International students

General admission requirements

Admission criteria are the minimum qualifications you need before you can be selected for admission to a course of study. As an international student completing one of the following qualifications in 2022, you will apply for admission through UAC and will generally be selected on the basis of your performance in these studies (ie your ATAR or equivalent):

an Australian Year 12 qualification (either outside or in Australia)
an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
a New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3.

When assessing your application, UC may take any or all of your qualifications or attempts at study into account.

Limited ATAR

The University accepts the Limited ATAR for admission purposes.

University of Canberra international student admission criteria

Additional selection criteria

In addition to achieving the standard of performance required for admission, for certain courses you must also satisfy any additional selection criteria, such as a personal statement, a questionnaire, a portfolio of work, an audition, an interview or a test. These criteria are considered either instead of, or in conjunction with, your ATAR or equivalent.

Details of additional selection criteria and how applicants can meet these requirements are outlined in the course descriptions.

If you are undertaking your Year 12 studies offshore and are applying to a course that has additional selection criteria that you will find difficult to meet, email the UC Admissions Office.

Fees

Tuition fees are calculated on a per subject basis. For current fee information, visit the University of Canberra website.

Students are also required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). In 2024 the SSAFs were:

full-time students – $351 annually
part-time students – $263.25 annually.

To find out more about the SSAF, visit the University of Canberra website.

Your stay in Australia

It is a requirement of the Department of Home Affairs that prospective international students can demonstrate that they have sufficient funds while living in Australia. Living costs include items such as:

accommodation (including rental bond)
electricity and/or gas
entertainment
food
personal and household items
telephone and internet bills
transport (bus/train).

To find out more about living expenses in Australia, visit the University of Canberra website.

During your stay in Australia you are permitted to work for up to 40 hours per fortnight during teaching periods, and unlimited hours outside teaching periods. Certain categories of voluntary, unpaid work is included in this total, and work undertaken as part of your course is not included. You should not rely on working to fund your tuition or living expenses while in Australia as work cannot be guaranteed and spending excessive amounts of time working may adversely affect your studies. Applications for work visas can only be submitted after you have arrived in Australia and started your classes. The Department of Home Affairs determines work entitlement for students.

To find out more about working while studying in Australia, visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

UC has an online pre-departure guide which provides detailed information on a range of topics including:

living and studying in Canberra
what to bring with you to Canberra
accommodation options and contacts.

Due to COVID-19 situation the Pick-up Service for Commencing International Students is temporarily not available. For information about Taxi service in Canberra and estimated fare from Canberra Airport please go to the Canberra Airport site. Thank you for your understanding.

Before you are granted a student visa, the Australian Government must be satisfied that you have appropriate accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements in place for the period that you will be under 18 years of age while in Australia.

To find out more, visit the Department of Home Affairs website or the University of Canberra website.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is insurance for international students to help them with the costs of medical and hospital care they may require while they are in Australia. OSHC does not cover dental treatment. UC’s preferred provider is Allianz Care Australia. Your offer letter will contain details of the fee payable for OSHC for the duration of your course.

The Australian Government requires all international students on a student visa and their dependants to purchase an approved policy from an Australian registered health fund for the duration of their visas. OSHC is not included in tuition fees.

To find out more, visit PrivateHealth.gov.au.