Advanced Diploma of Business

The Advanced Diploma of Business is a one-year qualification for people who want practical business skills and a credential that sits above a certificate IV but below a bachelor degree. You study how organisations run: accounting basics, marketing, managing people, business law, operations, and how to put together a business plan or project. It's the kind of course that gets you ready to work in an office, a small business, or a not-for-profit, or to keep going and articulate into a bachelor degree with credit.

Australian qualifications are built on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). A diploma or advanced diploma is usually one to two years of full-time study, and it's made up of units of study, each with a credit point value. At this level, assessment is mostly practical: reports, case studies, group projects, presentations, maybe a simulated business task. Some providers include a work placement or industry project, so you get a taste of an Australian workplace before you finish. Confirm the exact unit list, placement requirements and credit points on the official page.

You'll come out with skills employers actually ask for: reading a profit and loss statement, writing a marketing plan, leading a small team, understanding compliance, using business software. The course suits school leavers who want a fast, job-focused start, people already working who need a formal qualification for promotion, and international students who want an Australian qualification before deciding on further study.

If you're an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available, depending on your circumstances. English entry is usually IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, or an accepted equivalent like TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced. The Department of Home Affairs sets its own English threshold for the student visa. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, check the official page for the current figure.

• Administration officer or team leader in Australian businesses, government agencies and not-for-profits
• Small business owner or manager
• Marketing or sales coordinator
• Accounts payable/receivable officer or bookkeeper
• Project support officer
• Customer service or operations supervisor
• Pathway to a bachelor degree in business with credit