Study electrical engineering in Australia as an international student

Course options and duration

A Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) is typically a four-year degree, matching the accreditation standard across engineering disciplines in Australia. A Master of Engineering (Electrical), or a more specialised master's in power systems, renewable energy or electronics, typically runs around two years for students entering from an adjacent undergraduate background.

Electrical and electronics engineering are closely related but distinct ANZSCO occupations, and some programs blend both areas — worth checking your specific course structure against which occupation code you're likely to nominate later, since a program heavy on electronics/embedded systems content may map more cleanly to Electronics Engineer than Electrical Engineer.

What it costs

As at 2026, published international tuition for a Bachelor of Engineering typically sits in the AUD $35,000–50,000-a-year band, consistent with other engineering disciplines given shared laboratory and accreditation requirements, and a Master of Engineering is often in a broadly comparable per-year range. These are sticker prices from the provider's current fee schedule, not net cost after any scholarship — check the specific university, since fees are revised annually.

Work rights while studying, and the graduate visa window

Student visa (subclass 500) holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during term and without a cap during scheduled breaks — as at 2026. Structured industry placement is common in electrical engineering programs and generally provides more migration-relevant experience than casual work, since it produces documented technical project history.

After graduation, the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream currently grants two years to bachelor's and coursework master's graduates and three years to research master's/PhD graduates, with a further one to two years possible for eligible regional-campus study. Confirm current age and English settings before relying on them, since these are reviewed periodically.

The migration pathway: occupation, CDR and the skilled list

Electrical Engineer sits at ANZSCO 233311, closely related to Electronics Engineer at 233312 — the two are distinct codes with different core duties, so which one you nominate depends on your actual specialisation, not just the word "electrical" in your degree title. Engineers Australia is the designated assessing authority, with the Competency Demonstration Report (CDR) the standard route for applicants without a formally recognised accredited qualification.

Electrical (and electronics) engineers have featured consistently among the engineering disciplines drawing strong state nomination interest on Australia's skilled lists, with recent CDR guidance placing more weight on contemporary practice areas such as renewable energy and grid modernisation. List status and points weighting change with each review — check the current list, and confirm your specific occupation code fit with a MARA-registered agent.

Choosing between Electrical Engineer and Electronics Engineer

This is a genuinely common point of confusion. Electrical Engineer (233311) tends to cover power systems, grid infrastructure, industrial electrical design and heavy-current work; Electronics Engineer (233312) tends to cover circuit design, embedded systems, telecommunications hardware and low-current/signal work. A degree titled simply "Electrical Engineering" can lean toward either depending on the specific electives and projects you completed.

If your career episodes and project history sit more naturally under one code than the other, nominate that one — assessors compare your submitted evidence against the specific code's description, and a mismatch between your actual work and the nominated code's duties is a common reason for a negative outcome.

Is electrical engineering a strong choice for a migration-focused international student?

Electrical engineering shares the other engineering disciplines' structural advantages — one assessing body, generally consistent demand, and a code that maps to specific documented project work — with an added dimension of contemporary relevance given renewable-energy and grid-infrastructure investment. The trade-off is the same longer, higher-cost degree and the genuine risk of nominating the wrong code between electrical and electronics.

This article explains the general pathway shape, not your personal fit. A MARA-registered agent can confirm the right occupation code and visa pathway for your specific transcript — on Migratio you describe your situation once and compare consultation fees from MARA-registered agents (comparing is free; consults are typically $150–$300 and you pay only if you book).

Should I nominate Electrical Engineer or Electronics Engineer?

It depends on your actual specialisation and project history — Electrical Engineer (233311) tends to cover power and heavy-current work, Electronics Engineer (233312) tends to cover circuits and embedded systems. Assessors compare your evidence against the specific code's duties, so nominate whichever your real work matches, not whichever sounds closer to your degree title.

Is electrical engineer on Australia's skilled occupation list?

Electrical and electronics engineers have featured consistently among the engineering disciplines attracting skilled-list interest, but list status and points weighting are reviewed periodically. Check the current list before assuming eligibility, and confirm with a MARA-registered agent.

Does my degree need to be Engineers Australia accredited?

It doesn't have to be, but it changes your assessment pathway — graduates of accredited (including Washington Accord-equivalent) programs may access a more direct recognition route, while others typically use the Competency Demonstration Report (CDR). Check your specific program's accreditation status with Engineers Australia.

How long can I work in Australia after an electrical engineering degree?

As at 2026, the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream grants two years to bachelor's and coursework master's graduates and three years to research master's/PhD graduates, plus a possible further one to two years for eligible regional-campus study. Age and English settings apply and change — confirm the current criteria.