# Is a Graduate Diploma in IT sufficient for ACS Skills assessment?



## aparna510 (May 13, 2013)

Hi 

I'm planning to complete a Graduate Diploma in IT (1 year, 2 semesters, 8 subjects) in order to get my skills assessed by ACS as an ICT Business Analyst RECENT GRADUATE. 

I have a masters degree in management and I have no educational qualifications in IT but I have worked as a Business Analyst for two years in Australia. 

While ACS has mentioned on their website that a Grad. Diploma with a major in IT is suitable for Skill assessment based on ACS 'Summary of Criteria' (available on their website, I am worried because another document on their website states the following, 

_To be suitable under the Recent Graduate application type your qualification must meet the below requirements -


* Contain a minimum of 3 semesters or at least 1.5 years of full-time study
* Contain at least 2 semesters or 1 year of full-time equivalent ICT content
* Contain a minimum of 12 units, subjects, or modules_[/I][/COLOR]

So while I qualify based on Point 2, I'm unsure about Points 1 and 3. 

Is the Graduate Diploma enough (in terms of Duration and structure) or do I need a Master's degree to qualify?

:fingerscrossed:

Would love some advice. No migration agent has been able to give me a straight answer about this. 
Thanks

Aparna


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## jayptl (Dec 13, 2012)

I think u should go ahead

well, if u also supply experience than no need to worry...


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## ajay.lele83 (Mar 27, 2013)

jayptl said:


> I think u should go ahead
> 
> well, if u also supply experience than no need to worry...


Hi Aparna,

I think you should not worry about migration agents , same thing happened with me, i have done PG-MCA from autonomous university and blindly applied for ACS, unless and untill you have above 5 yrs of IT exp , you should get positive result.


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## aparna510 (May 13, 2013)

jayptl said:


> I think u should go ahead
> 
> well, if u also supply experience than no need to worry...


Thanks Jay


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## aparna510 (May 13, 2013)

ajay.lele83 said:


> Hi Aparna,
> 
> I think you should not worry about migration agents , same thing happened with me, i have done PG-MCA from autonomous university and blindly applied for ACS, unless and untill you have above 5 yrs of IT exp , you should get positive result.


Thanks Ajay. I'll get a positive result is if DON'T have 5 years of experience? I dont understand. Could you explain?


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## ajay.lele83 (Mar 27, 2013)

aparna510 said:


> Thanks Ajay. I'll get a positive result is if DON'T have 5 years of experience? I dont understand. Could you explain?


ACS only considers your ICT qualifications for nominated ANZCO code, which means you will need to have 5 yrs of exp after completion of ur ICT course in order to get 10 points.


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## aparna510 (May 13, 2013)

ajay.lele83 said:


> ACS only considers your ICT qualifications for nominated ANZCO code, which means you will need to have 5 yrs of exp after completion of ur ICT course in order to get 10 points.


But for Recent Graduate, there is a work experience exemption. So after I complete my diploma I'm planning to get my skills accessed (without showing my 2years experience) as ICT Business Analyst and then apply for PR. 

Are you saying I can't do that?


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## ajay.lele83 (Mar 27, 2013)

aparna510 said:


> But for Recent Graduate, there is a work experience exemption. So after I complete my diploma I'm planning to get my skills accessed (without showing my 2years experience) as ICT Business Analyst and then apply for PR.
> 
> Are you saying I can't do that?


ohh sorry i didnt know that, well in that case you can go ahead without any issues


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## aparna510 (May 13, 2013)

ajay.lele83 said:


> ohh sorry i didnt know that, well in that case you can go ahead without any issues


Haha. Thanks Ajay. Cheers


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## espresso (Nov 2, 2012)

Hi aparna510, 

regarding your question: 


> But for Recent Graduate, there is a work experience exemption. So after I complete my diploma I'm planning to get my skills accessed (without showing my 2years experience) as ICT Business Analyst and then apply for PR.


Unfortunately it's not that easy. DIAC expects you to have qualifications in ICT at bachelor level or above. Every assessing authority can impose their own rules for positive assessment. ACS requires two years of work experience after you received a bachelor degree *except* if you received it from an Australian university. A one-year degree will not be considered equivalent to a bachelor degree so you won't fall into the "Recent Graduate" category. 

To quote from the ACS Skills Assessment Guidelines for Applicants, page 10: 


> If applying for a recent work experience exemption under the Australian study requirement *you will need a Bachelor degree or higher with an ICT major* in a field of study closely related to the nominated occupation.


Work experience can substitute for a formal qualification but if you have no formal qualification you'll need 6+ years via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and with an (advanced) diploma you'll still need 5+ years. Details: ACS Summary of Criteria. 

If you are currently in Australia on a 457 visa you should consider asking your employer to sponsor your PR via the ENS visa. Otherwise you'll either need to complete a bachelor degree or work on a temporary visa until you have the required work experience. It should take roughly the same time but financial aspects and your career development plans will probably make all the difference. 

Sorry 'bout that - if you can elaborate on your situation in more detail we may be able to come up with something else. 

Monika


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## aparna510 (May 13, 2013)

espresso said:


> Hi aparna510,
> 
> regarding your question:
> 
> ...


Hi Monica

I completed my double Masters in Australia (MBA + Master of Strategic management and marketing) in 2010. I have been working for two and a half years in the IT industry. One year as a Bid Management Analyst and a year and a half as a Business Analyst. 

I am currently on the 485 visa which expires on July 28th and I have been unlucky in finding employer sponsorship. So my options are to go back to school for a year (and pray I can apply for PR as an ICT Business Analyst at the end) or leave the county for good come July  

Are you saying that to get my skills accessed as an ICT Business Analyst 'RECENT GRADUATE' (with work experience exemption), a Graduate Diploma is not sufficient even though its a major in IT? 

If not, Am I eligible for the 2 year work experience assessment? (the second category in 'Summary of Criteria')

Thanks 

Aparna


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## espresso (Nov 2, 2012)

Hi Aparna, 

*yes*, a *graduate diploma with a major in ICT is - generally - sufficient* for positive assessment under the recent graduate category. However, program lengths and contents vary a lot between schools and ACS/DIAC have to set a baseline. On the education market you'll find 3yr and 4yr bachelor programs, 1-2yr master programs and a huge number of part-time or distance learning courses. So ACS set the minimum requirements for an acceptable graduate diploma to 1.5yrs of full-time study, one year of which must be ICT content, and 12+ subjects. If the program you want to enroll in does not fulfill these criteria you should consider competing graduate diploma options. 

You can also contact the university and ACS for their stance on this issue. ACS generally does not answer applicant-specific assessment questions prior to actual assessment but you can try... maybe they had successful applicants from your selected program in the past. 

How long did the dual-degree Master take? Do you have a bachelor degree as well? You do realize that you could get assessed in a management ANZSCO code as well, right? Once you have your PR you are not obliged to work in your nominated occupation (except on the 457 visa, of course) but positive assessment is your ticket to PR. I'm not familiar with the assessment process in management, though. You'd have to read up on that and check if you qualify. Moreover, you likely won't receive any work experience points in that case - check if you can manage the pass mark without. 

All the best, 
Monika


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## aparna510 (May 13, 2013)

espresso said:


> Hi Aparna,
> 
> *yes*, a *graduate diploma with a major in ICT is - generally - sufficient* for positive assessment under the recent graduate category. However, program lengths and contents vary a lot between schools and ACS/DIAC have to set a baseline. On the education market you'll find 3yr and 4yr bachelor programs, 1-2yr master programs and a huge number of part-time or distance learning courses. So ACS set the minimum requirements for an acceptable graduate diploma to 1.5yrs of full-time study, one year of which must be ICT content, and 12+ subjects. If the program you want to enroll in does not fulfill these criteria you should consider competing graduate diploma options.
> 
> ...


Hi Monika

Yes, the 1 year versus 1.5 year Graduate Diploma question is quite troubling. While it does have 1 year of full time ICT content, it doesnt qualify when it comes to a minimum number of semsters (3). I have spoken with ACS and also emailed them in this regard. You're right, they dont give clean cut answers so its very hard to rely on them for information. I guess my best bet would be speaking to the University. Im planning to do the course at the University of Technology Sydney. Their website states that the Graduate Diploma is accredited by the ACS but that doesnt answer the million dollar question 

I was wondering if I should do the Grad Diploma and articulate into the masters at the end of the diploma if the ACS rejects my application. 

My dual masters degree took two years. I have a bachelors degree in Electronic Media. Yes, I did get assessed by VETASSESS as 'Management Consultant' to get on the 485 visa. However, that skill got taken off the Schedule 1 Skill list (required for PR) so I cant apply for PR based on that skill. So while I do have sufficient points for the PR Points test. I'm still not eligible because 'Management Consultant' is not on the list of Desired occupations (atleast not anymore). 

Cheers

Aparna


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## espresso (Nov 2, 2012)

Hi Aparna, 

yes, I agree that the - sometimes conflicting - information out there makes it rather difficult to make a decision. Have you looked at other graduate programs besides the ones offered by UTS as well? Sydney has quite a few universities after all . 

Have you taken a close look at your *bachelor curriculum in electronic media*? You may be able to get positive assessment through that qualification (plus your two years of work experience in Australia) without needing the recent graduate exemption. 

One more thing: 'Management Consultant' may not be on the SOL anymore but it sure is on the CSOL. Unfortunately NSW has stopped accepting state sponsorship applications for this financial year and your ANZSCO code was not on their list in any case but you could check the other state migration plans (provided you are willing to move for two years) and apply for a 190 visa. 

All the best, 
Monika


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## aparna510 (May 13, 2013)

espresso said:


> Hi Aparna,
> 
> yes, I agree that the - sometimes conflicting - information out there makes it rather difficult to make a decision. Have you looked at other graduate programs besides the ones offered by UTS as well? Sydney has quite a few universities after all .
> 
> ...


Hi Monica

Ive been looking at all courses that have been accredited by the ACS (available on the ACS website - just because I think that may speed up my skill assessment when the time comes). So UTS was one of them. Most Unis have lost accredition after 2007, so the list is fairly short. I selected UTS because its close by and one of the cheapest  

All Graduate Diplomas are by default 1 year/2 semesters long. If I need a minimum of 1.5 years, I HAVE to do a Masters degree. 

I can't claim any points on my Bachelors degree that will help in the PR points test. I submitted an EOI for the 190 visa but havent received any invitations. I had 85 points. 

Dead end after dead end after dead end after...


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## espresso (Nov 2, 2012)

Hi aparna510, 

well, with your qualifications there should be a way - but yeah, it comes down to luck to some extent. My partner wouldn't have been able to get a 189 visa either because his occupation was only on the CSOL - despite 85 points on the points test, just like you. I was more fortunate with my choice of bachelor degree. 

But one of your statements caught my attention: 



> I submitted an EOI for the 190 visa but haven't received any invitations.


You realize that you *have to apply for state sponsorship directly to each state*, right? _In theory_ an employer or state could stumble across your EOI on SkillSelect and contact you with an offer of nomination/sponsorship. Maybe it will work like that mid-term but I have not come across a single case where it worked like that so far. If you are willing to move to another state (because NSW stopped invites until July 1, 2013) you should look at the various state migration plans. 



> All Graduate Diplomas are by default 1 year/2 semesters long. If I need a minimum of 1.5 years, I HAVE to do a Masters degree.


Contact ACS and the university again about that. It makes no sense for them to list the graduate degrees as eligible for the recent graduate exemption under these conditions. Ideally, ACS should update their online guidelines accordingly... 

Hope that helps,
Monika


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