3rd Level education in Australia

Brendan Flowers

Is anyone here familiar with the 3rd Level educational system in Australia? Are TAFE colleges the equivalent of Irish Institutes of Technology (ITs)? Or is it really only the Universities I should be looking at if I was considering doing a 3rd Level course?

Cooperspale

TAFE is kind of like an IT but big focus on vocational stuff
Wiki says
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_and_further_education

It would all depend on the course you want to study. You won't get a PhD at TAFE, they generally provide a pathway to somewhere else.

Brendan Flowers

Thanks! So really its just the Universities that cover the majority of 3rd Level education? An Australian Uni would be the same as an Irish University or Institute of Technology?

mel.b

Brendan Flowers wrote: »

Thanks! So really its just the Universities that cover the majority of 3rd Level education? An Australian Uni would be the same as an Irish University or Institute of Technology?

That's right. TAFE courses as mentioned are more vocational and a level under a university degree. Australian uni's are equivelent to Irish ones. Not sure what the Institutes of Technology are in Ireland, but in Australia there is for example RMIT which is Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology which is a university, just called a different name.

Be aware that fees for 3rd level education in Australia are very expensive if you are not a citizen (not sure what the situation is with PR...someone else will know)

Bogwarryor

I went to both years ago, Dropped out of TAFE tho the standard wasn't in par with Irish ITs. Uni is a better option. If ur leaving cert grades aren't up to scratch u can look at going to an 'IBT' within a uni, there's 1 in every state. Basically the entry criteria are a little lower than uni, they offer bridging classes for maths, it counts as the 1st year of a 3/4 year degree & if u decide u don't like it u can leave & they give u a diploma at end of year exams so it's not a waste.