Australian Universities Accepting Diploma Holders for Master’s Study

Compared with many other countries, Australia’s education system is more flexible. For example, a bachelor’s degree is not always required to apply for a master’s program. Interestingly, a master’s degree is also not always required to apply for a PhD.

For many students whose academic background is not ideal, Australia can be a stepping stone to a higher qualification and help them move closer to their academic goals.

So, what do you need to do if you want to progress from a diploma to a master’s degree in Australia? Let’s take a look.

First, “diploma to master’s” in Australia refers to students with little or no work experience who go to Australia to study a master’s program.

Because the admission requirements are not very high, the range of available majors is relatively limited. In general, most options are business-related fields such as finance, business, accounting, international management, and information systems.

That said, some universities are still quite flexible and offer a number of distinctive programs. For example, the University of Adelaide offers highly local specialties such as arts and wine studies.

Below are two universities that accept students directly from diploma-level study into a master’s program.

1. University of Wollongong

The University of Wollongong is located in Wollongong, New South Wales. Established in 1951, it is a comprehensive university with strengths in education, engineering, science and technology, business, and other disciplines.

Business admission requirements

• Academic requirement: A three-year full-time diploma. Applicants who do not meet the academic requirement may substitute a high school qualification and work experience. Requirements vary by program.
• English requirement: IELTS 6.0 overall, with speaking and listening scores of at least 5.0.
• Study duration: Usually a six-month Graduate Certificate followed by a master’s degree, for a total of about 1.5 to 2 years.

Computer science admission requirements

• Academic requirement: A three-year full-time diploma, with a background in engineering, science, or a related field, and an average score of 70 or above.
• English requirement: IELTS 6.0 overall, with each band at least 6.0.

Nursing admission requirements

• Academic requirement: A three-year full-time diploma in nursing, an average score of 70 or above, and a Chinese nurse practice certificate.
• English requirement: IELTS 6.5 overall, with each band at least 6.0.

2. University of Newcastle

The University of Newcastle has a main campus and a city campus. The main campus is in Newcastle, New South Wales, near Sydney, and the city campus is in central Sydney.

Business admission requirements

• Academic requirement: A three-year full-time diploma. Applicants who do not meet the academic requirement may substitute a high school qualification and work experience.
• English requirement: IELTS 6.5 overall, with each band at least 6.0.

The University of Newcastle offers a fairly comprehensive range of business programs. It also follows a similar pathway: students first complete a six-month Graduate Certificate and then move on to a master’s degree. In general, the total study duration is between 1.5 and 2 years.