After school: choosing a university pathway

After school, the options include direct entry, Foundation and Diploma pathways. The choice depends on your qualification, grades and course requirements. The number of years spent at school does not determine the outcome on its own.

Foundation prepares students for further study and may lead to the first year of a bachelor degree. A Diploma within an agreed pathway may provide credit and progression to a later year. Check the duration, grades and available destinations with the specific provider.

For example, Deakin College lists a Russian school certificate with an average grade of 4.0 for Diploma entry; for Kazakhstan, it specifies 4.0 in the final year. English and course-specific requirements also apply. Year 12 mathematics is required for Engineering and the IT pathway to the Bachelor of Artificial Intelligence; a mathematics support program is available.

Source: Deakin College — academic requirements.

For admission, prepare your school certificate, transcript, passport and English-language evidence. Ask the institution about translation and certification requirements.

A Student visa application generally requires a CoE for each course, OSHC for your stay, financial information and Genuine Student responses. Specific document exemptions exist. GS responses must be in English, with a maximum of 150 words each; some applicants receive an additional question. Students under 18 also need appropriate accommodation and welfare arrangements.

Sources: Home Affairs — Student visa, Genuine Student.

Foundation tuition fees for 2026 are A$32,200 for Standard and A$37,260 for Extended at Deakin College, and A$42,300 and A$57,100 respectively at Monash College. Check additional charges and payment terms. Trinity’s website already lists 2027 fees: A$46,770 for Standard/Fast Track and A$58,050 for Comprehensive. Compare programs for the same intake year.

The standard base visa application charge is A$2,500 from 1 July 2026, with concessions for specified categories. A$29,710 represents one student’s 12-month living-cost component in the financial-capacity calculation, not the entire relocation budget. Tuition, travel, insurance and applicable family costs must also be considered.

Sources: Deakin fees, Monash fees, Trinity fees, Study Australia — visa charge, Home Affairs — funds.

Before paying, check the whole pathway: the destination degree, progression grades and the amount of credit available. The word Diploma does not guarantee a year’s saving. Confirm application deadlines, age requirements and places for your chosen intake.

Genuine Student responses should explain the course choice in the context of your education and plans. Home Affairs assesses circumstances and evidence; GS is not a separate language examination or a rule that automatically becomes stricter after age 30. GS criteria.