Frequently Asked Questions

Gibaran Learning Group is a global, business higher education group, based in South Australia, offering business undergraduate, postgraduate and research qualifications.

The Group consists of four private higher education providers: Gibaran Graduate School of Business (GGSB), Entrepreneurship Institute Australia (EIA), Tourism Institute Australia (TIA); and Australian Institute of Business Administration (AIBA).

The institutes of the Gibaran Learning Group offer their business higher education courses at the Adelaide campus, through Teaching Centres, via distance learning and through tailored corporate programmes.

The courses offered by the institutes of the Gibaran Learning Group are accredited within the Australian Qualification Framework, just like Australian universities. Click here for further information.

A TC is a Teaching Centre, an institution that has been approved to deliver Gibaran Learning Group qualifications. Teaching centres are approved to offer the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) or the Master of Business Administrations (MBA) programmes. There are many TCs around the world offering various courses — click here for further information about TCs and their locations and course offerings.

TC’s undergo an accreditation process based on their provision of learning materials and academic support, ensuring quality control and the best delivery methods for courses offered by GLG institutes. Educational institutions interested in becoming a TC can contact the Marketing Director, Mr Vinod Joel Abraham ( ). Click here for further information about becoming a TC.

The BBA is suitable for high school graduates and for business professionals looking to gain their first qualification.

Apart from class contact, our academics recommend between 22–25 hours per week to achieve a good result but study time varies from one person to another.

Any applicant who wishes to undertake the MBA course must satisfy all of the following entry criteria:

1. ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS
Where the applicant's medium of instruction (at a tertiary level) was not in English, the applicant must have obtained:

2. PREFERRED WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS
It is preferable but not required that applicants have access to a workplace or projects which can form the basis of the applicant's assessments.

3. APPLICANTS MUST SATISFY EITHER (a) or (b)
(a) For Direct Entry
The applicant must have:
(i) a qualification deemed equivalent to an Australian Bachelors degree or a relevant professional qualification conducted at a standard equivalent to an Australian Bachelors degree; and
(ii) at least 2 years relevant work experience*.

(b) For Stage by Stage Entry
The applicant must have either:
(i) a qualification deemed equivalent to an Australian Bachelors degree, preferably with some professional practice; or
(ii) a qualification deemed equivalent to an Australian Advanced Diploma with at least 3 years relevant work experience; or
(iii) a minimum of 3 years managerial experience deemed acceptable by GLG's Registrar.

Applicants who do not satisfy (a) will still be eligible to undertake the MBA course but on a stage-by-stage basis provided (b) is satisfied. Stage-by-stage applicants enrol in the four subject Graduate Certificate in Management course (the first stage of the MBA Course). Upon its successful completion, applicants may proceed to the four subject Graduate Diploma in Management and then to the final four MBA subjects. Please note applicants accepted via (a) or (b) will undergo an identical MBA course.

*Work experience is not required for entry into the MBA (Entrepreneurial Management).

Application Fee
AUD$100 — this is invoiced to participants along with the course fee.

Face to Face Delivery
Upfront Course Fee — AUD$15,000
This is only valid for applicants paying the total MBA course fee up front. This includes the deferred student loan payment option.

Instalment Course Fee — AUD$22,000
This is for applicants paying the course fee in instalments, with an initial deposit of 25% (AUD$5,500) followed by five monthly instalments of AUD$3,300.

Distance Learning
Upfront Course Fee — AUD$10,000
Upfront fee is only valid for applicants paying the total MBA course fee upfront.

Instalment Course Fee - AUD$15, 000
AUD $5,000 before commencement of the course, AUD $5,000 after the first four subjects, or Graduate Certificate, have been completed. A further AUD $5,000 after the first eight subjects, or Graduate Diploma, have been completed.

Re-examination Fee
AUD$250 per subject

Deferment Fee
AUD$350 per subject
Please refer to the student handbook for the Deferral policy.

Subject Exemption Fee
AUD$350 per subject
Maximum of 6 subjects

If you study via distance learning you have the option of completing only the first four subjects to receive a Graduate Certificate. The cost of completing the Graduate Certificate is AUD $5,000.

For each subject participants receive a folder with reading material and relevant articles. Over the twelve months participants develop a library of information to keep and use as a point of reference in the future. Along with the folders provided, participants are required to purchase one selected text book for each subject.

The text books vary in price, but participants should allow approximately $100 for each text book. A complete text book list is provided to every participant in their Information Pack. AIBA also have an extensive library of management books, articles and journals on campus and these resources are available to all participants. Participants of the MBA also receive access to the virtual library, ProQuest, which provides access to thousands of current periodicals and newspapers, many of which are updated daily. ProQuest can be accessed through the Gibaran Learning Group website (look under 'Student Resources'). Participants can log onto ProQuest with their username and ID number which is provided in their Information Pack.

The choice between face-to-face and distance learning entirely depends on a participants learning style, flexibility and location.

Face-to-face delivery of the 12 Month MBA is only available at the AIBA Adelaide Campus, which does limit international participants to distance learning. Some of our Australian participants choose to fly into Adelaide to attend the weekend workshops and examinations. MBA courses offered by AIBA, TIA and EIA are also available at overseas Accredited Teaching Centres (ATC). Click here for overseas TCs and their course offerings.

The face-to-face delivery enables participants to learn from other executives during facilitated workshops. Distance learning achieves this interaction through the online forum.

While the face-to-face delivery offers one-on-one contact, which many people enjoy and benefit from, distance learning offers the option and flexibility of being able to study and sit your examination from anywhere in the world.

Through our distance learning programme you can study from anywhere in the world by simply having your learning materials delivered to you. This gives you flexibility and allows you to continue working while you study.

MBA courses offered by AIBA, TIA and EIA are also available at overseas Teaching Centres (TC). Click here for overseas TC’s and their course offerings

The flexibility of distance learning means that you can sit your exam anywhere in the world. The exam is sent to your location, your invigilator supervises while you sit your exam, then the completed exam is sent back to AIBA and marked externally.

The online forum is provided for students to discuss course issues and ideas. Distance learning students from around the world have access to and use of the online forum, resulting in a global network of peers who are all undertaking the same course. The subject facilitator will also visit the forum to contribute valuable information and answer any questions.

Any questions posted on the online forum, if not answered by another student, are answered within 24 hours by the subject facilitator. The facilitator may also upload additional material to the forum to further enhance participants learning experience. The online forum is a particularly valuable tool for distance learning students, as it provides a network and arena to discuss the MBA with other participants.

Before enrolment, enquiries should be directed to the Course Advisor, Adelaide Campus on +61 8 8212 8111 to discuss any queries. Once a participant has enrolled in the MBA program queries should be directed to or by calling +61 8 8212 8111.

The longest a participant can take to complete the MBA by distance learning is three years, with a minimum of four subjects studied each year.

If a participant is planning on spreading their study out over the three-year timeframe, this needs to be planned and discussed with the Course Advisor before commencement of the MBA course.

Although we do not offer fee help or scholarships, we can offer Australian prospective students an innovative deferred loan scheme which allows students to study now and pay later. Details can be found on http://www.national.com.au/Personal_Finance/0,,9113,00.html

The MBA course offers two exit points, after the first 4 courses are completed, participants gain a Graduate Certificate in Management. After the first 8 courses are completed, participants gain a Graduate Diploma in Management.

Studying the 12 Month MBA via distance learning allows you to choose any of the 7 specialisations offered by AIBA. Currently, only the Generic and Entrepreneurial Management specialisations are available when studying face to face at the Adelaide Campus, however face to face students may be able to study an alternate specialisation by completing the specialisation units by distance learning. The course may take longer than 12 month depending on the specialisation subjects chosen.

Yes, we may even be able to offer you subject exemptions and a course fee reduction.

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is an internationally recognised professional doctorate qualification which equips participants with problem solving, decision making and critical thinking skills in the fields of business and management.

The DBA is designed for individuals who wish to study their chosen field and enhance their professional management development, but are looking for a practical and applied doctoral programme.

Yes, but you will be required to attend the scheduled workshops throughout the programme conducted at the Adelaide Campus. For workshop dates please contact the Course Advisor.

The GGSB higher degrees committee selects a supervisor who is the most suitable and experienced, depending on your chosen field of study.

The focus of the DBA research is on making a contribution to management practice and or policy, unlike the PhD research which focusses on a significant contribution to theoretical knowledge.

The DBA is an intensive programme which may be completed over a minimum of 3 years or over a maximum of 6 years part time study.

Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of GGSB, dependant on the applicant's Research Proposal.