<P> Competing qualifications outside the Australian Qualifications Framework are the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) Year 12 Academic Certificate . The IB is well accepted by universities . ACE has lesser support, and students may also have to additionally pass a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). </P> <P> There has been growing overlap between the Vocational Education and Training (VET), organised under the National Training System, and Higher Education sectors in Australia . Courses are primarily taken by those aged over 18, however in some vocational and general academic courses a minority of students enter at the minimum school - leaving age of 16, although from May 2009 Federal Government policy calls for young people to be in education, gainful employment, or training until age 17 (Year 12 qualification) with tightening of income support payments to age 20 if not undertaking further training . This tends to happen particularly at Technical and Further Education colleges (TAFE), and is less likely to happen at a university or a private institution . </P> <P> The two sectors form a continuum, with VET at the lower end and Higher Education at the higher . VET courses are typically short, practical in nature and delivered by a TAFE college or Registered Training Organisation at a certificate to diploma level . Higher Education courses take three years or longer to complete, are academic in nature and are delivered by universities at degree level . There is significant overlap, however; a TAFE college may offer degrees and universities may offer certificates and diplomas . A number of private institutions and community education centres cover the full range of qualifications . </P> <P> There has been a strong push towards mutual recognition of qualifications, with VET or Higher Education courses recognised towards other courses (and for those under 21 towards an SSCE). A process of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) has been implemented to allow competencies gained through work and other experience to be assessed and recognised . For instance, a Diploma of Agriculture might be recognised as the equivalent of the first year of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree; a unit of Letter Writing in a Certificate IV of Writing might be recognised as a unit towards a Bachelor of Business degree; experience in aged care might be recognised towards a Certificate in Community Services . </P>

What is a higher degree course in australia
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