“MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK”
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE (SAR01KHA)
INTRODUCTION
I would like to introduce myself as Applicant Name, born on D.O.B in Applicant Address. I am an applicant holding passport number: Passport Number from Nepal applying for a non-immigrant student visa (subclass 500) to study at College Name for Masters of Social Work.
I would like to describe myself as a prominent and hardworking student. I completed my School Leaving Certificate from a private institute named as School Name, Location, securing Score% in Year. Similarly, I enrolled in my higher secondary education in humanities faculty in College Name, Location and completed it securing Score % in the year Year. After that, I was interested to study Social Works, so I joined College Name, Location for my bachelor’s degree in Social Works and scored Score % when I completed the course in Year. For master’s program, I thought to study in Australia as there is only one university in my homeland that provides Social Work course. And, there are various reasons (described below) for not being able to enroll in this course in Nepal. Then, I firstly did research about this course and made sure to complete my further studies from Australia. I appeared IELTS examination on Date and achieved overall band score of X.X (All band Score).
Employment history
Talking about my work experience, I worked as a volunteer in Organization Name, the organization that has been working since 1985 for the rights of all kinds of children and persons with disabilities. I gave my full efforts and dedication in Organization Name special day school where people with several multiple disabilities were kept. I coordinated with the organization head, Mr./Mrs. Name, as they were the one to look after the school. Mr./Mrs. Name is the head of the day school and I was always supported and encouraged by her to continue my contribution regarding the activities I did for the people with disabilities. I started my volunteering from Date till Date. As soon as I finished my bachelor’s exam and before I started to do my IELTS, I had decided to gain a work experience and applied in a project run by an Company Name. I got a job offer to work on the project entitled “Name” and I was accepted as a project enumerator/interviewer and it started from August 2017-November 2017. The fieldwork for the survey was conducted in 19 districts in mid and far-western region of Nepal. I had a great experience during field working days, learning many things as well as knowing different cultures as the project was a survey on different rural district of Nepal. It helped me to increase my communication and coordination skills, implementing and evaluating human resource policy technique which is very important for any organization in my view. Before that, I was trained by Trainee assistant Mr./Mrs. Name. The project was executed by Mr./Mrs. Name (Executive director) of Company Name. From Date, I was involved in Company Name as an event management and an Organizer.
Reasons for gaps of one year or more in my academic and/or employment history:
After I finished my bachelor’s exam, I worked in Company Name that I mentioned earlier. It ended on Date, and then as soon as my bachelor’s results got published, I planned for studying in Australia. I started my IELTS class for 3 to 4 months. Then I researched about colleges and universities. I decided to enroll in Company Name for July intake but there was no enough time for me to do preparation and I was deferred to another intake. I was engaged in an organization named Organization Name, Location from Date so I continued it. Organization Name is non-profitable, non- government organization that works on behalf of marginalized, vulnerable groups and contribute for enhancement of disadvantaged people of society, organizing different awareness programs and activities that benefit the society. I was engaged in event management and as an Organizer from Date Till Date. I did events like Event Names in different rural areas. I prepared for my process to study in Australia as well as worked in this organization at the same time.
Immigration history
I and My spouse do not have any immigration history. This is our first time for applying abroad.
Financial sponsors:
I belong to a nuclear family enduring with good socialization. My family consists of 3 members: my parents, my elder sister and myself. My father’s name is Father Name; he works as a Marketing Officer in Company Name and has yearly salary of NRs. . My mother’s name is Mother Name and she works as a Caregiver in Company Name and earns Nrs. annually. My elder sister’s name is Sister Name who is a teacher and incharge in Company Name and her annual salary is NRs. My total family income is NRs..
My husband will also apply as my dependent to support me morally and emotionally. Grateful to say that my in-laws are very supporting and also encourage me to accomplish my career goals enrolling in a Australian college and have an international degree. My father-in-law, Father-in-law Name is involved in Company Name and his gross remuneration is NRs per annum including company bonus, service charge and festival bonus. My mother-in-law, Mother-in-law Name works as a nurse at Company Name and earns an annual income of NRs. My in-laws also earn annual NRs from land lease. Fortunately, my both families are so helpful, motivating and they are ready to support my study as well as my entire expenses while living in Australia.
For my studies in Australia and to meet all the required cost, my parents managed education loan of NRs from Bank Name.
Me & my spouse’s proposed living arrangements in the particular city of Australia:
The city I am going to stay during my study is Sydney, Australia. I chose College Name which is located at Location. There are different type’s accommodation options for international students in Australia like home-stay, hostels, on-campus housing, rental property. Among these, I choose rental service for my accommodation or shared rent with my friends or other international students which generally cost around $300-$350 per week as it differs between places. Rental service in cities like Sydney is high in comparison to other regional areas. It usually costs low if it is shared accommodation with other housemates. I will choose my rent considering factors like availability of transport, distance between the college so that I can gain easy access and attend my classes on time.
Research that I conducted about study in my home country, before I made the decision to choose study abroad:
There are various reasons that made me decide studying abroad for my further studies instead of my home country Nepal. As soon as I completed my bachelors, I planned to get enrolled in Master’s in Social Works here in my country but when I researched about it I was not satisfied. Firstly, the education system of Nepal does not meet our satisfaction as it is mostly based on theoretical knowledge where students gain something but cannot utilize it on time. The education in Nepal is more a primitive way where we lack quality, research and modern technology. Education System is on the way to improvement but still not sure because there is less influence of technologies and other teaching methods. Still, ranges of courses are not readily available in Nepal. Similar kind of courses of my preference are available here but due to the lack of facilities, tools and resources required for the study I have decided to study in Australia. Practical teaching system and skilled recourse person are also lacking and courses are also not well organized by Nepalese colleges and universities. And, graduates are less likely to have practical skills in the related subjects. Similarly, as per my future aim, I need to have globally recognized degree, because international organizations give preference to those who hold globally valued degree. The degrees that I receive in Nepal are not internationally valued as international degree. Also, I cannot get international multicultural environment in Nepal because almost all the students are from within the national boundary.
Another reason that I am not choosing Nepal for my higher study is that social work courses are new in Nepal so there are not enough courses of conduct and the teachers are not well experienced that results in imbalance between theoretical and practical education. There are no any colleges offering Masters in Social Work course and only one University named Tribhuvan University with only 40 seats are available, while the number of student studying Bachelors in Social work is increasing day by day. The major problem for social work education and its growth and quality in Nepal is the lack of coherent policy at University Grants Commission, an umbrella body. The lack of formal recognition for professional social works by the government is another major issue. The education that I have gained is not enough for me to be a professional social worker so, I believe after I will graduate from Australia my social work qualification and skills will be internationally recognized and it will be a great help to enhance my career. I also want to experience some changes on my education part. It has been many years I studied as per the education system techniques of my home country, so I want to gain some international education experience.
Research that I conducted about study in other countries, before I made the decision to choose Australia and reason to study in Australia over other country:
Before I made sure choosing Australia, I researched about different countries and its education system to the international studies. Though the education system of the US, the UK, CANANDA and GERMANY are the popular ones throughout the world. Some Nepali students are studying in these countries too, but are not satisfied fully. Canada is not easy for Nepali Students and I found the weather of the country quite unsuitable. While in the USA, we hear gun issues these days which is unsafe and insecure. For USA, I need to sit for a competitive exam GMAT which takes a lot of time and it is very difficult to crack. In UK masters is only of 1 year which is globally recognized but is not valued in my country and the currency value there is very high while Australian currency is lot more economic for international students. Language barrier in Germany is making students difficult to study there. Among various destinations, the reason I chose Australia that it is the most popular destination for international studies gaining the global recognition as the provider of quality as well as advance education with excellent research opportunities through many assistance programs. It provides globally recognized education Australian institutions offer a variety of course options that helps international students to choose their fields. Australia is filled with new technologies and students can also take advantage of it. And another thing is it provides PSW (Post-Work Study) opportunities which deals about the rights of international students to gain real time working experience. Almost all the universities in Australia are government recognized, which makes the student safe about their future and education. Teaching methodology, affordable fees, world class training and research in terms of state of the art laboratories and classrooms, outstanding libraries are the other factors that insist me to study in this country. Australia being multicultural as well as safe, friendly, sophisticated and harmonious society, they welcome international students with a warm hearted with no any discrimination too.
Australia has Tuition Protection Scheme (TPS) which means fees is safe and international students can feel secure about their tuition fees. Australian government’s ESOS (Education Services for Overseas Students) Act 2000 which is currently in practice provides complete care and protection to international students. Australia has special health insurance coverage for international student’s visa which will cover unexpected sickness or any emergency care for students if needed. After graduation the possibility of getting employment is higher with highly paid salary in my country. These particular features motivate me to choose Australia for my educational destination.
Reasons for choosing this particular academic program
Masters in Social Work is my desired subject to study in Australia. I chose this program because it is also relevant to my previous studies in my home country. I did my bachelors in Social Work that made me more curious about social work studies, process and strategies. I was interested in Social work sector since my higher secondary school. I always wanted to do something for people and my nation and getting into the social work field. In my bachelors during my field work I got chance to know problems existed in my society, ways to eradicate it, aware people and be their guidance. I was even more interested in the field after then. My aim is to be a professional social worker and make a positive impact in the society using skills. Through Social work study, I can gain various skills required in every sector like communication, time management, individuality, non-judgmental attitude, problem solving and team-work. Being a Social worker, I can use these skills in multiple places like nursing home, courts, public agencies, counseling field in national and international organizations.
In Nepal, there are numbers of registered social work organizations but they are not working properly and the people with social work knowledge still lack and there are very few professional social workers in the organizations so I want to study Masters in social work with international experience and utilize my knowledge in contributing towards my nation.
Reasons for choosing this particular education institution rather than a similar course at other education institution inside Australia:
Although there are many Universities offering Social Work course, like Flinders University, University of South Australia, University of Wollongong. I chose College Name because I have 3 years’ bachelors from my home country which is not acceptable from any other universities. And as per my research the fee structure of College Name is much more affordable than other institution. The total social work course fee for international student in University of Wollongong is AU$62,016 and the course fees for the same course in Flinders University is AU$31,500 per year for 2019. Likewise, fee structure for international students in University of South Australia is about AU$28,900 per annum which is bit less than Flinders and Wollongong but is higher than College Name. It has offered my chosen course in just AU$22,273 The entry requirements are very high in most of the universities for Master’s in Social Work as they require 7.0 in each band in IELTS. I chose it because I meet the enrolment criteria of this college. The education environment in College Name has always pushed me towards it. College Name’s social work is accredited by (AASW) Australian Association of Social Workers too. I heard about College Name through my agent and friends too and was quite impressed about its strategies which made to choose it. Other universities providing social work education has also other different courses like accounting, nursing, information technology and many more but College Name is only focused on social work and psychology disciplines.
The reason I chose College Name is because it is the fastest growing college located in Sydney, Australia. It is the leader in its field since 1983. College Name offers academic skills, information literacy, research skills which is most important in education sector. The college covers a broad range of courses including counseling, psychology, case management, social science and social work that also covers my study area. Its rankings validate its innovative research activity and excellence in academic teaching. These results demonstrate College Name‘s commitment to internationalization and its attractiveness as a higher education destination for students. Their higher education counseling degrees are also accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). College Name’s courses are renowned for being rigorous and also work-oriented, providing graduates with a clear set of knowledge and skills that they will be able to use them throughout their life that makes a real difference. College Name graduates are prepared professionally and personally to work in both community and corporate settings gaining expertise, ethics and values of integrity, equity and social justice. They also can work in a variety of specializations and organizations. It has small class sizes which enhances teacher and students cooperation much better as teachers will also be able to give individual attention.
On choosing to city, too, I have gone through possibilities in other cities, including Adelaide, but the College Name there does not run Master’s in social work program. There are very few cities which have colleges and universities providing social work education.
Course requirements and core contents of my selected Australian academic program:
I also liked the College Name’S course structure of my subject. As I chose Masters in Social work (Qualifying), the course duration is equivalent to 2 calendar years (6 trimesters) and is comprised of a number of core units and elective units. Core units are the compulsory subject I need to study to graduate and elective units are those which I can study as per my interest. But still, I have to study 2 elective units which is in 2nd year’s first semester. There are 3 elective units and I need to study any 2 of them. This includes 1000 hours of student placement which means 500 hours each year (Field education 1 and Field education 2). Each 500 hours includes 12 hours of practice theory seminars. These placements are only available in last trimester of each year and consist of the highest credit point (18). The total number of units is 12 with 96 credit points. The subjects are mentioned below:
Becoming a Social Worker (Social Policy and Practice Context)
Social Work Theory and Practice (Critical theories and skills)
Current Issues in Professional Practice (Field of Practice)
Social Work Theory and Practice (Individual and Families)
Social Work Theory and Practice (Group, Teamwork, Organizational Learning)
Field Education
Research Methods
Social Work Theory and Practice (Community and Advocacy)
Field Education
Two electives are to be taken from the following:
International Social Worker – Global Context
Leadership for the Profession
Interpersonal, Family and Structural violence
The estimated total course tuition fee is AUD$44,546.00. Minimum tuition fee deposit should be AUD 13,091.00 including dual family Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) deposit of $4, 489, 00 for 25 months and enrollment fee which is nonrefundable $250.
Relevancy of my selected academic program to my past education
I studied bachelor in Social work and during my working days I have been to different rural areas where the facilities are still lacking and the dwellers are suffering from poverty and malnutrition leading to various health issues. People shared me about their problems, daily issues that made me feel really bad. I knew about their difficult lifestyles and want to make them free from their problems. There are many rural areas in Nepal facing pathetic circumstances in their lifestyle. People go through caste discrimination, gender issues, superstitions and many more problems. The foremost aim of my study is to eradicate those problems and introduce my country as a developed one. My intention to study social work is also to help people get their rights and freedom in our community. I expect to establish myself in the social activities playing a vital role in shaping the society.
My future study or career plans upon successful completion of my selected course of study from Australia:
After completing the course, if I got a chance I will do Post-Study Work in organizations of Australia like Plan international Australia, Action of Poverty, International Women’s Development Agency, Care Australia that will help me to build up my confidence and make me able to use it practically. I will search for related works in different job portal sites like Gumtree, Seek.com or Seek app, Glassdoor, All jobs Australia, Careerjet.com. Working as a social worker, I will acquire the interpersonal and communication skills during my PSW. I can do effective practice as a qualified social worker and communicate my desire to take on new challenges and experiences that will enhance my social work skill set. Acquiring all the skills and thinking about my career goals and responsibilities towards my family, I will return my home country and look for my career and care my family. My spouse is a single child of his family so we have many responsibilities towards them and my parents. I intend to stand on my own and uplift my career focusing on my goals giving worth to my families’ hard work and dedication to educating me. Using my experience, knowledge and skills, I can work as a case worker and make a difference in areas of community development, child protection and also get involved in human services and contribute on nation’s prosperity here in Nepal. I will use my skills and knowledge to look after the backward society and the causes of different social problems and eradicate those social problems existed in my society. I can prove myself with my skills in different NGOs and INGOs like Child Development Society, UNICEF, Maiti Nepal, SOS Children Villages, Care Nepal, Save the Children, Plan International and give my full contribution. After working in such organizations, I can self-settle and have sufficient finance from which I will establish an organization for vulnerable groups and work for their betterment specially focusing rural areas. The experience I will gain in Australia will be properly utilized on different community programs and projects that is still lacking in many areas and need to be progressed in other areas where the projects are implemented but are not successful due to lack of professional and skilled workers. Still many people are poor, homeless, and unable to work due to their physical inability. Though there are many relief organizations, it’s insufficient to serve everyone and some organizations are collapsing just because they are not able to work in a right way. I can prove myself with my skills earned from different NGOs and INGOs and run my own welfare agency at the same time.
With an international degree and experience, I will be eligible to apply for positions like Project Manager, Project director, Team leader where my expected initial salary will be about NRs 90,000-100000 per month. This amount will be enough for me to live a decent life in Nepal and later on with some experience I will be able to earn even much more than that.
Return Intention to Nepal:
I have to return back to my home country and look for my career and take good care of my family. My spouse is a single child of his family so we have many responsibilities towards them and my parents. And also we have to take care of my family as well. In Nepal children need to give support of their parents in their old age we are up brings with this culture and we need to be there side when they need us the most. Till date they have done a lot for us and it’s time to be with them when they need our support.
Reason for accompanying my spouse with me in Australia:
I got married on Date at the age of 20 with Spouse Name, grandson of Grandparents Name and son of Parents Name, permanent residents of Address. My husband will also apply as my dependent to support me morally and emotionally. It has been long time we got married and we do not want to be separated now as we are as emotionally attached and dependent to each other. He will be supporting me for my household activities so that I can give my full time on my studies. As I do not have any of my relatives in Australia, if he will be with me, I will feel safe and secure and it will be easy to manage everything together in new environment.
Understanding the visa conditions that I must satisfy whilst studying on a student visa in Australia:
During my research period I have also gain some knowledge about student visa subclass 500 conditions and as an international student I am prepared to obey and accept the following rules and regulations:
I have to make at least 80% every semester, and the requirement to pass at least 50% of the enrolled units every semester. I should inform Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) and college/university about the locations within seven days of arrival in Australia. I have to provide details about address if address changes. I must cover Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) policy must cover which provides medical and hospital insurance. I can work 40 hours every fortnight during my semesters. I cannot change university for six months upon enrollment.
I would like to promise you that I will abide all the rules and regulations as per Australian laws during my stay in Australia.
Name: – Applicant Name
Passport Number: –
Date of Birth: –