Mature Student in Australia

[BiscuitBeast]

Hello,

I'm relocating with my family in March to Melbourne; DH, DS (4years) and DD (2yrs). This move is career progression for DH.

I've been a SAHM just over a year now. I have every intention of returning to work, however, I want a career change and want to study for a degree.

Has any mature (35 years old, so mature in the educational sense) expat with a young family successfully studied? Was it financially doable?

I have no family/friends in Melbourne so would rely heavily on nurseries etc. I wouldn't look at starting studying until
Next year once DS has started school to try ease the financial stress.

Melbourne is a great place to live. What uni are you looking at? There are lots of mature age students (DH is an academic) so you won't be alone amongst the 18 year olds.
You may be charged international student fees so that would be the first thing I would check.

I hope you have lots of money because International Students fees are pretty high!. I'm assuming you are relocating from the UK?

International student fees are, indeed, very high. You aren't eligible to defer your fees on HECS unless you are a citizen or have permanent residency.

Also be aware that many courses are seriously oversubscribed (Law, Psychology, Primary Teaching...) and finding employment in those fields is very difficult at present.

Melbourne is going to feel very expensive.... I assume DH's salary sounds Impressive with current exchange rate; keep in mind cost of living there though - Australia skipped the recession/austerity so much more price inflation.

On the plus side there will be lots fun family stuff, including free things I'm sure.

Good luck!

I should add that childcare costs can be extortionate also. It depends whether you'll be eligible for any assistance. We don't have anything like the free 15 hours (or 30 hours), but some families are eligible for partial subsidisation.

If not, you could easily be looking at upwards of $80 per day.

I am a mature student in Melbourne, and I agree with the others the first thing to look into is your eligibility for any state support--without it the fees are eyewatering. There are lots of us around, though, especially in higher degrees.

I’ve done some study via open university Australia. It’s a great place to start looking. You’ll be able to check your eligibility for fees via the website too.

If you don’t need to University you can look at TAFE which is higher education but less academic. These courses are cheaper than uni. You can also let k at shorter length courses. If you complete a TAFE course you can sometimes reduce the time at University.

The other option is private study via a registered training organisation. These will generally be more expensive than TAFE but should meet similar standards

Fees have to be paid upfront now unless you’re an Australian Citizen. International fees are very high unfortunately.

Thanks for all your advice.

I'm relocating from the UK to Melbourne on a 457 visa, so will be classed as an International Student.

My interests lie in wildlife ecology and conservation. I've seen that Deakin University has a very pleasing Bachelor of Environmental Science in Wildlife and Conservation biology. The university is situated near where we are looking to live too. Eye watering and impossible is how I'd describe the fee if I've calculated it right.

DH salary is good but by no means huge. It won't stretch to paying a large lump sum for studies. How do international students afford to pay?!

I will likely need to look at part time study to be able to manage child care and costs. If indeed study is an option or not...

I perhaps need to look at other avenues to study wildlife ecology and conservation? The OU don't offer anything like it - I think it needs to be classroom and field based.

It really is worth investigating TAFE this is just one but there will be heaps
www.holmesglen.edu.au/courses/horticulture_and_environment/animal_studies

I would also recommend looking at TAFE. Lower costs, often increased flexibility, and often credit points can go towards a degree if you choose to undertake a related one in the future.

Most international students in Australia come from China (wealthy); otherwise most "international" students are here for up to 12 months on an exchange program, but don't stay for the duration of their degree.

Right, I shall explore TAFE and it's options.

Is it possible to study some of a degrees units/modules?

TAFE courses at a certain level are designed to flow into degrees. I think a TAFE Diplona is accepted as the first year of a degree.

Have a look at this one [http://www.thegordon.edu.au/courses/programs/conservation-land-management]]

www.kangan.edu.au/tafe-courses/certificate-iii-in-conservation-and-land-management-3169

www.latrobe.edu.au/courses/bachelor-of-science-wildlife-and-conservation-biology - is this the degree you are looking at?

www.thegordon.edu.au/courses/programs/conservation-land-management

That's the degree course yes, Saffron.

I've read that some colleges and universities offer 'off-campus' courses. I'll see what else I can find. The appeal of studying at university is the practical element on offer. Field trips, lab work, work experience etc.

If you want practical the TAFE is really great. I’ve got a diploma and didn’t write a single essay. Obviously it depends on the course. My cert 4 required more writing than the diploma but looking at s couple of hundred words. The course I teach now requires student to 150 hours of practical during the 12-18 months they do the course.

I had a chance to properly look at the TAFE Diploma in Conservation and Land Management. Looks very suitable!

Are the fees for a TAFE course to be paid in lump sum or are there options of instalments to make it more affordable?

Your eldest will be in full time kindy. In Australia they do a year of full time kindy age four before going to school. You may want to put your youngest in preschool. On a separate note, the quality of tertiary education in Australia is quite different. The only universes worth studying at in Melbourne are Melbourne university and Monash (for science degrees).

Don't bother with Tafe. It is designed for trades/additional qualifications while working. Most of their qualifications have very little value, certainly not worth the whole childcare and international fees thing.

I don't agree with the previous poster. TAFE is well recognised for delivering outstanding practical skills and training. I would be wary of some of the private colleges delivering TAFE qualifications but public institutions like Box Hill and Holmesglen have long and fine traditions in the vocational sector.
Melbourne and Monash are the prestige universities but the other 6 in Melbourne all have significant areas of strength and distinction.

She's trying to get into environmental stuff. She won't have a chance in hell of being successful in Australia unless she has really good qualifications/great experience (which I would assume she doesn't if she is doing further training).

TAFE fees at significantly cheaper than uni fees particularly for international students.

In terms of qualifications not being worth much it’s how longs a piece of string. You can become a Nurse via TAFE. It’s also a useful way to test if you really into an area. For example I’ve completed first year of a community development degree. If I’d put that time into TAFE I’d have completed a diploma and wouldn’t owe money to HECs.

Sure TAFE won’t get you a masters of psychology but it would get you a diploma in counseling and help work out if it’s what you like.

Have you had advice on salary packaging by your DH's employer? As a 457 visa holder there are a number of things you can claim and recover about 50% of the costs. Your children's education is one plus if your DH wanted to study he could recover those costs - you would be able to do this if you were working, but your DH can't claim your education expenses.

Make sure you get good financial advice, being here on a 457 isn't necessarily easy financially.

I think it will be very expensive to study here unless you have permanent residency. If you can try to register for an online course in the UK before you leave. I'm not sure how that would work if there is a field work/lab component to your course though.

There are cheaper options as pp have mentioned, TAFE, community college classes etc.

If you want daycare get on the waiting lists now. It can take more than 12 months to get a place. Australians get a rebate on the daily fee, but as a non-resident you won't get this, meaning it will be very expensive for you. In Sydney, in 2006, I was paying $2,300 each month for daycare (no rebate).

I am an expat in Vic. I attend Federation uni in Gippsland but there are Melbourne campuses.
Depending in your visa your uni fees may be very high with no access to HELP assistance. I waited until I became a citizen to start uni because of this even though I was eligible for the lower domestic fee as a permanent resident.