# AQF Masters degree - points to be claimed?



## prot (Dec 25, 2012)

Hi,

I have received ACS positive reply for software engineer code. I have a question regarding the points that can be claimed from my assessment. 

The ACS letter says:

"Your Master of IT from XYZ University completed December 2008 has been assessed as comparable to an AQF Master Degree with a major in computing"

I did Bachelors in Mechanical engg and then went with masters in IT outside of AUS. But there is no mention of my bachelors but only masters in the result letter, so I am not sure if I can claim 15 points for overseas education based on above assessment.

Any opinions please?


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## zkhan (Apr 1, 2013)

Of course you should be able to claim 15pts for education. The skillselect website mentions this for 15pts:

"At least a Bachelor degree, including a Bachelor degree with Honours or Masters, from an Australian educational institution or other degree of a recognised standard"


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## espresso (Nov 2, 2012)

Hi prot, 

I think you are referring to this section on the SkillSelect Points page: 



> To *receive points for a Masters degree*, you *must also have a Bachelor degree*, or the Masters degree must be considered as at least comparable to Bachelor level at Australian standards.


Strange as it sounds, you would have been better off if they had assessed your master as equivalent to an AQF bachelor degree. Master degrees are usually shorter than bachelor degrees and there are some that you can enroll in without having a bachelor first. Applicants got their visa applications refused in the past because of that . If you want to be 100% safe you should get Points Test Advice from VETASSESS for your non-Australian bachelor. Some applicants just submitted the bachelor certificate with their visa application and it was fine. However, if the CO follows the rules to the letter s/he can refuse the application on these grounds. 

All the best, 
Monika


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## Sunlight11 (Apr 27, 2013)

prot said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have received ACS positive reply for software engineer code. I have a question regarding the points that can be claimed from my assessment.
> 
> ...


Get your Bachelor assessed from VETASEESS before you apply.


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## prot (Dec 25, 2012)

espresso said:


> Hi prot,
> 
> Strange as it sounds, you would have been better off if they had assessed your master as equivalent to an AQF bachelor degree. Master degrees are usually shorter than bachelor degrees and there are some that you can enroll in without having a bachelor first. Applicants got their visa applications refused in the past because of that . If you want to be 100% safe you should get Points Test Advice from VETASSESS[/URL] for your non-Australian bachelor. Some applicants just submitted the bachelor certificate with their visa application and it was fine. However, if the CO follows the rules to the letter s/he can refuse the application on these grounds.
> 
> ...


Hi Monika,

My case is that I got bachelors in tech. in Mechanical after 4 years course in india, then got masters from US in IT after 1.5 years study. 
So definitely it is not the case that I dont have bachelors. 

I have put my bachelors when filling ACS assessment form. If they thought they couldnt have assessed they would/should have directed me to get VETASSESS done for bachelors but they didnt in the result letter and awarded me directly AQF Master Degree with a major in computing. 

From your URL above, one of the points for VETASSESS says:

"Applicants who have received a Skills Assessment from another Assessing Authority and have been referred to VETASSESS by their skills assessing authority and/or DIAC for Points Test Advice"

I am guessing I should have been referred to VETASSESS by ACS as I mentioned the same in the qualifications section but they didnt, so is the dilemma. I will get few more opinions or shoot an email to DIAC before I lodge EOI with 15 points for education.

Any one else had this scenario earlier please?

prot


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## prot (Dec 25, 2012)

Sunlight11 said:


> Get your Bachelor assessed from VETASEESS before you apply.


Sure sunlight, it looks like I dont have much choice, just wanted to check with other forum members if anyone else had this scenario. will post to DIAC too for better clarification before I submit for VETASSESS as I am not sure of the processing timeslines for the same.


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## espresso (Nov 2, 2012)

Hi prot, 

ACS could not provide an opinion on the AQF equivalence of your bachelor degree because it is not in ICT. And "must also have a Bachelor degree" does of course mean _at Australian standards_ (not at Indian, European or US standards ). This means that somebody (i.e. VETASSESS) must provide an opinion on the AQF equivalence of your degree in mechanical engineering, which is what the _Points Test Advice_ is for. 

You don't have to get _Points Test Advice_, of course. Some applicants did not get it and got the visa grant without a hitch. But it adds some uncertainty to your application. The CO could decide to ignore your bachelor degree because he cannot be sure that it is equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree. You take that risk if you apply without Points Test Advice.

By the way, you don't need a formal referral from ACS/DIAC.

All the best, 
Monika


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## prot (Dec 25, 2012)

espresso said:


> Hi prot,
> 
> You don't have to get _Points Test Advice_, of course. Some applicants did not get it and got the visa grant without a hitch. But it adds some uncertainty to your application. The CO could decide to ignore your bachelor degree because he cannot be sure that it is equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree. You take that risk if you apply without Points Test Advice.
> 
> By the way, you don't need a formal referral from ACS/DIAC.


Right now I am having 60 points with 15 points for education with ACS assessment completed. So can I file EOI immediately and then also start vetassess in parallel after submission of EOI, so that I can save some time as I read it takes around 3 months for vetassess assessment. 

I am thinking that by the time I get an invite and get CO allocated, atleast the vetassess process would in progress by then. Also if CO asks for it, I can say that it is in processing and if CO doesnt than I will be fine too (might only loose $250).

Or do you think CO might reject the application for over claiming the educational points?


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## Guest (Jul 7, 2013)

You will have overclaimed and be rejected if you try and claim points you do not have. To claim the points it must be proven at the time of invite, it can not be dated after even if it is positive and in your favour.


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## jayptl (Dec 13, 2012)

U cant claim 15 points of master...


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## trinkasharma (Mar 20, 2013)

@ prot , Are you still in Australia?

BTW what was the name of course you have done? Is the University on ACS's auto approval list?

I am sure you can find few Telugu/Indian people in your campus. Many of them would have relatives/freinds who have got the visa in the recent rules. I feel that 99 % of Indians there would file for Immigrant visas after graduation. You will get a very exact advice there.


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## prot (Dec 25, 2012)

_shel said:


> You will have overclaimed and be rejected if you try and claim points you do not have. To claim the points it must be proven at the time of invite, it can not be dated after even if it is positive and in your favour.


thanks shel, I surely do not wish to overclaim intentionally and the bear the risk of loosing application fee. 

I have received a *response from ACS* for the query regarding my question regarding assessment of my non-ICT major and it was inline with espresso opinion before:



> "Your Bachelor degree has been assessed as having insufficient ICT content. You would need to contact the relevant assessing body to have any non-ICT qualifications assessed.
> 
> All points are awarded by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). We suggest that you contact them for further information on the migration points system as the awarding of such is solely at their discretion."


ACS is very clear that doesnt assess or even refer for non-ICT majors and it looks the responsibility is rested on the applicants to check with DIAC or go with VETASSES even without referral. 

I will have to start VETASSES for my bachelors now. Anybody know the timelines?


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## prot (Dec 25, 2012)

trinkasharma said:


> @ prot , Are you still in Australia?
> 
> BTW what was the name of course you have done? Is the University on ACS's auto approval list?
> 
> I am sure you can find few Telugu/Indian people in your campus. Many of them would have relatives/freinds who have got the visa in the recent rules. I feel that 99 % of Indians there would file for Immigrant visas after graduation. You will get a very exact advice there.


I am in India and my masters is not from AUS but US. Also my bachelors is from India.
Is there any link for auto-approval list of indian universities ?


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## trinkasharma (Mar 20, 2013)

This is for Subclass 476 visa but I guess the lists will be shared across all government departments.

Skilled – Recognised Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 476)

5 uni from India and like 100 from US on that page.


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## snarayan (Jun 28, 2013)

prot said:


> thanks shel, I surely do not wish to overclaim intentionally and the bear the risk of loosing application fee.
> 
> I have received a *response from ACS* for the query regarding my question regarding assessment of my non-ICT major and it was inline with espresso opinion before:
> 
> ...


Approximately 12 weeks from the date your documents reach vetassess.


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2013)

trinkasharma said:


> This is for Subclass 476 visa but I guess the lists will be shared across all government departments.
> 
> Skilled – Recognised Graduate (Temporary) visa (subclass 476)
> 
> 5 uni from India and like 100 from US on that page.


 I wouldnt assume anything. These are only universities that DIAC sees their engineering degree up to standard. They may not believe the same of other degrees they teach and their will be other universities where they accept qualifications from some courses and not others, there is no way of knowing.


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## prot (Dec 25, 2012)

_shel said:


> I wouldnt assume anything. These are only universities that DIAC sees their engineering degree up to standard.


Yes nothing can be taken granted with DIAC!

I am filling the points test (SRG34 - http://download.vetassess.com.au/fo...sment/SRG34 Application.pdf?id=190920120708PM) for vetassess and have questions:

I have received +ve assessment from ACS for Software Engineer and my bachelors is in mech. engg.

*In the occupation selection: *

_Please let me know if I have to fill Software Engineer or Mechanical Engineering. _

I would like to get only my mechanical engineering evaluated by VETASSESS.
I know it should be my nominated occupation which ACS assessed but wanted to check again with you all.

*In the section to fill higher education:*

_Do I have to list both even though I would ideally like to get only my bachelors evaluated ? 
_
My masters is already assessed by ACS as AQF major in computing.
I want to make sure that they only assess my bachelors only.

Any opinions ?

prot


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## prot (Dec 25, 2012)

Espresso, shel...any opinions please ? I am planning to post the application soon...


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## kahn1 (Jan 7, 2014)

Dear Fellow members,,
I have one query and I tried to search it first and gone through many threads but did not find the appropriate answer.

I have 
a) Master of Science (MS) in Information & Technology completed in 2009
b) Bachelor Of Computer Science completed in 2004

The confusion I have is that I am sure my Bachelor degree is AQF Diploma because of my institute's ranking but I am not sure if they will treat my Master's as AQF Masters.

If they don't and they would treat it AQF Bachelors then I can only hope it would be better because I can get 15 points BUT if they may treat as AQF masters then what would be the problem I likely to face when I start my assessment.

TIA


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## Jeeten#80 (Mar 26, 2015)

AQF Bachelors/AQF Masters would be fetching you 15 points.


ALL would be confirmed when your Skills Assessment result is out.




kahn1 said:


> Dear Fellow members,,
> I have one query and I tried to search it first and gone through many threads but did not find the appropriate answer.
> 
> I have
> ...


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## Danav_Singh (Sep 1, 2014)

Jeeten#80 said:


> AQF Bachelors/AQF Masters would be fetching you 15 points.
> 
> ALL would be confirmed when your Skills Assessment result is out.


Not really! Check the points manual its clearly written over there AQF Masters without successful assessment of Bachelors is worth 10 points.

I reseached on this for months as i gone through the similar situation and i claimed 10 points as i dont want to risk it. Again its upto Case officer what he thinks. I know few who were denied visa because of this and few who claimed 15 points and no further questions asked before grant.


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## Jeeten#80 (Mar 26, 2015)

Attached is the *points-tested-migration-fact-sheet.pdf* for reference.



> "_At least a Bachelor degree, including a Bachelor degree with Honours or Masters, from an Australian educational institution or other degree of a recognised standard_"



*As I had stated:* _ALL would be confirmed when your Skills Assessment result is out._


IF his Masters is "*comparable to an AQF Bachelor Degree with a major in computing*" THEN for sure he would be able to claim 15 points.




Danav_Singh said:


> Not really! Check the points manual its clearly written over there AQF Masters without successful assessment of Bachelors is worth 10 points.
> 
> I reseached on this for months as i gone through the similar situation and i claimed 10 points.





Jeeten#80 said:


> AQF Bachelors/AQF Masters would be fetching you 15 points.
> 
> 
> ALL would be confirmed when your Skills Assessment result is out.





kahn1 said:


> Dear Fellow members,,
> I have one query and I tried to search it first and gone through many threads but did not find the appropriate answer.
> 
> I have
> ...


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## Danav_Singh (Sep 1, 2014)

Jeeten#80 said:


> IF his Masters is "comparable to an AQF Bachelor Degree with a major in computing" THEN for sure he would be able to claim 15 points.


I said the same thing. Masters need to be comparable to bachelors but without Bachelor's assessment AQF Masters will fetch 10 points.


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## kahn1 (Jan 7, 2014)

Thank you Danav_Singh and Jeetan#80

I appreciate your replies and that is the only concern I have I am already short of points based on my calculations, I might be going for SS.

Regards.


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## Jeeten#80 (Mar 26, 2015)

> *Bachelor Degree*
> 
> To receive 15 points for having at least a Bachelor degree, you must have met the requirements for an award of Bachelor degree by an Australian educational institution or your qualification must be considered as at least comparable to a Bachelor level at Australian standards.
> 
> ...




*You are partially right*. Kindly refer to the above excerpt from IMMI website.


IT clearly STATES that "*the Masters degree must be considered as at least comparable to Bachelor degree level at Australian standards*".


So in the above scenario Bachelors assessment need not be required.







Danav_Singh said:


> I said the same thing. Masters need to be comparable to bachelors but without Bachelor's assessment AQF Masters will fetch 10 points.





Danav_Singh said:


> Not really! Check the points manual its clearly written over there AQF Masters without successful assessment of Bachelors is worth 10 points.
> 
> I reseached on this for months as i gone through the similar situation and i claimed 10 points as i dont want to risk it. Again its upto Case officer what he thinks. I know few who were denied visa because of this and few who claimed 15 points and no further questions asked before grant.


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## arsa818 (Apr 8, 2018)

Dear Brother 

Have you filed appeal or review for your acs application and what was the oout come they have given me Positive assessment in 2013 with bachelors degree but now in my recent application the have considered it associate degree.

Your help in this regard would be highly appreciated.


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