All schools, vocational and higher education providers fall under one single framework that sets the standards for the issue of qualifications and course delivery.

Those institutions which fall under the AQF are recognised by the Australian government as being creditable institutions with a minimum standard of qualification.

Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000
All institutions offering courses to international students must abide by all sections of this act in order to retain their official recognition status by the Australian government.

Commonwealth Register of Institutes and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)
The Commonwealth government retains a register for institutions and courses which it
deems to be of an acceptable standard for offer to international students.

All international courses are registered with this register.

University Entry
For international students unable to gain direct entry to an Australian university, there
is the other option of study through TAFE. TAFE has a number of study pathways which can facilitate university entry. On of this is a one-year diploma programme which can gain you at least a year's credit at a Australian university for a three-year degree programme.

By Neil Rao