Application Procedure

Education System -

University
The university level of education is the highest level of education in Australia. A student can study either at the undergraduate level or the postgraduate level in a university. There are 41 universities in total – 38 public, government funded and three private universities.

Vocational
Vocational courses are offered by government funded TAFE (Technical and Further Education) institutes and also the private colleges. These institutions are closely linked with the industry so the courses are practical and skilled based.

School
It is compulsory for children aged between 6 and 15, with matriculation exams for university generally at 18 years old. Australian schools are public and private.

English Language Institutes
These courses are undertaken for study, travel, immigration or business purposes. There are about 100 private English language centres in Australia. Universities and TAFE institutes also offer English language courses.

Application / Admission Procedure -

Intakes: The main intake for all Australian Institutions is February. Every university opens admissions for all courses that they offer, for the February intake. There is also a Mid-year intake offered by some Australian Universities during July . It is important to keep in mind that, a university offering an intake in February might not necessarily offer all the courses that they have on list, during the mid year intake. Whether or not a University will offer a July intake can be found out on the university website , university brochures or from our career counselors.
Some universities also follow November – summer intake. It is available only for limited number of universities and limited courses.
Generally universities follow semester system and for some programs, they have trimester system.

Application Fees: Each university will have different application fees which could be waived during different events organized by our company. Events like Australia week and road show (on the spot) where students get an opportunity to meet university representatives personally.

Application Procedure: Each University specifies its application procedure / requirements. Generally one can apply for admissions in 2 ways:
1) By Corresponding with the University, i.e. sending an application with all relevant documents through post or filling up an online application form, and also through

2)Road show / On The Spot Interviews conducted by several visiting Universities: In this case, one is required to attend an interview conducted by university staff/ faculty, who will offer the student an on the spot decision, about whether or not he is eligible for admission.
Planet can help you apply to Universities in both the ways, where by all application, admission and correspondence services will be provided by us.

The following checklist will be helpful while applying to a university in the Australia :

* Application Form
* Resume / Bio-data
* Statement of Purpose
* Graduation Degree Certificate / Provisional Certificate (if applying for PG)
* T.T., S.Y., F.Y. Mark sheets
* Std 12 mark sheet
* Std 10 mark sheet
* 2 Recommendation letters (out of which at least 1 should be academic, with the other being from the work place, if student is working)
* Work experience letters (if applicable)
* IELTS / TOEFL scorecard (as proof of English proficiency
* Any other relevant certificates
* Portfolio of work must also be included, in case of application for courses in art / design etc.

Courtesy - Planet Education

Transport in Aussie land

Transport : Australia has an extensive public transport system that includes trains, buses, tramways, ferries, two major national airlines and a number of regional airlines. Metropolitan areas are divided into zones and your ticket type and cost depends on which zone you are going to travel in and for how long. Tickets can be bought at train stations, on buses and trams and at news agencies.

Tourist students may drive in Australia on a valid overseas drivers license but if the document is not in the English language the visitor must carry a translation with the permit. An international driving license is not sufficient by itself.

Metered taxicabs operate in all major cities and towns. You will find taxi ranks at transport terminals, main hotels or shopping centers or you can hail taxis in the street. A light and sign on the roof indicates if a cab is vacant. There is a minimum charge on hiring and then a charge per kilometer travelled. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped.

Australian Culture

Culture : Australia is rich in the arts. There are eight professional orchestras and a national opera company. Within Australia there are more than 1000 museums preserving and displaying Australia's diverse cultural heritage.

Australian films are winning international acclaim and many Australian film directors, actors and technicians have been acclaimed in Hollywood at the highest level.

Australian authors have received international recognition particularly with the Booker Prize, won twice by Australians and with Patrick White winning the Nobel Prize for literature. Novelists, dramatists and poets are internationally accepted by their peers as having made a substantial contribution to world literature.

Australians traditionally have provided strong support for theatre, from regional amateur troupes to polished professional companies.

In music, Australia has developed a fertile environment that supports a great range of musical tastes ranging from the most avant-garde experimental to folk, from the youthful sounds of chart-busting pop to the unique music of the Aboriginal people.

Painting in Australia has a history that can not only be traced back over forty thousand years of Aboriginal culture but also is represented in the major museums and galleries of modern and avant-garde art, worldwide.

Sports and Recreation : Australians are very keen on sport and outdoor activities. Australia has more than 120 national sporting organizations and thousands of state, regional and club bodies. It is estimated that 6.5 million people, about a third of the population, are registered sports participants. While there are over 120 sporting organizations, Australians also take part in bushwalking, fishing, boating and water sports.

Australia has a world wide reputation for sports and outdoor activities. This is endorsed by the Olympic Committee's selection of Sydney to host the Olympic Games in the year 2000.

Facts about Australia

Existence : 400 yrs
Area : 7,692,030 square kilometres
Population : 20,272,417
Main States : Sydney / Melbourne / Brisbane / Gold Coast
Industries : Dairy / Education

Climate : Nearly a third of Australia is in the tropics and the rest is in the temperate zone. The highlands and tablelands of Tasmania and the south eastern corner of the mainland are the coldest areas. Summer is from December to February; autumn from March to May; winter from June to August; and spring from September to November.

Multiculturalism : The British influence originating in Australia's colonial origins has evolved over two centuries into a dynamic multiculturalism with invaluable contributions from migrants from all parts of the world.

Almost a quarter of today's 18 million Australians were born in another country. There are nearly one million Asian-born Australians. About 2 per cent are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. More than 100 different ethnic groups are represented in Australia, making Australia one of the most ethnically diversified countries in the world.

Language : Although English is the official language; a host of other languages are spoken in Australia.

Religion : Australia is predominantly a Christian country; however, all religions are represented in the community. Devotees will find churches, mosques, temples and synagogues located in most major cities.

Weather Inforamtion for Brisbane

Indicative historical weather information - not a forecast
December/January/February - Summer
Mean temperature: 24.80 C
Max average temperature: 29.20 C
Min average temperature: 20.40 C
Precipitation: averages 150.4mm a month
Wind speed average: 10.9 km/h
March/April/May - Autumn
Mean temperature: 21.10 C
Max average temperature: 25.80 C
Min average temperature: 16.40 C
Precipitation: averages 102.3mm a month
Wind speed average: 9.2 km/h
June/July/August - Winter
Mean temperature: 15.60 C
Max average temperature: 21.20 C
Min average temperature: 10.10 C
Precipitation: averages 56.7mm a month
Wind speed average: 9.4 km/h
September/October/November Spring
Mean temperature: 20.80 C
Max average temperature: 260 C
Min average temperature: 15.60 C
Precipitation: averages 73mm a month
Wind speed average : 10.6 km/h

What to carry ? The shopping List

Shopping list

Dresses:
Jeans 10 Sets
T - Shirts (Half) 10 Sets
T - Shirts (Full) 5 Sets
Formal Wear 3 Sets
Suits like Raymonds 1 Set
Under Garments 10 Sets
Shorts 10 Sets
Formal Tie 2 Numbers
Belts 3 Numbers
Hangers 1 Dozen

Other Fittings:
Sweat Shirt (Full) 3 Sets
Thermal Wear 2 Sets
Woolen Sweater/Gloves 2 Sets
Woolen Caps 6 Numbers
Socks 1 Dozen
Shoe Polish 3 Numbers + 1 Brush
HandKerchief 1 Dozen
Formal Shoes 1 Pair
Sports Shoes 1 Pair
Foot wear - Normal 2 Pairs

Miscellaneous:
Bath Towels 3 Numbers
Small Towels 3 Numbers
Pillow Covers 2 Numbers
Bed Sheets 2 Numbers
Inflattable Pillow 1 Number
BackPack for College 2 Numbers
Umbrella 1 Number
Locks with Many Keys 2 Numbers
Keychains 3 Numbers
Torches 1 Number

Toilet Items:
1 Dozen Soaps 5 Deo Sprays or Less
3 Tooth Brushes 3 Tooth Pastes
3 Shampoos Coconut Oil
Shaving Cream Shaving Brushes
1 Dozen Blades/Cartriges Nail Cutter
Facial Cream/Powders Small Mirror/Lip Guard
Combs SunScreen Lotion
Room Freshner Detergents
Kitchen Items
3 Ceramic Plates 3 Tumblers/Glasses
1 Pressure Cooker Containers for Storing
3 Gaskets Knives
Forks and Spoons Non Stick Pan
Small Sized Utensils Cups/ Coffee Mugs
Pickles/Jams/Snacks Sambhar/Rasam Powder
Garam.Chole Masala Chillie Powder/Jeera
Dhaniya/Applaam/Papad Noodle Packets
Bowls

MEDICINES
Crocin Septran
Erythrocin Coldact/Coldarin
Disprin Avil
Baralgan 2 Rolls Bandage
1 Dozen Band - Aids Iodex/Amrutanjan
Benadryl Syrup Burn Ointments

Imp Documents
Educational Documents: Original and Xeroxs
Birth Certificate Community Certificate
Passport Indian Driving License
International Driving Permit 10th/12th/ UG/PG all Mark Sheets
IELTS International Certificates
Other ID cards Transfer Certificate
Course Completion Certificates Reference Books and Project Documentations
Visa Documents PVA Documents
Offer Letter 2 Dozen Passport size photos with Stamp sized also
Electronic Items/ Other Items (If Applicable)
Mobile Phone MP3 players/Radio
MP3 CD’s Batteries/ Chargers
Alarm Clock 2 Watches

Part Time Jobs

Part Time jobs:
Work in restaurants as a waiter or waitresses, as cleaners.
Drive taxi
Work as a security guard
Work as console operator in 7-11 or service stations
Work in a call centre
Work as a sales person
Work in cafes, bakery or other shops.

International students have 20 hours work limit.
One cannot work for more than 20 hours a week, if the work is legally paid for on the book. Most places accept students and pay them $10 to $13 an hour under the table, what I try to say is that international students usually get paid - Cash in Hand as its called out here. That means they are not enrolled as a staff member for that place. In doing so, this helps the employee to pay u a rate lower than what they should be paying. Eg they would pay u $10 while they should actually be paying u $15 or more. Many people do this, since this is manner of making more money and most employees know that international students are ready to anything and compromise on any price since they are desperate to get a job.

So if you are working for an employee that gives you cash in hand, u can work more than 20 hours.

Also when you get 3 months summer vacation you are allowed to work unlimited hours.
This is normally the time when most students try to work as hard as they can and recover as much as they can for university fees, etc.

Australian wages in 2007 have increased 3.4 percent compared with the same time last year.

Full-time adult earnings in Australia are now A$55,661 a year.

Overtime and bonuses bring the average Australian pay to A$58,027 per annum.

The average full-time male wage in Australia is A$1,199 per week, while women average A$968 per week.

Australia's best-paid workers are those in the mining industry, where ordinary earnings average A$89,950 a year.

Next in the wages pecking order are finance and insurance workers who average A$71,300 per annum.

Manufacturing sector employees earn an average of $52,570 per annum and construction sector workers earn $53,000 per annum.

Full-time workers in the accommodation, restaurant and cafe sector earn A$43,660 on average.

The lowest wages are found in the retail sector, where full-time workers earn just A$42,700 on average.

Workers in the Capital Territory (Canberra) are Australia's highest paid workers with an average of A$67,175 per annum, followed by New South Wales on A$58,050.

Tasmania has the lowest average full-time wage of A$52,870 per annum.

Data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics - First Quarter 2007.