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

CRICOS course code
113264C
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

Assess your eligibility for entry to Swinburne
  • 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:

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.

Book your Pearson Test of English

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.

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.
  • Design course, must complete at least one of DDD00002 Design Fundamentals OR GRA00004 Drawing and Illustration
6
Core units
+
2
Elective units
=
Swinburne Foundation Program

Your units

Units of study Unit code
Elective units
Design Fundamentals
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
DDD00002
Product Development, Design and Technology
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
DPD00001
Drawing and Illustration
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
GRA00004
Introduction to Management
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
MGT00002
Marketing
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
MKT00003
Foundation Mathematics
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
MTH00012
Society and Culture
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
SOC00004
Units of study Unit code
Elective units
Accounting
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
ACC00020
Product Development, Design and Technology
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
DPD00001
Marketing
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
MKT00003
Foundation Mathematics
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
MTH00012
Introduction to Health Science
Elective unit, 78.0 credit points
HEA00002

2024 fees

Yearly fee* ($AUD)

$29,450

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. 

Find out more about fees

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.
Learn more about paying your fees

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.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

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)

$351.00

SSAF fee* ($AUD)

$351.00

Learn more about SSAF

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.

Learn more about scholarships

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.

Learn more about scholarships

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.

Representatives and agents
SF-SFP
Search for agents

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.

Course code
SF-SFP
Apply directly
Course code
SF-SFP
CRICOS code
113264C
Apply directly

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.

Start dates
Location
Last date to apply
Start dates
Pathways Intake 1
Location
Colombo
Last date to apply
19-February-2025
Start dates
24-February-2025
Pathways Intake 1
Location
Hawthorn
Last date to apply
19-February-2025
Start dates
24-February-2025
Pathways Intake 1
Location
Kandy
Last date to apply
19-February-2025
Start dates
24-February-2025
Pathways Intake 2
Location
Colombo
Last date to apply
18-June-2025
Start dates
23-June-2025
Pathways Intake 2
Location
Hawthorn
Last date to apply
18-June-2025
Start dates
23-June-2025
Pathways Intake 2
Location
Kandy
Last date to apply
18-June-2025
Start dates
23-June-2025
Pathways Intake 3
Location
Colombo
Last date to apply
15-October-2025
Start dates
20-October-2025
Pathways Intake 3
Location
Hawthorn
Last date to apply
15-October-2025
Start dates
20-October-2025
Pathways Intake 3
Location
Kandy
Last date to apply
15-October-2025
Start dates
20-October-2025
Start dates
Location
Start dates
Pathways Intake 1
Location
Colombo
Start dates
24-February-2025
Pathways Intake 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start dates
24-February-2025
Pathways Intake 1
Location
Kandy
Start dates
24-February-2025
Pathways Intake 2
Location
Colombo
Start dates
23-June-2025
Pathways Intake 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start dates
23-June-2025
Pathways Intake 2
Location
Kandy
Start dates
23-June-2025
Pathways Intake 3
Location
Colombo
Start dates
20-October-2025
Pathways Intake 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start dates
20-October-2025
Pathways Intake 3
Location
Kandy
Start dates
20-October-2025
Upcoming events
2025 Study Expo
12-November-2024