Overview
The Swinburne Foundation Program (8 months) is a pathway course for international students who wish to apply for an undergraduate degree or UniLink Diploma at Swinburne.
Our course is designed to teach fundamental academic skills including: research, writing, critical thinking, maths, and Information Technology (IT).
Skills you’ll learn
- Demonstrable linguistic and numeracy skills
- Research-based decision-making skills
- Develop solutions to problems in local and international contexts
- Practice academic integrity
- Enhance knowledge through tech
Key codes
International student visa
International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.
Why Swinburne?
24/7 support for Academic English and skill development
Seamless and guaranteed connection to your degree
Smaller class sizes and one-on-one time with teachers
Admissions
Successful completion of Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or its equivalent, such as an interstate or international Year 12 qualification.
Non-Year 12 entry
Completion or partial completion of an approved tertiary qualification (including certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas, associate degrees and degrees). Additional performance criteria and prerequisite requirements may also apply.
Students admitted to the course with prior tertiary studies that satisfy part of the academic requirements of this course may be eligible for academic credit.
Applicants without a formal qualification but with significant and relevant work experience will be considered if they can demonstrate that they can undertake the course with a reasonable prospect of success.
Successful completion of Australian Year 11 or equivalent overseas qualification
- VCE Units 3 and 4: a minimum study score of 20 in any English or English as an Additional Language (EAL) or equivalent.
Please note that applicants with a study score of 20–24 in EAL will be required to complete Swinburne's free Skills Plus program as part of their studies.
Admission requirements
Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee an offer of a place. See admission requirements for general information about the admission process.
English language requirements
Satisfactory completion of one of the following:
- IELTS overall band of 5.5 (Academic Module) with no individual band below 5.0.
- Swinburne’s English for Academic Purposes EAP 4 Upper Intermediate with overall 65%, and all skills 60% or above
- or equivalent measures available at English language requirements.
Need to undertake an English assessment for entry?
A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) can now be done at our Hawthorn campus.
Finding your fit
At Swinburne, we recognise that not one size fits all. If this course doesn’t meet all your study criteria, check out these alternatives.
-
UniLink Bridging Program
How credit points work
To qualify for the Swinburne Foundation Program, students must successfully complete eight Units of Study comprising six core units of study and two elective units of study.
Students intending on progressing to:
- an Engineering course, must complete MTH00012 Foundation Mathematics.
- a Design course, must complete at least one of DDD00002 Design Fundamentals OR GRA00004 Drawing and Illustration
Your units
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
| Core units | |
|
Global Communication
Core unit |
CMS00001 |
|
Academic and Communication Skills A
Core unit |
COM00002 |
|
Academic and Communication Skills B
Core unit |
COM00003 |
|
Information Technology
Core unit |
COS00005 |
|
Innovation and Change
Core unit |
INV00001 |
|
General Mathematics
Core unit |
MTH00011 |
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
| Elective units | |
|
Design Fundamentals
Elective unit |
DDD00002 |
|
Product Development, Design and Technology
Elective unit |
DPD00001 |
|
Drawing and Illustration
Elective unit |
GRA00004 |
|
Introduction to Management
Elective unit |
MGT00002 |
|
Marketing
Elective unit |
MKT00003 |
|
Foundation Mathematics
Elective unit |
MTH00012 |
|
Society and Culture
Elective unit |
SOC00004 |
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
| Elective units | |
|
Accounting
Elective unit |
ACC00020 |
|
Product Development, Design and Technology
Elective unit |
DPD00001 |
|
Marketing
Elective unit |
MKT00003 |
|
Foundation Mathematics
Elective unit |
MTH00012 |
|
Introduction to Health Science
Elective unit |
HEA00002 |
2025 fees
Yearly fee* ($AUD)
$0.00
Fees are estimates only
Published student tuition fees for 2025 unit enrolments in HE Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and Undergraduate Full Fee Paying (FFP) are subject to change based on individual circumstances at enrolment. Fees may vary for units studied in future years, with part-time fees being proportionally lower depending on the number of units taken per semester. Enrolled students will receive reasonable notice of any fee changes before payment is due.
Fees are estimates only
The indicative course fees shown apply to international students for the relevant year, based on a standard study load per year. Fees are assessed according to actual study load each semester, with variations to study load resulting in tuition fee adjustments. These fees generally include the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) and are subject to annual review. Enrolled students will receive reasonable notice of any fee changes before payment is due.
How do I pay my fees?
HECS-HELP is a loan and discount scheme available to you if you are eligible and enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place. A HECS-HELP loan can cover all or part of your contribution amount. You can also choose to pay your fees up front.
International students need to pay tuition fees up-front by the relevant due date. You can find the due dates on your Statement of Account.
To pay your fees:
- log in to My Financials
- check your Australian bank account details are correct
- check your Statement of Account to see how much you owe
- pay using your preferred payment method.
Eligibility for HECS-HELP
You are eligible for a HECS-HELP loan if you have been offered a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) for an undergraduate degree at Swinburne or a UniLink course, and you:
- are an Australian citizen and doing at least one unit of your course in Australia; or
- hold a permanent humanitarian visa and will be living in Australia for the duration of your course; or
- hold a New Zealand Special Category visa and meet the special eligibility requirements for New Zealand citizens.
Student services and amenities fee
This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.
The fee shown is the capped amount for 2025.
This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.
This amenities fee is included within your annual tuition fee listed above. The fee shown is the capped amount for 2025.
Please refer to the Student Services Amenities Fee page for more information.
SSAF fee* ($AUD)
$365.00
SSAF fee* ($AUD)
$365.00
Future scholarships
Scholarship applications for 2025 are open. Scholarships at Swinburne are about providing opportunity, promoting equity and recognising excellence and achievement. We want you to reach your potential and achieve your life and career goals.
Our handy guide will assist you to gather documents for your application.
When you apply for a Swinburne course, we automatically consider you for an international scholarship of up to 20 per cent off your course fees – no separate application required! Just apply for your Swinburne course of choice and when we review your course application, we will also assess you for an international scholarship.
Apply through an agent
Most international students use an education agent to help them through the application process. Swinburne has agents all over the world that can help you with your application to study. Search for a Swinburne representative in your country. If your country is not listed, please contact us.
Apply directly
Ready to take on a new challenge and reach your academic goals? If you already know which course you want to study and understand the entry requirements, what are you waiting for? Apply online! Remember, you cannot apply direct if you have an active VTAC application.
Apply through VTAC
International students currently studying Year 12 in Australia must apply through VTAC. VTAC is the central office that administers the application processes for places in tertiary courses, scholarships and the Special Entry Access Scheme at universities, TAFEs and independent tertiary colleges in Victoria.
VTAC is the central office that administers the application processes for places in tertiary courses, scholarships and the Special Entry Access Scheme at universities, TAFEs and independent tertiary colleges in Victoria.