I must say, I can't see any way to justify your interpretation. Susie has explained it very well. If a course of study can be used as a generalized education useful for entering an academic university class, then it would be acceptable. However some formal courses of education cannot be used because they do nothing to help with further general education. For example, you could have a formal vocational education as a plumber, but that won't help get into a US college, so it is not counted.
Now, some courses could have more value, and of course not every CO will know the rule precisely or apply it precisely. So the applicant is free to argue their perspective with the CO.
Simon I would argue the FAM is subject to interpretation.
Secondly, we all can’t be as experienced and knowledgeable as you are now, as I suspect you also lacked the experience you have now prior to your DV journey, this is why we post here, in hopes someone like you can offer your expertise. Remember for many of us this is our first experience with the DV process.
Is it your opinion when the FAM talks of a foreign education being enough to apply for college admission to be considered the equivalent of a US education that the college admission is a “US” college admission?
In other words, my Australian education must allow me to apply for admission to a US college/university to be eligible for a DV?
Or does the FAM mean, for example, my Australian education should allow me to apply for admission to an Australian university to be eligible for a DV?
Secondly, on the basis the FAM means an Australian education should be sufficient to apply for admission to an Australian university, any FORMAL vocational degree would be relevant depending on what university degree the student wished to obtain.
For example, using your example, a vocational degree in plumbing would be useless in applying for university admission to become a doctor.
However the same vocational plumbing degree may be acceptable for university admission for a student wanting to become civil engineer.
I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but in Australia, especially last century, it was quiet common to finish high school after 10 years and proceed into pre apprenticeship academic studies, something the various tertiary admission centres have NOW recognised, which is why they are now assessing education records to ascertain if educational records, including vocational records, entitle an applicant to apply for university admission in Australia.
That’s what I have done and my educational results of 12 continuous years full time have been assessed by the only authority in my state as allowing me to apply for university admission in Australia, and I know of other selectees in this same position.
It appears after results and rank numbers, most Australian universities have a minimum age for admission. Leaving high school after year 10 usually puts you in the 15 years of age bracket, whereas most Australian universities have a minimum age at admission of 17 years of age, so year 10 high school + 2 years of vocational training puts you at an age allowing Australian university admission.
Whether this is sufficient for a DV is, as you correctly said, something that could be argued with a CO, and whilst the advice I have been given by other selectees is the CO is always right and never “argue” with them, it brings me to my original post that if the Sydney consulate was more specific on its reciprocity page, I wouldn’t be asking the questions I’m asking now.
If only a year 12 high school certificate with tertiary entrance score will be accepted by the Sydney consulate and this was published on their reciprocity page, selectees who did not possess the required certificate and couldn’t qualify on employment could either not pursue their case or, as expensive and time consuming yet possible as it is, undertake the required tutorage, sit the required exams, and obtain the required certificate PRIOR to the end of the FISCAL year of selection. May not be possible for DV2021 Selectees, but would be possible in a normal year.