Australia has been a popular educational destination for Nepalis—of all age groups and levels of study—for many years. The continent’s ever-growing job market, huge investments made by the Australian government on education, easy procedures for Permanent Residency and the absence of a language barrier, among other factors, have attracted thousands of aspiring students to Australia.

Popular Courses
Management courses—particularly accounting, and bachelor’s and master’s programmes in administration—are popular courses among Nepali students. Other popular courses include economics, business communication, and hotel management.

Tharendra Adhikari of Nepal Educational Consultancy says that whopping economic investments made by the Australian government in its educational institutions have helped cement its position as a leading student destination, with world renowned universities that offer many popular courses.

As Adhikari points out, there are other advantages to pursuing educational degrees in Australia. “Work permits are easily obtained once students complete their education. Also, couples who want to study together there are faced with comparatively few legal hurdles.”

“While accounting has conventionally been a popular course for Nepali students, newer, more technical subjects have replaced it as the ‘course of choice’ these days,” says Mahesh Babu Timilsina of Kangaroo Education, pointing towards shifting trends. Also amongst these recent changes is the application of streamlined visa processing rules to students seeking education there. “Some 40 Australian universities have opted to adhere to the new rules, which means only the most competent students are granted admission in the best colleges,” says Eknath Neupane of San International.

Technical Courses
The global demand for IT professionals and nurses remains unmet, and Australia has become a major destination for Nepali students seeking to pursue successful careers in these fields. As Shyam Bhandari of Rohini International points out, “The increasing numbers of ageing populations in countries around the world and the shortage of health professionals have made courses in nursing popular amongst Nepali students.”

Engineering degrees from Australian universities are also well regarded. “The global recognition given to Australian degrees means students do not need to worry about job placements, whether they decide to remain in Australia or come back,” says Narayan Bajaj of Global Reach.

It should however, be noted that a student visa to Australia is not guaranteed. “Almost 60 percent of the total number of Nepalis who applied for a student visa in the past year, have been rejected,” says Bajaj. He is however quick to point this out an indication that the continent is seeking to admit only “genuine students who possess good command over the subjects of their choice” in its universities.

The number of Nepali students seeking university degrees has also increased in recent years, which perhaps corresponds to the more stringent visa rules. “This is a good trend, as it will create a more professionally trained bunch of individuals,” says Buddha Shakya of Aus Studies.

“Once students have completed their degrees they can make good money there,” says BR Sharma of President International. “The Australian job market is only increasing, and there is ample room for everyone.”

source: The Kathmandu Post,2 Oct 2012