Swinburne University of Technology - Melbourne Australia

Future Students - Information For

• Information for
• Year 10 Students
  • Choosing a Course
  • Choosing Subjects
  • The ENTER
  • Alternatives to Year 12
• Year 11 Students
  • Deciding What to do After Year 12
  • Swinburne Courses
  • Differences Between University and TAFE
• Year 12 Students
• Mature Age Students
  and Non-School Leavers
  • Study Options
  • A Glossary of Terms
  • Transition Back to Study
  • Why Swinburne?
• Regional and
  Interstate Students
  • Making the Transition
  • Accommodation
  • Living Expenses
  • Equity for Rural Students
• Parents and Guardians
  • Options After School
  • VTAC
  • Making Sense of Results
  • Options After Being Offered a Place
• Career Advisers
  • Workshop Presentations
  • Swinburne Update

Year 11 Students:
What is the difference between University and TAFE?

There are a number of differences between university and TAFE. When making the decision about what type of qualification you want, you may want to take these things into consideration.

University

• Lectures – at university you are expected to attend lectures. Lectures rely mainly on translating the theory of that subject. During this time you take notes and don’t have much opportunity to ask questions.
• Tutorials/Labs – after lectures students are broken into tutorial or lab groups. Tutorials and labs are when students do more practical work, form groups, discuss assignments and ask questions.
• Costs – there are two types of university places available to students, Full Fee Paying (FFP) or Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). Full Fee Paying students must pay their fees upfront, however they can get Fee-Help. Commonwealth Supported Places allow students to subsidise the cost of their course (through deferring payment of tuition fees) until they secure work in a job that earns over a certain threshold.
• Qualifications – at university you can complete a bachelor degree and once completed you can go on and do postgraduate studies. 

TAFE

• Classes/Workshops – TAFE is very much like high school in the sense that you study with the same people throughout your qualification and have small class sizes. Although some subjects have lectures, TAFE is based around hands-on, practical training. 
• On-the-job training – TAFE tends to focus on vocational-based training and students can complete apprenticeships and traineeships.
• Qualifications – at TAFE you can complete anything from Certificate I, II, III, IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma (and there are some specialised degrees).
  
  More information, including TAFE qualification definitions.