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Introduction

Software engineering is one of the fastest growing, most in-demand professions around the world, giving software engineers a job market full of opportunities. Software is still thriving and there is no evidence of slowing down in the foreseeable future. As a student in this field, you must be analytical, mathematically inclined, and passionate. These qualities will help you fully utilize technologies and tools for the design, development, and maintenance of software in any organization or company.  

Graduates in this field often have much more attractive salaries as they offer smart solutions to organizations. The average salary for a Software Engineer is AU$117,794, reported by PayScale. Since software engineering is in high demand, you can stay and work in either Australia or other countries after graduation.  

Why study Software Engineering in Australia?

  • Australian university reputation   

Australian universities are globally recognised due to the high level of educational quality, student satisfaction and employment rate among graduates. According to the Times Higher Education Ranking, Australia has 15 universities ranked in the top 100 worldwide. In the Software Engineering field, three Australian universities are ranked in the top 50 best universities.   

  • No specific background needed   

By successfully completing the Australian curriculum or an equivalent high school qualification, with a minimum average score of 60%, you are eligible to start a bachelor’s degree in a Software Engineering program. If you have already completed a bachelor’s degree in related disciplines, you can apply for a Master of Software Engineering. In case you have completed a bachelor and/or master program with 25% of research components, you may be eligible for a PhD program in Australia.   

  • Multiple start dates  

Australian universities normally have 2 or 3 intakes each year. This makes it more flexible for international students to commence their program based on their individual situations. Multiple starting dates also mean more flexibility with the different units and payments.  

  • Stay longer in Australia  

By studying Software Engineering for 2 years or more in higher education (a Bachelor, Master, or PhD degree), international students will be eligible for a 2-8-year Postgraduate Visa (visa 485). Graduates can utilize these visa opportunities to get more work experience and to prepare for their future immigration to Australia (visa 189, 190, 491).  

What are career outcomes after graduation from software engineering courses?

Software engineering courses cover a wide range of knowledge and skills, which prepares you ready to apply for multiple positions after graduation. Apart from being a software engineer, graduates might also be capable to find a job in below areas:  

  •        Analyst Programmer 

Analyst programmers are people who find out the technology limitations in existing systems, diagnose any errors in programming, and propose solutions to ensure that applications and programs can perform well. This position requires highly analytical skills to identify, consult and evaluate program needs.  

  •        App Developer 

App developers are responsible for developing, designing and managing source code for software applications. Their responsibilities also include diagnosing, monitoring updates and security threats, which helps provide end-to-end support and great experiences for users.  

  •        Computer Application Engineer 

The key role of application engineers is to improve the overall function of the client’s software. They combine various sources of data such as customer inputs, needs and sales information to design, develop and implement software programs and applications. They can either create new software or maintain/redesign existing software to meet the unique needs of customers.  

  •        Database Designer 

Database designers are responsible for organising the various sources of data in organisations, from small businesses to big corporations. The way they create and design databases needs to be efficient, so that they and their customers can navigate, use and retrieve the data easily.  

  •        IT Support and Test Engineer 

IT Support and Test Engineers are those who develop technical procedures, user manuals and provide strategies to support, maintain and manage software quality assurance processes. Their duties also include investigating, analysing and resolving system issues to ensure that the system performs at optimal levels.  

  •        Software Engineer 

Software engineers play a crucial role in providing real solutions for organisations and users. Their roles are involved in the entire lifecycle of software development. They will work with employers and clients to identify their needs, then design, test, redesign and develop customised systems to meet users’ needs, all through software programming languages.  

  •        System Architect 

The core role of a system architect is to implement, maintain and operate computer hardware, software and network systems. They need to troubleshoot any issues and provide solutions to make these systems functional and efficient.  

  •        Systems Engineer 

The duties of systems engineers sometimes are in line with those of software engineers because both work with software components. However, the additional responsibilities of systems engineers are that they also need to specify, build, and maintain technical infrastructure within a system.  

  •        Web Developer 

A web developer is a professional who is in charge of designing and maintaining websites. He/she is responsible for the web development, from creating the concept, to completing the design, coding, and fashioning the layout and making the web well functional. The web developer also handles the technical aspects of website speed and its capacity that is defined as the amount of traffic that the site can handle at a given time.  

What courses might you study to become a software engineer in Australia?

Most companies and organizations prefer to hire a software engineer who has completed a 4-year bachelor’s degree in Australia. However, graduates who study an associate degree of software engineering still have a chance to be considered for entry level positions. Below are common courses that you can choose to become a software engineer.   

  •        Associate Degree of Software Engineering  
  •        Bachelor of Software Engineering  
  •        Bachelor of Information Technology 
  •        Master of Software Engineering  
  •        Master of Information Technology 
  •        PhD Software Engineering 

What are entry requirements for international students to study software engineering courses?

  • Bachelor level   

For a bachelor’s course, normally applicants are required to have completed Year 12 or relevant Diploma and have attained IELTS between 6.0 and 6.5. The specific requirements of Year 12 scores differ from universities. Contact us today to ask for details.  

  • Postgraduate level   

For a master’s course, normally applicants are required to have completed a related engineering bachelor’s degree and attained IELTS between 6.0 and 6.5. However, some universities will have a specific requirement for their master’s degree level. For instance, the University of Queensland only accepts students who have not completed a Bachelor of information technology, computer science, interaction design and software/computer engineering courses previously to apply for Master of Information Technology. Contact us to receive more information about program options.  

Where can you study software engineering in Australia?

Bachelor Level:   

Graduate Diploma Level:   

Postgraduate Level:   

How to pass skills assessments for software engineers in Australia?

Nowadays, software engineering is the backbone of organizations as it provides effective and smart solutions for most organizations’ operations. Due to a high demand in the force market, software engineering is recognized as a skilled occupation that is nominated for permanent visas in Australia. For immigration purposes, software engineers need to pass a skill assessment assessed by Australia Computer Society (ACS). There are clear criteria that graduates must meet to be considered for a positive assessment.

(1) For those who have completed an Australian bachelor’s degree or higher with an ICT major

  • If you obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher from an Australian university, with a ICT major which is closely related to software engineering, then you only need 1-year relevant work experience after the completion date in order to apply for Post Australian Study Skills Assessment. Or applicants could choose to complete a ACS Professional Year program to replace the 1-year relevant work experience requirement.

(2) For those who have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher with an ICT major overseas

  • If the ICT courses you took are closely related to Software Engineering, then you need a minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience within the past 10 years, or you must have 4 years of relevant work experience in your previous employment history.
  • If the ICT courses you took are not closely related to software engineering, then you must get at least 4 years working as a software engineer to be eligible for general skilled assessment.

(3)    For those who have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher with an ICT minor

  • If you have completed a course with an ICT minor that is closely related to Software Engineering, then you must meet one of the following requirements: (1) you must have at least 5 years working in the relevant field in the past 10 years, or (2) you must gain 6 years of work experience in the software industry previously.
  • If you have completed a course with an ICT minor which is not closely related to Software Engineering, then you are required to have at least 6 years working in the relevant field.

(4)    For those who complete a Diploma Course

  • If the applicant has completed Diploma, Advance Diploma or Associate Diploma courses with an ICT Major that is closely related to the occupation of Software Engineer, then they are required 5 years relevant work experience completed within the past 10 years; or 6 years relevant work experience completed anytime in their previous work history.
  • If the applicant has completed a course with an ICT Major that is not closely related to the occupation of Software Engineer, they must have 6 years relevant work experience completed anytime in their previous work history.

What is the PR pathway for a software engineer?

Software engineering opens a large door for international graduates to immigrate to Australia. You can apply for Temporary Graduate Visas (485 visas) once you finish a 2-year Bachelor course or higher from Australian universities. Under visa 485, you can stay in Australia for 2-4 years depending on your degree. However, if you undertook and completed at least  2 years of study in a ‘Regional Area’ such as the Gold Coast, Adelaide or Perth, you can be eligible for an additional 1 or 2 years of the 485 Visa Thus, you will have more time to prepare yourself for permanent residence (PR) or a temporary visa that can lead to a PR.

If you can find a sponsor who nominates you to a position in his/her company, then you are eligible for Employer Sponsored Visas (482, 186 and 494 visas). After 3-4 years working for your sponsoring employer, you have a high chance of getting a permanent visa 186 ENS.

Because software engineering is on the skilled occupation list, you can directly apply for a PR if eligible. You can choose either a Skilled Independent Visa (189), Skilled Nominated Visa (190) or Skilled Work Regional Visa (491).

Contact SOL Edu today to find out the best study and migration options. We will offer you free counselling and a free application process!

FAQs

What are the immigration points for software engineers?

To migrate to Australia as a skilled software engineer, you must meet the minimum score requirement issued by either Australian federal government or state governments. Currently, the minimum score is 65 points, however, depending on the competitiveness and the state you are applying for, you may be required to get more points in order to get an visa invitation.  

How to calculate the immigration points for software engineers?

The immigration points can be accumulated from many sources, which are age, educational qualifications, specialist educational qualification, study in Australia, English proficiency, work experience, partner, and Credentialled Community Language. The score varies depending on your circumstance. To maximise your score, you need to provide convincing evidence to persuade the case officers. Contact us today to best prepare for your migration pathway.

Can I work as a software engineer while studying software engineering courses?

Yes, you can. Normally, you are allowed to work up to 40 hours fortnightly when studying in Australia. However, due to the serious shortage of labour force, this requirement has been relaxed until 30th Jun 2023. This means you can work more than 40 hours as a software engineer. Working while studying gives you a competitive edge as most companies appreciate graduates who have a lot of practical experience and knowledge.  

What is the difference between a software engineer and software developer?

Both software engineers and software developers are highly skilled professionals who can build, develop and maintain software programs. Since there are lots of similarities between these two occupations, it is quite tricky to differentiate their roles. However, software developers seem to focus more on a specific stage in the development cycle while software engineers oversee the whole development process, from start to finish. This means that software engineers usually1 work on a larger scale, so they need to develop systematic thinking. The role of software developer is more limited in scale, which requires them to be more creative in solutions.  

Do I need math to become a software engineer?

To answer how much you must know about math to become a software engineer; you need to identify what type of software engineering that you wish to do. For example, if you work on website designs, then the most thing you need to know is how to use programming languages, libraries, and frameworks, but you are not necessarily using math very often. Bear in mind that as a software engineer, you should know a handful of programming languages, rather than solving mathematics problems. Therefore, if you are not good at math, you can still study software engineering courses. To figure out what courses fit you best, contact SOL Edu and Migration. Our expert team will help you, all for free!  

What are the best programming languages for software engineers?

There are a number of popular languages used by software engineers, for example, Python, C++, JavaScript, Scala, Ruby and PHP. However, Python and C++ seem the most powerful languages for software development. While Python is simpler for beginners; C++ is more complex and takes time to get used to.