简单来说，两种都是在AQF (澳大利亚学历资格框架) 中介于非荣誉学士学位与硕士学位之间的衔接课程，适合学术均分/专业背景/学历达不到直接入学硕士要求的学生。注：大部分GC或GD课程与硕士课程的英语要求是一样的，但是也有部分大学的GC课程会比硕士直录英语要求略低，以伍伦贡大学(University of Wollongong)为例，Graduate Certificate in Business的雅思要求为均分6分，听力和口语5分，写作和阅读6分，而其Master of Business的雅思要求为均分6.5分，各单项不低于6分。
GC和GD与正常硕士课程的主要区别在于入读了GC或GD的学生在这个课程学期的期间会有一道虚拟的门槛，那就是读完GC或GD课程后所取得的分数，通常要求达到澳洲评分体系60%-65%的成绩即可顺利衔接到Master，并且之前完成的GC/GD课程里的学分也可以抵扣到硕士正课中去。所以，大部分情况，通过GC或GD课程衔接硕士，与正常硕士直录所完成的总时长是一样的，而且很多大学会出具GC或GD跟硕士主课的打包录取。注：部分大学从GC升入硕士，只需达到澳洲评分体系的及格线即50%就可，如纽卡斯尔大学，伍伦贡大学，塔斯马尼亚大学等等。所以从整体来讲，拿到GC和GD录取的同学不必担心。可以说这个课程是澳洲大学给没有达到学校申请要求的学生们的一个便捷通道，让同学们可以入读自己心仪的大学。部分提供GC或GD课程给国际生攻读的院校推荐：澳国立大学Graduate Certificate of Management入读要求为澳洲评分体系：4/7=50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系5/7=65%可升入澳国立大学以下硕士课程Master of International ManagementMaster of Marketing ManagementMaster of Project ManagementMaster of Entrepreneurship and InnovationMaster of Business Information SystemsMaster of LeadershipGraduate Certificate of Accounting入读要求为澳洲评分体系：4.5/7=60%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系4.5/7=60%可升入澳国立大学以下硕士课程Master of AccountingMaster of Professional Accounting读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系5/7=65%可升入澳国立大学以下硕士课程Master of Applied AccountingGraduate Certificate of Finance and ActuarialStatistics入读要求为澳洲评分体系：4.5/7=60%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系4.5/7=60%可升入澳国立大学以下硕士课程Master of FinanceMaster of Applied FinanceMaster of StatisticsMaster of Actuarial StudiesMaster of Actuarial Practice注：澳国立大学的GC课程无法和硕士主课出具打包录取。悉尼大学Graduate Diploma in Economics入读要求为澳洲评分体系：60%读完GD并达到澳洲评分体系65%可升入悉尼大学以下硕士课程Master of Economics
Graduate Diploma in Project Management入读要求为澳洲评分体系：60%读完GD并达到澳洲评分体系65%可升入悉尼大学以下硕士课程Master of Project ManagementGraduate Diploma in Information Technology/GraduateDiploma in Information Technology Management入读要求为澳洲评分体系：60%读完GD并达到澳洲评分体系65%可升入悉尼大学以下硕士课程Master of Information TechnologyMaster of Information Technology ManagementGraduate Diploma in Computing入读要求为澳洲评分体系：65%（本科专业背景可以是data science, computer science, mathematics, statistics,engineering, physics, economics, finance or other disciplines that are deemedequivalent. As a guideline, the curriculum of a quantitative discipline shouldinclude some study of mathematics or statistics at the tertiary level）读完GD并达到澳洲评分体系65%可升入悉尼大学以下硕士课程Master of Information TechnologyMaster of Information Technology ManagementGraduate Diploma in Media Practice入读要求为澳洲评分体系：60%读完GD并达到澳洲评分体系65%可升入悉尼大学以下硕士课程Master of Media PracticeGraduate Diploma in Digital Communicationand Culture入读要求为澳洲评分体系：60%读完GD并达到澳洲评分体系65%可升入悉尼大学以下硕士课程Master of Digital Communication and Culture注：悉尼大学的GD课程无法和硕士主课出具打包录取昆士兰大学Graduate Certificate in Business入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系57.5%可升入昆士兰大学以下硕士课程Master of BusinessGraduate Certificate in Commerce入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系57.5%可升入昆士兰大学以下硕士课程Master of CommerceGraduate Certificate in Tourism, Hotel andEvent Management入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系57.5%可升入昆士兰大学以下硕士课程Master of Tourism, Hotel and EventManagementGraduate Certificate in Economics入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系57.5%可升入昆士兰大学以下硕士课程Master of EconomicsMaster of International Economics andFinanceGraduate Certificate in Communication入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系65%可升入昆士兰大学以下硕士课程Master of CommunicationGraduate Certificate in Computer Science入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系65%可升入昆士兰大学以下硕士课程Master of Computer ScienceGraduate Certificate in Engineering Science入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系57.5%可升入昆士兰大学以下硕士课程Master of Engineering ScienceGraduate Certificate in Applied Linguistics入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系57.5%可升入昆士兰大学以下硕士课程Master of Applied Linguistics注：昆士兰大学的GC课程可以和硕士主课出具打包录取。蒙纳士大学Graduate Certificate in Business入读要求为澳洲评分体系：55%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系60%可升入蒙纳士大学以下硕士课程Master of BusinessGraduate Certificate in Education Studies入读要求为澳洲评分体系：50%读完GC并达到澳洲评分体系60%可升入蒙纳士大学以下硕士课程Master of Education注：蒙纳士大学的GC课程可以和硕士主课出具打包录取
