Key facts
International students course information. This course is currently not available to domestic students.
Entry is based on a three-year post-secondary qualification in your home country, or a bachelor qualification from a recognised university comparable to an Associate Degree under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). English language requirements must also be met.
View full entry requirements- 1 trimester full-time
- 116073H
| Start Dates and Campus | Trimester 1 – February 2027 | Trimester 2 – June 2027 | Trimester 3 – October 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Not Offered | Not Offered | Not Offered |
| Armidale Campus | Offered | Offered | Not Offered |
| Sydney Campus | Not Offered | Not Offered | Not Offered |
Course information
Download course brochure
Our Postgraduate International Qualifying Program is designed to provide you with the skills you need to succeed in postgraduate-level studies at UNE. If you don't already meet the requirements for admission to select Masters degrees at UNE, this non-award program provides you with a pathway to become eligible. From business administration and management to information technology, cybersecurity, environmental science and management, or agriculture, the Postgraduate International Qualifying Program will set you on the path to your dream UNE Masters degree.
Why study the Postgraduate International Qualifying Program with UNE?
This program teaches academic writing skills, research skills, and critical thinking skills in an Australian context, with the intention of preparing you for admission to the following UNE courses:
- Master of Business Administration (International)
- Master of Cybersecurity and Computing
- Master of Environmental Science and Management
- Master of Information Technology
- Master of Science in Agriculture.
In addition to providing a pathway to admission to a Masters degree, the skills developed during the Postgraduate International Qualifying Program are highly valuable and transferable across many careers and workplaces.
We’re highly rated – year after year, students award UNE 5-star ratings in The Good Universities Guide for Overall Experience and Student Support, so when you study with us, you know you are in good hands.
What makes our course different?
This course has been tailored to the unique academic standards and cultural contexts of Australia, ensuring you are fully prepared to thrive when you commence your chosen course. When you study the Postgraduate International Qualifying Program with UNE, you will have opportunities to:
- Develop the foundational skillsets needed to succeed in postgraduate-level studies at UNE, positioned in the context of Australian higher education.
- Undertake one academic unit from the Masters degree you're studying to be eligible for, and receive this unit credited towards that course.
- Benefit from the knowledge and teaching experience of our expert academics, who have a long history of providing students like you with the guidance you need to continuously improve and reach your full potential.
- Join us on campus in Armidale and take advantage of our small staff-student ratio and supportive environment.
Study on campus
Many of our students choose to take advantage of the on-campus lifestyle in Armidale, in the beautiful New England region, with access to unparalleled support, accommodation and sporting facilities. These students are often starting their first degree and have left school recently. Through access to academic and career support they get a fantastic start to their careers.
* 24/7 tutor support includes: essay feedback (within 24 hours); live chat 24/7 for generic feedback on academic writing; and subject-specific help at a foundation or first-year level for subjects including mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, business, accounting, microeconomics, macroeconomics and statistics. There are also a wide range of workshops, resources and courses available in academic skills support to assist you and help you to succeed.
Entry requirements
Select the option that best describes you.
If you are an international applicant who wants to study on campus in Australia:
You will need to meet both the Academic and English Language Requirements to gain admission into this program. Meeting academic requirements means we review what you have already studied to see if you have the results needed for admission to your preferred course..
You can apply for this course if you have completed, at minimum:
- a THREE Year post-secondary qualification in your home country; or
- a Bachelor Degree from a recognised university that is comparable to an Associate Degree under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
If you are admitted on either basis, you will be eligible for admission under standard entry. Please see the Course Structure (Program of Study).
Please note: all admissions are subject to UNE’s Admission, Credit and Enrolment Policy. Please read and familiarise yourself with the details of the policy. See our Glossary for help with university terms.
When applying you may be required to show how you satisfy the English Language Requirements for this course.
International applicants, please note: You may also need to show evidence of your English language proficiency to the Department of Home Affairs if you are applying for a Student Visa.
These requirements are in addition to the entry requirements above.
A mandatory intensive school on campus may be a requirement of the chosen elective unit in this course. Please see the UNE Course Handbook for the specific requirements of each unit.
On-Campus study
If you would like to study full-time in Australia at one of UNE's campuses, you will need to have a visa that allows you to study. For most international students this visa will need to be a Student Visa. The Australian Department of Home Affairs has further information about visa eligibility and conditions.
This course is not currently available for this mode of study.
Please note: all admissions are subject to UNE’s Admission, Credit and Enrolment Policy. Please read and familiarise yourself with the details of the policy. See our Glossary for help with university terms.
When applying you may be required to show how you satisfy the English Language Requirements for this course.
International applicants, please note: You may also need to show evidence of your English language proficiency to the Department of Home Affairs if you are applying for a Student Visa.
These requirements are in addition to the entry requirements above.
A mandatory intensive school on campus may be a requirement of the chosen elective unit in this course. Please see the UNE Course Handbook for the specific requirements of each unit.
Some courses require you to provide documentary evidence, or interviews to support your application. The following documents are required to support your application:
- Any supporting documents related to your admission pathway. For example, if you apply based on previous study, upload evidence of your study so we can assess eligibility.
- Proof of identity and citizenship. This can be a certified/notarised copy of the photo page of your passport, or another form of official photo identification that lists your full personal details including name and date of birth; for example, a foreign government identity card.
- Evidence of English Language Requirements satisfied. If you have completed a UNE-approved formal English test within the last two years, you must provide a copy of the test results with your application. Please see UNE’s English Language Requirements above for further information.
Advanced Standing is credit or recognition of your previous study, work and/or life experience. This can reduce the cost and length of your studies.
Advanced Standing is not applicable for this program.
Course structure
To complete the program a candidate must pass units to the value of 24 credit points with 18 credit points at 300-level from the core units and 6 credit points at 100-level or above from the elective units.
18 credit points
Complete the following units:- Postgraduate Learning in the Australian Context (ALSP301) – 3 credit points
- Critical Thinking for Advanced Studies (ALSP302) – 3 credit points
- Quantitative Research Skills (ALSP303) – 3 credit points
- Qualitative Research Skills (ALSP304) – 3 credit points
- Academic English (ALSP305) – 3 credit points
- Academic Writing (ALSP306) – 3 credit points
6 credit points
Complete 6 credit points for the intended Masters program from the list below:6 credit points
Complete the following unit:- Strategic Planning and Sustainability (MM403) – 6 credit points
6 credit points
Complete the following unit:- Fundamentals of Cybersecurity and Privacy (COSC130) – 6 credit points
6 credit points
Complete the following unit:- Fundamentals of Cybersecurity and Privacy (COSC130) – 6 credit points
6 credit points
Complete the following unit:- Foundational Quantitative Methods for Environmental and Rural Sciences (QMER100) – 6 credit points
6 credit points
Complete the following unit:- Foundational Quantitative Methods for Environmental and Rural Sciences (QMER100) – 6 credit points
See UNE Handbook for more details. The Handbook contains detailed course information designed for enrolled students, including course plans, exit awards, intensive schools, and work placement requirements.
Fees and scholarships
How much will it cost?
Estimated fees for your first year of study in this course are:
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| International | $10,128* |
| Estimated amenities fee per year if studying full-time | $384 |
* Annual course fees only cover the cost of tuition. They do not include other expenses associated with university study such as text books, accommodation and living expenses. If you are successful in gaining admission to study at UNE, the Offer of Admission will list the exact tuition fees you need to pay for your course. Fees quoted cover full-time tuition for two full-time trimesters only. For more information, please see fees and costs.
UNE offers bursaries and scholarships that can help you with the costs of studying and living in Australia.
The UNE International Bursary reduces the published annual tuition fees for international students by up to 20%. These bursaries are available for international students commencing coursework studies at UNE in 2025. View detailed Bursary information.
UNE also offers a number of substantial research scholarships to postgraduate students studying research-based degrees.
Your career
Many international students who have completed this program go on to have rewarding careers in a broad range of areas. Whatever you aspire to study, this program opens the door to studying a postgraduate tertiary degree at UNE in a range of areas, such as:
- business administration and management
- science and technology
- cybersecurity
- agriculture.
The program teaches academic writing skills, research skills, and critical thinking skills in an Australian context. These skills are valuable and transferable across many careers and workplaces.
Course outcomes
- demonstrate a range of academic literacies required for successful study in the Australian learning context;
- apply the components and processes of critical thinking to reflect on their strengths, weaknesses and approaches to critical thinking in their own context;
- demonstrate a range of advanced reading, writing and listening skills applicable to postgraduate study;
- analyse academic sources related to a discipline and construct complex arguments to investigate contemporary issues; and
- demonstrate an ability to successfully prepare for study at a postgraduate Masters level in Australia.
- Knowledge of a Discipline
Students gain discipline knowledge by developing skills through studies in the core units and their choice of study from the list of elective units relevant to their intended postgraduate course.
- Communication Skills
Students develop and practice communication skills through their participation in face-to-face teaching, collaborative group activities and assessment tasks.
- Problem Solving
Students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These skills are practiced and assessed through a range of classroom activities and assessment tasks.
- Information Literacy
Students' engagement with the core units presents them with opportunities to enhance their information literacy skills, information technology skills, and the finding, accessing, evaluating, organising, comprehension, and communication of information.
- Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility
Students learn the importance of and demonstrate academic integrity and the principle of fairness in their attribution of existing works; participation in learning and teaching activities; and in the production of assessment responses that demonstrate an awareness of how their words and actions can impact on others.
- Lifelong Learning
Students engage in a learning and teaching experience that requires them to undertake a range of tasks involving inquiry and reflection on their own academic practice; they will become autonomous, self-managed learners who are open to new ideas and actively seek out new ways of learning and understanding in an Australian context.
- Independence and Collaboration
Students develop the ability to work independently through the completion of individual assessment tasks, and develop collaborative skills through interactive activities where they will learn the importance of engaging with others in a professional and respectful manner.
Excellence in experience, equity and employability
Five Stars,
20 Years in a Row
UNE is the only public uni in Australia awarded 20 straight years of five stars for Overall Experience.
Good Universities Guide 2007-2026
Five Stars for
Social Equity
UNE rates among the top 20% of universities nationally and is #1 in NSW for Social Equity.
Good Universities Guide 2026
Five Stars for
Graduate Employment
UNE rates among the top 20% of universities for Graduate Full-Time Employment and Starting Salary.
Good Universities Guide 2026 (Undergraduate)
Diamond-Rated Digital Learning
UNE’s leadership in digital learning earned the highest ‘Diamond’ rating in a peer review.
ASCILITE TELAS 2025
Studying online
At UNE we know it takes more than just being online to be a great online university. It takes time and experience. We pioneered distance education for working adults back in the 1950s, so we’ve been doing this longer than any other Australian University.
As an international student you can take advantage of flexible online study from overseas or while you are studying in Australia on a visa other than a student visa. You can’t study fully online on a Student Visa.
To study online from overseas you need to consider that you may need to travel to Australia to attend a UNE campus for some mandatory intensive schools.
Studying on Campus
Whether you are an undergraduate student coming to study in Australia for the first time, a PhD student coming to live here with your family, or you only need short-stay accommodation whilst in Armidale for Intensive Schools, we have the perfect accommodation option for you.
Stay connected
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- •Next steps and what to expect after you apply or enquire
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Why study with us?
My time at UNE was an amazing experience! I have met some amazing people that I will not soon forget, who welcomed me into their county, and their homes, like I was one of their own.
How to apply
Preparing to apply
You should always provide the details of past or current studies in your application. You may also need to include documents to support your application.
The kind of documents you need will depend on:
- Your preferred course/s
- Your personal circumstances
