How to choose a tertiary institution

There are two things that are often used to determine whether one institution is preferred over another: word-of-mouth and location. For postgraduate students, cost and convenience are two other very influential factors.

While these are all reasonable things to consider, many other factors could and should inform your decision.

Think about three things:

• What characteristics make each institution unique?
• What should an institution have or do for you?
• Are there certain things that you particularly need from an institution?

Tertiary institutions: how can you tell them apart?

A vast number of elements combine to make each institution unique. While none of them makes an institution better or worse overall, these differences can mean an institution is a good or bad choice for you. Think about ….

• Public vs private institutions: Public institutions include most universities and publicly-funded TAFE institutes. Private institutions include registered training organisations (RTOs) in the VET sector and private higher education providers.
• Special focus: Although most institutions will have a mix of ‘academic’ courses (like humanities and sciences) and others (like accounting and creative arts) that are practical or vocationally oriented, some institutions emphasise one group of programs or the other. Some also specialise in teaching and/or research in particular fields. If this is the case, you should make sure facilities are adequate.
• Research focus: Universities are required to do some research; private providers and TAFE institutes are not. Among the universities, some do a broad range of research, while others focus on one or two niche areas.
• Teaching quality: Feedback about teaching will always be subjective, but it is certainly an important thing to consider. Go to University Ratings for information about what university students think of their teachers.
• Graduate outcomes: Go to University Ratings for information about how different university graduates fare in gaining employment and salaries.
• Graduate satisfaction: Like teaching, feedback from students about their overall experiences is subjective and the experience of students will also vary across different fields and campuses at the one institution. Go to University Ratings for more information.
• The student body: At some institutions there will be plenty of other postgraduate students, as well as plenty of distance and part-time students. Others are populated mostly by teenagers who come fresh from school.

The must-haves for a tertiary institution

The resources that your institution should provide will depend on its size, type and also the field of study you are in.

You should probably expect fewer services and a smaller library at a small, private provider than at a massive university. On the other hand, if that small, private provider specialises in fine art, then you should expect to find all the equipment necessary to teach in that field.

It used to be the case that you could expect to find certain services and facilities at most universities. However, the introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) has lead to some significant service cuts. Even so, you should expect a library that is adequate to your needs, as well as academic assistance services. These are the basics and they are important.

For postgraduates, the teaching staff is probably the most important resource. Try to find out who your teachers are; the more helpful and knowledgeable they are, the better. Looking at feedback from other students in the field at a given institutions is a good way to find out about this.

See our University Ratings.

Finding an institution to match your needs

There are certain other things that institutions do differently which make it easier to choose between them if you have any special requirements, particularly those relating to entry difficulty or mode of study.

You might prefer one institution over another because of:

• Entry flexibility: entry requirements are particularly relevant if you are a prospective university student. Be aware that some institutions are more likely to take a range of factors (not just your previous qualifications) into account during their admissions process.
• Study mode: some institutions specialise in distance and/or online learning. If you cannot get to class all (or any) of the time, they could be useful.
• Flexible timetabling: at postgraduate level, many institutions try to offer some or all classes out of hours to cater for those juggling full-time work and study.

Back to top