Month: February 2021

Charles Darwin University (CDU) is set to become the first university in the country to pilot a program which will see the return of international students to Australia. The pilot, which has the approval of the Australian and Northern Territory governments will see up to 70 international students arrive in Darwin from Singapore in late October in time for the next CDU intake on 9 November. This is a breakthrough for Australia and particularly CDU, the institution closest to Asia and the logical city to be piloted as the first safe corridor, assisted by having the Howard Springs residential facility.

The group will be the first international students to enter Australia since the introduction of border restrictions in March due to COVID-19. Upon arrival, students will be escorted immediately to the Northern Territory Government facility at Howard Springs for 14 days of quarantine.

CDU is adhering to the advice of the Chief Health Officer on all aspects relating to health and safety, including pre-departure health requirements, COVID-19 testing, and quarantine upon arrival. CDU staff will also deliver pastoral care to support students’ wellbeing.

Students are likely to come from a range of countries including China and Southeast Asia. They will travel from Singapore to Darwin at their own expense. International students contribute an estimated $99 million into the NT economy each year and support almost 500 jobs. It is hoped that the success of the pilot will help contribute to the recovery of the NT economy. CDU’s international students make up approximately 10 percent of our student cohort and are critical to the university’s growth. 

Having been a vibrant place that houses a vast number of international students year after year, UK is the most sought-after study destination for programs such as law, engineering, medicine, design, sports science, and management. Did you know? UK comprises elite universities! 6 out of which are ranked amongst the top 200 institutions by the Times Higher Education (THE).

Benefits of studying in the UK include living in a multicultural city where you can find students from all parts of the world. According to HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency), the UK is the 2nd popular study destination for students with over 115,000 international students (grew by 5%) studying in the UK in diverse courses. Since the city is welcoming, you can comfortably step into the UK to accomplish your higher education dreams. 

Interested to know the other aspects of studying in the UK? Read on the benefits of studying in the UK for international students!

1. Rich Research Infrastructure

REF (Research Excellence Framework) is a unique system that checks and accesses research standards of over 150+ institutions in the UK. The result revealed by REF states that 46% of research done in the UK institutions are internationally excellent and 30% of which are world-leading. 

Guess what? The UK Government awarded over 90,000 research degrees between 2008 and 2018, which is considerably higher than other developed countries’ count. The report prepared by the Dept. of Innovation, Business and Skills revealed that the fields such as health & medical sciences, clinical sciences, social sciences, humanities and business had conducted more research in the year 2019. So, irrespective of the field you choose to study, you have opportunities to research, innovate, and shine as an international student in the UK.

2. Post-Study Work Rights to study in the UK

With the new 2 years’ post-study work rights in the UK, international students completing a program in the UK at the undergraduate, post-graduate, or doctorate level will be allowed to apply for the Graduate immigration route with a valid Tier 4 Visa.  

On successfully meeting the eligibility criteria, all international students are accepted for the Graduate immigration route and can avail of up to 2 years of non-extendable leave. Over time, they will be allowed to either work or lookout for work pertaining to a specific skill set. Graduates are also entitled to swap their careers to skilled work as soon as they find employment that best fits them.

3. Health Cover Benefits to study in the UK

International students in the UK with a valid study visa can receive necessary/essential healthcare treatments through the UK Government’s NHS (National Health Service). The NHS provides free health cover to international students and UK residents through national funding. 

In order to receive free health treatment under the NHS Scheme, you shall need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You should have enrolled in a full-time course in the UK.
• The UK Government must accredit the selected course.

4. Scholarships for studying in the UK

The UK Government continuously provides financial support to help deserving international students to study seamlessly in the UK. This includes scholarships, grants, bursaries, fellowships, monetary awards, and loans.

The availability of scholarships and bursaries in the UK for international students from both the government and the privately held universities is a driving factor for international students’ growth in the UK, every year. 

For instance, Chevening Scholarships are awarded to outstanding international students from Chevening-eligible countries around the world. This scholarship is applicable for students pursuing a one-year master’s degree in the UK. Since it is a fully-funded government scholarship, it covers travel expenses, living costs, and accommodation costs. Hence students are free to focus on maximizing the study experience of a lifetime.

5. Tailored Courses

Studying higher education in the UK will help complete your course in a short span. Most countries have a template of  4 years’ course span for undergraduate and 2 to 3 years’ course span for postgraduate courses. But when you choose to study in the UK, you can complete undergraduate in just 3 years and postgraduation in just a year(for research-oriented courses it may take between 18 months and 2 years). The tailored courses in the UK can help cut short your academic cost for a year. Some of the popular tailored courses to study in the UK are mentioned below:

• Business.
• Natural Sciences.
• Engineering and Technology.
• Medicine.
• Law.
• Social Sciences.
• Sports Science.
• Media and Communication.
• Fashion
• Arts & design

So, are you planning to get enrolled in a UK University in 2021? Well, we are here to guide you through step by step process to achieve your study abroad journey seamlessly. 

Go ahead and fill in the inquiry form! Our expert counselors will reach out to you

If you are a student aspiring to study abroad or planning to work and stay in an English-speaking country, you should be able to understand and speak the English language seamlessly. There is a wide range of English proficiency tests available to students like you. The Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Pearson Test of English (PTE) are some widely-accepted and standardized tests measuring proficiency in the English language for non-native English speakers.

A few years ago, there was only TOEFL in the segment, but now it faces tough competition with a few other options. The following are the differences between IELTS and TOEFL tests which will help you get a clear perspective before you choose an English language proficiency test that best fits you.

IELTS

Established in 1989, many academic institutions accept the IELTS test in countries like the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. IELTS is the most popular English language proficiency test for higher education and immigration applicants.

Who accepts IELTS?

Over 10,000 organisations accept IELTS in 145+ countries as an indicator for English language proficiency test. IELTS Test has been accepted for over decades by education institutions, universities, immigration agencies, professional, government departments and industrial organisations.

TOEFL

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is the second major English language proficiency test structure developed for candidates applying for English-speaking academic institutions. TOEFL is administered by the ETS (Educational Testing Service).

Who accepts TOEFL?

Over 9,000 education institutions, including community colleges, colleges, and universities, accept TOEFL Test in 130+ countries. In the critical areas of writing, speaking, listening and reading, TOEFL scores are considered a preferred option by universities. Apart from education institutions, the following are some other organisations that accept TOEFL scores.

• Immigration offices consider TOEFL scores to process work and residential visas.
• Physical Therapy, Dental, Pharmacy and similar medical licensing boards.
• Any individual who wants to assess their English proficiency level.

Comparative Analysis:

IELTS 

• Validity – 2 years
• Fees – AUD 330
• Qualifying Marks – 6.5 Bands
• Modules Tested – Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening

TOEFL

• Validity – 2 Years
• Fees – USD 300
• Qualifying Marks – 73- Bachelor’s and 79- Master’s
• Modules Tested  – Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening

Test curriculum:

• The TOEFL is an American-style standardized test containing two essays, 6 brief spoken responses, and many multiple-choice questions or fill in the blanks.
• The IELTS has almost the same format, with two essays, multiple-choice and fill in the blank questions, and an oral interview.

Internet-based TOEFL exam sections:

The TOEFL iBT online exam comprises four sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

• TOEFL Reading Section

The objective of this task is to assess a student’s reading skills. It involves reading comprehension on various topics, including Psychology, Arts, Science, and History. Every passage has around 14 questions. Most Universities accept international students who have scored a minimum of 20 marks in the reading section.

Time limit: 60-80 minutes Questions: 36-56 questions

• TOEFL Listening Section

In the listening section of TOEFL iBT, each lecture has a time limit of 5 minutes with 6 questions to be answered. The conversation section is around 3 minutes, followed by 5 questions that are to be answered. Most universities accept a listening score of anything over 21.

Note: For each question, a unique audio clip will be played.

Time limit: 60-90 minutesQuestions: 34-51 questions

• TOEFL Speaking Section

The TOEFL iBT speaking section comprises six tasks under 2 categories, i.e. Independent tasks (Task 1 & 2) and Integrated tasks (Task 3 to 6). During the admission process, universities consider students who have scored over 22 marks in the verbal/speaking section.

• Independent Speaking Task

Under the speaking test, students will be asked to perform tasks 1 and 2 (a combination of reading, writing, and listening). For both tasks, students get 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to answer.

• Integrated Speaking Tasks

For tasks 3 and 4, the following steps are involved:

• Step 1 – 45 seconds to skim through a passage.
• Step 2 – One minute to listen to an audio clip.
• Step 3 – Half a minute to prepare.
• Step 4 – One minute to answer the questions raised by the proctor.

For tasks 5 and 6, students will listen to an audio clip (around 2 minutes). Soon after hearing the audio clip, the proctor will initiate a 20-second timer where students will have to recollect the audio clip to answer the questions.

Note: The proctor will begin a timer of 60 seconds as soon as the students start to respond to the questions.

• TOEFL Writing Section

The TOEFL iBT test’s final section is the writing section, where students will be asked to draft a couple of essays. One is integrated, and the other is an independent essay. The total duration of this task is around an hour.

• Integrated Writing

Students will be provided with three minutes to read a passage of around 300 words under integrated writing. Following that, the proctor will play a lecture. Based on the lecture and the passage’s input, students must frame an essay of around 220 words.

• Independent Writing

Independent writing allows students to write their own thoughts and opinions. As a part of the task, students will be asked to write a 300-word essay in 30 minutes.

Internet-based IELTS Online Test:

With the advancements in technology, students can now take the IELTS test online via computers and receive their results quickly within 7 days. Students need to complete reading, writing and listening in one sitting. Besides, the speaking test must be taken before the listening test or after taking the other 3 tests.

IELTS Test Process

IELTS Listening Test (30 minutes)

Students will listen to 4 texts or conversations between native speakers, and they are asked to produce answers based on the conversation they heard. These questions will analyse students’ ability to understand ideas, factual information, opinions, and the purpose of the conversation.

The listening test comprises 3 stages:

1st part –  A casual conversation between two humans.
2nd part –  A detailed speech.
3rd part – A conversation between people of different hierarchies (employer and employee)

IELTS Reading Test (60 minutes)

The Reading test in IELTS consists of forty questions. During the test, a variety of questions will be put forth to test students’ reading skills. The reading materials include 3 lengthy texts in the academic version, either factual, analytical, or descriptive. The texts are usually derived from journals, magazines, and newspapers.

IELTS Writing Test (60 minutes)

The Writing test of the IELTS Academic version consists of 2 tasks. All the chosen topics are suitable for students from all walks of life entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses.

IELTS Writing Task 1: Students will receive a diagram/chart/table and are asked to summarize the context in their own words (formal tone).

IELTS Writing Task 2: Students must write an essay based on an argument or problem statement during the test.

IELTS Speaking Test (11 to 14 minutes)

The Speaking test consists of 3 parts in IELTS. Each assesses a student’s spoken English. Altogether it takes between 11 to 14 minutes to finish 3 parts of the speaking test. As a part of the practice, all speaking tests will be recorded by the proctor.

• Stage 1 – Students will be asked to speak about themselves and for similar questions such as their family, studies, and interests. Ideally, this part consumes up to 4 to 5 minutes.
• Stage 2 – In the next part, students will be given a topic before 2 minutes of stage 2 process. Here, the proctor gives students 60 seconds to think and answer one or two questions from the given topic.
• Stage 3 – Here, students will be provided with an opportunity to converse some abstract ideas and thoughts. The time taken for this part is around 5 minutes.

To enroll in an English language test preparation class, fill in the inquiry form. Our test preparation experts will reach out to you and provide you with further information.

Studying abroad is a dream come true moment for any student who wishes to broaden their knowledge in the desired field. As a student, choosing a country to pursue higher education can be an overwhelming process. For students aspiring to study in a multicultural country, Australia or New Zealand would be a great option considering the countries’ people, culture, and top-notch educational institutions. 

To make things simpler for you, we have compared country-specific, academic and other vital factors of Australia and New Zealand. Sit back and give it a read!

Living Cost Comparison – Australia vs New Zealand 

Living Cost in Australia – Cities such as Melbourne and Sydney rank top on the list for most expensive cities globally. However, the other cities in Australia offer many free and affordable services, along with special offers and discounts to international students pursuing higher education. 

Though retail prices in Australia and New Zealand look similar, you may notice a higher variation when it comes to certain expenses. For instance, a typical day-meal at a restaurant will cost you at least between $15 and 20 in the Southern part of Australia. As per the Australian Government’s record, international students Study-AustraliaCity are bound to spend over $17,000 (USD) for their living costs. This amount excludes tuition fees and flight charges. 

Living Cost in New Zealand – When compared to Australia, Study in New Zealand is less expensive. While the average cost of living for students ranges between $12,000 and $13,000 (USD), the New Zealand Immigration suggests it would be good for international students to keep a budget of $15,000, including emergency airfares.

While Wellington and Auckland offer better programs in their cityscapes, the country has many more budget-friendly options like Hamilton and Palmerston North, which are just a couple of hours away from big cities thus have lower costs of living. Overall, New Zealand is known to be a comparatively affordable country for students looking to study at a budget-friendly destination.

Education System and Study Experience – Australia vs New Zealand

People in New Zealand are welcoming and are incredibly hospitable. The citizens across the little island often look out for one another and that translates into their classrooms. The environment is casual, relaxed, supportive and exciting, allowing students to ask as many questions to professors and get their doubts clarified. Irrespective of courses such as Medicine, Engineering, Law or Journalism and Media, New Zealand has qualified and top-ranking institutions across the country.

Australian institutions are more extensive and support a vast number of international students every year. Considering the learning opportunities the country provides for international students, one should not skip the chance to study in an Australian Institution.

Wellington and Auckland’s universities are spread across the city. Australia’s institutions focus on offering less classroom centric curriculum and more practical and research-oriented curriculum. Students can spend their leisure time lounging in beautiful botanical gardens and city cafes from skyscrapers during breaks and between classes.  

Course Duration

Many Australian and New Zealand universities follow a 2-semester process. Hence international students have a choice to study a semester at a time or for an entire year. While the initial or first semester commences in February and ends in June, the second semester commences and ends in July and November respectively. 

Some Australian Universities also follow trimesters. You need to consider studying in Australia or New Zealand depending upon the academic calendar that best fits your time frame and schedule. A few institutions in Australia and New Zealand provide international students with internship opportunities to take up alongside their regular classes.

Accommodation and Entertainment Factor – Australia vs New Zealand

Accommodation in New Zealand – Though home stays are available in walking distance from shops and restaurants, International students studying in New Zealand prefer living in an apartment or flat with other students. Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand, accommodating many international students year after year. 

Many multimedia courses in New Zealand include sightseeing and activity trips for international students to all the nearby Islands, where you can get an opportunity to witness diverse landscapes! Apart from that, New Zealand is the best place for Bungee Jumping. So, get ready to experience jumping from over 100 feet in height if you are an adrenaline junkie! 

Accommodation in Australia – Over 70% of international students, prefer flats for their accommodation and the remaining prefer home stays. You can enroll in plenty of programs in Australia’s largest city Sydney – usually known as the Harbour City, where beaches, charm, and nightlife attract international students.

We hope you conclude choosing between Australia and New Zealand based on your study requirements. If you need to know more about these destinations, fill in the inquiry form. Our destination-specific expert counselors will get in touch with you in helping your study abroad dreams come true! We wish you the very best!

Having been one of the world’s emerging global leaders, Canada produces a large number of engineering graduates every year. International students studying engineering in Canada take the best opportunities to pursue in colleges that are recognised by the ABET – Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. The wide range of engineering streams and structured education curriculum encourages international students to take up part-time jobs during their undergraduate and postgraduate studies and to stay in Canada for work opportunities soon after graduation.

Considering the country’s quality of education, lifestyle, and cost of living, 3 cities (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver) in Canada are ranked amongst the best cities in the world for international students pursuing engineering in Canada. Mentioned below are some of the reasons for / benefits of studying engineering in Canada.

1. Range of Engineering Courses in Canada

Whether you want to pursue a core engineering course or non-core engineering course, Canadian Institutions have a lot of offer you. One significant aspect is that international students receive scholarships from most universities, and the Canadian Government is focused on providing opportunities to deserving students year after year.

Right from Aerospace to Biomedical, Chemical and Materials, Civil, Electrical, Electronic and Automotive, you have many options to choose from, study and get exposed to domain-specific organisations through internships.

Did you know? Over 700,000 international students are studying in Canada from worldwide.

2. Advancement & Innovations

Aeronautical and Electronic engineering courses are now steadily emerging in Canada. Did you know? Canada was the forerunner to link its libraries and schools to the internet via its innovative program (SchoolNet). Besides, the country’s 90% of households are now connected to the internet. As a result of advancement in wireless technology, Canada proudly ranks second in the world for the average number of minutes spent online by each individual for a month.

Engineering institutions in Canada also encourage international students to experiment and innovate. As a result, a vast number of electronic innovations have been sprouting every year, including the immersive movie experience – IMAX.

3. High Remuneration

The average salary for engineers in Canada is rising year after year, and the take-home salary has increased to 10% – which is roughly between $110,000 and 130,000. Due to the shortage of skills in the engineering sector, employers are keen to hire international students graduating from Canadian Institutions.

When you opt for an in-demand engineering course in Canada, chances are enormous to land on a high paying job soon after completing the course. Especially, design-oriented technical studies such as Automobile, Mechanical and Aerospace are the most sought-after courses by international students studying engineering in Canada.

4. Research Hub

Canadian Universities are known for their top-notch research activities. Engineering programs such as Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics involves curriculum to do many pieces of research, and international students get an opportunity to put their hands in fascinating projects and experiments. With innovation and research, students get a 360-degree study experience in Canada.

Some significant research works performed by Canadian research works have led to distinguished discoveries and new theories. A couple of notable inventions include the device to efficiently detect cancer, new technologies to preserve and protect the oceans, sustained and effective and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

Did you know? Students from a Canadian University in Toronto discovered insulin.

5. Safe And Friendly Environment

Canada is a bilingual nation where English and French are the official languages of the country. The addition of the English language is a constructive step taken by the Canadian Government to make each international student feel safer to live in Canada.

Adding to this, Canada has a democratically opted government where the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms safeguards the people living in Canada (including international students).

In 2016, the Institute of Economics and Peace ranked Canada as the 8th most peaceful country in the world. This is because the Canadian laws ensure its citizens, irrespective of circumstances, are protected from all forms of discrimination (gender, age, colour, religion, and physical disabilities). This means you can wear any religious outfits inside the country and in educational institutions.

Out of all reasons, when you look at the ‘work while you study’ aspect, you are eligible to work up to 20 hours a week with a minimum wage 18$/hour. During summer vacation and scheduled breaks, you can even work full-time up to 30 hours a week, without a work permit.

To know more about the engineering courses and scholarships in Canada, fill in the inquiry form. Our expert counsellors will get in touch with you very soon!

While the world is slowly but surely recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, international students’ dreams of studying abroad have put on halt due to circumstantial delay in submitting the mandatory documents to universities, such as English Language Test scores, Medical Certificates, and a few others.

For students who have been dreaming of fulfilling their study abroad goals, the IELTS and TOEFL have initiated a special test that allows students to attend English test exams from the comfort of their home.

And guess what?

You can receive your test results within 10 to 15 days itself! As an aspiring student, one can opt from any of the two tests to crack admission into the desired university seamlessly.

So, are you pumped up to know about these tests and the process?

Here you go! Grab a cup of hot tea or coffee and read on.

TOEFL ibt Test

To help students in this unprecedented time, TOEFL iBT has innovated a unique online test model to help students take up relaxed tests from the comfort of their homes. Here is the detailed information about the TOEFL online tests.

Internet-based TOEFL exam sections:

The TOEFL iBT online exam comprises four sections; reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

TOEFL iBT Reading Section

The objective of this task is to assess a student’s reading skills. It involves reading comprehension on various topics including Psychology, Arts, Science, and History, etc. Every passage has around 14 questions. Most Universities accept international students who have scored a minimum of 20 marks in the reading section.

Time limit: 60-80 minutes
Questions: 36-56 questions

TOEFL iBT Listening Section

In the listening section of TOEFL iBT, each lecture has a time limit of 5 minutes with 6 questions to be answered. The conversation section is around 3 minutes, followed by 5 questions that are to be answered. Most universities accept a listening score of anything over 21.

Note: Audio clips will be played only once for each question.

Time limit: 60-90 minutes
Questions: 34-51 questions

TOEFL iBT Speaking Section

The TOEFL iBT speaking section comprises six tasks under 2 categories, i.e. Independent tasks (Task 1 & 2) and Integrated tasks (Task 3 to 6). During the admission process, universities consider students who have scored over 22 marks in the verbal/speaking section.

Independent Speaking Task

Under the speaking test, students will be asked to perform tasks 1 and 2 (a combination of reading, writing, and listening). For both tasks, students get 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to answer.

Integrated Speaking Tasks

For tasks 3 and 4, the following steps are involved:

Step 1 – 45 seconds to skim through a passage.
Step 2 – One minute to listen to an audio clip.
Step 3 – Half a minute to prepare.
Step 4 – One minute to answer the questions raised by the proctor.
For tasks 5 and 6, students will listen to an audio clip (around 2 minutes). Soon after hearing the audio clip, the proctor will initiate a 20-second timer where students will have to recollect the audio clip to answer the questions.

Note: The proctor will begin a timer of 60 seconds as soon as the students start to respond to the questions.

TOEFL iBT Writing Section

The TOEFL iBT test’s final section is the writing section, where students will be asked to draft a couple of essays. One is integrated, and the other is an independent essay. The total duration of this task is around an hour.

TOEFL iBT Integrated Writing

Students will be provided with three minutes to read a passage of around 300 words under integrated writing. Following that, the proctor will play a lecture. Based on the lecture and the passage’s input, students must frame an essay of around 220 words.

TOEFL iBT Independent Writing

Independent writing allows students to write their own thoughts and opinions. As a part of the task, students will be asked to write a 300-word essay in 30 minutes.

IELTS Online Test

Over 30 years, the IELTS paper-based module has been one of the prominent English language tests that help students achieve their dream of studying abroad. With the advancements in technology, students can now take the IELTS test online via computers and receive their results quickly within 7 days. Students need to complete reading, writing and listening in one sitting. Besides, the speaking test has to be taken before the listening test or after taking the other 3 tests.

IELTS Test Process

IELTS Listening Test (30 minutes)

Students will listen to 4 texts or conversations between native speakers, and they are asked to produce answers based on the conversation they heard. These questions will analyse students’ ability to understand ideas, factual information, opinions, and the purpose of conversation. The listening test comprises 3 stages.

1st part – A casual conversation between two humans.

2nd part – A detailed speech.

3rd part – A conversation between people of different hierarchies (employer and employee)

IELTS Reading Test (60 minutes)

The Reading test in IETS consists of forty questions. During the test, a variety of questions will be put forth to test students’ reading skills. The reading materials include 3 lengthy texts in the academic version, either factual, analytical, or descriptive. The texts are usually derived from journals, magazines, and newspapers.

IELTS Writing Test (60 minutes)

The Writing test of the IELTS Academic version consists of 2 tasks. All the chosen topics are suitable for students from all walks of life entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses.

Task 1: Students will receive a diagram/chart/table and are asked to summarise the context in their own words (formal tone).

Task 2: Students must write an essay based on an argument or problem statement during the test.

IELTS Speaking Test (11 to 14 minutes)

The Speaking test consists of 3 parts in IELTS. Each assesses a student’s spoken English. Altogether it takes between 11 to 14 minutes to finish 3 parts of the speaking test. As a part of the practice, all speaking tests will be recorded by the proctor.

Stage 1 – Students will be asked to speak about themselves and for similar questions such as their family, studies, and interests. Ideally, this part consumes up to 4 to 5 minutes.
Stage 2 – In the next part, students will be given a topic prior to 2 minutes of stage 2 process. Here, the proctor gives students 60 seconds to think and answer one or two questions from the given topic.
Stage 3 – Here, students will be provided with an opportunity to converse some abstract ideas and thoughts. The time taken for this part is around 5 minutes.

Want to prepare for the English language proficiency test to study abroad? Fill in the inquiry form today! Our expert counselors will soon get in touch with you to resolve all your queries.