What are the requirements for bachelor degree in Australia?

The course page (found in step 1) will list all of the admission criteria for your course. 

If you've recently completed high school in Australia, then your admission will likely be based on your ATAR/IB score. Most course pages will list the guaranteed selection rank for admission. 

However, we also recognise a number of different qualifications, including overseas high school qualifications, tertiary studies that include studies in a bachelor’s degree, completed diplomas or advanced diplomas and preparation programs.

Additional admissions criteria

For some courses, there may be additional admissions criteria such as an interview, audition or portfolio. This will be listed on the course page.

Prerequisites

Some courses have a mathematics course prerequisite, this will be listed on the course page. This means that you need to have completed and achieved a specified result in a recognised mathematics subject (eg. Year 12 subject).

Some education courses also have prerequisites, this will be listed on the course page.

English language requirements

English language requirements depend on the course, your country of origin and your educational background. For most courses, you may be able to meet the University’s English language requirements by completing a recognised Year 12 qualification in English in an English-speaking country. Find out if you need to prove English language proficiency.

Double degrees

Our double degrees have separate progression requirements that must be satisfied before you can be admitted to the second degree. These will be listed on the course page.

Australia has a highly developed education system with many opportunities in the higher education sector. Multiple universities are world-renowned for the quality of education they provide.

It also offers a higher education program known as the Overseas Student Program (OSP) to international students who come to Australia for their studies.

Australia's higher education sector comprises universities and technical colleges offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and technical qualifications. In this post, you'll learn more about the undergraduate qualification level.

1. Who Provides Undergraduate Courses in Australia?

Universities and other institutions such as Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institute offer and govern higher education in Australia. Undergraduate education is also called tertiary education.

In addition, the ESOS (Education Services for Overseas Students) protects the student's rights by law:

• The well-being of all international students in Australia.

• The quality of student's education experience.

• The provision of up-to-date and accurate information.

2. Undergraduate Qualifications

The Australian government is the funding authority for undergraduate education in the country. These qualifications provide a higher level of education that is both nationally and internationally recognised. 

Undergraduate qualifications are of two types:

• Bachelor's Degree prepares students for postgraduate studies and professional careers. It lasts for a minimum of six semesters (full-time study). Universities in Australia usually accept only applicants with at least year 12th (Australian secondary school certificate of education) or equivalent. Further, a diploma from a VET (Vocational and Education Training) institute is another pathway into undergraduate education.

• Bachelor's Degree (Honours) prepares graduates for a higher research qualification. This qualification lasts one to two years after completing a bachelor's degree in the same field. 

4. Entry Requirements

Undergraduate courses require you to complete a secondary school qualification equivalent to an Australian Year 12 certificate. 

You also need to satisfy the English language requirements. Remember, some courses have higher English language requirements than others. There are many ways you can meet the English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements to study in Australia, such as: 

Every undergraduate course provider has different entry requirements. To get more information, you can contact your provider.

5. Admission Season

Higher Education in Australia follows a semester system. Universities have two semesters annually, usually between February and November. Also, there are some universities with an optional summer semester system. 

6. Average Undergraduate Study Cost 

The cost of education in Australia depends on the level of study and the institution you choose. Additional fees may include access to institution facilities and course materials. To fund your studies, you can also work part-time per fortnight.

It's important to note that courses like veterinary science and medicine may have higher tuition fees.

3. Higher Education - Undergraduate Institutions in Australia

To pursue your undergraduate study in Australia, you can choose from the following institutes: 

Queensland (QLD)

Victoria (VIC)

Tasmania (TAS)

New South Wales (NSW)

South Australia (SA)

Western Australia (WA)

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

• University of Canberra

• Australian Catholic University

Useful Topics to Explore:

The AQF is the national policy for regulated qualifications in Australian education and training. Delivered through the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment in consultation with the states and territories, it incorporates the qualifications from each education and training sector (schools, vocational and higher education) into a single comprehensive national qualifications framework.

One of the key objectives of the AQF is to facilitate pathways to, and through, formal qualifications. It also complements national regulatory and quality assurance arrangements for education and training.

The AQF is split into 10 levels, ranging from certificate 1, all the way through to Doctoral degree, with higher education awards including levels 5-10. For more information on the individual AQF levels, visit the AQF’s levels webpage.

TEQSA’s role is to register all higher education providers and to ensure their courses meet, and continue to meet, the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 (HES Framework). The HES Framework includes the requirement that the learning outcomes of all higher education qualifications (Levels 5-10 of the AQF) must be consistent with the level of the course. To assess whether the expected learning outcomes for a course meet the AQF level, we will compare the expected course learning outcomes with the specified learning outcomes for the relevant AQF level and assess whether the design of all components of the course support achievement of the course’s learning outcomes as a whole.

For more information view TEQSA and the Australian Qualifications Framework: Questions and answers.

Higher education AQF levels span levels 5-10 and include:

• * = Higher degrees, also known as postgraduate degrees/qualifications.
• ^ = Higher degrees by research

For a breakdown of each AQF level, visit the AQF levels webpage.

Each AQF level comprises of a set of learning outcomes, the requirements for the application of the AQF level in the accreditation and development of the qualification and a set of policy requirements. For more information on these policies, visit the AQF policies webpage.

The Undergraduate Certificate has been developed in response to community and industry need based on the AQF review and as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Undergraduate Certificate qualifications are not located at a particular level in the AQF, however they cover AQF levels 5, 6 or 7. 

For more information, visit the AQF website.

For more information view TEQSA and the the Australian Qualifications Framework: Questions and answers.