University of the Sunshine Coast
Location: Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
Instagram: @unisc.international
Website: www.unisc.edu.au
Language of instruction: English
Terms: Spring semester/Term 1 (February - June), Fall semester/Term 2 (July - November)
Highlights
- Founded in 1996, the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) is one of Australia’s youngest and most innovative universities. The flagship campus is located in Sippy Downs, around 90 km north of Brisbane, Queensland. Set on a 100-hectare nature reserve, UniSC offers a modern, sustainable learning environment surrounded by native Australian wildlife and lush scenery.
- With over 100km of pristine coastline, national parks, and iconic landmarks like the Glass House Mountains and K’gari (Fraser Island), the Sunshine Coast is ideal for both adventure and relaxation. The climate is sub-tropical, with over 300 days of sunshine annually, making it perfect for year-round outdoor activities. It is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, highlighting its ecological significance, and is a welcoming destination for international students, offering a safe and inclusive environment.
- Some highlights and benefits include:
- Affordable living
- Proximity to domestic travel hubs like Sunshine Coast Airport and Brisbane
- Small class sizes
- Sustainable campus design
- Support for elite sports teams, including Olympic and Paralympic athletes
Accessibility
- The UniSC AccessAbility Office provides accessibility supports. Students can register with this office to set up adjustments and accomodations as needed.
Area of study
- Arts and Humanities
- Business and Commerce
- Communication
- Creative Industries
- Design
- Education
- Engineering
- Environmental Studies
- Law and Criminology
- Medical and Health Sciences
- Nursing and Midwdwifery
- Paramedicine
- Psychology and Social Work
- Science
- Sport and Exercise Science
- Technology
Course catalogue
- To find specific courses, go to UniSC's Courses and Programs catalogue.
Credits
Credits at UniSC:
- Full-time option (7.5 UVic units): 24 units per term at UniSC
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
- Please note that as UniSC is a new exchange partner, we cannot provide an exchange credit history at this time.
- 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: Unavailable
- Off-campus housing: Available
Please note that UniSC does not provide on-campus student accommodation. Students can arrange private, off-campus housing for the duration of their exchange, with many options within walking distance to the UniSC Sunshine Coast campus. Learn more about finding accommodation and housing through the UniSC website.
Medical Insurance, Immigration & Arrival
Visa- If you accept the offer of a place and your full-time enrolment is confirmed, UniSC will provide you with an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) which will enable you to apply for a student visa. All exchange and study abroad students must obtain a subclass 500 student visa before arriving in Australia.
- More information about obtaining your visa is available on at UniSC's Before You Arrive webpage.
- For further information please contact the Australian Embassy in Ottawa or visit the Australian Department of Home Affairs website.
Medical Insurance
- It is a condition of your student visa that you take out Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). UniSC can assist you in making this payment before a student visa is issued. Learn more about the OSHC payment process on the UniSC website.
- OSHC pricing can be found on this page.
Arrival & Orientation
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- UniSC is 20km from Sunshine Coast Airport (with direct flights to Sydney and Melbourne) and 90km from Brisbane Airport, offering both domestic and international travel options.
- UniSC Buddy Program: If students have questions about a specific UniSC program, what it's like to live in Queensland, or want to connect with someone in their native language, they can meet with a UniSC International Student.
- UniSC offers an extensive Orientation to UniSC program at the start of each semester to help you settle in and meet other students.
SDGs-in-Action
Add a United Nations CIFAL qualification to your international experience (and your CV!) by taking the SDGs-In-Action challenge. Below are resources and some of the many ways to get involved at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
- Explore the different ways to enhance your learning outside the classroom, and get involved at UniSC during your exchange.
- Check out the student-led, not-for-profit UniSC Student Guild to join clubs and take part in volunteer work with local organisations.