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Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Australian Students

How do I contact Victorian Universities?

See our list of all Victorian university websites. Many of your questions may be answered by looking through the information on the university websites.

To locate a university close to you, look at our map of Melbourne’s metropolitan university locations, or our map of Victoria’s regional university locations.

How do I find a university that offers the course I want to study?

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) Guide (www.vtac.edu.au) combines a list of undergraduate courses and some postgraduate courses. This provides a list of courses and the process to apply for entry into courses.

Students wishing to study at a particular university should contact student admission officers and course advisors at that university, and may wish to obtain that university’s handbook.

Going to Uni (www.goingtouni.gov.au/) contains a searchable course database of Australian universities.

For information on postgraduate programs visit the university websites.

How do I get into a higher education course that I want to study?

For most higher education courses, students apply through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) (www.vtac.edu.au/).

The VTAC Guide contains information about the qualifications or experience required for entry into each course and on what basis commencing students will be selected.

For courses beginning at the start of the academic year, VTAC applications close in September or October the year before. Some courses also offer a mid-year intake.

The courses listed in the VTAC Guide are entry-level courses; in other words, you are applying for entry into the first year of the course. For any other applications, such as to apply for entry into the second year of a degree for example, you should contact the Admissions Officer for the course at the university of your choice.

Some courses do not appear in the VTAC Guide, or may also allow students to apply directly to the university. If you cannot find what you are looking for in the VTAC Guide, you should check the university websites and/or handbooks of the universities.

Some postgraduate courses are listed in the VTAC Guide (including Graduate Diplomas in Teaching). However, for most postgraduate courses you should check the course guides/handbooks of each university for details of how to apply.

What are the costs associated with higher education?

Students who are Australian residents will either contribute to the costs of their studies through the Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) or will pay the full cost of their course (www.goingtouni.gov.au/Main/Quickfind/PayingForYourStudiesHELPLoans/Default.htm). The cost of full-fee paying courses varies. The VTAC Guide (www.vtac.edu.au/) includes information about the full-fee cost of most courses.

In addition to the fee for the course, the university may also charge a General Services fee. These fees are used to subsidise the student services, clubs and other activities that are available to students of the university. The General Services fee (and any concessions that apply to it) may be different at each university.

For more information about fees at university visit:

How do I find out about postgraduate study?

Contact the Postgraduate Office of the university in which you are interested. Below is a list of Victorian universities that offer postgraduate programs.

If you undertake a postgraduate course, you may be eligible for a Commonwealth loan (www.goingtouni.gov.au/).

What do I do if I have a complaint about a university?

If you have a complaint about any aspect first contact the university concerned. For more information see: university complaints/grievances channels.

If you have tried to resolve the matter through your university’s complaints process and you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can then complain in writing to the Higher Education Division, or the Victorian Ombudsman (www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/welcome.htm) for complaints concerning administrative actions.

There is also a hotline for overseas students who wish to discuss unresolved complaints contact the Commonwealth Department of Education Science and Technology (DEST) Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS): 02 6240 5069. 

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Overseas Students

Where do I find information about studying in Australia?

The international students page on this site provides information and links to other resources.

Where do I apply for a visa to study in Australia?

Visas are issued by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (www.immi.gov.au/students/index.htm)

How do I have my overseas studies recognised?

Some overseas qualifications may be deemed equivalent to Australian qualifications for the purposes of gaining entry to Australian universities. Information about this is available through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). (www.vtac.edu.au)

What universities and/or private providers offer courses for overseas students?

For information on all courses endorsed for delivery to overseas students, please visit Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) (http://cricos.dest.gov.au).

Can I work while I am studying in Australia?

The Department of Immigration & Citizenship is responsible for issuing visas to international students. Visit their website for advice on working while studying  (www.immi.gov.au/students/students/working_while_studying/index.htm) in Australia.

What do I do if I have a complaint about a private provider?

First, attempt to resolve the complaint through the private provider’s complaints procedure.

If you are not satisfied with the result contact the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) (www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/contact.htm).

If you are still not satisfied with the result, you can contact the Commonwealth Department of Education Science and Technology (DEST) Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS): 02 6240 5069.

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Private Providers

How do I find what higher education courses are offered by private providers?

A search facility of Victorian private providers and courses is available.

Please note that a private provider must be granted an "Authorisation to Conduct" in order to deliver accredited higher education courses in Victoria. The Authorisation to Conduct provides certification that the provider offering the course has approval to offer it in Victoria. This approval is given if the Minister is satisfied that the provider has available the necessary academic, financial, physical and staffing resources to meet the standards of the course and to deliver it in ways that are likely to achieve its purpose.

How do I obtain approval to offer higher education courses?

First, attempt to resolve the complaint through the private provider’s complaints procedure.

If you are not satisfied with the result contact the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) (www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/contact.htm).

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