Why choose UniSC?

Founded in 1996, UniSC is one of the youngest universities in Australia, with our flagship campus located on the Sunshine Coast. Located in a 100 hectare nature reserve, our Sunshine Coast campus is home to Australian flora and fauna (including our Eastern Grey Kangaroos). Our campus has been designed with sustainability in mind, with innovative building design and initiatives across the campus to reduce our carbon footprint. We have nationally-accredited sport facilities, with various teams such as the Olympic and Paralympic teams and a national netball team that use our facilitiles to train or play. Alongside our beautiful surroundings, and state-of-the-art study spaces, we are proud to say we offer a quality educational experience. Among public universities, UniSC is number one in Queensland* and in the nation’s top two for overall educational experience, we also have a five-star rating for teaching^. We are proud to provide our students and community with opportunities to enhance their future, that’s why we are rated in the top 2% globally for overall impact by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. 

The Sunshine Coast is a fantastic place to live and study. With our amazing coastline and hinterland, we have numerous “Australian” experiences on offer for students. With our local airport located just 30 minutes away, we also have great links to other domestic or international destinations such as Sydney, Melbourne or New Zealand, for students to explore in their free time. The Sunshine Coast has a population of around 350,000 and has various shopping malls, cinemas, entertainment venues and good public transport infrastructure connecting the region. 

*2021 student experience survey data 

^2023 Good Universities Guide Rankings 

What programs are available?

Students from our partner institutions typically enrol in one of three options below. 

• Diploma 

UniSC’s Diploma programs are ideal for students who would like a study overseas semester. If eligible, students can complete this program in one semester, earning up to a semester of credit from their home degree toward this two semester program. This means students only need to successfully complete four UniSC courses to receive the Diploma, an Australian academic qualification, at the end of their studies. The courses students choose are from our undergraduate programs, and students will study alongside Australian and other international students from around the world. Depending on the Diploma selected, the courses available to study are from the Diploma discipline area. We currently offer Diplomas in the following areas: 

• Animal Ecology 
• Business 
• Business innovation 

• Communication 
• Criminology and Justice 
• General Studies 
• Outdoor Environmental Studies 
• Social Science 

The benefits of studying in the Diploma program, are that upon successful completion of the program students receive a fully accredidtd Australina qualification, are eligible to take part in the International Ceremony of Completion and/or the Graduation Ceremony as well as having access to student discounts such as concession public transport. This offers a wonderful celebration of the achievements of our international students, they will also become a UniSC Alumni. View more about UniSC Diploma Programs here: https://www.usc.edu.au/international/programs-and-fees/diploma-programs  

• Study Abroad 

Study Abroad is a one or two semester program, offering students the opportunity to choose courses in a range of disciplines from our undergraduate catalogue. Students can choose to study either three or four courses per semester, and as the courses are from our undergraduate programs, they have the opportunity to study alongside our Australian and other international students in classes. This program is tailored to students who would like a flexible, overseas study experience, with the opportunity to pick courses from a diverse course offering. View course options here: Study Abroad course choice list 

Academic Calendar

UniSC's Academic calendars are available on our website.

2024 - Semester 1 (Spring)

Orientation	19-23 February
Semester starts	26 February
Semester ends	24 June

2024 - Semester 2 (Fall)

Orientation	15 -19 July
Semester starts	22 July
Semester ends	18 November

Note: The 2024 academic calendar may be subject to change. 

Tuition fees and costs

2024 Tuition fees 

UniSC will send partner institutions an overview of 2024 tuition fees each semester. Please contact your home university or the UniSC International Office (study@usc.edu.au) for more information. 

Scholarships

UniSC scholarships or bursaries can be found on the Scholarships webpage here. Refer to your home university for any tuition fee arrangements or scholarships. 

OSHC

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is international student health cover and is a visa requirement for Student visa holders*. UniSC's preferred provider is Medibank and where requested in the student's application form, a quote for a Medibank Comprehensive policy will be included in the Letter of Offer. OSHC fees quoted below are for common program durations (e.g. one semester, one year) and are correct at the time of publishing. 

OSHC duration	Current Medibank fee
6 months	$366
7 months	$427
12 months	$732
14 months	$863.80
15 months	$929.75

* unless exempt under reciprocal health care arrangements. 

Living costs 

The costs here are indicative only, and students should complete their own research prior to commencing study.

Rent

Shared accommodation or student accommodation

A$150 – 350 per week

 

Travel expenses

Airport transfer (one way)	$84
Student visa	$1600

 

General living costs 

Study Australia provide a general overview of living costs in Australia. 

• Groceries and eating out - $100 to $280 per week 
• Gas, electricity - $10 to $20 per week 

• Phone and Internet - $15 to $30 per week 
• Public transport - $30 to $60 per week 
• Car (after purchase) - $150 to $260 per week 
• Entertainment - $80 to $150 per week 

The Insider Guides 'Cost of Living Calculator' is also a useful, practical tool to help estimate cost of living in Australia. 

How to apply

Step	Completed by	Instructions
1	Partner institution	Directs nominated students to the UniSC online application available on our How to Apply page Provide the student with a stamped copy of their official or unofficial transcript. The student will be required to upload this during the application process.
2	Student	Completes the online application via StudyLink available on our How to Apply page. The student will be asked to provide: ·         copy of the official or unofficial academic transcript stamped by the home institution. Non stamped copies will not be accepted and may cause delays ·         evidence of English proficiency (if not first language) ·         copy of the details page of the student passport. In the Notes section of the application form the student indicates the partner they are coming from.
3	UniSC	UniSC will assess the application and make an offer accordingly. The offer will be sent to the student via email and the partner institution will be copied in.
4	UniSC	Diploma/Study Abroad students: UniSC will assess the student's eligibility for the courses they selected to study at UniSC. The outcome will be sent to the student via email and the partner institution will be copied in.
5	Student	The student accepts the offer following the steps on the acceptance page of the Letter of Offer.
6	UniSC	Once the acceptance (and where applicable tuition fee) have been received, UniSC will email the student the Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) and UniSC Central login details, and the partner institution will be copied in.
7	Student	The student uses the CoE to apply for a Student visa and enrol in courses on UniSC Central (provided course enrolment is open at time of acceptance). Open enrolment dates are provided with the login details.
8	Student	The student organises accommodation, airport transfers and flights to Australia.

 

If you have questions about selecting a program or submitting your application, please contact the International Office via study@usc.edu.au and our team would be happy to assist you further. Alternatively, your home university may have a range of helpful information sheets and resources.  

Note: The information above relates to UniSC award programs such as Study Abroad, Diploma and Bachelor programs (i.e. fee paying students). For information regarding the admission processes for our Exchange program please contact the Global Mobility team via: global@usc.edu.au 

For students to be eligible for the exchange program, an exchange agreement must be in place and students must be nominated by their home university and have the nomination accepted by UniSC. This is a separate process, for more information please visit: Global Mobility  

Application deadlines

While UniSC does not have a published application deadline, we recommend that (where possible) applications are submitted to the International Office prior to the following dates:

• Semester 1, 2025 (Spring): 30 November 2024
• Semester 2, 2025 (Fall):  30 April 2025

However, we would accept applications at a later date on a case by case basis.

 

Talk to a UniSC Ambassador

Do you have questions about a specific UniSC program, what it's like to live in Queensland, or simply just want to connect with someone in your native language? UniSC's Unibuddy platform allows you to chat with our international students, alumni and staff at a time convenient for you. To explore or connect further, simply visit our Unibuddy page here. 

If you are a future student and would like to discuss your program or application options with a UniSC staff member, feel welcome to book an online consultation or request a meeting here.