Tag Archive for: international student

Have Fun while Studying! This country just grows on you…

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As the child of an expatriate employee working in the Middle East a couple of decades ago (okay, yes I’m getting on age wise), I found that most students of my age had to make some very quick decisions about our future careers and studies. It all came too quickly. Luckily for me, I had always dreamt of a career in Hospitality, and so half my decisions were made. I only had to then think of where I would study. If like me you’ve found your calling in life, then this article is likely for you.

 

In those days, most of us didn’t have too many further study options available to us locally in the Middle East. And depending on your interests, this may still be the case. It was more or less a given that we would either return to our home countries as once high school ended, so would our dependent visas in the Middle East, or we’d be heading for universities in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, etc., sometimes still unsure of ourselves and our career paths. It’s still a good problem to have when in fact your parents are going to continue life as expats in the Middle East and will possibly be funding your education by way of an employer sponsored education allowance or otherwise a tax-free income. 

 

Australia as a destination has risen well and truly to become equivalent to if not more popular than the US & UK in recent years. There are not many courses that you cannot pursue at a top rated university or vocational education college. That together with the relatively more affordable tuition fees and living costs and lastly but just tell me who can ignore the plethora of lifestyle options available to absolutely every palette. There are options for every choice when you take a proper look over the breadth of the continent. Whether you fancy surfing, fishing, hiking, urban life, rural interests, sports, peace and quiet, the hustle and bustle, it matters not. It is all available in Australia. And just like the Middle East, it is a melting pot of multiculturalism in it’s true sense. You’re sure to make friends for life from across the globe. Right now it is an absolute buyers market for educational courses and so the time to strike is now! Trust me, you might even consider migrating here. I know I certainly did!

 

So first things first, consider your career goals and interests and then add to it your lifestyle choices, hobbies, budget, weather preferences and whatever else it is that gets you going and speak to us. MEI represents colleges in different parts of Australia offering courses that appeal to everyone. We can help you find that course and location of your liking at a price that won’t break the bank.

 

Don’t look any further than the land down under!

 

To find out how we can help you get your studies off the ground and in the air, please contact our MEI student counselors on info@visas.org.au, mobile number & WhatsApp +63 917 717 8060, and Skype: MEI Manila for a no-obligation consultation. 

 

Written by Alok Kedar, General Manager of International College of Advanced Education

Top tips on how to balance your studies and work opportunities

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According to the Department of Home Affairs, when you’re a Subclass 500 (student visa) holder, you can: 1.) participate in an eligible course of study in Australia, 2.) travel in and out of Australia and 3.) work up to 40 hours every 2-week period once your course starts. Given this privilege, making the most out of your education journey is tough especially juggling your studies and your work opportunities. Hence, one important question to ask is, how do you manage to study and working at the same time?

An article from the Good Universities Guide suggests these following tips:


Let work know your school schedule

Most places that employ students understand the temporary nature of uni schedules. They change every semester and may render you unable to work on certain days of the week. Therefore, it’s best to tell your employer that you are a uni student and that you may have to change your roster around sometimes.

If possible, try and get a job near school

This is easier if your campus is in the city, but if not, it’s still possible. An easy way to work plenty of shifts and still attend your classes is finding a job either on campus or right near it. This means you can work on the same day you have classes.

You can go in early to work a few hours before or you can stay on and work after night. You’ll have your uni work on you if you get a chance to do some study on your break. You’ll have your uniform on you ready to change quickly if you are required to start slightly early. If you want to rake in the cash quick, working somewhere near uni allows you to work heaps of shifts.

Don’t always sleep in

Sleeping in until 10 every morning feels great but really, you lose plenty of time. Even waking up at 9, or 8.30, gives you an extra hour or so to begin some work on an assignment or prepare food for your break. If you are going to sleep at an hour that isn’t too late, then this slight shift in your sleep schedule won’t ruin you. If anything, you will be more productive and can get plenty of work done before heading off to wherever you need to go.

Find that balance

If you’re missing classes you should be attending just to work every day of the week, then maybe uni isn’t for you. Think about the amount of money you pay just to attend a semester of uni. If you find yourself feeling exhausted and unable to see friends, then work a little less.

Drop one shift a week, just to have some time to yourself or out seeing friends. Mental health is important. If you want your lifestyle of part-time employment and uni studies to be sustainable and successful, then work out your balance and enjoy it. It’s a pretty fun time. Make friends, have some laughs and do everything right to get that qualification and some money with it.

As a Migration Education International (MEI) client, we will assist you by accessing and interpreting the most current information from the Australian Government, assessing your eligibility to get a Student visa, and preparing your application to give you the best chance of success. Every applicant is different, so it is important you get advice that is relevant to your situation.

We will help you compile the right documents, complete all of the application requirements, write a comprehensive covering submission and lodge your student visa application on your behalf. We will then liaise with the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) on your behalf.

Overseas Students in Australia records another double-digit growth

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Australia is set for another record reaching double-digits with 720,150 students enrolled across various sectors as of September 2019.

Overseas student numbers in Australia set its record by 11.4% in 2018 and 12.6% in 2017.

The overseas student population was comprised of the growth from the higher education and vocational (VET) sectors, contributing 12% and 17% year-over-year increases, respectively. ELICOS increased with 3% growth while there was a small decrease recorded for schools and non-award programs having -4%.

Here are the top countries where overseas students are sourced out:

  • China (28% of the total)
  • India (15% of the total)
  • Nepal (7% of the total)
  • Brazil (4% of the total)
  • Vietnam (3.5% of the total)

While student visa holders in Australia are focused mainly on study options, they also are entitled to work rights. They are entitled to work up to 40 hours per fortnight or 20 hours per week while their course is on-going while they can also work full-time during term breaks or holidays.

Education agents are one of the major players of this growth in which they source out overseas students to study in Australia. With over 20 partner education institutions offering over 100 different courses in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, MEI can help you choose a course and a college that suits your career and life ambitions. Our qualified counselors will provide you with expert guidance, based on your goals and circumstances. We listen to you and provide personal advice that will help you navigate your way to success.

Why Australia’s Hospitality industry thrives over the years

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In the latest international visitors survey released by Tourism Research Australia (TRA), the recorded international visitors from January to June 2019 is 8.6 million arrivals – 3% more than the previous year.

This growth continues to be led by education in which education visitors were up 5% to record a total of 586,000.

Overseas students have been attracted to Australia as one of the best study destinations: hence, the rising number of international visitors aspiring to begin their overseas education journey in Australia is inevitable.

As there is a growing demand for graduates who are equipped with entrepreneurial and innovative thinkers globally, Australian education providers are committed to preparing them with practical skills and knowledge to help them succeed in your chosen industry.

The more the hospitality industry creates jobs on a global scale, the more it thrives all over the years because it attracts both onshore and offshore students to enroll in hospitality courses.

The hospitality sector in Australia is looking for graduates who will join the workforce; from the growing accommodation industry supported by an increasing number of international visitors to thriving wine tourism and any other jobs all over the country.

On the other hand, education agents like Migration Education International (MEI) can help you in applying to study hospitality courses. MEI’s partner schools provide modern facilities to hone their skills, design a conducive environment for them to learn and thrive in the industry.

Few hospitality courses such as Certificate III in Hospitality, Certificate III in Hospitality – Industry Streams, Certificate IV in Hospitality, Diploma of  Hospitality Management, Advanced Diploma of  Hospitality Management can offer hands-on and practical training from industry placements that is valuable to overseas students once they will join in the workforce.

Studying in Australia for Thai Students

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With the necessity of a good education to remain competitive in the global stage, many Thai students are gravitating towards an Australian education. This is mainly because a world-class education in Australia is relatively more affordable that in the United States and United Kingdom. Another reason is because of the diversity of culture that breeds a feeling of warmth and acceptance. Here are all you need to now if you’re angling to get an education in Australia.

Requisites

Prior to anything else, you need to fulfill several requirements to acquire a student visa:

1. Complete your application in an Australian educational institute. One major requirement is that you’re already accepted. Don’t worry as this often doesn’t entail any payments as yet.
2. Get a quality, comprehensive health insurance. This can vary in cost but is ultimately to your benefit anyway.
3. Fill out the application form and pay the requisite THB 13,600 necessary to process it.

Once that’s done, you have all you need to get to Australia. The only thing left is to actually get there.

Getting to Oz

It is a manageable 5,600 km from Bangkok to Australia so travel time is a comfortable 9 hours and 45 minutes on average via Qantas, Emirates, Thai Airways, and Bangkok Airways. You can also opt to stop over at Singapore and Shanghai if you wanted to, this will increase the flying time to 12-13 hours. Naturally, the overall travel time can be longer if you take a longer stopover.

The Cost of Living

Naturally, a big concern among Thai students is the cost of living during their stay. The truth is that the cost of living in Australia is higher than it is back home in Thailand. It’s between 50 to 100% higher when you’re talking about basics like rent costs and groceries. It’s significantly higher when you’re talking about restaurant prices. A THB 60 meal in Thailand will cost a whopping THB 440 when in Australia. One of your best bets to saving money is to prepare your own meals.

The Rewards of Trying

One of the most popular career options in Thailand lies in Engineering, and the numbers say it all. Engineers of various disciplines will earn as much as THB 32,600 monthly back home in Thailand. In Australia, those same disciplines in engineering will expect to earn up to THB 147,000 monthly. This is just one job option, of course, other key career groups like IT and even management see a vast increase along the same lines.

A Greater Thai Family

There are over 45,000 Thais living in Australia today. Of this number, most are in New South Wales—though there are also significant number of Thais living in Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia. Many of these migrated to Australia within the last decade. Apart from that, there are also over 250,000 Thai students enrolled in different school and universities across the nation. This makes for a robust support system evidenced by the many online groups offering meet ups and shared activities.

Important Celebrations

There are several holidays that Thailand has in common with Australia. These include the New Year, Labor Day, and to a certain extent, Chirstmas. More important holidays are those relating to Thai Royalty and their Buddhist heritage. These are mostly celebrated within Thai communities themselves with a deep sense of reverence. While only normally including local Thais, these celebrations are nonetheless made special and are open to other Thais coming over to study.

If you’re a Thai looking to gain an advantage of world-class education without breaking the bank, Australia is a great option for you. The large presence of fellow Thais make the transition much easier. Bolstered by a higher income potential, it’s easy to understand why many of your fellow Thai opt to make the move. It’s easy enough to follow them too!

Minsu Khan from Korea

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Minsu Khan from Korea studied at the International College of Advanced Education in Darwin. He chose to change to a Student Visa after holidaying in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa. He enjoyed his hands-on hospitality training with generous paid industry placement work rights.

He also enjoyed Darwin.

The video was produced by the NT Government.

How MEI helped me in my School Application in Australia

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I came here to Australia to pursue my studies in Master of Accounting in Uni, and unfortunately, things turned bad for what I have expected. I’ve struggled with my academics and lost hope of continuing. Uni only gave me a month to stay in Australia and my visa will be canceled. I thought of giving up and going back to my country as I thought that there would be no chances for me to stay.  My previous employer recommends me to check the ICAE school and they are telling me good things about it. At first, I have hesitations but when I checked the school’s website, I thought that maybe I should give it a try. I applied online and I was impress that I immediately got a response. They emailed me everything that I needed to do and helped me accomplish it as soon as possible. Mr. Sean Mahoney also let me come to class even though my application is still on process cause he wants me to catch up and learn lots of things. He always keeps me updated on my visa processing and provides me useful information. He also addressed any of my concerns and assured me of my Visa.

During my studies, I thought that it would be hard for me cause I have no idea what is Hospitality here in Australia is all about. But I am impressed with all of the ICAE’s teachers as they help us become successful. They focused on our weaknesses so that they can help us improve it and see our strengths as our great asset. They keep on encouraging us to learn and boost our confidence. Also, they provide us with very useful materials that we could use for our future reference. The school facilities are also great for us to explore our talents and improve them.

I must say that my experience here in Australia is unforgettable and I am very thankful to the ICAE MEI for giving me the opportunity. I am now halfway through to finish my studies and I wouldn’t be able to achieve this without the help of the school and for everyone working there. I am honored and grateful.

 

Working in Australia on a Student Visa

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As an international student, you can work for 40 hours per fortnight (two week period) during each semester of teaching. For a small number of programmes (on Industry Placement and research at high levels), students are able to work additional hours, depending on the program.

You are able to start work as soon as your course starts, and are able to work unlimited hours during your holiday breaks (between semesters).

International students are paid the same salary as an Australian doing the same work, at the same level. The minimum adult wage in Australia is around AUD$18.30 per hour.

Australian employers have to comply with various laws to ensure that workers are safe, are paid according to the Industry standards, and that you get time off.

Before you start work, you will need to get a Tax File Number (TFN) as all workers in Australia have to pay tax. You will also join a Superannuation (pension) fund, as it is the law in Australia that Employers pay a proportion of your salary (in addition to your rate of pay!) into this fund.

Working in Australia enables you to earn some money, expands your contacts in Australia, and enables you to make new friends that will last a lifetime.

There is lots of work available in most parts of Australia if you have the right skills and attitude. In some cases you may need a particular qualification, or licence depending on the job.

Rates of pay are internationally very competitive and in many cases, far higher than comparable salaries in your home country.

For more information about working in Australia on a student visa, contact our professional staff at MEI here.