Design Colleges in Australia: Rankings, Courses, Admission Requirements, Fees, Scholarships and Scope

Design industry in Australia ia a diverse field granting specialisations in Graphic design, furniture design, illustration, interior design, industrial design, computer system design, gaming design, jewellery, and fashion. Many people earned practical skills and experience through ‘real-world' vocational education and training (VET) programs offered by Design Colleges in Australia. A lot of Australian universities offer bachelor's double degree in design, on completion of which one can pursue their Doctor of Philosophy in the subject.

Design industry in Australi adds $26.1 billion to the economy annually with 218,983 people employed in the sector.
Architectural, engineering and technical services is the largest employing sector in design. A person working as a Design Engineer in Australia typically earns around 84,100 AUD per year.
A number of skilled occupations are currently in shortage in engineering design. These jobs are in demand across Australia, so there’s a good chance of ongoing employment when you complete your training.

Other than the above mentioned facts, global recognition of the design courses, low cost of accommodation, wide range of majors and the high employment rate of the international students are few of the reasons which makes design colleges in Australia an international student magnet.

Top Design Colleges in Australia

Australia houses few of the best universities and colleges for design studies around the globe. In QS world subject ranking for design, 5 best universities of Australia come under the top 50 universities around the world.

Some of the best design colleges in Australia are tabulated below:

QS World Rankings 2022	University/College	Design Programs Offered
#27	The Australian National University	1 Bachelors, 1 Masters, 1 Diploma
#37	The University of Melbourne	1 Bachelors, 8 Masters,1 Doctoral, 3 Diplomas and 1 Certificate
#43	The University of New South Wales(UNSW Sydney)	2 Bachelors, 3 Double Bachelors, 4 Masters, 1 Doctoral
#58	Monash University	6 Bachelors, 2 Masters
#133	University of Technology Sydney	22 Bachelors, 2 Masters, 1 Doctoral, 1 Graduate Certificate, 1 Graduate Diploma
#206	RMIT University	13 Bachelors, 6 Masters,1 Doctoral,3 Certificates, 3 Diplomas
#321	Swinburne University of Technology	11 Bachelors, 5 Masters, 5 Doctoral, 2 Swinburne Foundational Year Diploma, 5+ Diplomas, Certificate, Graduation Certificate

Design Colleges in Australia: Degree Types and Specializations

The field of design is vast and is offered in many disciplines in Australia. Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees are the main education level in which design colleges in Australia offer programs. Beside the above mentioned courses there are several other diploma, certificate courses. An added park of pursuing design studies in Australia is that this country houses universities which offer a double degree in design studies.

Below given are some of the popular specialization in Design studies that one can pursue in Australia.

Spacialization	Bachelors Offered at	Masters Offered at
Graphic Design	RMIT University, University of Canberra, Torrens University of Australia	University of Sydney, RMIT University, Griffith University
Fashion and Textile Design	University of Technology Sydney, RMIT University, University of Canberra	Torrens University Australia, RMIT University, Australian National University
Interior Design	Torrens University of Australia, Swinburne University of Technology, Curtin University	University of Canberra, University of Sydney , University of South Australia
Landscape Design	University of Canberra, University of NSW, University of Technology Sydney	RMIT University, University of Melbourne, University of Westarn Australia

There’s also a few other specializations available in Design studies like Product Design, Transportation Design, Animation Design and User Experience Design Etc.

Degree Available:

Undergraduate Design Courses: 3-5 years full time bachelors degree courses
Graduate Design Courses: 2-3 years full time masters degree courses
Doctoral Design Courses: 3-4 years full time research program

Bachelors Program at Design Colleges in Australia

A bachelor's degree in Design is delivered in many disciplines like Bachelors(Hons), Dual Bachelor, Associate Undergraduate Degree etc. Below given are few popular colleges and universities in Australia offering undergraduate degrees in design.

University	Course	Duration	Tuition Fee Per Year (AUD)
RMIT University	Bachelor of Arts(Photography) Hons. Bachelor of Media and Communication(Honours)	1 Year	31,680
	Associate Undergraduate Degrees	2 Years	30,720
	Bachelors of Arts Degrees	3 Years	32,640
	Bachelors of Design Degrees	3 Years	35,520
	Bachelors of Design(Honours) Degrees	4 Years	38,400
	Dual Bachelor's Degrees	5 Years	41,184
University of Technology Sydney	Bachelor's Degree	3 Years	78,783
	Bachelors Combined Degree	5 Years	131,305
	Bachelor’s Honours Degree	1 Year	26,261
Swinburne University of Technology	Bachelor of Design	3 Years	32,480
	Bachelor of Design(Hons)	3 Years	34,200-36,600
	Bachelor of Design(Double Degree)	4-5 Years	32,480-37,600
The University of New South Wales(UNSW Sydney)	Bachelor of Design	3 Years	37,440
	Bachelor of Design(Honours)	4 Years	37,440
	Bachelors of Design Double Degree	5 Years	40,269
The University of Melbourne	Bachelor of Design	3 Years	34,112-44,632
The Australian National University	Bachelor of Design	3 Years	38,304
Monash University	Bachelor of Design	3 Years	27,806

Fees and Scholarships for Bachelors in Design in Australia

Tuition fees for undergraduate studies in various universities in Australia ranges from 31,000 AUD to 42,000 AUD. There are several scholarships provided by the university as well as the government of Australia to aid international students in need.

Intake Season: Australian universities generally has two intakes i.e. February and July, but it varies depending upon the concerned university.

Eligibility for Bachelors in Design in Australia Admission

Students applying for bachelor courses in design in general must have-

65% or above score in the board finals.
Proof of English proficiency by submitting one of these scores: IELTS (6.5), TOEFL IBT (79-93), TOEFL PBT (550-583), Pearson’s (58-64), CAE (176-184).
Qualify the university-specific entrance exam(if any)

Documents Requirement for Bachelors in Design in Australia Admission

The documents you need to carry are:

Academic Transcript
Letter of recommendation
Statement of purpose

Masters Program at Design Colleges in Australia

Few disciplines in which postgraduate courses are offered in Australia are master of design, master of design (coursework by research) and master of research (design) etc. The salary of a graphic designer with a masters degree is 31% more than that of an individual with a bachelor's degree with graphic design.

Below given are some of the universities offering masters in design in Australia:

Name of the university	Course	Duration	Tuition Fee per year (in AUD)
RMIT University	Master of Design	2 Years	39,360
University of Technology Sydney	Masters of Design(Coursework by Research)	2 Years	19,030
Swinburne University of Technology	Master of Design Master of Design(Research)	1-2 Years	29,660
The University of New South Wales(UNSW Sydney)	Master of Design	2 Years	38,550
The University of Melbourne	Master of Design	2 -3 Years	42,784
The Australian National University	Master of Design	2 Years	32,640
Monash University	Master of Design and Master of Design( by Research)	2 Years	36,700

Tuition Fee and Scholarships for Masters in Design in Australia

Depending on different universities and specializations of the course the tuition fee varies. In general it’s in range between 19,000- 43,000 AUD. There are various university specific, generic and scholarships provided by the government of Australia to aid the international students.

Intake Season for Masters in Design in Australia

For admission in postgraduate in Australia, you need to apply through the online portal of the university before mid February. Most of the universities of Australia take new admissions in February and July. UNSW accepts the applications thrice a year: February, June, and September.

Eligibility for Masters in Design in Australia Admission

Applicant should at least satisfy the following minimum eligibility criteria:

Hold a bachelor degree in the relevant field with a score of 65% or up
Fulfill the university-specific entrance exam requirement
Qualifying score in English language proficiency test: IELTS (6.5), TOEFL IBT (79-93), TOEFL PBT (550-583), Pearson’s (58-64), CAE(176-184).

Documents Required for Masters in Design in Australia

For admission you need to provide the following documents:

All the academic transcripts
Letter of recommendation
Statement of purpose
CV
Proof of work experience including the documents of project worked on (if applicable)

Doctoral Program at Design Colleges in Australia

Students with a desire to pursue higher studies in design in Australia can check out the doctoral courses mentioned below. Having a doctoral degree gives you a detailed understanding of the subject as well as increases your chances of getting a job in the field of design. With higher qualification, you can also expect increments in salary.

University	Program	Duration	Tuition Fees per annum (in AUD)
RMIT University	PhD (Design)	3-4 Years	36,480
University of Technology Sydney	PhD (Design)	4 Years	15,265
Swinburne University of Technology	PhD (Design)	3-4 Years	30,550
The University of New South Wales(UNSW Sydney)	PhD (Art, Design and Media)	4 Years	26,723
The University of Melbourne	Doctor of Philosophy - Architecture, Building and Planning	4 Years	41,472
Monash University	PhD (Art, Design and Architecture)	3 Years	23,529

Cost of Pursuing Doctoral Degree in Design in Australia

Tuition fee per annum for pursuing doctoral degree in design ranges from 15,000-42,000 AUD.

Different scholarships like university specific, Scholarships provided by the government of Australia like Australian Government Research Training Program(RTP) that you can opt for for funding.

Intake Season for PhD in Design in Australia

The start date of application of the doctorate business courses is February in almost all the universities. There are a few colleges and universities with two or more sessions for the doctorate courses. Students can get admission in July there for next semester.

Eligibility for PhD in Design in Australia Admission

Students willing to pursue the doctorate degree in design should in general have:

Completed bachelor and master degree on the relevant field with 70% or above score

A double bachelor degree in a similar field

4 years bachelor degree with an upper second class score
The ability to conduct independent research on the approved proposal
Qualifying score in English language proficiency tests: IELTS (6.5), TOEFL IBT (79-93), TOEFL PBT (550-583), PTE (58-64), CAE(176-184).
Work experience with the ability to handle a project(if needed)

Required Documents for PhD in Design in Australia Admission

During the admission, the students must provide following documents:

All the academic documents
Recommendation letter
Statement of purpose
CV
Certificate of work experience showing the evidence of project handling under a senior project manager(if asked)
Approved proposal

Scholarship Available in Design Colleges in Australia

International students with good academic records are given financial aid for pursuing their undergraduate and postgraduate studies by the universities and government of Australia

Below given are a few available scholarships in Australia for international students.

Scholarship Name	Offered To	Amount Awarded (in AUD)	No of Scholarship
RMIT Future Leaders Scholarship	International students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate from RMIT University	Variable	Varies
Swinburne International Excellence Scholarships	International students enrolled in Swinburne University of Technology	Varies	Varies
Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship	International students with excellent academic record pursuing UG degree from form University of Melbourne	32,088	50
Monash International Merit Scholarship	Merit based scholarship for international students enrolled in UG and PG courses in Monash University	6,561	31
Australia Awards Scholarship	International students of a participating country’s target institution willing to undertake full-time PG or UG education in Australia.	3,161	Varies
ANU Study Canberra India Scholarship	Indian students enrolled in UG and PG courses in Australian National University	6,818	5
Australian Government Research Training Program(RTP)	For international and domestic students undertaking research masters and research doctorate degree	Varies	Varies

Scope and Job Prospects of Pursuing Design Studies in Australia

The field of design is hugely in demand and one of the most contributing fields in creative economy. Going by the conservative estimates , a total workforce of 7 million designers will be required to meet the industry demand in 2020.

An individual in the field of design in Australia earns around 61,200 AUD per annum. The salary range varies depending on the skill and experience. While someone with a Certificate or Diploma gets a salary of 46,200 AUD per year, 18% more than someone having a High School degree.

A Bachelor's Degree gets its holder an average salary of 66,900 AUD per year, 45% more than someone with a Certificate or Diploma. Professionals who hold a Master's Degree are rewarded with an average salary of 87,700 AUD per year, 31% more than someone with Bachelor's Degree.

Given below are some of the job roles and average annual salary offered to students of design studies.

Designation	Annual Salary Range(in AUD)
Animator	53,407-66,000
Creative Director	73,113-116,644
Graphic Designer	44,633-68,396
Graphic Artist	46,084-66,000
User Experience Designer	57,972-12,079
UX Designer	58,900-100,841
Interior Designer	45,658-81,305
Kitchen Designer	54,054-64,062
Fashion Designer	44,102-88,983
Product Developer	57,338-117,407
Textile Designer	49,355-70,273
Web Designer	43,933-76,645

Design is one of the biggest sectors in the global economy in this century. Qualified candidates have always received a decent salary in Australia that is also a reason behind the double-digit growth in the number of international students last year. So choosing Australia for your design studies is a decision worth making.

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Design Colleges in Australia: Rankings, Courses, Admission Requirements, Fees, Scholarships and Scop