Check out all the details about MBBS in Australia - Medical Colleges in Australia, Fees, and Eligibility. ....
Feb 02, 2020 01:51:02
Australia is recognized for its excellent cities and breathtaking scenery. A student can make the best of these attractions while he pursues MBBS from Australia.
Australia is the prime destination to pursue an MBBS degree owing to its quality of education. It is a destination which ensures that a student gets value for money.
The architecture of Australia is matchless. They have vast open landscapes. But for higher studies as well, Australia is among the finest choices in the world.
Education in Australia is characterized by its versatility, in terms of teaching methods. Their technologies are futuristic while the infrastructure is world-class. Moreover, degrees imparted by Australian medical universities are recognized at all places in the world. Australia hence is a dream destination for pursuing an MBBS degree.
Each year, over 5 lakh students from all corners of the world come to Australia for pursuing higher education. The number is rising by the year. The credit also goes to Australian medical schools for this development. They provide abundant resources for international students which accentuate practical training and adaptive living.
During the earlier days, the system of medical education in Australia was traditional and similar to as it now prevails in European countries. The bachelors’ degree offered by Australian medical universities was MBBS, and the masters’ degree offered was MD.
It was then in 2004 that the qualifications frameworks for Australia changed. A range of new changes was introduced. Following this, the Australian medical colleges make two kinds of bachelors’ and masters’ degrees available for aspirants:
The first among them is an undergraduate medical degree. A student who is through with the high school can apply for the program. The undergraduate medical degree course lasts for 5 to 6 years. Upon the completion of the program, the student is awarded an MBBS degree.
The graduate program, on the other hand, is a 4-year course. A student becomes eligible to apply for the program after completion of a bachelor’s degree. The graduate program involves 2 years of clinical training, and the degree one receives upon the completion of the program is MD.
Let us assess either of the programs in more detail:
The undergraduate medical program involves a range of theoretical classes. They are complemented by hands-on practical training as well, as facilitated by Australian quality frameworks.
It is however only a select few medical schools and universities that offer MBBS degrees. Fewer still educational institutions make them available for international students.
If one intends to do his MBBS from Australia, two of the preferred medical schools for the purpose are the University of New South Wales and the University of Adelaide.
Here are the parameters that international students must meet if they intend to pursue their MBBS from Australia:
Higher Secondary completion certificate, granted by any of the recognized institutions or boards.
A student requires an English language proficiency certificate. He must score at least 7 in IELTS.
The candidate must be at least 17 years of age.
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is a test that is conducted to figure out the aptitude for international students. A student aspiring to study MBBS in Australia should clear this test.
MBBS in Australia is not available for undergraduates alone. Even a graduate student can apply for the course.
Doctor of medicine is a four-year program. It is made available by many Australian medical schools. Across different schools, the degree is known by different names.
But a student must necessarily have a bachelors’ degree to apply for this course. Similarly, a student is also required to appear for the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test (GAMSAT) before taking admission.
Across Australia, the application process for studying MBBS is common. It is frequently in January that the undergraduate program for international students gets underway. So a student must make sure that he applies at least three months in advance.
With the opportunities provided by the Australian government, any of the Indian students are rendered the ability to study in Australia. But the necessary prerequisite is that one has to obtain a study visa.
The kind of visa that one gets is subject to one’s age, duration of stay in Australia and one’s field of study. To study MBBS in Australia, a student must apply for Student Visa (Subclass 500).
With a Student Visa (Subclass 500), a student can stay over in Australia for a study program for up to 5 years. But it is also important to make sure that your Visa is valid at all times while the studies last and also that one abides by the conditions that are mentioned in it.
A student must carry proof of enrolment, which is an electronic confirmation of enrollment, issued by a university.
A valid passport
Visa application fee
Genuine temporary entrant (GTE) statement
Academic documentation and certification
Certification of English language proficiency skills, such as IELTS
A student must reproduce the evidence of financial ability. This specifies that he is in a position to pay living expenses and tuition fees, or the expenses for dependents as well.
A student must also carry with him the details of his health insurance policy. This is known as the Overseas Students Health Cover.
Statement of purpose
Photographs (passport sized)
The Student Visa (Subclass 500) is going to cost you around AU$575. One must also make sure that the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) that one buys is valid while the course lasts. One can go for the provider recommended by the university, or any provider that the government approves.
Another advantage is that the students who do not pursue their MBBS from an Indian university but instead pursue it from an overseas university have to clear the FMGE test to practice medicine in India.
Upon completing MBBS from an Australian university, however, a student can practice medicine in India without having to clear the FMGE exam. But the student must necessarily have the license that permits him to practice medicine in Australia.
A range of scholarships and fellowships are made available for international medical students in Australia. They are granted on merit and are available for undergraduate and postgraduate students alike.
The Australian Awards Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships make four separate kinds of funds available for international students. They are associated with different areas of learning.
The scholarships vary in the range of AU$15,000 to AU$25,000. This helps cover a section of tuition fees for international medical students. It is recommendable to apply early for each of the Australian scholarships and fellowships that are made available. To be eligible for a scholarship, a student must apply by April in the preceding year.
The University of Melbourne
The Australian National University Medical School
Monash University
The University of Sydney
Deakin University
University of Tasmania
University of New South Wales
The University of Adelaide
James Cook University Medical School
Bond University
After one completes MBBS in Australia, one must necessarily do an internship for a year. Beyond that, to practice medicine in Australia, an MBBS pass-out from Australia must do a clinical residency for 1-2 years.
As per a mandate by the Department of Home Affairs of the Australian Government, an Indian medical student must furnish proof of sound financials before he takes admission into an Australian medical university. Similarly, one has to show proof of possession of AU$20,290, which is for the cost of living.
The above guidelines are as defined by the Australian immigration standards. But once one is in Australia, one is not required to spend all that much. Weekly expenses for accommodation come in the line of AU$85 to AU$400. Similarly, other expenses are in the line of AU$ 300 weekly.
A few of the Australian universities also provide a breakup of expenditures that international medical students would be required to make. This includes accommodation and other expenses as well. However, the estimate that they deliver is for 40 weeks only. If one plans to stay over for a longer period, one is required to make relevant adjustments in the budget.
An advantage that comes with doing one’s MBBS from Australia is that the government of Australia publishes a list of jobs in high demand at regular intervals. The list is the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and includes the jobs that are in a medium to high demand in the country.
An Indian MBBS pass-out from an Australian medical university has a higher likelihood to be granted permission to work in Australia if he possesses the skills mentioned in SOL. SOL can be accessed at the official of the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship website. The subjects related to the points mentioned in the list are in high demand as well.
Overall, Australia is a fine choice for Indian medical students. Medical education in Australia ensures a good work-life balance for the students, and a lucrative career in medicine follows.
Monash University, Australia
Royal Australasian College of Physicians
St. Marys School of Medicine, Cook Islands
