Eventhough you are an overseas student or a national student, the Australian government has made it compulsory for everybody to learn English efficiently so that everyone can avail all the learning and earning opportunities. According to the Vivecampus report, Australia has the third-largest number of international students in the world. Surrounded by beautiful beaches and a friendly atmosphere, it is one of the best places to learn an English language course. By studying English in Australia, you will learn a variety of life skills like problem-solving, rationalizing and leadership. Let us now see the structure of the English language courses for overseas students in Australia.
ELICOS FOR OVERSEAS STUDENTS
Australia has established English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) to maximize their participation in Australian life. ELICOS has the basic aim of deploying English language abilities in non-native speakers so that they can easily meet the requirements of their respective degrees.
ELICOS standard is maintained by the National English Language Teaching Accreditation Scheme (NEAS) and the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). NEAS approves the testing material and English courses for overseas students. In Australia, different universities, private colleges, English language centers, and TAFE institutes offer ELICOS to overseas students.
TYPES OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES IN AUSTRALIA
1) English for academic purposes (EAP)
English for academic purposes is taught to students who want to take admission in vocational institute or in an English speaking university. This course is for advance level degrees. The time duration of this course is 10 weeks. After passing this course student can easily get admission in higher education diplomas and TAFE certificate programs.
2) General English
This course is for those students who want to improve their English for everyday use. After completing this course, you will get a clear understanding of complex jargons used in Australian culture. Moreover, you can learn different conversational styles, basic grammar, communication skills and oral comprehension skills.
This course will cost you $200 to $400. There are 5 different levels of this course. The time duration of this course is mostly 12 weeks. Upon successful completion of this course, a student is awarded with a certificate showing the level student have efficiently completed. The five different levels are:
- Beginner
- Pre-Intermediate
- Intermediate
- Upper-intermediate
- Advanced
3) Study tours
This course teaches English language while allowing the students to have fun and enjoy tourist activities. You will get exposure to social, sporting, cultural and work training whilst enjoying your holiday. The course trainers will arrange accommodation, food, courses, and pickups for the students themselves so that students can learn English from a unique experience.
TESTING ORGANIZATIONS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES
1) IELTS
IELTS certificate is an internationally recognized certificate and includes the testing of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Every Australian university recognizes the result of IELTS. You will get IELTS band for admission in higher education. The scoring system spans from 0 to 9. Basically, there are two modules of IELTS:
1) Academic Module
Students take an academic module exam when they want to meet any academic entry requirement. Students have to score at least 6.5 to get admission in any academic institution.
2) Generic Module
A generic module exam is taken to meet the migration requirements. The minimum score for passing is 5.5.
2) PTE ACADEMIC
PTE academic test is taken to fulfill Australian Visa requirements. It is basically a computer-based test and the results of this test is accepted by all the Universities of Australia.
3) TOFEL
Like IELTS, TOFEL is also accepted by Australian Universities. TOFEL exam assesses students’ English as well as reading writing and speaking capabilities.
4) OCCUPATIONAL ENGLISH TEST
OET exam is for overseas health professionals who are willing to join the Australian workforce. The student has to pass different examinations and training programs to receive an OET certificate.
AVERAGE COST OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES
Most English language trainers will charge you from $200 to $400. Overseas students should have a full time study visa to apply for ELICOS. Upon admission to the English language course, you have to give a small examination which will assess your level and will help the trainer to get an idea of your areas of improvement. Different English language courses have different requirements. You can contact Tertiary Education Quality And Standard Agency to find out more information regarding ELICOS.
