University of Queensland
Cheer on the Queensland Maroons at the annual "State of Origin" rugby league series against Brisbane's rival state, New South Wales.
Known as "the River City" Brisbane is inland from the coast, hugging the shores of the windy Brisbane River. St. Lucia Campus, located 7km from the city centre, is the main campus for most fields of study. The capital city of Queensland, Brisbane is one of Australia's more affordable cities. Nature lovers can also spend some koala-ty time checking out Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the world's largest sanctuary for this unique marsupial.
Key information
Application information
"Everyday is a G'Day in Australia"
Maria Hughes
Program details
Areas of Study:
UQ offers a wide variety of programs, including Aboriginal Studies, Agricultural Science, Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, Asian Studies, Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Biology, Botany, Business, Chemistry, Communications, Computer Science, Criminology, Development Studies, Drama, Earth Science, Ecology, Economics, Engineering (Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Software), English, Environmental Science, Exercise Science, Film & Television Studies, Food Science, Geography, Geology, Health Sciences, History, Human Movement, International Relations, Islamic Studies, Journalism, Law, Linguistics, Marine Science, Math, Microbiology, Music, Peace & Conflict Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Sport Studies, Women's Studies, Zoology and more. They also offer some courses with research components.
Law students take courses at the Masters level.
Course Requirements:
Course credits at UQ are called "units". Exchange students are expected to take 8 units (typically 4 courses) per semester, which is equivalent to 5 UCalgary HCEs (or 15 UCalgary units). Undergrad courses are numbered 1000-3999 (courses labelled 4000-6000 are not available to exchange students) - course restrictions to exchange students are noted with restrictions on the course description.
The academic year is divided into 2 semesters:
- Semester 1 runs from late February to late June
- Semester 2 runs from mid-July to late November
Due to limited space in this program, students are not eligible for full-year studies.
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Costs
It is recommended that students budget around AUS$9000 per semester ($2000/month) to pay for accommodation and living expenses. Cost of living estimates and other information about budget planning can be found online. For a Brisbane cost comparison vs. Calgary: Click Here
Typical monthly costs at UQ:
Accommodation: 1200-2800 AUD (on campus), 500-1800 AUD (off campus)
Food: if living on campus, food is included in your rent; if living off campus, may range from 300-600 AUD
Utilities: if living on campus, utilities are included in your rent; if living off campus, may range from 150-175 AUD
Mobile Phone/Internet: 80-120 AUD
Public Transit: 40-100 AUD (note there is a free shuttle bus for students to travel between UQ campuses)
Recreation & personal expenses: 40-80 AUDAdditionally, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is mandatory for all students studying in Australia and will be applied for at the time of application to your host university. You will be required to provide evidence of OSHC for the duration of your Student Visa at the time of your visa application.
Exchange students pay their tuition and academic fees to the University of Calgary. Other expenses are paid directly to the service provider. Also, don't forget to include things like flights, visas, insurance, vaccinations, etc. in your budget planning.
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Funding
Did you know that you can take your UCalgary funding with you on exchange? Since you remain a degree-seeking student at UCalgary while on exchange, you remain eligible for any awards and scholarships you are eligible to receive from the university as well as student loans.
Our office administers several awards, including the Global Access Fund (based on a funding-first model where students apply prior to committing to a global learning program) and the Global Learning Award (students apply after being accepted to a global learning program; the amount varies year-to-year as the money is split among chosen recipients). Students may only receive these awards once. Please see the funding page, linked below, for more information.
Exchange students to UQ are now guaranteed housing at either the Residential colleges on-campus or with one of UQ's approved accommodation providers:
- The university has a limited amount of space in their residential colleges, where students receive a private room, private or shared bathroom, and a fully-catered meal plan.
- Students can also seek housing off-campus; including off-campus privatized student housing through UQ Rentals or Approved Providers. The university lists several recommended housing providers who offer complexes with self-contained units (each holding multiple bedrooms, private or shared bathrooms, and a shared kitchen) that are typically rented out to multiple students. See online for more details.
This exchange is open to regular, full-time students in any faculty at UCalgary, who have completed at least 1 full year (10 courses) at the post-secondary level, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B).
For applicants from the UCalgary Faculty of Law, an academic reference letter is required. Please click here to view the reference letter guidelines & submission instructions. It must be submitted at the time of your application to UCalgary.
Note: There is extremely limited space for exchange students at the University of Queensland. When submitting your application, we strongly recommend applying for a 2nd and 3rd choice university. If you are applying for a full-year (two-semester) exchange, it may not be possible at Queensland, so having a 2nd and 3rd choice university is especially important.
What resources are available for new students?
UQ organizes an orientation week prior to the semester start with a variety of informative and social events that international students can attend to help their transition to Australia. Some sessions during O-Week may be compulsory for incoming students, so check the online timetables before your arrival.
UQ also provides complimentary airport reception to transport international students from the terminal to their pre-arranged housing.
The City of Brisbane also runs a free "Brisbane Greeters" program providing free walking tours and custom orientations to the city, led by local volunteers.
What supports or services are available at UQ?
UQ's Disability Program provides comprehensive support for students with disabilities.
Have questions?
The exchange advisor for this program is: Kathryn Bauer
How to Apply
Download the application guide
This PDF contains information on how to complete your application and what to do after you have applied.
Identify three programs of interest
We recommend applying for your top three programs for the priority application deadline, as placement may be competitive. We will assess your applications in ranked order.
Check requirements and deadlines
These may vary by program, so check the individual program pages and make sure that you are aware of any different application deadlines or eligibility requirements.
Start your application
Once you have gathered everything you need, you can begin your application!
Please note: Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are submitted in full.
International travel presents challenges that may not be found when attending classes on campus. There may be a lack of resources, emergency services, hospitals, accessibility issues and/or demands on the physical and the mental self, all of which can challenge individuals when away from their usual support systems and structures. Adequate preparation is essential.
For this reason, it is imperative that you evaluate all aspects of your own physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition against the rigors of the particular global learning program you are selecting. If you are unsure of whether or not this program is a good fit for you and/or if you have any circumstances that could impede your enjoyment of the program, please contact us. Our Global Learning Advisors will be happy to assist in finding the best options for you and arrange any supports or accommodations necessary to ensure your success.
If you have or are seeking a certificate from Student Accessibility Services, you should provide this early to your Global Learning Advisor to ensure that the option that you are seeking can support your needs.
Please note: All participants must adhere to COVID-19 and other vaccination-related requirements for the destinations visited on this program. Failure to do so may have consequences such as being denied access to accommodation/housing, program activities, or to the host country itself.