Curious about becoming a postgraduate student in Australia? Australian postgraduate courses attract dedicated, insightful students, and the country is home to many top-tier academic institutions. Below, we’ve assembled a postgraduate application process guide, which will take you through the key steps toward becoming an international student in Australia.
As you explore study abroad options, you’ll find each country has its own application process and requirements. Before assembling your applications, refer to the related course pages on the ApplyBoard platform for up-to-date information.
Securing student housing is another key step in becoming an international student. Find your new home quickly and easily with our partner University Living.
Creating Your Postgraduate Application Roadmap
Consider starting your research as early as 24 months before your desired course begins. Starting early should help you feel less rushed! Start by talking with people you know who have worked or studied in Australia. Find out what they wish they knew before they landed. Everyone’s experience is different, so the more folks you talk to, the better idea you’ll have of what life in Australia can be like.
With 20 months to go, continue researching and/or working with your student advisor to create a list of target courses. Remember: to study in Australia, the only people who are legally able to give you immigration assistance are a registered migration agent, a legal practitioner, or an exempt person.
Researching specific course requirements can also help you draw up your application roadmap. Some requirements may be tied to your country of origin, where others will be required by your course, like tests you must take before applying. These tests may include postgraduate standardized tests and English language proficiency tests like TOEFL and IELTS.
Remember: The English proficiency level required for your course and the one required for a student visa may be different.
If you’re a citizen or long-term (10+ years) permanent resident of a recognized English-speaking country who completed secondary or tertiary education there, you may not need to show proof of English proficiency.
Understanding Postgraduate Standardized Tests
Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
The GMAT is a standardized test for master’s of business administration (MBA) applicants. While some business schools accept both GMAT and GRE scores, if you’re planning to work in consulting, management, or logistics, the GMAT may be a better fit.
Its sections include:
- Analytical writing assessment (essay format)
- Integrated reasoning
- Quantitative reasoning (algebra, arithmetic, and geometry)
- Verbal reasoning
You’ll have two minutes at the end of the GMAT to accept or cancel your score. So, go into the test with a target score in mind, and understand whether your chosen institutions require your best score or all scores from all of your attempts.
Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
The GRE measures your readiness for postgraduate study. While it’s not as commonly requested in Australia, if you’re taking a competitive science, business, or engineering course, you may need a GRE score. The GRE is adaptive, so how you score in early sections will affect how easy or hard later sections are. Let’s look at the two types of GRE: General Tests and Subject Tests.
The GRE General Test is a multiple-choice exam which takes around two hours to complete. You may complete it at a test centre, or online with a virtual proctor. It assesses your:
- Verbal reasoning
- Quantitative reasoning
- Analytical writing skills
GRE Subject Tests are for students with an extensive background or undergraduate major in a specific discipline. Taking a GRE Subject Test can help you highlight your subject knowledge. GRE Subject Tests are available for:
- Math
- Physics
- Psychology
How to Prepare for Graduate Admissions Tests
To better understand each test’s timing and style, take online practice tests. Once you take the GRE or GMAT, if you don’t like your score, you may re-take the test. However, each attempt requires paying the exam fee again. Save your money and build your confidence by using free practice tests first!
We recommend taking the GRE or GMAT 15 to 18 months before your course’s intake date. This gives you time to re-test, if needed, and means you won’t worry about getting your results before the course deadline.
Is the GMAT or the GRE right for you? Explore which test maximizes your strengths and suits your course requirements on our blog.
Assembling Your Course Applications
With 12 to 13 months to go, start building your postgraduate course applications. You’ll want to identify documents that need external verification early. This proactive approach helps to ensure your timeline will be smooth and predictable.
The documents you’ll want to request early could include:
- Academic transcripts from your previous studies (postgraduate and/or undergraduate).
- Any documents you’ll need to have translated into English (transcripts, degrees, awards), as they must be translated by a government-accredited translator or your school’s registrar.
- Related study or work experience which may be used towards recognition of prior learning at some institutions (which can allow you to reduce your course duration)
- Letters of reference confirming your professional experience.
Also, start assembling a resume and a portfolio of work, if you’re applying to a course that requires one. Programs like architecture, software engineering, and design may ask for portfolios.
To obtain certified copies of academic transcripts or diplomas/degrees, contact the institution where you completed your undergrad. Processing times can vary, and you may need to have your documents translated, so it’s wise to request these early.
Lastly, ask for letters of reference from employers who can speak clearly and precisely about your work experience. An unspecific letter can actually hurt your chances of being accepted. Let references know which institutions you’re applying to, the deadlines, and what’s required of them, so they can write the best letter possible.
Submitting Your Applications
Once your postgraduate application materials are ready, start applying. We recommend starting to apply for programs 9 to 10 months before you want to begin your studies. This gives you enough time to apply for immigration documents.
Use the Australian Government’s visa processing times guide for a current estimate of how long your student visa will take to process. As of March 2026, on average, Australian student visas took 33 days to be issued, but could take up to 6 months.
Your timing may also be shaped by your target course’s application deadlines. Many courses start exclusively in February.
Australian universities have two main intake periods:
- Primary Intake: Application deadlines are in October or November. The semester starts in February.
- Secondary Intake: Application deadlines are in April or May, with the semester starting in July.
Some universities have minor intakes in September or November. Their application deadlines are around two months before classes start.
Common application requirements include:
- An official bachelor’s degree transcript, or a diploma transcript for a postgraduate diploma or a certificate program which meets the minimum GPA requirement.
- Proof of language proficiency.
- Standardized test scores: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
- An educational credential assessment establishing the equivalency of coursework completed outside of Australia.
- Proof that you meet the health requirement, which may require health examinations.
- Proof of identity, usually a passport.
- Proof of financial capacity (tuition and living expenses).
- A copy of your research (thesis/project) topic.
- A CV or resume.
- Letters of recommendation.
- A portfolio.
Institution Responses and Student Visas
With four to five months to go, you should be hearing back from the institutions you applied to. Now, work independently or with an international student advisor to make your course selection, accept and return the offer, and pay a deposit if required.
Your Australian student visa can take as little as a couple of weeks or as much as six months to process. So, it’s smart to start your application early.
As part of the visa application, you must complete an online Genuine Student requirement that addresses your personal and academic history, and intent to study while in Australia. You’ll also speak to potential concerns, like if you took a leave from your studies, or have a conditional offer of admission. To complete this requirement, you’ll answer a series of standard questions, each in 150 words or less, and provide supporting documents to back up your answers. By sharing this context, you can strengthen your application.
Drafting your answers and gathering supporting documents takes time, so start early. Your university may also ask to see your GS response, so it’s often wise to draft it before you apply to specific courses.
Learn how to write an effective GS requirement response with our guide.
Moving Forward
Once your offer is returned, plan for your life as a student. Set up your travel arrangements, find student housing, and learn about different health insurance options.
Also, explore what makes your new home special, whether that’s snorkelling on Australia’s west coast, learning how to bake a lamington cake, or going to a wine tasting in the south. Engaging with your new community can help it feel like home.
A month or so before classes begin, share your arrival details with any necessary parties. Soon, you’ll be an international student in Australia. Happy travels!
Ready to find a course that matches your academic goals? Use the free ApplyBoard platform to find it.