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International programs & student supports

James Cook University

Location: Northern Queensland, Australia (Townsville & Cairns campuses)
Website: JCU Exchange Program
Language of instruction: English
GPA requirement: minimum 2.7/4.0 GPA (4.0/9.0 GPA at UVic)
Terms: Fall semester (early September - late December, 'Trimester 3') // Spring semester (late January - late April, 'Trimester 1')

Highlights

open view of JCU idea lab interior
  • The two main campuses of James Cook University are located in the tropical cities of Townsville and Cairns, between the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics rainforest, both World Heritage listed sites
  • The second oldest university in Queensland and the leading research university in the tropics
  • A growing student population with over 17,000 students including 5,000 international students

Accessibility

  • JCU's AccessAbility website has comprehensive information about services on offer.

  • Prospective students can email accessability@jcu.edu.au for guidance about planning their time at JCU.

  • Exchange students who have received their offers can register via the AccessAbility main page, and a JCU staff member will be in touch within 24 hours.

  • If students have any questions regarding services provided, they are encouraged to review the AccessAbility services FAQ page, which has common answers that may help address concerns.

  • Students are also welcome to contact the JCU exchange team at globalexperience@jcu.edu.au for additional resources.

Areas of study

  • Anthropology
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Science
  • Exercise Science
  • Geography
  • History
  • Indigenous Studies
  • Literature
  • Marine Science
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

Courses

  • Check out popular course options for exchange students via the study area filter.
  • Please refer to the course catalogue for full list of courses available, noting that some courses may have pre-requisites. 

Credits

Credits at James Cook:

  • Full-time option (7.5 UVic units): 12 credit points per term at James Cook  

Course Evaluations at UVic: 

  • Before departure, UVic students will be able to submit exchange courses to UVic for evaluation. The results will indicate how many UVic units each exchange course is worth, as well as the course equivalency.
  • Students must use the evaluation results to ensure their exchange courses credits add up to the equivalent UVic units. The total number of units for each exchange term should be 4.5 UVic units for part-time exchange or 7.5 UVic units for full-time exchange.
  • This course evaluation process will be made available and explained in detail during the pre-departure session in early October for Spring exchange terms and in late March for Fall exchange terms. Evaluations take 2-6 weeks to complete and will be emailed to students. 
  • Course evaluations results are tentative until the end of the exchange term, when a second, final evaluation is conducted by OREM using the students’ exchange transcript, and the results are applied to their UVic record. 

Exchange credit history

  • Click here to check out the exchange credit history of courses that have been previously evaluated by UVic for this host university.
  • Students are not limited to this list when selecting courses for their upcoming exchange and should consult the host university’s course catalogue for a full list of offerings.
  • Important note: this document is a guide only and previously evaluated courses are not guaranteed to be evaluated in the same way in the future.
  • After being accepted into the ICS Exchange Program, students will have the chance to submit exchange courses to UVic for evaluation. The results will provide updated unit and credit equivalency information. 

Housing

On-campus housing: Available
  • See JCU's Accommodation Services website for housing resources.
  • Exchange students are encouraged to apply for on-campus accommodation as soon as they receive their acceptance, as rooms are limited.
Off-campus housing: Available

Medical insurance, immigration & arrival

Health Insurance:

Immigration:

  • Most exchange students will need a visa in order to study at JCU.
  • Upon acceptance, JCU will issue students a Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE), which can be used to apply for a study visa via Australia's Department of Home Affairs.
  • To learn more about the visa requirements and apply online, visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

Arrival:

  • JCU's International Orientation is mandatory for all exchange students, to help prepare them for their studies. 
  • This includes Orientation Week, which features student activities, and department orientation sessions. 
  • Please review the list of students supports available at JCU.