RMIT university : Everything You Need To Know

What can be more daunting than selecting the right university for embarking on a journey to higher education? International or domestic students find themselves in a puzzling situation, unable to find universities that align with their interests and future aspirations. Beyond simply obtaining a degree, your academic institute exhibits what surroundings you have been studying in Australia and who your trainers or the faculty members who helped you in seeking knowledge related to the subject. The right choice of institutions shapes your academic experience, personal development, and professional opportunities. So, when we talk about RMIT, Australia, we want you to explore the depth and breadth of the institute and make informed decisions about your university selection. 

 

In this blog, we will direct our ship in the direction of exploring RMIT universities’ history, faculty, student support and much more to the list, so that a prospective student can embark on a journey of discovery, uncovering the factors that matter the most while choosing the right university.

 

About RMIT University in Australia

 

Rmit is an abbreviation of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, which is indeed situated in the heart of Victoria state that is Melbourne. It is one of the oldest, popular and government-funded universities in Australia. Being established in the year 1887, it stands out to be ranked at position #140 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2024. Offering a vast territory to international yet domestic students to conduct their research, perform in cultural activities, elevate their knowledge in a particular field of their interest and reach the ladder to success with a worldwide recognised degree in hand. 

 

There is no denying that the university is a world leader in offering courses falling between the disciplines of art and Design; Architecture; Education; Engineering; Development; Computer Science and Information Systems; Business and Management; and Communication and Media Studies, in all the levels of seeking education. It has partnered with Open University Australia, leading it to be a member of the Australian Technology Network.  Additionally, It has been awarded the JN McNicol Prize, the Patricia Guthrie Memorial Award, and the RMIT Award for Vocational Education. 

 

History of RMIT University at a Glance

 

When we talk about the history of any university we mean to provide you with details on who, how and where the university was established and its transformation, or evolution over the years till now. Similarly, if we talk about RMIT, The university was founded by Francis Ormond in the year 1887, It began as a night school offering teachings in the disciplines including arts, science and technology in response to the industrial revolution in Australia. It was a private college for more than a hundred years before merging with the Phillip Institute of Technology to become a public university in 1992.

 

Working Men's College (1887–1960)

It began as the Working Men's College on 7 June 1887, on the philanthropy of pastoralist Francis Ormond, backed by the Trades Hall Council and by public donations, with the aim of bringing education to the working people of Melbourne.

 

Ormond was a believer that the university education would turn out to be a great source of delivering and spreading awareness during the time of industrialisation and in 1904, it was incorporated under the companies act as a private college.

 

It also contributed to Australia during the war's time (World War I) through the training of returned military personnel, following by which it got its name changed to the Melbourne Technical College in 1934, due to a petition by students.

 

RMIT (1960–1992)

It became the first Australian university that provided tertiary education, being awarded royal patronage for its services to the commonwealth in the area of education and its contribution during the war. After this, it again got renamed as the “Royal Melbourne Technical College''. 

 

RMIT University (1992)

Later on, it merged with the Phillip Institute of Technology in 1992, becoming a public university by act of the Victorian Government under the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Act 1992, and changed its name to RMIT University. During the 1990s, the university underwent a rapid expansion and amalgamated with a number of nearby colleges and institutes. Within this time it joined many other universities and then in the year 1995, it opened its first campus in Bundoora in the northern Melbourne metropolitan area.

 

Recent history (2000–present)

In the 21st century, it serves to be a university which is government-funded and opens up to students across the world to seek education. Consecutively, it has been rewarded at the inaugural Victorian International Education Awards, as the Premier’s award for International Education Provider of the Year and the award for Excellence in International Education (University), following which it received the Vietnamese Government awards, a prestigious Golden Dragon Award for the 12th consecutive year, recognising its excellence in education and research.

 

Programs offered at RMIT, Australia

Talking about the programs offered at the university, then you can apply for courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and research levels. The atmosphere deals with enthusiastic students, leading to competitive and excellent results in academics. You can get admission into full-time and part-time courses as well if your duration of stay is between 3 to 4 years. RMIT offers over 400 programs to domestic and international students at study levels including foundation studies, certificates, diplomas, and Bachelor’s degrees.

 

Popular courses lent by RMIT university

 

 

University Campuses

 

Campus Location: Melbourne City

The foundation of RMIT University was in Melbourne City and is a very reputed campus across the globe. It is well known because of its contemporary architecture which is well preserved from the time of the Victorian era and interwar period. Its original building is situated on the corner of Bowen Street and La Trobe Street, and the campus has since grown to 87 buildings in 2016. 

 

Campus location: Bundoora

It was established in the year 1992 and is located 18 km away from the city campus in the outer northern suburb of Bundoora. It is decided between East and West, and the programs offered here are aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, medical sciences and social sciences. 

 

Campus location: Brunswick

This became part of RMIT in the year 1999, a site for providing vocational education and training in designing.  It is located 6 km from the City campus in the inner northern suburb of Brunswick. Programs offered here include fashion design, graphic design, printing, publishing and textiles. 

 

Other campus locations

1. The Swanston Academic Building (SAB) is designed to promote collaboration and innovation, featuring flexible learning spaces, interactive technology, and social areas for students to study and connect.

 

2. For providing skills in flight training programs, the site at the Royal Australian Air Force serves to be a historic Williams base. It is located 20 km from the City campus in the outer south-western suburb of Point Cook.

 

Campus Facilities

When an international student moves from their native country to RMIT, Australia, the staff at RMIT ensures that these students do not face any trouble during their stay and in education. Therefore, the university provides a wide range of facilities including:

 

Libraries: The Swanston Library is the largest in the network, and is located in Building 8 at the City campus of RMIT. It is reportedly the top library amongst the other libraries in all of Melbourne city. Other libraries in the network are the Brunswick Library, Bundoora West Library and Carlton Library. 

 

Laboratories: The main campus features state-of-the-art laboratories, providing hands-on experience with technology and the latest equipment. You get access to science labs, engineering workshops, design studios, computer labs, and specialised facilities for disciplines such as biotechnology, chemistry, and digital media.

 

Recreation and sports: You can utilise gyms, fitness centres, sports courts, swimming pools, and other outdoor recreational areas to promote the health and well-being of students as well as the staff faculties. It is located in Building 203, McKimmies Road, Bundoora. 

 

Galleries: RMIT Gallery is the major public art gallery that is located on the city campus, in the historic original section of the Storey Hall on Swanston Street. Another one is the RMIT first site gallery which focuses on emerging artists and is located beneath the RMIT gallery. Apart from this, the other RMIT school galleries are as follows: the School of Art's main gallery and Project Space / Spare Room Gallery, the School of Media and Communication Field36 Gallery, and the School of Architecture and Design's Virtual Reality Centre and Design Hub Gallery.

 

Student accommodation: RMIT offers a range of accommodation options to suit different preferences and budgets. These include on-campus student residences, off-campus student apartments, and private rental accommodation options. Student hostels; these properties are designed for university students and provide a social atmosphere.

 

A few of the student hostels by area:

 

Brunswick

1. Don Bosco Youth Centre (male only)

 

Bundoora

1. La Trobe University

2. University Mews

 

Carlton

1. Carlton Melbourne College

2. Carlton Student Accommodation

3. Graduate House

4. Grattan House Student Accommodation

 

And, talking about private accommodations, then you have options such as shared housing, homestay, short-term accommodations, etc.

 

RMIT university tuition fees and duration of courses

 

The acceptance rate for students overseas is around 22% at RMIT University. Therefore, it is advised to peep into the eligibility or academic requirements displayed by the institution before applying to it. 

 

Estimated Tuition fee at RMIT

Undergraduate Programs: For a domestic student the fee typically ranges from approximately AUD $7,000 to $39,000 per year for domestic students, and for International students, it can range approximately between AUD $25,000 to $45,000 per year, depending on the program of study.

 

Postgraduate Coursework Programs: Domestic students may pay between AUD $8,000 and $38,000 per year, while international students can expect to pay between AUD $25,000 and $48,000 per year.

 

Research Programs (PhD and Masters by Research): Domestic students may pay tuition fees of approximately AUD $7,000 to $11,000 per year, while international students may pay between AUD $27,000 and $45,000 per year.

 

Duration of the programs based on level of study

 

Undergraduate Programs: A typical undergraduate degree may require a time duration of three to four years of full-time study for its completion. 

 

Postgraduate Coursework Programs: Postgraduate programs usually range from one to two years of full-time study, depending on the program and whether students choose to study part-time.

 

Research Programs: Again these programs require much time for their completion, ranging from three to four years of study to complete, although the duration may vary depending on the research topic and individual progress.

 

How to apply to RMIT as an international student?

 

Applying to RMIT is a simple and straightforward process, there is no need to hassle about it. You need to understand the steps involved, admission requirements and if there is an availability of scholarships for a prospective student. 

 

• Explore the wide range of undergraduate, and postgraduate coursework, and research programs offered by RMIT University on their official website.
   

• Moving on, decide on a program to study, review the specific admission requirements and ensure you meet the eligibility criteria.
   

• Once decided, collect the documents required to fill out the application form and complete the online application form available on the RMIT University website.
   

• Make sure to provide accurate and complete information, including personal details, academic history, and any supporting documents required.
   

• Lastly, pay the application fee, if applicable, and submit your application by the specified deadline. After which you can proceed by creating an account on the RMIT Apply Portal to track the progress of your application.

 

Admission requirement: To seek admission in an undergraduate program, you need to complete the secondary education or an equivalent qualification, while you need to acquire a bachelor’s degree or relevant work experience for postgraduate programs.

 

Other than this the requirement to have proficiency in the English language must, therefore you must get yourself assessed under the exams IELTS or TOEFL. 

 

Scholarships and financial aid options:

Types of scholarships offered by RMIT University to the students are as follows:

• Coursework Scholarships

• Research Scholarships and Grants

• Financial Assistance

• Contact Scholarships

 

The Australia Awards Scholarships for international students is also available, to be eligible for this scholarship you must:

• Must be an international student

• Must be a citizen of any of the Scholarship's participating country

• Must be fulfilling the country-specific criteria based on the Australia Awards Scholarship Handbook

 

Some of the RMIT scholarships offered to international students are given as follows:

• English to Foundation Studies Pathway Bursary

• RMIT English Language Bursary for Asia

• South East Asia Foundation Bursary

• Medibank Scholarships

 

Conclusion

If you are looking for the right university to study in Australia, then we must tell you that RMIT is one of the top-ranking universities to study in Australia. The university has a promising atmosphere, the latest technology and equipment to meet the needs of the market and open gateways to deal with the latest advancements and innovations. Whether you're passionate about art and design, engineering and technology, health sciences, business, or any other field, RMIT provides the ideal environment to pursue your interests and achieve your goals. The blog read by you is enough to depict that, so whom are you waiting for? Take the next step towards realising your aspirations and become part of the vibrant RMIT community, where innovation meets inspiration and possibilities are endless.

 

If you need any guidance or assistance during your decision-making, you can reach out to oz assignments and mark your path towards beginning your academic journey.