Access to leading Australian universities—for everyone!
Through Open Universities Australia, your campus isn’t a fixed address—it’s anywhere you want it to be. Study online, anywhere, anytime and graduate with an Australian qualification.
Not sure where to begin?
Talk to a student advisor to get one-on-one advice.
Book a free consultationInternational student requirements
Before you enrol, there are some language and documentation requirements that you’ll need to be aware of.
English proficiency requirements
All courses offered through OUA are taught in English, so you'll need to show that you’ve got a working knowledge of the English language. We suggest that you take an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test. You’ll need an overall score of at least:
- 6.5 for undergraduate study
- 7.0 for postgraduate study
You can prepare for your IELTS test with Macquarie University’s English language test preparation subjects.
Documents in languages other than English
If we ask you to submit documents—things like medical certificates, prior academic results or application documents for a postgraduate degree—make sure that any foreign-language documents are accompanied by certified English translations from a professional translator.
Australian student visas
When we enrol you with your university for online study, you are not automatically eligible for an Australian student visa. For that, you must be an on-campus student studying at an Australian higher education provider. Check Study Australia for more information.
When international students study the majority of their subjects online, it usually means they do not meet the government's Australian student visa requirement.
Study skills
You might be new to study, coming back to it after a break—or maybe you’ve never studied in the Australian education system. No matter what your background is, we recommend taking some time to fine tune your study skills. Check Study Preparation for a list of short courses that will help get you started
Australians studying overseas
If you're an Australian citizen or permanent resident living, working or holidaying overseas, you’re still able to get an Australian qualification.
And studying online doesn't mean you're studying alone. Because OUA opens doors to students from all walks of life, you’ll find yourself networking with people from all over the world.
If you ever need study support, you can email your uni tutors questions about your subjects and assessments.
Fees for Australians overseas
Worried about international student fees? If you’re an Australian citizen or permanent resident, the good news is that they don’t apply to you when you're studying abroad.
This means that you'll never have to pay any additional surcharges or fees for studying overseas—though standard fees will still apply, and they’ll vary depending on the subjects you enrol in.
That said, there are residency conditions that will come into play if you’re thinking about taking out a student loan. Check Student loans for more information, or visit Study Assist for information about government assistance for financing your higher education.
We're here to guide you there
Our student advisors can assist you with enrolment, help you plan your studies, and answer questions about how studying through Open Universities Australia can get you from where you are today, to where you want to be tomorrow.