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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.

  • 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

     Upcoming Events...

    Study Geelong and The Lounge End of Year celebration

    Halloween End of Year Party

    There'll be spooky activities, prizes for scary costumes and food to gnaw and chew on!
    Come along and bring your friends!

     

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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 2025?

    Are you the next Study Geelong Ambassadors for 2025?

    Are you our next Study Geelong ambassadors for 2025?

    If you 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

  • Mayuka

    Deakin University

    Back in 2013, I was faced with the task of choosing a suitable university for my undergraduate studies. I heard about Deakin University through the pathway program offered at the Royal Institute Colombo and I decided to study at Deakin because it is one of the most well-known and reputable universities in Australia. Deakin University is also known for its engineering courses and facilities, which persuaded me to embark on this adventure. As part of the pathway program, I completed the first two years of my degree at the Royal Institute. Then I transferred to Deakin in 2015 for my final years, undertaking a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) at the Geelong Waurn Ponds campus.

    From childhood, I always had a passion for engineering. After high school, I tried taking a different path by doing an internship at a bank, but the experience was uninspiring and pushed me further towards engineering. The experience I have gained by joining Deakin as an engineering student is inexpressible. Deakin’s cutting edge technologies, featuring the most current and advanced lab equipment in the engineering department caught me by surprise from the very beginning.

    Deakin’s cutting edge technologies, featuring the most current and advanced lab equipment in the engineering department caught me by surprise from the very beginning.


    Testing the stress factor of a bridge at the lab

    When I moved to Australia, I was having second thoughts about living all alone in Geelong, where my Deakin University campus is based. I lost my father when I was three years old, and was raised by my mother for 20 years along with my sister. But after arriving, I found Geelong and Australia to be very welcoming and started embracing my life here.


    Road trip with friends to Torquay beach

    I was rather nervous during the orientation week at Deakin, but the people I met during orientation made me feel like I was no longer away from home. Studying at Deakin has been an invaluable experience, and it has taught me how to develop my thinking and to take everything into consideration. One of the things I admire most about Deakin is that I can listen to my lectures online through CloudDeakin. All of the lectures are recorded and available to be used through CloudDeakin which is helpful if I ever fall behind.

    Studying at Deakin has been an invaluable experience, and it has taught me how to develop my thinking and to take everything into consideration Another thing I love about Deakin is the number of events that happen on campus, and the number of student societies you can join. Deakin holds a Twilight Festival every year which lights up the night sky with fireworks – it was mind blowing!


    At the Deakin Twilight Festival

    I also joined the Deakin Sri Lankan Students Society which made me feel more at home, introducing me to new people with different personalities. The events that the Deakin Sri Lankan Student Society organised over the past few months were spectacular. And obviously being a Sri Lankan makes you fall in love with the game of cricket, so I joined the Deakin Waurn Ponds Cricket Club and played in the first’s team.


    Deakin Kottu Night organised by the Deakin Sri Lankan Society

    During a practice session with the Eagles During a practice session with the Eagles

    My journey abroad has been both overwhelming and inspiring and my experience in Australia has taught me so much. It has taught me to open my eyes to various opportunities, and how to adapt to new relationships and acquaintances abroad. Wandering out of my ordinary range of knowledge has taught me that life may not generally go as planned but one thing for certain is that we will positively wind up where we are intended to be, and if life is a story, why not make it an experience worth telling.

    Mayuka

    Back in 2013, I was faced with the task of choosing a suitable university for my undergraduate studies. I heard about Deakin University through the pathway program offered at the Royal Institute Colombo...

  • WONG, Yi Man (Alexa)

    Kardinia International College

    It was very overwhelming to come study in Australia. However, Kardinia and all the teachers helped me to get through all the challenges.

    As an overseas students in Kardinia, the school has always been helping me since the first day I came here. They helped me get used to this new environment with their advices. There is an oversea student- coordinator to look after the oversea students. I am pleased that I can always talk to her when I need help and she is always happy to give us a hand. Besides, the teachers are very nice and friendly. I remember when I first came here, they always asked me how I was which meant a lot to me because you can feel that you are part of the school and people are willing to help you out.

    Geelong is a beautiful city and I really enjoy the life here. I like to go to have brunch with my friends on Pako or in town. There are many lovely restaurants and cafés in Geelong. Nevertheless, Geelong is located near beaches and I love to go to the beach in summer. It is a great idea to spend your summer on the beach.

    I am glad that I have this opportunity to study in Kardinia, everyone is very friendly and happy help you. I also enjoy the atmosphere here, Kardinia is a place where you can make a lot of friends and indeed, to learn.

    WONG Yi Man (Alexa)

    出國留學是一件既興奮又緊張的事。在每位老師和同學幫助下我很快就能夠適應這個新環境。

    作為一個海外學生, 感到緊張是無可避免的幸好Kardinia每位同學和老師都會不厭其煩地幫助我好讓我們有一愉快的校園生活。在Kardina, 有一位國際學生輔導員去管理和照顧學生的需要。當我遇到問題是我也會去尋求她的協助。當遇上學習上的問題老師也會很樂意利用他們的課外時間去幫助我們。

    Geelong是一個空氣清新環境優美的城市。我非常享受這兒的生活模式。我喜歡和朋友到市中心的咖啡店,買一杯咖啡。這兒也有一些亞洲餐館當我想念家鄉菜時我也會去光顧一下。天氣方面除了和北半球的氣候相反外整體溫度是非常舒適不會太冷也不會太熱夏天時我們可以到海灘沖浪和游泳.

    我感到十分榮幸可以為Kardinia 撰寫這篇文章同時也高興可以在Kardinia 就讀。我十分享受Kardinia 的學習氣氛和這裡的一切。

    WONG, Yi Man (Alexa)

    It was very overwhelming to come study in Australia. However, Kardinia and all the teachers helped me to get through all the challenges.

    As an overseas students in Kardinia, the school has always...

  • SETO, Yasuhiro

    Kardinia International College

    Good things of Kardinia International College                                                    

    Kardinia International College (KIC) is a globalised school because many overseas students who are from around the world and KIC students study together. We can learn cultural differences from overseas students and improve the level of our education.

    KIC students are kind, friendly and caring so when I ask them to help me, they always help me tenderly. The teachers are also kind and helpful so we can ask them questions unhesitatingly. They also provide us good education. They help us expand our knowledge.

    There are a lot of good facilities for students to study at KIC. We have new buildings called “The Learning Commons” and “Senior Centre”. They provide us a lot of studying materials and let us concentrate to study.

    We always use our own tablet computers to study. Information-organised society has been developed nowadays and KIC provides us an opportunity to use laptops at school. Because of that, we will be able to do well in information-organised society in the future.

    We can get high levelled education and expand our knowledge through studying at KIC. We also can make friends with a lot of kind students. Our life at KIC is filled with joy.

    SETO Yasuhiro

    カーディニアインターナショナルカレッジは世界各国からの留学生とカーディニアの生徒がともに学ぶ国際的な学校です。私たちは留学生たちから文化の違いを学び、自らの教養レベルを向上させることができます。

    カーディニアの生徒は親切で、フレンドリーで、また面倒見がよく、僕が質問をするときはいつも優しく答えてくれます。また先生方も親切で面倒見がよいので、僕たちは躊躇することなく質問をすることができ、さらに、よい教育を与えてくださるので、私たちの知識を広げることができます。

    カーディニアインターナルカレッジには生徒の勉強に最適な施設があります。「ラーニングコモンズ」と「シニアセンター」という新しい建物があり、私たちにたくさんの資料と勉強に集中できるする環境を提供してくれます。

    私たちはいつも個人のパソコンを使います。情報化社会が進む現在、カーディニアではパソコンを使う機会がたくさんあります。そのおかげで、私たちは将来、情報化社会で活躍することが可能になります。

    私たちはカーディニアインターナショナルカレッジで勉強することにより、よい教育を受け、また知識を広げることができます。またたくさんの親切な生徒とも友達になることができます。私たちのカーディニアインターナショナルカレッジでの生活は、楽しみにあふれています。

    SETO, Yasuhiro

    Good things of Kardinia International...

  • Madihah

    Deakin University

    Hi everyone, I’m Madihah Husna Mohammad. I came from Malaysia and I am pursuing a Master of Architecture at Deakin University. Before Australia became my second home, I worked in Malaysia with my degree in Architecture from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). I had heard a lot about Deakin at that time, as it is a great choice for students who want to pursue study in architecture. When I first came here, everything was far more fun than I expected!

    Remembering the experience of when I first stepped onto the land of Australia was that I was full of excitement. I can still clearly remember when I was picked up by a Deakin staff member from Melbourne Airport and he showed me around Geelong city. My first impression about the city and the country was that it was absolutely enthralling. It is a clean city, and has a great view of the waterfront. I also had opportunities to explore all the beautiful scenery here in Melbourne.

    Being an international student, I have found no difficulties in making new friends and adapting to the culture. I feel no alienation here and it overwhelmed me because being a Muslim, and wearing a ‘hijab’ wrapped around my head, this foreign environment actually welcomed me. In fact, with a smaller number of Muslim students here, it surprised me to find out that the university actually had proper prayer rooms and there are even taps provided for us to take our ablutions.

    Being an international student, I have found no difficulties in making new friends and adapting to the culture. Living my life here in Deakin, I have found that the people are very helpful and always support the students, particularly the staff, lecturers, and my classmates. When I had difficulties in my life, the International Student Advisers helped me a lot. Whenever I have problems in my assignment writing, I sought help from a study support consultant and the writing mentors at the library. The lecturers are always friendly and they would always greet me enthusiastically whenever I was in the school. My new friends here also made me enjoy my time at Deakin. The language barrier is not a problem.

    Since stepping off the plane last year, I’ve learned that all my initial fears and worries were unnecessary. Being an international student in a hijab has not deprived me, because living and studying at Deakin University is very multicultural and it is a welcoming society indeed!

    Madihah

    Hi everyone, I’m Madihah Husna Mohammad. I came from Malaysia and I am pursuing a Master of Architecture at Deakin University. Before Australia became my second home, I worked in Malaysia with my degree...