Going to university
A university degree is a prerequisite for many career paths and professions, but it’s more than just a ticket to a good job. A university education offers an opportunity for independent scholarship in an area you are passionate about and a chance to broaden your horizons.
The essentials: what is university all about?
To state the obvious, university education is all about getting a degree. A degree is a higher education qualification, in contrast with Vocational Education and Training (VET) certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas.
Higher education is generally more focused on theoretical study or professional career skills (for example, architecture, accounting and veterinary science), while VET focuses mostly on practical skills associated with various other occupations.
Where does a university education lead?
There is no doubt that university improves job and career prospects. Among recent graduates, the employment rate was around 80% (Graduate Careers Australia, 2011).
However, the career options and prospects will vary depending on which field you choose. You can study just about anything at university, leading to a wide range of careers in diverse fields.
There are some fields that are not that career focused but which are fascinating areas to explore, such as arts, creative arts or science.
University is also well known as the only option for many professional courses, particularly those leading to regulated occupations such as architecture, dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy and veterinary science.
Other fields, such as nursing, accounting and social work, are offered at both VET and higher education level but a degree is necessary in order to earn professional status, while a VET qualification or a more general degree will lead to a supporting (or ‘paraprofessional’) role.
See Fields of Study for all the details about university graduate outcomes.
The university experience
Most universities are big publicly-funded institutions, although there are two private universities, and a number of smaller private higher education providers offering accredited higher education courses.
University is about choice. You can choose from a range of providers, and a range of over 4000 degrees around the country. If you get in, you will often get to choose many of the units within your degree and sometimes the major or main area of study.
However, the freedom of choice allowed at university can also be a source of challenges - without the watchful eye of school teachers you are free to miss classes, leave everything until the last minute, and study as much or as little as you wish.
The key is to enjoy the lifestyle but also to know when to knuckle down.
For more information about university life see Student life .
Getting in and getting started
See Getting into higher education and Selection methods for more information about applying for university courses.
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