As an international student already studying in Australia, you might be wondering what you need to know about starting or continuing university here.
You may have graduated from an Australian high school, are looking to transfer to a new university during your studies or are even planning to continue to postgraduate degrees.
To find out everything international students already studying in Australia need to know, we spoke to Celeste Chen, Regional Manager for Australasia in The University of Queensland’s (UQ) Future Student International Team.
Celeste works in the international student recruitment team at UQ. She says her favourite part of her job is connecting international students to great educational opportunities here in Australia.
“I think for international students, UQ really has everything they need," Celeste says.
How do I apply to UQ?
If you're graduating high school, Celeste says your application process will be the same as your domestic peers.
"If you are studying high school here in Australia, in Brisbane or interstate, and are applying to UQ, you will need to apply through QTAC," she explains.
Students looking to transfer or undertake postgraduate study can apply directly to UQ.
"The online application portal link is available at our study website. If you search for a certain program, there is a 'how to apply' tab, and you can always find the application link on that webpage," says Celeste.
Does my ATAR matter?
Celeste advises that your ATAR is important, even if you are applying to university as an international student completing Year 12 in Australia.
"You do need to have an ATAR in order to get into UQ's degree programs," she explains.
If you have graduated from high school in another Australian state or territory, you can still apply. In fact, Celeste says many students choose to move interstate to Brisbane for university.
"I think it's because of the city itself," she says, "and, of course, our great campus.”
Are there any rank adjustments for international students completing Year 12 in Australia?
Celeste says that students looking to boost their ATAR can take advantage of adjustment factors, which can add up to five extra points to their rank.
These bonus points can be earned by completing certain subjects during high school. Students can gain two points for completing a specialist maths subject, two points for studying a language other than English, and one point for completing one of UQ's Enhanced Studies Programs (ESP).
These bonus points are automatically calculated and added to your rank by QTAC, so there are no additional forms or submissions to complete.
"UQ will always look at the adjusted rank, which is the rank with the bonus points, to determine your entry," says Celeste.
Even better, UQ allows you to use your adjusted rank for any program.
"You can use it for any program here, including those quota-based programs such as medicine or dentistry," Celeste explains.
Are there any scholarships for international students already studying in Australia?
With over 200 scholarships on offer at UQ, there are plenty of opportunities for international students already studying in Australia to get extra support during their studies. Celeste says students should check the scholarships website to see which ones are relevant for them.
"You can search by type of student, international or domestic, and level of study, graduate or postgraduate, and also specific study areas," she says.
Students studying at UQ's Gatton campus are even eligible for the Destination Australia Scholarship, which offers up to $15,000 AUD a year to students in regional areas.
Celeste says both the International Onshore Merit Scholarship and the International Excellence Scholarship are also great options. Eligibility for these scholarships is even automatically assessed when you apply to UQ.
“When a student receives an email from us confirming their eligibility into a certain program, the scholarship letter is sent at the same time. All the student needs to do is accept both the offer letter and the scholarship offer," Celeste explains.
If you'd like to find out more about starting your studies at UQ as an international student already studying in Australia, reach out to the Future Student International Team.
