Overview

The Australian College of Agriculture and Horticulture (ACAH) is a specialist school offering courses tailored to the Australian horticulture industry. With courses in agribusiness, agriculture, production, conservation & land management, and nursery operations, students will be able to gain valuable experience and knowledge that can lead to a successful career.

　　Courses can be undertaken with a mix of classroom tuition, laboratory study and placement, with valuable and intensive work experience options helping students to prepare for their future job. Students who complete a program at ACAH will be fully prepared to step right into a role as a horticultural agronomist, a horticultural consultant or potentially as an orchard or vineyard manager, among other potential future careers.

　　The college has campuses in both Melbourne and Cairns, both of which are safe cities where students can relax, study in comfort and fully focus on their chosen qualification. In their down time, students will find plenty of options for unwinding and there is plenty of private accommodation available.

　　Each campus is equipped with sufficient facilities for students including classrooms and lecture rooms, laboratories, IT equipment and breakout spaces for independent study.

　　International students looking to begin a career in agriculture or horticulture will find that ACAH offers expert tuition and career support. Students will be guided through the application process and given a proper orientation so that they are able to best succeed on their chosen qualification once they arrive in Australia.

　　

Campuses

The main campus of the Australian College of Agriculture and Horticulture is the City Campus, located on Swanston Street in the heart of Melbourne. Facilities on campus include a large lecture theatre with a seating capacity of about 150, fitted with data projectors and an electronic whiteboard three classrooms, including a dedicated room for landscape design a dry laboratory, complete with equipment relevant to the programs such as dissecting microscopes, a spray patternator and more a technical library and a television set.

　　The city of Melbourne, often rated the most liveable city in the in the world, is another attraction for students. This vibrant city boasts great shopping, world-renowned cuisine and a fabulous art and cultural scene.

　　The Cairns campus of the college is in the heart of Cairns in tropical north Queensland. The campus is a couple of minutes' walk from the esplanade, offers easy access to public transport, situated as it is at the Cairns Bus Terminal's doorstep. The Cairns campus has four classrooms and a small demonstration library.

　　Common facilities at both campuses include 10 Apple IMAC computers with MS Office for Mac and printing facilities, offices and meeting rooms, kitchenette complete with fridge, microwave and other facilities, free student wi-fi and much more.

　　

Programs & entry requirements

Programs

The Australian College of Agriculture and Horticulture offers programs for international students across the following subject areas:

　　Agribusiness Agriculture Production Conservation and land management Nursery operationsPrograms are offered at various levels of study such as diploma, advanced diploma, graduate diploma, graduate certificate and certificate. Most courses are offered face-to-face on campus.

　　

Entry requirements

All international students must clear a language literacy and numeracy assessment, assessed by the Language Studies department.

　　For entry to certificate programs, students need to have completed the equivalent of an Australian Year 10 or be currently employed in the agriculture Industry, with a minimum of 12 months equivalent employment or with an interest in pursuing a career in agriculture.

　　Diploma applicants will need to have completed Certificate IV in agriculture or a related field or have qualifications equivalent to Australian Year 12 general schooling. Work experience of more than two years in an agriculture-related field may also be considered.

　　Those applying to advanced diploma programs should have completed the equivalent of an Australian Year 12 or be currently employed in the agriculture Industry, with a minimum of 36 months employment.

　　

English program

The Australian College of Agriculture and Horticulture offers a professional English non-award (ELICOS) program for students who have a desire to improve their fluency and accuracy in the language and build their confidence in reading, writing and speaking in English. The modules in the program include five speaking and listening units, four reading and writing units and one mathematical numeracy unit.

　　Applicants to the program must be at least 16 years old and should have completed an ISLPR 1 or Certificate in Initial GEA or CSWE II as an education level requirement. Appropriate course placement is finalised after a pre-course language, literacy and numeracy assessment test and an interview.

　　

Non-Award Rules

Once students complete the program, they will be presented with an attendance certification document demonstrating the modules completed and the duration of the program in weeks.

　　Modules cover all the essential skills of any language program, such as listening, reading, speaking, writing, presentation, note-taking, communicative competence and more.

　　

Application process

Students applying to study at the Australian College of Horticulture and Agriculture must comply with the requirements of the application process.

　　The following are the steps in the application process:

　　Students must complete the international application Form. The application form and supporting documents must be submitted to ACAH via a representative or by email. The enrolment fee must be paid to the provider. Students will be interviewed, after which a letter of offer and student agreement will be issued to them, subject to entry requirements being met. Once the signed agreement had been received and funds deposited into the college's bank account, an electronic confirmation of enrolment (eCoE) will be issued. Students will have to undergo a language literacy and numeracy assessment, and a pre-training review, so that the learning and assessment structure is designed to meet their individual needs. After all procedures are completed, students will receive an orientation and welcome to ACAH.

　　

Graduate outcomes

The Australian College of Agriculture and Horticulture aims to empower the food production community with knowledge and skills through which workers can stand out in the workplace, as well as share and contribute to the college's vision.

　　This focus on quality and outcome-based training, with uniquely challenging assessment methods, helps ACAH's consulting business stay at the forefront of teaching by providing students with relevant, up-to-date skills and preparing them to compete in the market.

　　The use of modern facilities, such as the training farm ''Rabarl Farms'' and a 1000m2 glasshouse equipped with hydroponic setup and 3D Cad Design for amenity horticulture, allows ACAH to further hone students' skills. Skilled workers that understand current issues like climate change, sustainability and risk management are key to feeding the world for a long time to come.

　　ACAH graduates will be primed for success in roles a across a variety of employers such as nurseries, farms and other types of agricultural or horticultural enterprises.