Thanks to universities and schools like the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), Canberra has become known in the last few decades not just for being the Australian capital, but for its great education opportunities. The student population of Canberra grows each new academic year, and CIT is proud to be a part of this growth, offering students high teaching standards and the best kind of student city life.

CIT doesn’t offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Instead, it’s a tertiary training college offering many different certificates, diplomas, and graduate diplomas. Students can learn subjects from design and multimedia to nursing and health sciences. Whatever the subject, tutors and lecturers offer all the right student support, focus and guidance. It’s no surprise that CIT staff members regularly win teaching awards and CIT students regularly win academic awards.

With campuses at five beautiful locations across Canberra, the 24,000 students (including over 500 international students from 60 different countries) enrolled at CIT each year enjoy a great learning experience and great extracurricular experiences. The accommodation options for international students place them near the student communities on campus and the city’s diverse centre.

While adapting to student life in Australia can take some time, the welcoming and social atmosphere at CIT (and in wider Canberra) makes it as easy as possible. The settling-in process is also made simple by the many student support services available, including the CIT Student Association (who speak up about student concerns and handle academic disputes), counselling with expert professionals, academic advice, and career coaching.

Employment prospects are strong for CIT graduates, and successful alumni now work for lots of leading firms across the world. All the students at this school are given the academic and professional skills they need to succeed professionally, and they graduate as experts in their fields already. There are also some wonderful research and work placement opportunities at the institution. Overall, CIT is an ideal option for students who are serious about their academic future and their professional future.

Learn more about studying at CIT:

Teaching quality

Entry requirements

Scholarships & funding

University structure

Facilities

Student support

Graduate outcomes

Teaching Quality

CIT has one of the best reputations for teaching quality in all of Canberra and a growing reputation for excellence across Australia. Courses in a wide range of subject areas are offered, but they’re all designed to help students follow their professional dreams and get a strong vocational education that prepares them well for the field they plan to enter. There’s a big focus on transferable skills and practical abilities, from barbering certificates to remedial massage diplomas.

Around 24,000 students from around the world come to CIT each year to benefit from the high-quality teaching on offer. CIT is a registered training organisation that keeps up standards across all faculties and departments. No matter which course of study a student is on or which level they’re studying at, they’re respected and inspired by staff. Quality teaching is the guarantee.

The academic staff at CIT know that students need to be supported to do well, and this is a bit part of the mission statement. It’s also probably one of the biggest reasons that CIT wins so many regional ACT Training Awards. In 2022, staff and students won:

• ACT Large Training Provider of the Year 
• The ACT Industry Collaboration Award
• ACT VET Teacher/Trainer of the Year
• ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year
• ACT Australian School-Based Apprentice of the Year
• The John Scott Memorial Award

Entry Requirements

CIT asks for general entry requirements and course-specific requirements for international students. Students are advised to check the page for their desired course before applying. That way, they’ll know what university requirements they need to be admitted. General university entry requirements for all international students are as follows:

• The equivalent of ACT Year 10 qualifications/ACT year 12 qualifications (course-dependent; for example, certificates in accounting ask for year 12 qualifications) 
• Previous university qualifications in relevant subject areas (for graduate certificates)
• A minimum level of English language understanding

Students can apply for a course before they’ve completed relevant educational certificates/received certain academic results, but their places at CIT won’t be fully confirmed until the certificate has been entered as evidence and final academic transcripts have been shared.

Graduate certificate applicants could also apply if they had a diploma or advanced diploma and at least one year’s work experience in a relevant industry/with a relevant company. Plus, candidates over the age of 20 can apply for adult entry. If they do, they will need to supply their CV and records of their previous five years of employment.

English Score Required

The language of teaching at CIT is English, and all applicants will need to prove their English language understanding to be eligible for admission consideration. If applicants can’t show their proficiency in another way, they’ll have to take an English language test and get certain minimum scores (different from course to course and study level to study level).

CIT recognises a handful of English proficiency testing methods, including the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). To give examples of required scores, certificates and diplomas in information technology require a minimum overall IELTS band score of 5.5, with no individual band scores below 5, while a fashion diploma course would ask for a minimum overall IELTS band score of 6, with no individual band scores below 5.5.

For students who don’t meet the required English standards or struggle with English language ability, there are some special courses at CIT focused on improving English reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. These are:

• The certificate IV in spoken and written English for further study
• The certificate III in spoken and written English
• The certificate II in spoken and written English
• The certificate I in spoken and written English
• A non-accredited language skills for taxi drivers course

Admission

There are two ways that international students can apply for student admission to CIT. The first way is applying through an education agent. This agent simplifies admission on the applicant’s side by speaking with CIT directly and helping the applicant to apply for their course and study visa. Education agents are a good option for students who don’t speak English as a first language and might struggle to communicate if they have a question or are confused about anything in the application.

The second way is applying directly online via the university admission service. Before completing either application route, students should know they will be asked for some important supporting documents with their application and have these prepared. For international students, the documents requested will likely include:

• Their passport
• Their academic transcripts and certificates
• Their proof of English proficiency
• Their statement of purpose
• Their CV
• Their birth certificate
• A passport-quality photo of them
• English translations from official providers for any important documents that aren’t already in English
• A portfolio of their work (only applies to some courses, like the diploma in fashion design)

Once people have applied, CIT will consider them for admission, and if they’re accepted, offer them a place. At this stage, applicants will need to pay their first tuition instalment (average tuition fees annually for international students are around AUD 7,250) and apply for their student visa.

All international students must have a student visa to learn in Australia at any level of study. Like the admission application, the visa is applied for online. Visa applications can take a while, so CIT recommends that students who know they’ll need a study visa apply to the institution as soon as they can. To be approved for a visa, the applicant:

• Must be studying full-time at CIT 
• Must meet all course requirements
• Must meet all university requirements
• Must be over 18 years of age
• Must need temporary residence in Australia for study only

Scholarships & Funding

Studying in Australia can be expensive for international students. As an institute that wants to give all its students an equal education, CIT offers many scholarships to students from across the globe. Some of them are general and open to any student, but some target specific subjects and study areas.

CIT is proud to offer help to the students that need it most, and Canberra Refugee Support Scholarships do just that. The amount of funding offered through a Canberra Refugee Support Scholarship varies, but the money, once awarded, can be used in any way by the student. Many choose to put it towards their tuition fees and/or living costs. These scholarships are open to students with asylum seeker or refugee status based on their academic achievements.

Most international students can apply for Australia Awards Scholarships. These scholarships are a valuable source of funding, covering air travel, tuition, health insurance and allowances for accommodation, books, and research materials. Students should make sure that their home country takes part in the scheme before applying.

There’s also the RAS Foundation Rural Scholarship for students with an interest in rural communities. These students must be aiming for a career in the future that benefits rural communities in New South Wales. If they are, they could get fees and funding of up to AUD 6,000 covered (for those studying full-time, reduced to AUD 3,000 for part-time students).

University Structure

There are five CIT campuses: CIT Gungahlin, CIT Bruce, CIT Reid, CIT Fyshwick and CIT Tuggeranong. CIT Gungahlin is the furthest north in Canberra, home to performing and visual arts courses, as well as a library, gym, and central administrative building. CIT Bruce also has its own library, as well as student services and international services offices.

A range of courses and programmes are taught across the remaining three campus sites, and CIT Reid and CIT Fyshwick also have student services buildings. Like CIT Gungahlin and CIT Bruce, CIT Reid has its own library, too. Every campus is home to a range of disciplines and courses across nine key subject areas:

• Health and Fitness 
• Professional
• Creative
• Service Industry
• Science and Environment
• Education and Community
• Trades
• Short Courses
• Apprentices and Trainees

Courses on offer include everything from floristry to children’s education and care. To give an example of how a specific subject area breaks down into courses, there are four courses available in the children’s education and care subject area. These courses are:

• The early childhood education and care diploma (one year long, taught at CIT Bruce and CIT Tuggeranong) 
• The certificate IV in education support (one year long, taught at CIT Bruce and CIT Tuggeranong)
• The certificate III in early childhood education and care (one year long, taught at CIT Bruce)
• The statement of attainment training in health starter (four weeks long, taught at CIT Bruce)

Facilities

CIT has five campuses in Canberra. All of them are located in beautiful, exciting areas with access to great transport links, and each CIT campus is a student life centre of its own, full of activity, learning and fun. There are some amazing academic facilities across all five sites, from lecture theatres to libraries.

There are also some amazing social spaces and student recreation centres. This school understands that a good work-life balance is important to student success, just as it understands that a good education isn’t complete without full preparation for professional life.

All of the university’s training facilities use modern, industry-standard technology. Options on campus include a student-run kitchen, a beautiful salon and department hospital training wards. The student kitchen and café are actually useful to students on two levels; cooking students can train while other students enjoy good food.

Each campus has bookshops, prayer rooms, study centres and computer laboratories. There’s also a CITSA site on each campus. CITSA is the Canberra Institute of Technology’s Student Association, they’re there to speak up about student concerns and act as a student activity centre, hosting fun year-round events to help students socialise and enjoy their free time together.

In terms of fun and free time, there are lots of CIT clubs and associations to join. These clubs include many sports, fitness and exercise groups. The gym at the Gungahlin Campus has excellent fitness classes, workout spaces and equipment.

Everything a student needs, they can find on a CIT campus, including on-campus, conveniently located student accommodation for a reasonable weekly cost. This is an institution that’s proud to give students all the modern, well-designed facilities they need.

Accommodation

There are four main university accommodation options open to international students at CIT: renting a private student house with other students, getting a room through the Homestay programme, staying in off-campus student accommodation at the Monterey Apartments, or staying in on-campus accommodation at the CIT Bruce Residence.

The CIT Bruce Residence is a three-minute walk from classrooms, the gym, the library, and the International Services Unit. Each student at CIT Bruce has a private room with shared bathrooms, kitchens, recreation rooms and laundry facilities. The weekly fee is AUD 185, including bills like water, electricity and heating. Applicants can apply online as soon as they’ve been accepted into CIT.

The Monterey Apartments are off campus, as mentioned, but they’re still conveniently close to the CIT Reid campus. They’re also AUD 185 weekly, and since they’re right in the middle of the city, they’re close to lots of great extracurricular and nightlife options, including shops, galleries, museums, bars, and the beautiful Lake Burley Griffin.

The Homestay option is a great way to experience traditional Australian life with a host family. In the Homestay programme, students get a private bedroom and share the rest of the facilities with their host family. Rental costs range from AUD 210 to 295 weekly. And finally, private rentals are always an option. There are lots of great choices, and the choice that best suits an individual student will depend on which of the five campuses they’re studying at (as well as what they’re looking for in a home).

Student Support

The student support options available to international students at CIT are amazing. The university offers many student support programmes to help students of all backgrounds, including counselling services and academic support. There are specific student support services for international students as well, including access to Pastoral Care Officers (PCOs) in every academic department and access to peer-to-peer buddies who can act as helpful student guides.

Any student can make an appointment to see a counsellor quickly and easily, and counsellors can help students deal with any issue they may be having, whether it's personal, academic or physical. The counsellors are all either active or former professionals, experienced at what they do and able to offer high-quality help and guidance.

Counsellors can help students set goals for personal development and studies, as well as give them accurate advice on more specific issues. Students at CIT are very satisfied with the level of support they receive from all the different student services teams working at the school, and there’s never a time when a student needs to feel like they have nobody to talk to or turn to.

Graduate Outcomes

In 2021, 92.2 per cent of CIT graduates were employed or in further study. Across Australia, the figure is 84.7 per cent. CIT is an above-average Australian institution when it comes to post-graduation job prospects, and thousands of alumni are currently living and working successfully across the globe.

CIT’s technology is modern, and so are its teaching practices. Students learn skills that put them in the perfect position to compete for jobs when they leave university. Though the Australian job market can be difficult or competitive, CIT graduates are as work-ready as possible, and that puts them in the best position to succeed.

The employment services offered by CIT are available to both new and current students. Advice from the careers team gives students (domestic and overseas) the best chance of getting good jobs as quickly as possible. There are workshops, networking events and fairs, and appointments with career guides and advisors are easy to make.

CIT’s career services help every student to explore their career options fully and figure out their professional path. The institution also regularly lists jobs that are available locally and nationally, so students can see what’s waiting for them after their course comes to an end. Every CIT student is ambitious, and Australia is a great place for them if they want to achieve big things.