Will my qualification be recognized as a Degree in Australia

Assbook

I am trying to make the move to Australia. The visa that seems to best suit me is the Nominated Skilled migration Visa Subclass 190. A prerequisite to  apply for this is a Bachelors Degree. As per the Australian Qualification Framework(AFQ) it  seems a level 7 bachelors is the minimum that's required. Ireland  has something similar to the AFQ in the form of the National Framework of Qualifications(NFQ). and on that the minimum for a bachelors is a level 7 Ordinary Degree. I qualified with a level 7 Diploma 2003 and this qualification transitioned from the Diploma to the Ordinary Degree a number of years ago.However just because the wording has changed from Diploma to Ordinary Degree it is not a superior qualification since they are both considered level 7 as per the NFQ and I would be eligible to enter 1 years honors degree level 8 program with my diploma so if it was in anyway inferior to the ordinary Degree I would not be able to do this. I suppose the main question is if the AFQ is a mirror for the NFQ? If it is I should be okay but I am concerned because of the wording of Diploma. On the AQF a Diploma is level 5 which is pre 3rd level education as in leaving cert over there. Would appreciate opinions

pete4130

I finished DIT in 2002 with my 3 year diploma in Geo-Surveying (Level 7 NFQ). My course, the following year after I stated transitioned to a 4 year Bachelors Degree with the exact same lecturers, subjects and learning required with bar some extra business/economic.management modules in the 4th year and obviously a dissertation. The 3 year diplomas were renamed as Ordinary Degrees some years ago and both are level 7 NFQ in Ireland.

I've been here 6 years and this year only I needed to get my diploma recognised over here to be able to work on certain aspects of job with certain clients. It was assessed and came back as being at least equal to the equivalent Australian Bachelors degree.
Your 3 year Irish diploma is equal to an Ordinary Bachelors degree, not an Honours Bachelors degree, which is a 4 year degree, but it still regarded as a degree nevertheless.

A Diploma in Australia is pretty much a 1.5 year course maximum and isn't that highly regarded. So when applying for any jobs don't say you are Diploma qualified. I state my qualifications are recognised to be at Australian degree level. It's a different naming system here for qualifications that some employers don't bother to recognise. That is why the diploma on the AQF is only regarded as a level 5 qualification.

Leaving Cert is the equivalent of the Australian HSC.

Australian Diplomas would probably be the equivalent of the older Irish 2 year Certificate qualifications offered by IT's in Ireland at a push.

Noo

You'll require a skills assessment for a skilled migration. It'll be up to the assessing body of your particular occupation to determine whether you have the right qualifications....this can be in the form of a minimum level of qualification or amount of work experience etc. Some assessing bodies only recognise degrees from particular colleges too.

Assbook

pete4130 wrote: »

I finished DIT in 2002 with my 3 year diploma in Geo-Surveying (Level 7 NFQ). My course, the following year after I stated transitioned to a 4 year Bachelors Degree with the exact same lecturers, subjects and learning required with bar some extra business/economic.management modules in the 4th year and obviously a dissertation. The 3 year diplomas were renamed as Ordinary Degrees some years ago and both are level 7 NFQ in Ireland.

I've been here 6 years and this year only I needed to get my diploma recognised over here to be able to work on certain aspects of job with certain clients. It was assessed and came back as being at least equal to the equivalent Australian Bachelors degree.
Your 3 year Irish diploma is equal to an Ordinary Bachelors degree, not an Honours Bachelors degree, which is a 4 year degree, but it still regarded as a degree nevertheless.

A Diploma in Australia is pretty much a 1.5 year course maximum and isn't that highly regarded. So when applying for any jobs don't say you are Diploma qualified. I state my qualifications are recognised to be at Australian degree level. It's a different naming system here for qualifications that some employers  don't bother to recognise. That is why the diploma on the AQF is only regarded as a level 5 qualification.

Leaving Cert is the equivalent of the Australian HSC.

Australian Diplomas would probably be the equivalent of the older Irish 2 year Certificate qualifications offered by IT's in Ireland at a push.

Thanks for that, yea I know it definitely isn't an honors degree but it should be recognized as a level 7 ordinary degree over here and a bachelors degree over there. The AQF and NFQ seem to be identical so I'm hopeful . Where did you get your diploma assessed?

pete4130

Assbook wrote: »

Thanks for that, yea I know it definitely isn't an honors degree but it should be recognized as a level 7 ordinary degree over here and a bachelors degree over there. The AQF and NFQ seem to be identical so I'm hopeful . Where did you get your diploma assessed?

It depends on your qualification. Mine was through BOSSI NSW (Board of Spatial Science Institute) but for immigration purposes I'd have to go through SSSI (Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute). I didn't go through the 190 stream so I didn't need to spend the $800+ on SSSI.

So depending on what your degree is, there is a list on the immigration website of the corresponding authority to recognise your qualifications. You contact them, send them your transcripts which should just be a certified copy (photocopy sign by a peace commissioner and sent to them), details of where/when you studied, course name, institution and it can take up to a month (in my case with SSSI if I needed to go through them) to verify you, the course, your transcript is all above board and they recognise it all. Fairly straight forward and once its on the skills list its more of an expensive formality.