Cedric

And while I am at it: Sometimes flat, but never boring !

Australia is definitly and very varied and superb country and all the pictures kindly shared here testify for that. In my own mind the problem would not be Australia being boring but rather Australia being unaffordable. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-18/study-finds-tourists-think-whitsundays-too-expensive/5098862 When I was granted my regional visa to SA I started to picture myself being able to spend weekends campings on KI to enjoy the wildlife. But when I went there on vacation this summer, I realise how irrealistic it was. Even though we went there in low season (winter) we had to pay a hefty amount of approximately 500 $ just for the 45 min ferry to get there (admittedly including the price of the car, but what would you do without a car in KI ?). Even for a guy like me coming from Switzerland it sounded really, really expensive. Of course, there is still some nice spots you can go for much less, but if you want to head to the big shots you'd better be loaded ! Great posts, btw!

Thank you Starlight for sharing your kid's experience. Yes, there is a wide range of modalities regarding the way courses are offered: some are fully online, whereas others have lots of on-campus components. But my question is rather directed on the "social" value and perceptions about this kind of education. I.e: how those kind of courses would be generally perceived compared to "regular" diplomas (for instance, by potential employers) ? I know that in my own country, diplomas gained online would be regarded with caution, primarily because this kind of education is currently underdevelopped. But I wonder what it would be for a country like Australia which has historically be more innovative with its educational sector for obvious reasons. Cheers, Cedric

Thank you for sharing your opinion Daniel. As regards my specific case, I am envisioning a postrgrad as a way to retrain/specialize myself in another field as I am anxiously stepping upon a growing body of evidence pointing out that there is no shortage of secondary school teacher in South Australia at the moment (http://foi.deewr.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/anzsco_241411_secondary_school_teacher_sa.pdf) and that current immigration-friendly policies are based on mere speculations about future retirements of the current workforce. Since I already hold a BSC in biology and a MA in development studies with a major in global ecology and have a long-lived crush on the australian wildlife, I thought that I could try to gain some qualification of some sort in the field of environmental management which, along with volunteering work, could open the door to new opportunities. @Ratchet: Charles Sturt is indeed one the leading provider, and seems to have good records for both student satisfaction and employment outcomes (http://www.hobsonscoursefinder.com.au/ratings/institutionFOS/CSU/PG/8#.UdVWtlM72Cg). On the minus side, though they have on-campus mandatory units, which could be a problem considering that due to a constraint of my visa, I'll have to be based in South Australia. So lately, I have been considering this: http://www.gradschool.com.au/master-environmental-business-management/overview, which apparently in fully delivered online. But given the investment required, I would like to be sure that it is worth it. So any comment or suggestion, especially on that particular institution from those who may have attended it would be very welcome !!! Wish you all a great sunny Day ! :wink: Cedric

Got mine yesterday, subclass 489, 60. Soooo happy !! Good luck to all! Cedric

Hope to be as "unlucky" as you !

Best of luck to you! I feel of empathy since I also took the test last week for the second time and need all 8's as well ! I am not too opistimic tough :sad: . For the speaking part, I got the following task " describe your favorite advertisment". What a drag for someone like me who has "No logo" as one of his bedside book. The good news is that when I'll got the news, I will be in Rapa Nui, probably enjoying a beer in front of the beautiful ocean view, which will sure help the consolating process :laugh:. So until then, fingers crossed for both of us! Cheers, Cedric

My mistake, you could actually apply for a visa if you obtain SS since your level meet the minimal english threshold. Cheers, Cédric

As far as I know, you won't be able to get a sponsorship with your current total. Just redo the IELTS, it is not so much of a big deal. I'm sure that you will be able to secure a better grade with a little practice. As I found out myself, certain part of the test (i.e writing) are not so much about testing you language ability but rather your ability to structure an "essay" (at least as far as the academic test is concerned). Cheers, Cédric

Kudos to both of you !:biggrin: Can you please let us know what your occupation is and the number of points that you were able to claim ? Thanks and all good for the rest ! CB

Received mine recently. They announced it was going to take around ten weeks and it took ....... precisely ten weeks ! I didn't bother to call them though since I cannot apply for SS before september 1 st. Good luck!

Actually, Teacher is part of the skills in demand list with places for sponsorship opened in both primary and secondary degree (depending on specialization): 241111 Pre-primary School Teacher Eligible for registration with the ACT Teacher Quality Institute. Qualified in: • Early Childhood (age 3-8); Special Education. Open 241213 Primary School Teacher Eligible for registration with the ACT Teacher Quality Institute. Qualified in: • Special Education. Open 241411 Secondary School Teacher Eligible for registration with the ACT Teacher Quality Institute. Qualified in: • Maths; Science; English; French; Italian; Computer Programming; Design and Technology; Special Education. Open However, note that contrary to other states'practice, ACT's government will charge your friend 300 $ to examine her case. Also, as far as I know, conditions are more stringent and competition in the job market might be more fierce (?) (ACT has the most educated population in Australia). On the positive side though, ACT also has the lowest unemployment rate in Australia. Like Quoll, I would also recommend that your friend try to come on a teacher exchange or something like that. I just know Canberra from a touristic perspective and I also know somebody there, and it doesnt resemble any other place in Australia. Generally, you either love it or hate it ! Cheers

I have the same kind of concern being in the same situation as you (except I don't want to become a tattoist). So thanks for the thread.

For spiders, if you're particularly interested in a visual guide, you might try this. http://www.steveparish.com.au/product?code=1018114 . I don't know this particular book, but Steve Parish is one if not the most famous nature and wildlife photographer in Australia. Cheers, Cedric

Yes, exactly. I'm going to take the IELTS again after my assessment and hopefully get a better score. It's not like I have much choice here, though since need at least an 8 in each of the components to meet the 65 points threshold. But I hope to save some time by doing the assessment first. Also, it makes more sense to see first if I can get my qualifications recognized before starting to cram my english and taking another chance (and repay) the test. Good luck to you and your brother-in-law, Cedric