Advanced Diploma of Business

The Advanced Diploma of Business is a one-year qualification for people who want practical business skills without committing to a full three-year bachelor degree. You study how organisations run: accounting and budgeting, marketing, managing people, business law, customer service, and how to plan and report on operations. Assessment is usually a mix of assignments, case studies, presentations and exams, with some units built around simulated or real workplace tasks.

Australian qualifications sit on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). A bachelor degree is normally three years, an honours year adds one, a master's is one to two years, and a doctorate three or more. The Advanced Diploma sits between a diploma and a bachelor degree. At this level you normally complete a set of core units plus electives, each with a credit point value, across semesters or trimesters. Some institutions include a capstone unit where you pull your skills together on a business project, and many build in work-integrated learning such as an industry placement or a project with a local employer. The Australian Institute of Hospitality and Management Pty Ltd delivers this course to international students, and the CRICOS code is 114552J. Confirm the unit list, semester structure and any placement requirement on the official page before you apply.

You come out with skills employers ask for: reading financial reports, writing a business plan, leading a small team, handling complaints, understanding contracts, and using business software. Because the course is short and applied, it suits school leavers who want a faster route into work, people already in a job who need a formal qualification for promotion, and international students who want an Australian qualification before deciding whether to continue to a degree. If you later enrol in a bachelor programme, you may be able to apply for credit for some units, based on what you have completed and the receiving institution's rules.

English requirements for international applicants are set by the institution and by the Department of Home Affairs for the Student visa. Published standards commonly sit at IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for undergraduate and coursework postgraduate courses, rising to 7.0–7.5 for teaching, nursing, medicine, law and social work. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institution's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Student visa has its own separate English threshold, so check both. While you study, your visa generally allows 48 hours of work per fortnight during term. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available if you meet the requirements. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register; check there and on the official page for current fees and start dates.

• Business administrator or office manager, coordinating day-to-day operations in professional services, retail, hospitality, health clinics and trades businesses.
• Team leader or supervisor, front-line management in hospitality, tourism, retail, logistics and customer service.
• Accounts or payroll officer, handling invoices, reconciliations and payroll in small and medium enterprises.
• Marketing or sales coordinator, supporting campaigns, events and client relationships in agencies, property and tourism operators.
• Project support officer, assisting project managers with schedules, budgets and reporting in construction, IT and government.
• Small business operator, running your own venture or a family business with better grounding in finance, compliance and planning.

Australian industries that hire at this level include hospitality and tourism, retail, professional services, healthcare administration, construction, logistics, education and all levels of government. Some roles lead to further study towards a bachelor degree, with credit possible for completed units.