Qualifications Framework

The student counsellor needs to be able to advise prospective students about the courses available to international students in the destination country, the qualifications which result from them, and their equivalence to qualifications in the home country. To do this, the student counsellor has to understand the qualifications framework of the destination country, i.e., the structure and hierarchy of the qualifications awarded in the education system relative to the courses offered.

Types of Qualifications

School

Two types of qualification are usually available from secondary schools:

• A leaving certificate or certificate of completion at the end of compulsory schooling (usually around 15 years of age or at the end of middle school). This is usually an informal certificate but may be required for entry into vocational training programmes or as proof of education when seeking work.
• A high school certificate or diploma at the end of high school. This is required for matriculation to university. Some schools offer foundation programmes to international students instead of a high school certificate. This normally provides entry to specific universities.

Vocational (Post-secondary)

With such a broad range of training programmes, this sector usually offers a variety of certifications ranging from certificates in basic job skills through to semi-professional diplomas. Qualifications awarded may include different forms of proficiency statements, certificates, and diplomas.

The student counsellor should be careful to understand the equivalence of qualifications in different countries. In particular, the terms “certificate” and “diploma” can have very different usage in different qualifications frameworks.

Proficiency Statement: Proficiency statements indicate that a student has successfully completed part of a course and is competent in the units undertaken. This is not normally regarded as a qualification but may be used for course credit later.

Training Certificate: Training certificates are awarded on successful completion of a recognised training course. There may be a number of levels of a certificate (eg Certificate I, II, III, etc) corresponding to progressively higher levels of workplace skills.

Trade Certificate: Trade certificates are basically training certificates which confer a recognised trade licence. For example, completion of an apprenticeship makes the apprentice eligible for the trade certificate needed to work in the specified trade.

Semi-professional Diploma: Semi-professional diplomas are usually the highest level of vocational education. They generally qualify the holder for junior or lower middle management positions or equivalent. Semi-professional diplomas are often articulated into professional degree courses at university.

University

Semi-professional Diploma: Many universities offer semi-professional certificates and diplomas. In general, these are the same as the semi-professional diplomas awarded in the vocational education sector.

Bachelor’s Degree: The basic qualification awarded by universities is the bachelor’s degree (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science) or equivalent. This is usually considered to be the basic professional qualification. An additional honours year may be a bridge to post-graduate study and can be regarded as equivalent to the first year of a master’s degree.

Post-graduate Diploma: Post-graduate diplomas are a professional qualification, usually involving a degree of specialisation, following on from a bachelor’s degree. For example, a student might follow a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Diploma of Education in order to qualify as a teacher.

Master’s Degree: Master’s degrees may be based on research, coursework, or a combination of the two. A research methodology tends to be used more in master’s degrees which are oriented academically (e.g., Master of Science), whereas coursework is more common in those with a professional orientation (e.g., Master of Business Administration).

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): A doctoral degree is normally completed by research and dissertation. It is awarded as recognition that the candidate is capable of developing and undertaking independent research in the relevant discipline. A PhD is regarded as essential for an academic career. Note: While most doctoral degrees are awarded as PhDs, there are variants such as Doctor of Divinity (DD). Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a professional degree and has its own methodology and processes.

Language Schools

Proficiency Certificate: Proficiency certificates are informal qualifications indicating the level of language proficiency students have attained. Students must sit one of the recognised language tests (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL) for a formal qualification in language proficiency.

Other

In most cases, international students cannot obtain a student visa for speciality colleges unless they are accredited for some form of the above qualifications.

Extension Questions: For each relevant destination country:

• What is the name and form of each of the above types of qualification?
• What courses lead to these qualifications? What are their entry requirements?
• How are they accessed by international students? What do they cost?

Equivalence and Recognition

The student counsellor needs to know the equivalence of qualifications in destination countries relative to those in the home country. Not only do equivalent qualifications often have different names, but is not uncommon for certification with a similar name to another qualification to in fact be quite different types of qualification. Even within a single country, different jurisdictions may use different terminology for equivalent qualifications.

In order to analyse the equivalence of qualifications, the student counsellor can check the characteristics of the qualification and courses for which it is awarded. These characteristics might include the age of students, course entry requirements, length and content of courses, course outcomes, articulation to further study, and professional or industry recognition.

Equivalence does not necessarily mean formal recognition (e.g., by education authorities, institutions, professions, industry, and employers). The student counsellor also needs to check whether the destination country’s qualifications are formally recognised in the home country, in order to be able to advise students about the best courses to suit their future plans. Conversely, he/she needs to check that the home country’s qualifications are recognised in the destination country to ensure that prospective students can meet enrolment prerequisites.

The student counsellor should check the relevant education institutions in the destination country for information on their courses and qualifications. Detailed information on types of qualifications should be available from the education authorities, and immigration authorities may have specific criteria regarding which qualifications are acceptable for student visas.

Extension Questions: For each relevant destination country:

• For each type of qualification, what is the equivalent qualification in the home country?
• Do the home and destination countries recognize each other’s qualifications?