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Foundation Programmes in Australia
Do you yearn to go on a new experience and have a strong desire to study in Australia? It's hardly surprising given that Australia has constantly rated third on the list of top study abroad destinations for Malaysian students, trailing only the United Kingdom and Ireland.
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FOUNDATION PROGRAMMES IN AUSTRALIA
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Foundation programmes are university preparatory courses to prepare students for bachelor's degrees in Australia after SPM, IGCSE or UEC. They are the equivalent of Grade 12 qualifications in Australia and are designed mainly for international students who have completed Grade 11 in their home country or for those who have completed Grade 12 or equivalent qualification but fall short of university entry requirements. Students can find suitable foundation programmes that will enable them to progress to almost any programmes at universities across Australia.
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Foundation programmes can range between 6 to 9 months (accelerated), 12 months (standard) or 15 months (extended) depending on students' academic background and grades.
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WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?
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The entry requirement for the foundation program is relatively lower than the university undergraduate (Bachelor) programs. Most of the institutions require students to have completed Year 11 or Year 12 as secondary/ high school qualification, which is equivalent to SPM in Malaysia or IGCSE, UEC, etc.
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General Requirement
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SPM/IGCSE: Minimum of C's in 4 subjects
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UEC/STPM: Minimum of C's in 2 subjects
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English Requirement
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IELTS: Overall 5.5 with no individual band lower than 5.0
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TOEFL: Overall 56 with writing no less than 14
Note: Entry requirements for some universities and courses may be higher, so do make sure you check the details carefully.
WHERE CAN I STUDY FOUNDATION IN AUSTRALIA?
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There are many foundation programmes in Australia. Here is an overview of a few popular options:
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FOUNDATION OR AUSMAT/SACE?
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(a) Foundation in Australian universities
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The main advantage of enrolling in a foundation programme in Australia is the guaranteed progression to a university degree when students meet the necessary grades. For students who are looking for that assurance, particularly to a Group of Eight university, foundation programme could be the more ideal option. When students receive a foundation offer, it is usually "packaged" with a bachelor's degree, with the exception of certain competitive degrees such as medicine, dentistry and a few other health science majors.
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Doing a foundation in Australia also allows students to experience first hand the various teaching methods applied in Australian universities. This would help you to prepare and ease yourself better when you transition into an undergraduate program.
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(b) Australian Matriculation/SACE International
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Both SACE and AUSMAT require students to choose five subjects. The students will have the flexibility to take subjects they’re most interested in; they can be purely science- or art-related subjects, or even a combination of both. It offers great flexibility for students who want to try out different subjects at the same time without going too in-depth.
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It is suitable also for students who are still unsure of what degree they want to pursue. Unlike foundation programmes, SACE and AUSMAT leave your options open to pursue a broad range of degrees after completing the programme.