Feeling lost and dont know what to do in my life. Should l keep studying or find a job?

MrBarbs on 20/12/2022 - 16:58

Hi guys, l seeking the wise advice of the OzBargainers. I'm currently 21 years old and graduated with a Bachelor of Advance Science (Pre-med). After finishing High School, my aim was to become a doctor. However, because l didn't get the highest atar, doing this course would be my best option as it could provide me with the background knowledge of becoming a doctor.

Fast forward to now, I've realized that a career as a doctor is not for me. I did not enjoy what l studied and l believe if l would to continue that l would fail as the amount of knowledge that one must learn is incredible. When going to the doctors, l now appreciate the amount of endurance they must have gone through to become what they are.

So now I have this degree and l don't know what to do in my life. After graduating, I've been looking for a job like a Medical assistant or Research assistant (things of that nature) and having no luck. The competition in this field is so high with the pay being so low. Am l looking in the wrong areas?

I have to decide if I want to go back to studying or keep on trying to find a job. I've always liked computers, enjoying how they work and the software that runs them so maybe a degree in computer science would be beneficial for me to get a job in the field of IT. I have the opportunity to work as a Teacher or as Plumber (been working in this field for years now but not as an apprentice). I may like teaching but l definitely don't like Plumbing though it would be the easiest path for me to take as I've been working in it for years.

In summary, I need advice on a career path l should take. Keep trying to find a job in the field of my degree, obtain a new degree like computer science, or become a teacher or a plumber. Thanks for reading the story of my life and value any comment that you guys could give me.

Education & Work

Comments

  • Muzeeb on 20/12/2022 - 17:03
    +19

    Does your uni have a careers guidance counsellor?

    • MrBarbs on 20/12/2022 - 17:06
      +1

      Yes they do. I thought about going to one of them but never did

      • SF3 on 20/12/2022 - 19:28
        +28

        I thought about going to one of them but never did

        Procrastination connoisseur.

        “Procrastination gives you something to look forward to.”

        but

        “To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.”

      • star-ggg on 20/12/2022 - 20:38
        +10

        Don't bother they're useless. The best advice you can get is to do DYOR on the internet.

        • SlickMick on 21/12/2022 - 09:15
          +4

          I'm not so sure - depends whether OP has a better plan, which seems that they don't.

          I rejected the advice that I was given and quickly discovered that my way was a dud. I recovered and made a decent 30 year career, but eventually realised that following the guidance counsellor's advice would have been more rewarding. Thankfully, it's nearly never too late for a career change.

          Oh wait - that was sarcasm?? I do think ozbargain provides excellent advice, but it's very general in nature.

          • star-ggg on 21/12/2022 - 10:18
            +7

            @SlickMick: No it wasn't sarcasm, because to be a good career counsellor you would need to have worked in every field and keep up to date with what is happening in every field. This is obviously impossible to do so the best they can provide is some superficial recommendations based on your academic background and personality tests.

            However, the internet actually does have a representative from every field and if you DYOR, you can get very detailed information about a particular career path and what it entails.

          • dtrinh on 21/12/2022 - 13:58

            @SlickMick: @SlickMick regarding part on “ following the guidance counsellor's advice would have been more rewarding”, can you explain further what that advice was and how it helped in your case? Tia

            • SlickMick on 21/12/2022 - 17:09
              +3

              @dtrinh: He was trying to convince me to go into engineering.
              It took be decades to realise it was good advice. It would have lined up my skills and passions far better than what I did.

        • Cave Fire on 24/12/2022 - 11:56

          Some are good, depends who you get.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 21/12/2022 - 15:34

        Look for jobs in what you're interested in. If you need further qualifications go and study, it shouldn't be difficult if you're passionate about it.

      • Breno785au on 24/12/2022 - 18:34

        Wtf? So you came to ozbargain instead?

    • HeWhoKnows on 21/12/2022 - 14:13
      +4

      Go back to GO and start the game again.
      Do NOT collect $200.
      Roll the dice and see where you land.

    • serpserpserp on 23/12/2022 - 13:51

      You mean, "have you asked Reddit?"

  • Stopback on 20/12/2022 - 17:04
    +7

    You are gonna get wet if you want to go swimming.

    You gonna break a egg if you want to bake a cake.

    • MrBarbs on 20/12/2022 - 17:14
      +8

      You are going to get dirty if you want to garden

    • DealsyMcDealsalot on 21/12/2022 - 23:01
      +5

      You can't make an omelette without lemonade

    • gimme on 22/12/2022 - 07:36
      +2

      If you go to bed with an itchy bum, you wake up with a smelly finger.

    • MuddyClear on 22/12/2022 - 09:10

      If you have sex, it will feel good

    • Miss B on 22/12/2022 - 14:28

      Not always true. I sometimes want to bake a cake or go swimming, but I don't follow through, therefore no getting wet or egg breaking.

  • Quantumcat on 20/12/2022 - 17:14
    +17

    If you study computer science you can use any maths courses you did as credit. You're still young so no harm doing another degree. Your science degree will put you ahead of other candidates if you can find any scientific programming jobs like at CSIRO or department of geoscience for example.

    • MrBarbs on 20/12/2022 - 17:16

      Definitely did some math courses, appreciate your kind feedback. Do you work in the field of IT?

      • Quantumcat on 20/12/2022 - 17:20

        Yep I am a web developer. I started studying science (physics and maths) then dropped out and did computer science instead

      • LiteDough on 21/12/2022 - 08:20
        +5

        You are still young - people retrain and study in their 30s and 40s, your career path isn't set in stone.

        Maybe you should get a clearer idea of what field you're interested in (by working or maybe take a break from studying) before deciding to jump into further studies? Not everyone stays in the same field they chose straight after high school or uni.

        (Also some people study something and don't do anything directly related to their studies.)

      • Cobber870 on 21/12/2022 - 12:18
        +3

        There are plenty of other jobs in health if you are interested in the field but don't want to be a Dr.
        * Data Analytics
        * Research
        * Tech Assistants
        * Biomedical Engineering/ICT
        * …

      • od810 on 21/12/2022 - 16:24
        +3

        I know some companies hire grads without CS background. You may want to try some of these Grad Programs. My previous team hired people with Math degree, current team has a person who used to be a nurse. I do recommend you to have a head start first, the girl in my team did some web dev course on General Assembly.

        And don't worry about age, as long as you are determined to do it, it's not that hard. Feel free to DM me if you want to have any chat about the field.

    • Roddi on 21/12/2022 - 12:59
      +26

      +1. I did a Computer Science degree back in the 90s, and have had a very interesting, rewarding career since then.
      But, it really really helps if you like programming.
      There's two types of programmers in the industry: those who did IT for a high-paying career, and those who also did it because they like the actual hands-on programming itself.
      The former is fine, but those programmers can be decent, but they don't get really, really good.
      They tend to drift out of programming into management roles - just something else they're doing for more $$$.
      But if you're the latter sort of person, you'll probably end up being one of the best programmers at your company, simply because the former guys got out of programming after 5 years, whereas you doubled down and spent 10 years getting excellent at it.
      If you become a contractor, you'll get the same money as a manager anyway, but without the endless meetings.

      I'd suggest:
      1) do some on-line EdX computer science courses to get a taste of what it is, and to get an idea of whether you're a former or latter person.
      https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-computer-science-har…
      2) if you do go ahead, try to do the course on-campus face-to-face. You're more likely to enjoy the subject itself if you're enjoying the experience of studying again.

      • jedimaster on 21/12/2022 - 23:58
        +1

        This is golden advice for OP.

        I have been in IT Industry for 13 years.

        • scud70 on 22/12/2022 - 05:55
          +1

          Yep 100% agree with the advice, I started in comp Sci and knew it wasn't for me, not everyone has the mind for programming and I sucked at it… I swapped to business systems major, been in IT for around 23 yrs.

          So no harm in trying comp Sci /programming.. But there are other options to pivot to in IT if you aren't good at it, no shame or harm in that.

      • neonlight on 23/12/2022 - 08:24

        Ain't programmers getting outsourced just like every other IT jobs?

        • uzBargaining on 23/12/2022 - 13:49

          There are companies doing that, but it is the minority, there are tons of opportunities atm.

      • Big Lez on 24/12/2022 - 21:54

        What is the current industry approach to hiring? What qualifications are they looking for? Do you actually need the CS degree or is any relevant degree ok? I have a BEng in electrical and curious about what's available in tech.

        • Roddi on 03/02/2023 - 18:09
          +1

          Most developers have an IT degree, but it's not unusual to work with people who've retained from degrees like Engineering, Physics and Maths.
          So it certainly happens. I'd suggest talking to a recruiter who will have a better idea of how people get into the industry through non-IT degree paths.

          Like Engineering, I imagine, there's a series of hills to climb that doesn't really end (eg programming itself, then how to program websites, then how to run these in the cloud, then not sucking at all of these).
          That's why I say it really really helps if you like climbing each of these hills.
          To give you an idea of what you're in for, this video is funny, but is kinda true too.
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEfrdAtAmqk

          I still recommend an online Comp Sci course. You'll look at lots of different areas, and give you solid fundamental grounding if you see it through.
          Good luck :)

          • Big Lez on 04/02/2023 - 01:11

            @Roddi: appreciate the response! I might give that course a go. I've previously tried codecademy which I found fun but I was tight with time then.

      • metaverse on 03/04/2024 - 15:06

        I would love to hear your thoughts about this in 2024, considering AI and all the advancements.
        I want to improve my programming skills and find a job. Which areas of IT do you think are AI-proof? i.e., which jobs will still exist in 10 years?

        I have a computer science degree, but spent most of my career in digital marketing and now want to do programming.

    • ssfps on 22/12/2022 - 01:00

      If he already has an undergrad STEM degree, probably not worth doing a compsci course, cheaper and quicker to just teach himself and start working on open source projects to get up to speed.
      Most places want to see a degree (STEM is better), they don't particularly care if it's comp sci. in my experience.

      • Quantumcat on 22/12/2022 - 06:53

        The jobs that I see require a computer science related degree. Also programmers that didn't do a computer science degree generally make really lousy programmers. There are standard ways of solving the sort of problems that occur over and over (algorithms), and standard conventions, and those that didn't do a degree and just kind of figured it out don't do those things properly. Usually meaning other people have to come along after and fix their code. It's like the difference between knowing how to physically write letters from the alphabet but not knowing anything about English (which you can figure out by looking at examples), and knowing how to speak and write well to convey an argument (which would involve growing up in an English-speaking household and learning how to write essays in high school)

      • Jolakot on 22/12/2022 - 14:47

        I'm a senior software engineer, this advice was good 5 years ago, but the industry is now saturated with entry-level people from bootcamps and online courses who don't understand the problems they're solving

        You can still get away with an engineering degree, especially electrical or mechanical, but a general science or math degree won't get you very far anymore without any proper experience

        Huge exception for people who studied physics (especially astrophysics) though, they're highly sought after by game development studios and more recently machine learning companies due to their ability to model complex deterministic behaviour at scale

  • JCrown9 on 20/12/2022 - 17:23
    -1

    https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/34ca8554-8f53-4851-8745-289…

    This could be an option???

    • Adredocto on 20/12/2022 - 17:43
      +19

      You dont think doctors need to constantly learn and study?
      Medicine may bring a high salary but there is a decade of study and being overworked before you start to make any decent coin. You are basically using that high salary to make up for lost earning power early on.
      Do it long term then sure its a huge pay off but i cant see OP being keen to stick it out if already over it.

      • fossilfuel on 20/12/2022 - 22:26
        +1

        I had similar plans to jump from my current field to medicine. After looking at the numbers, I will never out earn myself by the time I retire if I changed fields.

        A good portion of my mates are doctors and most are burning out due to long and unpredictable hours, expensive fees, competitive colleges, endless exams/case reports etc.

        Kudos to those who stuck it through and are making bank. But it's a constant grind for at least 10 years. I would strongly encourage people to read when breath becomes air and This is going to hurt because they seriously shaped my views about being a doctor.

      • Tleyx on 21/12/2022 - 17:23

        Surgeons i lnow are also freaked out about not being able to earn much after 50 as their hand/ eyes go out

        • ssfps on 22/12/2022 - 01:02
          +3

          "Feaked out" seems like it's overplaying it. If you've been earning half a million a year for 15-20 years you're probably not going to starve by retiring early.

          • supersabroso on 22/12/2022 - 01:55
            +3

            @ssfps: So true, they've already earned 4 times the amount that most people would earn in a lifetime so they are set.

        • serpserpserp on 23/12/2022 - 13:57

          All surgeons I know in their 50s are set. Plus they can teach and do management if the hands/eyes go away. Most will retire when that happens anyway if they love it.

    • star-ggg on 21/12/2022 - 10:22
      +5

      My top performing tech friends are earning as much or more than my med friends. They're also mostly WFH, have a lot of perks and working lot less hours.

      • Shiny Mew on 22/12/2022 - 18:03

        What kind of tech jobs?

        • star-ggg on 22/12/2022 - 22:29

          Middle management software development

      • Ryballs on 23/12/2022 - 23:01

        Fair enough but med does have the potential to earn way more down the track, especially if you're a workaholic. My wife works in a specialist clinic where the doctors earn $1m+, although they barely ever have time off and basically working until they die of old age.

        Regardless I agree that OP should do something else if he is not enjoying it though.

    • trapper on 21/12/2022 - 12:40
      +4

      The problem with programming is there is an endless amount of things you need to keep learning to stay current so it never ends.

      Programmers generally enjoy this though. Fiddling around with new tech and learning obscure computer stuff is why we got into the field in the first place.

      • ssfps on 22/12/2022 - 21:12

        The front-end web programmers i know (who this affects the most) generally hate it, some of them have anxiety over falling behind, although that's less a problem now that react has basically 'won' (2013-2018 was like the wild west).

        • trapper on 22/12/2022 - 21:21

          Frontend is a nightmare haha, wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

          Some people seem to like the pain though… so who knows.

    • siege on 22/12/2022 - 06:58
      +2

      This is the wrong advice. I doubt @dogboy is a doctor. I am. Don't study medicine if you want to be rich, not because doctors aren't paid above average but because it takes so long and even once you're out of uni you will be junior for longer than in other fields. I love it but it's not for everyone.
      Look at it this way. You have been given a gift. You have realised you don't want to be a doctor after only committing 3 years to it. There are a lot of people further in who are more stuck.
      If you enjoy computer science that seems like a great move. My mates who studied software engineering or computer science also got jobs at companies that had a great workplace environment and Worklife balance which is not something you could say of the public hospital system for junior doctors.

  • thirtysixd on 20/12/2022 - 17:30
    +20

    Take a gap year go work/play overseas .

    • simgue on 22/12/2022 - 14:19
      +6

      This exactly! If you're feeling lost and rudderless, going back to study for something you're not sure you like may not be the best option. Take a little time to invest in yourself. Travel and experience things that you can't learn in a uni course. Go and volunteer in a culture and country that is outside your comfort zone. Learn about the history of the planet and people by seeing it. Take a one-way flight to some country and fly home 12 months later from somewhere completely different. Otherwise, go on a Contiki and do all the stuff you regret the following day but look back on and laugh about it for the rest of your life.

      The people you meet and the things you see can profoundly influence where you then choose to invest your future.

      Don't rush into more study. Live some of your life while youth and health are on your side.

      • Roman Sandstorm on 22/12/2022 - 16:07
        +4

        @thirtysixd & @simgue

        100%

        How did it take so long for some decent advice to arrive?

        If OP is not overly-motivated now regarding any further study/work, then…… don't.(If you force yourself in either area it may well ruin those areas for you in future anyway.)

        If you can afford it, bum around Asia/South America for as long as possible. If you can't afford it, go to UK, pick up casual work. Share a flat. Go out at night. Smoke substances. Enjoy carnal delights.

        For most people, a year or so of this is sufficient, and may provide some clarity of what you may enjoy going forward.

        DO. NOT. DO. STUDY. OR. WORK. YOU. DO. NOT. ENJOY. Far better to do casual work, be on the dole, whatever. You are so young. Be a summer camp counsellor in Canada. Try to pick up rich chicks (or boys…) in holiday resorts.

        And as for family, etc here…. define your adulthood and you not bowing to social pressure. They will still accept you, but rather than the 'good salaryman' you'll be the only-slightly-eccentric nephew.

    • rover100 on 22/12/2022 - 22:06

      This is the best option, you wont regret it.

  • Bafranz on 20/12/2022 - 17:45

    having completed a bachelor's degree, you should be able to become a teacher with a 1 yr diploma of education.. if that's what you fancy

    • Quantumcat on 20/12/2022 - 20:04
      +5

      You need a masters now, no more dip Ed

      • Bafranz on 20/12/2022 - 20:05
        +1

        thanks for the heads up, so a masters in teaching for OP is a possibility

    • ldt on 21/12/2022 - 18:19

      What!? Most teachers do not have Masters.

      • Gumster on 21/12/2022 - 19:01
        +4

        Diploma of Education was phased out over 10 years ago now.

        Teachers either have a Bachelors of Something and a Masters of Education
        or a Bachelor of Education with a subject specific Major (Math, English, Science)

        All those that entered the workforce before they got rid of the Diploma of Education did not have to go back so teachers with more than 10+ years would just have a dip ed

        • ldt on 22/12/2022 - 02:32
          -3

          What you’ve just written discounts your point though. Masters is not required to be a teacher.

          • Quantumcat on 22/12/2022 - 06:54
            +2

            @ldt: It is required to be a teacher if you don't already have a dip ed, which OP does not have.

            • PrettyBrokeTBH on 22/12/2022 - 07:04

              @Quantumcat: Incorrect - A masters degree is required if you don't already have a bachelor's degree - in education (which OP does not have).

              Source: Teacher

              • Quantumcat on 22/12/2022 - 07:35

                @PrettyBrokeTBH: OK yeah fair enough I assumed we were only talking about people with degrees already who want to become a teacher as quickly as possible. A dip ed was really quick - 1 year. But a masters takes 2 years. I can't imagine someone would choose to do a second bachelors if there was a choice to do a 2-year masters.

                • ldt on 22/12/2022 - 19:27

                  @Quantumcat: I love how I’ve been downvoted yet I’m correct!
                  You don’t HAVE to do a masters to become a teacher at all! Don’t spread false information. A bachelors is still fine.

                  • Quantumcat on 23/12/2022 - 00:18
                    +1

                    @ldt: If someone is a brain surgeon and they're asking how to become an oncologist, you don't suggest they start their medical degree and ten years of university over again. Starting again with a bachelor's in teaching when there is a shorter way to go is nearly as ludicrous. The context of this entire post and this thread within the post is how to become a teacher when you already have a degree. The answer to that question is you need a masters as they don't do dip eds anymore. If the question was how do you become a teacher fresh out of school, or just with no degree, then the bachelors of teaching is the answer. If it isn't, you're giving an answer to a question that nobody asked.

                    • ldt on 23/12/2022 - 07:24

                      @Quantumcat: No but you’d write “the quickest way to achieve this is do a masters” not “you need a masters now”.

                • serpserpserp on 23/12/2022 - 13:59

                  @Quantumcat: Cost

  • Drakesy on 20/12/2022 - 17:57
    +10

    Work for a year.
    Realise that going straight into 9-5 in private is stressful.
    Get into government
    Fail upwards
    Acquire money.

    I graduated at 25, made the most of my time at uni in my 20's and don't regret a thing. Had many friends who did their degree, went straight into full time work and barely took holidays, missing out on the best years of their lives.

    • serpserpserp on 23/12/2022 - 14:00

      Can't imagine working in government and getting to the end of my youth and regretting being evil.

      • Drakesy on 23/12/2022 - 17:51

        I did 5 years in private which took me to my 30's
        Now im high enough that money isnt an issue yet my lifestyle is fantastic in government

        • serpserpserp on 23/12/2022 - 23:46
          -1

          Evil tho.

          • Drakesy on 24/12/2022 - 15:24

            @serpserpserp: Its more if you cant beat em join them.
            I see it as i can try to be part of solving the problem rather than complaining about them all the time

    • The Wololo Wombat on 24/12/2022 - 14:22

      Fail… upwards. OMGS. lol

  • Hydralyte on 20/12/2022 - 18:07

    DO a PHD. Become a researcher. It's loads of fun and very challenging.

    A lot of people get excited about computer science but when they actually study it, they get a shock of their life. It can be very bland, lots of maths, statistics, logic, number theory, programming by the bucket loads, late night coding. The best programmers usually have a certain type of personality that prefers their computer over a social life. Think of Bill Gates but before he started talking about saving the world.

      • Hydralyte on 20/12/2022 - 19:38
        +5

        Researchers change the world as we know it.
        A lot of the important advances in industry are because of scientific research.

        The pharmaceuticals and you know of today are all from decades of research. Same goes for engineering.

        Private sector is for making money. They're not going to make significant advances without the scientific research behind all their great ideas.

        • dogboy on 20/12/2022 - 19:50
          -7

          Aren't those mostly funded by private companies these days and not universities? Looking at the COVID vaccines, these all came out of private companies.

          • Hydralyte on 20/12/2022 - 20:27
            +10

            @dogboy:

            Looking at the COVID vaccines, these all came out of private companies.

            mRNA vaccine technology is actually from decades of research into vaccines and mRNA. The way in which mRNA molecules are produced was understood through the whole process of DNA and RNA replication which took many decades to understand. Trust me, it wasn't from Pfizer or that BioNTech bloodsucker. lol

            Read this article: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02483-w

      • star-ggg on 21/12/2022 - 14:42
        -1

        Most? My field in finance, the majority of people have PhDs. Someone that understand science would know what ends up being commericalised is only the tip of the survivor bias iceberg. The foundations are built on these "pie-in-the-sky" research that you frown so much upon. When you start a research project you don't have a plan for how things are going to work. For every successful breakthrough there are 100 failures that had to be attempted first.

    • Roddi on 21/12/2022 - 13:24
      +7

      As someone who started a Comp Sci PhD but wrote it up as a Masters to get out, I'd say DO NOT do a PhD unless you know specifically what you want to research and you're passionate about it - otherwise by the end of 3+ years you'll be sick of it.
      Also getting a supervisor who is really engaged and supportive is key.
      This is difficult, as they're more interested in their own research, not yours. But perhaps you can find a supervisor whose interests overlap with yours?
      Ask the uni Department what their PhD attrition rate is - it's often really high (40+%), which will give you an idea of why you'll need the above not to be in that percentage.

      As for that other stuff about what best programmers are like.
      Yes, perhaps the best programmers are like - or perhaps not.
      But to be one of the best programmers:
      1) enjoy programming enough to spend the 10 years it takes to master something.
      During that time other programmers will be dropping like flies after 5 years, because they only did it for the $$$ in the first place.
      2) keep questioning how you program and improving it.
      Don't confuse productivity with mastery - don't be one of those guys who stop learning after 5 years, and think they're gurus whereas they're just quick at cut-n-pasting.
      A program is finished not when there's nothing more to add, but when there's nothing more to take away.
      3) spend another 10 years really mastering programming, because it's always evolving :-)

      • Hydralyte on 21/12/2022 - 17:42

        As someone who started a Comp Sci PhD but wrote it up as a Masters to get out, I'd say DO NOT do a PhD unless you know specifically what you want to research and you're passionate about it - otherwise by the end of 3+ years you'll be sick of it.

        I should clarify that I was talking about a PHD in medicine/medical science. Not computer science. The OP is a med science/advanced science grad.

    • Drakesy on 21/12/2022 - 15:49
      +1

      loads of fun

      Hmmm
      I've seen divorces over one partner doing a PHD and the other having to earn money and look after the house and kids.

      If you're single and can live frugally go for it, but it's a completely different experience to uni and not for everyone.

    • peterpeterpumpkin on 22/12/2022 - 23:36

      Just as a counterargument, many researchers in the life sciences could be considered to have a "certain type of personality" and not everyone would consider their research job "loads of fun". The working life of a lab research worker can get very political, which is what often scares people away.

      But I agree that if you're planning to work in a lab anyway then get the PhD (every woman and her dog has one these days). But I thought most universities in Australia would require at least an honours/masters or relevant work experience, which I don't believe OP has?

  • AustriaBargain on 20/12/2022 - 18:10
    +4

    Why not become an audiologist or something. The pay isn't too bad, it can't be too challenging compared to being a doctor, and you help people improve their lives by helping them hear properly again. I bet working in a health speciality isn't too demanding so you can focus on hobbies and stuff, real life stuff.

  • Third_Gear on 20/12/2022 - 18:47
    +12

    Take a gap year. Travel, use your degree that you have now to teach English in Japan, Thailand etc. Party a bit and get a couple years of life experience outside of Australia.

  • FoxJump on 20/12/2022 - 19:29

    keep in mind that govt supported courses only cover 1 bachelor's degree and only some master degrees

    so the next one you'll be a full fee paying student. though you may be able to pay after completion but at the full fee not the discounted fee

    • AustriaBargain on 20/12/2022 - 20:03
      +1

      I got two degrees covered, I did them concurrently tho.

      • FoxJump on 20/12/2022 - 20:35

        a while ago i looked into this. you have 7 years to complete your degree. i think double degrees count as one. and then you're spent

    • Quantumcat on 20/12/2022 - 20:07

      Is it by number of courses or if you actually finish one? I did 3/4 of like 3 degrees before I finally finished one, and have the HECS debt to match

      • FoxJump on 20/12/2022 - 20:35

        afaik it's 7 years and one (or a double) finished

        • Quantumcat on 20/12/2022 - 20:52

          I was going for 11 years 😬 But not always full time so maybe I just scraped in there

      • AustriaBargain on 20/12/2022 - 21:12
        +3

        I find it's best not to even check your HECS debt, just pretend it doesn't exist and let the government take their minimum payments.

    • happydude on 21/12/2022 - 15:27

      The CSP rule is new and only applies to study after Jan 2022. It is 7 years FTE, not calendar time - https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans-commonwealth-suppo…

      Centrelink usually won't support a second degree though. And there are calendar time limits for completion - https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/allowable-time-for-aust…

      I think you are merging the two

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