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 this program, alongside graduating with a qualification, are that students are eligible to take part in our ceremony of completion or graduation event. This offers a wonderful celebration of the achievements of our international students, they will also become a UniSC Alumni. Additionally, Diploma students can access a range of student discounts including reduced public transport. View more about UniSC Diploma Programs here: https://www.usc.edu.au/international/programs-and-fees/diploma-programs  

• Double Degree 

Students could earn a UniSC Bachelor degree in as little as two semesters (one year full-time study), or a UniSC Master program in one semester (two sessions) if they have completed similar tertiary study at home and received credit transfer. 

Where UniSC and your institution have International Articulation Agreements (IAA), the programs applicable and credit transfer available has already been outlined in the IAA. However, credit transfer can also be mapped on an individual basis. The most common double degree options are from UniSC’s School of Business and can be found here: www.usc.edu.au/international/programs-and-fees/double-degrees  

• 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.

Undergraduate Programs 

Programs such as Study Abroad, Diploma and Bachelor programs generally follow a semester based academic calendar: 

2025 - Semester 1 (Spring)

Orientation	17-21 February
Semester starts	24 February
Semester ends	20 June

2025 - Semester 2 (Fall)

Orientation	14 -18 July
Semester starts	21 July
Semester ends	14 November

Postgraduate programs

UniSC Master programs are offered on a session based academic calendar. There are 6 Sessions available for entry in the calendar year. However, where possible we would recommend students commence their program in Session 2 (February) or Session 6 (August). Full details can be found on the relevant academic calendar.  

Note: The 2025 academic calendar may be subject to change. 

Tuition fees and costs

2024 Tuition fees 

UniSC tuition fees for all programs are published on the UniSC website. This is the published tuition fee and you should refer to your Tuition Fee letter included with our agreement for additional details regarding partner rates that may apply. 

Program	2024 tuition fee*
Diploma in Business (one semester)	$11,550
Bachelor of Business (one semester)	$12,500
Master of Management (two sessions)	$14,000
Study Abroad (3 courses)	$8,625
Study Abroad (4 courses)	$11,500

* Tuition fees are reviewed each calendar year. The tuition fee applicable for a given teaching period is that which has been approved by UniSC for the calendar year in which the teaching period commences. Any increase in tuition fees from one calendar year to the next will be no more than 7%. Tuition fees are displayed in AUD$. For more information visit the Tuition Fee Schedule here. Refer to your home university for any tuition fee arrangements or scholarships. 

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
5 months	$305
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 

Student accommodation or shared accommodation	A$150 – 350 per week
Travel expenses	A$20-55 per week
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 International Application Portal 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 (certified) by the home institution. Non stamped (non-certified) copies will not be accepted and may cause delays ·         evidence of English proficiency (if not first language) ·         copy of the photo details passport page When prompted, on page 2 of the online application, students can indicate the name of their home university. This is an important step, this will help us link the application to the correct arrangement.
3	UniSC	UniSC will assess the application and make an offer accordingly. The offer will be sent to the student via the email they registered their application with, the partner institution will be copied in to ensure important updates are shared accordingly.
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. Double degree: The Letter of Offer will include a Credit Transfer Advice, outlining the courses the student has received credit for and the number of remaining courses required to complete the UniSC program.
5	Student	The student responds to their offer (accept or decline). To accept an offer, students follow 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 USC 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 USC Central (provided course enrolment is open at time of acceptance). Open enrolment dates are provided with the login details.
8	Student	Students complete their home university pre-departure. The student organises accommodation, airport transfers and travel arrangement 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: Semesteros@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.  

Double degree - International Articulation Arrangement credit transfer

If your student is studying at UniSC under an International Articulation Arrangement (IAA), they may need to complete studies at their home institution before their UniSC degree can be conferred.

Once a student has completed all the courses specified in the IAA, and received their testamur or transcript, they can submit this to UniSC's Credit team (credit@usc.edu.au) for their UniSC program to be finalised. The documents will need to be provided directly by the student to our Credit team. External email addresses are not accepted to this email account.

If a student has issues logging in to their UniSC email account they can contact usc@service-now.com

For more information about UniSC's graduation refer to the UniSC Central FAQ's.