Use of Australian qualifications OS

[KathLong]

Our daughter just finished a Diploma of Dance in Australia. We are trying to decide if it’s worthwhile for her to do the Advanced Diploma or whether we should put the money towards extra training. She’s very keen to explore opportunities in Europe, so we’re also not sure what Australian qualifications, or level of qualifications, are useful. 
Does anyone have experience or knowledge of heading to Europe after studying in Australia? 

Edited December 8, 2019 by KathLong
Need to state she did an Australian Diploma

[Karen]

Could you give a little more informative about the level of this qualification and what your daughter hopes to do? I am not sure it equates exactly to anything that UK dancers can do, so it’s hard to compare or try to answer your question. 

[KathLong]

Hi Karen, she is 14 and studying high school via distance education. She also completed the Diploma qualification, which is Tertiary level, two steps below a Bachelor Degree here in Australia. The Advanced diploma would be one step below a Bachelor degree. She's focused on classical ballet and would like to eventually work in a Company in Europe. She has been to Royal Ballet Spring schools the last two years, not applying for next year as would like to try a couple of other schools, if she is accepted. The plan at the moment would be for her to move to Europe at approx 16 and hopefully attend a ballet school, so we're not sure whether she should just continue her full-time dance training while doing her next years of high school via distance ed, OR enrol her in the Advanced Diploma also. The Advanced Diploma is quite expensive and we are wondering if that money would be better spent on sending her to any Summer schools OS she may be accepted into next year. I understand it's all very different in Aust, if she does end up in Europe at a school at 16 and the Advanced Diploma is not useful, or she ends up needing to study the Eurpoean equivalent, that would be a bit annoying.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

In Australia is it a qualification that gains entry to university education?  I'm wondering if it is a bit like our Btec Diploma here in the UK, a vocational qualification that can be studied either instead of, or alongside academic A levels that gives entry to university degree programmes?  If so, and your daughter is planning on applying for European universities then it may be worth checking admissions criteria to see if it accepted.

 

For those studying to be professional dancers here in the UK qualifications aren't really necessary, they are more often just used as the vehicle for which to get the course funded (for home students).  If your daughter is looking to apply to study in Europe then she will be required to study whatever qualification the school offers as part of their training.  In the UK that may be a Level 6 Trinity Diploma in Dance or a degree or a schools own internal diploma.  It's the training, not the qualification that really matters.  

 

The time when they do matter is for anyone wanting to go into teaching.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

OK, I've done a bit of googling & from what I can see the Advanced Diploma in Dance is one of a plethora of TAFE qualifications in Australia that can either count towards university entrance scores or can actually be taken at a university as a 1 year course either instead of or prior to a full degree.

 

So if she were to come and study in the UK (can't comment on the rest of Europe as that's outside my sphere of knowledge) at age 16 it wouldn't advantage her or disadvantage her to have the qualification.  She would still have to study whatever qualification the school she was accepted to offers.  

[KathLong]

That’s very helpful... thank you. 

[Kanangra]

Hi  KathLong - I'm also from Australia. My daughter has taken the contemporary path but she has a Cert IV and also Diploma in Elite Dance Performance. She was accepted into both Northern Contemporary and Trinity Laban based on that qualification (as well as her audition) and is now studying at NSCD. In Europe, we know students who were admitted to Palucca and Mannheim in Germany with Cert IV as their main qualification, and another student at Princess Grace who has no qualifications other than completed year 10. Not sure where you are based or what school you are at, feel free to inbox me if you'd like