Masters in Social Work in Australia: Deadlines, Fees, Eligibility, Jobs

| Updated On - Jul 11, 2024

Highlights

Intakes: Application for MSW in Australia are accepted in 2 intakes: February and July. While February is considered the main intake, Indian students prefer the July term as it provides more time to prepare for admission.
Top Universities: Australia is home to 4 of the top 50 universities in Social Sciences & Management (QS 2024), that offer MS in Social Work. The University of Melbourne, UNSW, and ANU are some of these top ranked universities.
Accreditation: To become an accredited social worker in Australia, pursue the program from an Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) accredited university like, The University of Melbourne, UNSW, and others.
Top Employers: Some of the renowned employers hiring Social Work graduates in Australia are: UNICEF, WWF, British Council, National Disability Insurance Scheme, UnitingCare NSW.ACT.

Masters in Social Work in Australia is a 2-years degree course, preparing students to become a social worker in Australia. It involves work that helps people get a meaningful life. All international students, including Indians, need to stay on campus for a certain period to study this qualification. All AASW accredited social work programs in the universities in Australia has this non-negotiable requirement.

The program is available to Indian students with 60% or above in bachelor’s degree in social work or a relevant field like public health, education, or psychology among others. This should include 1 year full-time equivalent study in social and behavioral sciences. The universities in Australia require an IELTS score of 7.0 or equivalent as a proof of English proficiency of Indian students.

If you are completely switching stream, you might need to attend a few extra courses to understand the fundamentals. It can take up to 1 extra semester, but, is worth it and encouraged. Tuition fees for Masters in Social Work in Australia ranges between 19,731 and 49,500 AUD (11.09 and 27.83 lakhs INR) per annum. Students should also consider a minimum monthly living expense of 2,500 AUD (1.40 lakhs INR).

As Australia has a good market for social work, you can secure high paying jobs after graduation. After completion of the program, you may need to apply to AASW for skill assessment and further visa processing. The application fee for this is 381.81 AUD (21,466 INR). Indian students can expect an average entry level salary between 60,000 to 70,000 AUD (33.79 to 39.43 lakhs INR), after MS in Social Work in Australia. This reflects a good return on investment. After completing the program, you may find suitable roles in social service, healthcare, hospital, rehabilitation centers, disability, and, government.

Table of Content

Why Study in Masters in Social Work in Australia?
Admission to MS in Social Work in Australia
Masters in Social Work in Australia Tuition Fees
Scholarships for Master of Social Work Courses in Australia
Jobs After MSW Course in Australia

Top Universities for Masters in Social Work in Australia

According to current students of MSW in Australia, you should first identify the university you want to go to. You can sort universities based on fees, eligibility, course structure, curriculum, and student acceptance. Some top universities for Masters in Social Work in Australia, according to QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024: Social Sciences & Management are as follows:

QS WUR by Subject 2024: Social Sciences & Management	University	Program	Important Date/ Application Deadline	Application Fee (AUD)	Annual Tuition Fees (AUD)
#=25	The University of Melbourne	Master of Social Work (Research)	October 31, 2024	130	40,864
#27	University of New South Wales	Master of Counselling Social Work	Rolling	150	31,000
#38	Australian National University	Masters in Social Research (Advanced)	Rolling	110	48,035
#40	University of Sydney	Master of Social Work (Qualifying)	January 15, 2025	150	49,500
#51	Monash University	Master of Social Work	Rolling	100	39,200
#57	University of Queensland	Master of Social Work (Qualifying)	November 30, 2024	100	43,200
#=154	University of Western Australia	Master of Social Work	November 30, 2024	100	36,400
#=205	Deakin University	Master of Social Work	December 14, 2024 \| January 10, 2025	55	24,800
#=207	RMIT University	Master of Social Work	July 29, 2024 onwards	100	31,680
#=227	Curtin University	Master of Social Work (Qualifying)	7 weeks before start of February 26, 2024	No application fee	19,731
#=238	University of Newcastle	Master of Social Change and Development	February 9, 2025	No application fee	35,500
#=249	University of Wollongong	Master of Social Work	November 30, 2024	No application fee	34,224
#=285	University of South Australia	Master of Social Work	No closing date	No application fee	33,900
#=354	La Trobe University	Master of Social Work	August, 2024 onwards	No application fee	34,000

Why Study in Masters in Social Work in Australia?

Master’s in Social Work leads to a noble profession in all countries. It is a pathway to create a larger impact in the society of Australia, and also a way to secure residency in the country. While Australia is a hub for students to pursue master’s programs, check out some of the most significant reasons to study in Australia:

Industry Partnerships: The universities in Australia have strong industry links and partnerships. Some popular industry partners are Atmo Biosciences, and Grok Learning. You can set up connection with world-class alumni in some globally-renowned universities.
Grading System: The curriculum of MS Social Work in Canada is not only theory based like in India. You can achieve good grades by completing assignments and video presentations.
Practical Education: MS in Social Work in Australia is offered as a combination of theoretical and practical components. It helps students to enhance their knowledge and earn practical skills to implement in real world problem-solving.
Placement Hours: Indian students need to complete about 1000 hours of placements (mostly unpaid) to complete MS in Social Work. This means approximately 3 months of 9 to 5 job. During placement hours, you will be visiting the field, check the procedure of work and get hands-on training.

Admission to MS in Social Work in Australia

All the universities in Australia require a bachelor’s degree from any background. However, a degree in Social Science or related field can give you the added advantage of foundation knowledge. Your degree should ideally be in:

Social sciences
Psychology
Public health
Education
Nursing, or a related undergraduate qualification.

Some universities also require inherent requirements, involving core activities, tasks, or skills essential to a program.

Australia Student Visa Requirements

To get an Australia Student Visa (Subclass 500), Indian students require the following:

Letter of acceptance from the university
A Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) issued by the university
Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL iBT or equivalent)
Genuine Student (GS) requirement
Proof of financial availability to live and study in Australia
Character requirements

Following are the university-specific admissions requirements for Masters in Social Work in Australia:

University	GPA/ Aggregate Requirement	English Proficiency Requirement	Supporting Documents	Special Requirements
University of Melbourne	No bar	IELTS: 7.0 \| TOEFL iBT: 94 \| PTE: 72	CV \| Education details \| Workplace experience \| Relevant skills and training	At least 1-year of full-time studies in social sciences
University of New South Wales	No bar	IELTS: 6.5 \| TOEFL iBT: 90 \| PTE: 64	Minimum 2 years counselling, case management, or other direct social work practice experience	Eligibility for Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) membership
Australian National University	6/7 (77-79%)	IELTS: 6.5 \| TOEFL iBT: 80 \| PTE: 64	-	Approval of identified supervisor for research project/thesis
University of Sydney	No bar	IELTS: 7.5 \| TOEFL iBT: 105 \| PTE: 76	Proof of 2 years of relevant work experience in human and community services industry	Proof of ability to satisfy required prerequisite knowledge in relation to human development and of society
Monash University	Bachelors: 60% \| Masters: 50%	IELTS: 7.0 \| TOEFL iBT: 98 \| PTE: 65	Police check \| Working with children check \| NDIS Worker Screening check	Minimum 1 year full-time studies in social and behavioral sciences
University of Queensland	4.0/7.0 (63-66%)	IELTS: 7.0 \| TOEFL iBT: 100 \| PTE: 72	-	1 year full-time equivalent study in social and behavioral sciences
University of Western Australia	60% WAM	IELTS: 7.0 or equivalent	Interview	-
Deakin University	No minimum score	IELTS: 7.0	Skills and prerequisites to complete the course, gain professional certification and practice safely	2 units in study of human behaviour & 2 units in study of society
RMIT University	60% or above	IELTS: 6.5 \| TOEFL iBT: 79 \| PTE: 58	-	Research component comprised of a thesis, other research projects or courses constituting 25% of 1 full academic year
Curtin University	No bar	IELTS: 7.0 \| TOEFL iBT: 79 \| PTE: 69	CV \| 1 relevant referee report \| Personal statement (Up to 500 words)	Appropriate professional experience
University of Newcastle	No bar	IELTS: 6.5 or equivalent	Detailed CV \| Statement of service or signed letters from employers confirming your employment details	1 year of related work experience as administration, research, development planner, local officer, educator, or manager
University of Wollongong	No bar	IELTS: 7.0 \| TOEFL iBT: 94	National criminal record check \| Comply with immunization requirements of NSW Health	Minimum 1 year of Social Science content (studies of individual and society)
University of South Australia	No minimum score	IELTS: 7.0 \| TOEFL iBT: 94 \| PTE: 65	-	Disciplines include, human services, community services, social science, psychology, Australian Indigenous or Aboriginal studies, public or community health or relevant
La Trobe University	60% WAM	IELTS: 7.0 or equivalent	Personal statement	Recommended specializations: arts, social sciences, psychology, teaching, nursing or business-related areas

Masters in Social Work in Australia Tuition Fees

Tuition fees across the top universities for MSW in Australia ranges between 19,731 and 49,500 AUD per year. For Indian students, this cost is similar to 11.09-27.83 lakhs INR. A comparison of the tuition fees for the program, across some top universities in Australia, is provided below:

masters_in_social_work_in_australia_tuition_fees

University	Annual Tuition Fees (AUD)	Equivalent Tuition Fees for Indians (INR)
Curtin University	19,731	11.09 lakhs
Deakin University	24,800	13.94 lakhs
University of New South Wales	31,000	17.43 lakhs
RMIT University	36,480	20.54 lakhs
University of South Australia	33,900	19.06 lakhs
La Trobe University	34,000	19.12 lakhs
University of Wollongong	34,224	19.24 lakhs
University of Newcastle	35,500	19.96 lakhs
University of Western Australia	36,400	20.46 lakhs
Monash University	39,200	22.04 lakhs
University of Melbourne	40,864	22.97 lakhs
University of Queensland	43,200	24.29 lakhs
Australian National University	48,035	29.47 lakhs
University of Sydney	49,500	27.83 lakhs

If you can secure a PR in Australia after 4 years of undergraduate study and work experience, you can get tuition fee reduction. In this case, you will be considered as an Australian fee paying student, and the tuition fee will be reduced to less than half. Then the average semester fee will be around 2,500 AUD (1.40 lakhs INR) per semester. This amount is subject to change across universities.

Cost of Living in Australia

The estimated monthly cost to live in Australia for an Indian student is about 2,500-3,100 AUD (1.40 to 1.74 lakhs INR). This cost varies depending on your location, residence type, eating habits, mode of transport, and personal lifestyle. A breakdown of the cost of living in Australia for an Indian student is provided below:

cost_of_living_in_australia

Experts suggest, you can bring down the cost of living in Australia by:

Living in shared house instead of single occupancy apartment
Having more meals at home and reducing eating out
Setting a fixed budget on parties, movies, nightlife, and other entertainment modes
Using public transport over taxis.

Scholarships for Master of Social Work Courses in Australia

In Australia, there are very few scholarships and grants for international students pursuing MS in Social Work. Finance is a major issue for Indian students in the country. To pursue the program, you have to be financially sound, having support from family or partner.

Some popular scholarships for Indian students pursuing MS in Social Work in Australia are as follows:

Scholarship	Eligibility Criteria	Award Value
University of Melbourne Graduate Research Scholarships	Currently enrolled in a Masters by research program in University of Melbourne \| Automatic consideration	100% fee remission and up to 135,000 AUD
UQ International Excellence Scholarships	International student with a GPA of 6.75 and above out of 7.0 (80-85%)	25% reduction in tuition fees per semester
2024 Global Curtin Scholarships – Merit Scholarship	International, non-sponsored, fee-paying students \| Met or exceeded the higher academic cut-off score	25% off on first year tuition fee
South Asia Excellence Scholarship	Passport holder of South Asian countries (Including India) \| Pursuing postgraduate coursework degree program \| Full fee paying status	10,000 AUD per year

You can alternatively look for Australia Government scholarships and externally-funded scholarships for Indian students in Australia.

Note: You will not be able to work part-time while pursuing MS in Social Work in Australia. This is because the course curriculum in most of the universities will engage you in placement hours from Monday to Friday.

Jobs After MSW Course in Australia

Social work has a large market in Australia. It is not limited to only one field. You can work in sectors like social service, healthcare, disability, rehabilitation center, and even government. Child protection is a very highly paid sector, as it requires patience and empathy. There are separate sections of social work in the hospitals in Australia. Some significant roles played by these professionals are:

Discharge planning
Crisis intervention
Counseling
Case plan
Mental Health
Timely checking
Policy and research
1-on-1 mental services
Psychosocial counseling
Local area coordinator in National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Furthermore, you can also pursue research in social work sector. Universities can hire you in research assistant role to work on monitoring projects and other research activities.

Salaries in social work vary by sector. You can estimate to earn between 60,000 to 70,000 AUD (33.79 to 39.43 lakhs INR) per annum as a fresher. With growing experience, you can earn above 90,000 AUD per annum. With a managerial role, you can earn up to 100,000 AUD per annum. Below are some popular jobs in Australia, pursued by graduates of MS in Social Work:

jobs_after_masters_in_industrial_engineering_in_canada

Profession	Average Annual Salary (AUD)	Equivalent Salary for Indians (INR)
Social Worker	72,980	41.06 lakhs
Mental Health Counselor	68,790	38.71 lakhs
Case Manager	72,500	40.79 lakhs
Social or Community Service Manager	89,320	50.26 lakhs
Senior Social Worker	69,440	39.07 lakhs
Mental Health Clinician	64,220	36.13 lakhs
Healthcare Consultant	73,400	41.29 lakhs
Clinical Coordinator	80,370	45.21 lakhs
Clinical Social Worker	89,168	50.16 lakhs
Disability Care Worker	40,720	22.90 lakhs

Masters in Social Work in Australia provides very good future outcome towards the investment of tuition fees. Indian students are encouraged to thoroughly compare all aspects of education in the Australian universities before choosing the institute. Compare tuition fees, eligibility, course curriculum, student acceptance and also living expenses. You can easily recover the tuition expenses within the very first year of employment as entry level salary is around 60,00-70,000 AUD per year.

FAQs

Ques. How long is Masters in Social Work in Australia?

Ans. Masters in Social Work in Australia is a 2-year-long program. The course includes approximately 1000 placement hours across most of the universities. This is roughly 3 months duration of 9-5 work between Monday to Friday. Remember, this work is mostly unpaid, hence, you will not have the option to work while studying in Australia for a long time. The course structure widely varies across universities. Some universities have 2 courses in a semester, then a break and then placement, while it can be different in other universities. Indian students are encouraged to thoroughly check the course structure and curriculum before applying to any university.

Ques. Who is eligible for MSW in Australia?

Ans. To be eligible for Masters in Social in Australia, Indian students require the following:

A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
IELTS score of 7.0 or equivalent
Letter of motivation
Up to 2 years of relevant work experience
Statement of service or proof of employment
CV
Australia student visa

Ques. How much is Master of Social Work in Australia fees?

Ans. The tuition fee for Masters in Social Work in Australia for international students ranges between 19,731 and 49,500 AUD per year. For an Indian student, this cost is equivalent to 11.09-27.83 lakhs INR per year. Curtin University and Deakin University are some universities with affordable MSW in Australia fees.

Ques. Is MSW in demand in Australia?

Ans. Qualified social workers are in demand in Australia and across the world. With a MSW degree in Australia, you can expect job opportunities across various sectors like social service, hospital and healthcare, rehabilitation center, disability, and government. Salary as a social worker can range anywhere between 60,000 AUD (33.79 lakhs INR) to more than 100,000 AUD (56.33 lakhs INR).