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International programs & student supports

James Cook University

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Exchange spaces are not currently available at this partner institution for 2025/26*

Location: Northern Queensland, Australia (Townsville & Cairns campuses)
Website: www.jcu.edu.au (see info for exchange students)
Language of instruction: English
Terms: Fall semester (early September - late December, aka 'Trimester 3') // Spring semester (late January - late April, aka '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

Area of study

  • Arts
  • Education
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Creative Arts
  • Science
  • Engineering

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 a guide to accommodation
    • Students should apply for on-campus accommodation as soon as possible after receiving their Letter of Offer, since space is limited.
  • Off-campus housing: Available

Health Insurance & Visas

Health Insurance:
  • Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is insurance to assist international students in meeting the costs of medical and hospital care that they may need while in Australia.
  • International students in Australia must hold OSHC for the duration of their stay in Australia, as a condition of their student visa.
  • Cost is approximately AUD$416 (for one semester/trimester), AUD$768 (for two semesters/trimesters).

Visas:

How to apply

Application Instructions