summer terms. Lecture — the big presentation; tutorial ("tute") — the small discussion class where participation counts.
Unit — one subject; course — the whole program. Census date — the fee and withdrawal deadline for a unit. Credit points — a unit’s weight toward your degree. GPA / WAM — your average mark. Prerequisite — a unit you must pass before another. Placement / practicum — real workplace experience inside a course. Transcript — the official list of your results.
What this means: Nobody expects you to know these words on day one — asking is normal, and orientation week exists to explain them all.
22Where to find official information
Trust three layers: Study Australia (government overview), Study Assist (fees and loans), and your own institution’s website (the rules for your exact course).
Walaal explains in plain language; the institution and government pages are the source of truth.