Admission Process for International Students
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Undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework) admission process
The information on this page is for you if,
- you are an international student, and
- you intend to study full-time in Australia on an Australia student visa, and
- you intend to enrol in an undergraduate or postgraduate(coursework) award.
We are committed to helping you make informed choices. As a prospective student, we hope that the information provided will enable you to identify the right Sydney College of Divinity award for you. What you can study will depend on your level of study, the course you want to study, and meeting the entry requirements for the course, which are the same for all students.
International students can only enrol in the below colleges to study a Sydney College of Divinity award registered with CRICOS.
If you are a domestic student look up the admission process for a domestic student. Our postgraduate (research) courses are open to international students and if you want to study for a research degree, you should look up the Higher Degree by Research admission process.
Sydney College of Divinity does not engage the services of any agents. Students are responsible for their own enrolment. International students must start the admission process a few months before the start of the semester, ensuring that they have sufficient time to receive their Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), apply for a student visa, and make arrangements for living and studying in Australia.
The quick guide listed in the parliamentary library provides an overview of international students in Australian higher education.
- 1 Explore study options
- 2 Select college and apply
- 3 Accept offer
- 4 Apply for visa
- 5 Prepare to arrive and study in Australia
Sydney College of Divinity undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework) courses in English and Korean for international students are delivered by colleges with campuses located in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. To graduate with a Sydney College of Divinity award you must enrol in a college open to international students and select a CRICOS registered course.
Every course has one or more entry requirements you need to satisfy. The requirements are listed under the Entry Requirement tab in the individual courses. When selecting your course it is important that you understand the entry requirements (admission criteria).
Entry into most courses is based on your academic qualifications. If your existing qualifications were obtained in a country outside Australia, the equivalence of overseas qualifications to Australian qualifications is evaluated with the help of the Government’s Country Education Profiles (CEP). The equivalence is then used to match against the admission requirements for entry into the Sydney College of Divinity awards. You may also have to meet language requirements to gain entry into a Sydney College of Divinity award.
Courses are delivered at various levels, from diploma to masters. Courses have a structure, completion period and include specialisations with focus on different areas of study within the four major disciplines – Christian Life and Ministry, Humanities, Theology, and Biblical Studies.
As a student, we encourage you to research your study program in depth. Browse our units of study (subjects) as this will give you an idea of what we offer. Time invested to find the course that is right for you is time well spent as the right program could help you have a more positive learning experience and graduate successfully.
Exploring study options also includes being aware and informed of your rights and responsibilities as an international student in Australia as these may impact your study experience and needs.
If you have any questions on admissions and entry requirements email us at scd@scd.edu.au or submit an enquiry.
After exploring your study options, decide on your college. Note that not all the colleges within Sydney College of Divinity can enrol international students. Only the colleges and courses registered with CRICOS are open to international students.
Browse the college information which provides an overview of who they are and what they offer, including information on semesters, fees, courses and contact details . Contact the Registrar of the college. The Registrar can assist you with information on the admission requirements, fees, semester and other important dates, life on campus and in Australia. If you decide to enrol, the Registrar will be your point of contact providing you with admission forms and guiding you through the admission process. Your application along with the supporting documents must be submitted before the admission closing date. Applicants are interviewed as part of the assessment process.
Before you apply you will have to ensure that you have all your documents certified and ready for submission. You should work out the costs to study which in addition to fees and study related expenses, should take into account accommodation, travel and other living expenses in Australia. International students could request Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment as part of their application for admission. RPL is the assessment of your prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) for the purpose of supporting admission. The RPL could be used to satisfy, or partially satisfy, course admission criteria, and/or to gain exemption/s for program requirements for postgraduate programs.
Successful applicants will receive a Letter of Offer and an Overseas Student Enrolment Agreement from the Registrar of the college. To accept the offer at the college of your choice, you must complete, sign and return the Overseas Student Enrolment Agreement and pay the deposit outlined on your offer letter.
Once the deposit is paid and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) obtained, you will receive a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), which should be used to apply for your student visa.
The Subclass 500 Student Visa allows international students to participate in a course of study in Australia. Student visas can only be granted for study in courses that are registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
The step by step information on the Department of Home Affairs website provides an overview of the visa application process. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa. You will incur visa costs and may have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics, if applicable.
Generally in the higher education sector the indicative processing time is 75% of student visa applications in 24 days and 90% of applications in 45 days. Applications can take longer to process if not completed correctly, or required documents are not included, or the Department takes time to verify your information and needs more information from you.
Decision about the visa application is notified in writing and will include the grant number, expiry date and the visa conditions. If visa is refused you may have a right to a review of the decision. The application fee will not be refunded if visa is denied.
After you have accepted your offer to study, you will need to plan your arrival by making travel arrangements, looking for accommodation, planing your finances and familiarizing yourself with the lifestyle and laws of Australia, including the quarantine laws. It is advisable to arrive at least 2-3 weeks before the start of the semester so that you have sufficient time to adjust to your new environment and prepare for orientation day and classes
As an onshore international student, if you intend to complete your degree at the end of 2022 and graduate in 2023 you will need a USI to receive your degree. You can use your passport with the Australian visa as a form of ID when creating your USI.
There are several things to do before you start classes. These include enrolling in the units, orientation, getting your student card, familiarizing yourself with the campus, library and other facilities, get textbooks and access any academic support available, if required.
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