Points for Specialist Educational Qualifications
For the general skilled migration points test, you can obtain 5 points if you have met the requirements for the award of a "specialist educational qualification". You would need to have completed either a:- Masters degree by research (as opposed to a Masters by coursework); or
- Doctoral degree (PhD)
The qualification must have included study of at least 2 academic years in Australia and be awarded by an Australian educational institution. The qualification must be in a field specified by the Department of Immigration. This currently covers "STEM" specialisations (ie Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The "specialist education" fields are defined follows:
| Broad Field of Education | Narrow Field of Education |
| Natural and Physical Sciences | Biological Sciences |
| Chemical Sciences | |
| Earth Sciences | |
| Mathematical Sciences | |
| Natural and Physical Sciences | |
| Other Natural and Physical Sciences | |
| Physics and Astronomy | |
| Information Technology | Computer Science |
| Information Systems | |
| Information Technology | |
| Other Information Technology | |
| Engineering and Related Technologies | Aerospace Engineering and Technology |
| Civil Engineering | |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Technology | |
| Engineering and Related Technologies | |
| Geomatic Engineering | |
| Manufacturing Engineering and Technology | |
| Maritime Engineering and Technology | |
| Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and Technology | |
| Other Engineering and Related Technologies | |
| Process and Resources Engineering |
