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How ACU Foundation Studies prepares you for life and study in Australia.

Transitioning into life at university can be a lot easier when you've had time to adjust to the new environment and way of learning.

When it comes to studying in Australia, there’s a lot to learn. As an international student, you’ll be studying a different education system, as well as getting used to a new home, a new campus, new food, and new social and cultural traditions. And if English isn’t your native tongue, you’ll be doing it in a second language – all while trying to understand the Australian accent!

The good news is that you don’t have to go straight from high school to a university degree – in fact, sometimes you might need to do a bit of extra study before to get into your chosen course.

If you want to study at ACU but you don’t meet the academic and/or English language requirements to get in, the ACU Foundation Studies program will give you guaranteed entry into degrees across all ACU faculties (as long as you pass your Foundation Studies subjects) – and it gets you ready for life at university while you study.

Foundation studies at ACU

Foundation Studies is a type of pathway program that can give you the extra boost you need to get into ACU. It’s equivalent to competing Year 12 in Australia, which makes it a great option if you’ve already completed Year 11 here and you want an alternative option for Year 12, or you’ve completed Year 12 but didn’t get the ATAR for your chosen ACU course, or you come from a country where your Year 12 results aren’t accepted as part of your ACU application.

Even better, the ACU Foundation Studies program is open to 17-year-olds (provided you have a guardian), which means you can start your international experience before you turn 18.

How does it work?

Let’s say you want to study an ACU Bachelor of Business but you don’t meet the entry requirements. When you successfully complete our Foundation Studies program, you’ll go straight into the bachelor’s degree, as long as you meet the English language and GPA requirements of the course*.

As well as getting you into your chosen ACU course, Foundation Studies programs provide lots of other great benefits:

• You’ll build core skills and knowledge. Our Foundation Studies course covers lots of different units – it’s designed to give you the knowledge you’ll need to succeed in your ACU degree. You’ll study academic English, basic maths and science, and subjects like society and culture and global studies that will prepare you for university study.
• You’ll build skills in your chosen study area. In the third term of your Foundation Studies course, you’ll start focusing on the study area of your chosen undergraduate course. If you’re planning to enrol in the ACU Bachelor of Business, you’ll start getting familiar with basic business concepts in preparation for your future degree.
• You’ll learn what’s expected of you. University study isn’t the same as studying at high school – as well as producing university-quality work, you’ll also need to get used to the different class types, learning approaches and assessment methods that come with university study. Foundation Studies provides university-style teaching in preparation for undergraduate study.
• You’ll be an ACU student from the moment you enrol. Being a Foundation Studies student gives you all the benefits of being an ACU student. You’ll have access to facilities and services like the library, student welfare and support services, and on-campus activities like clubs, societies and our calendar of annual events. It’s a great way to make friends, get involved in campus life and start getting familiar with life at ACU.

Read more about the ACU Foundation Studies course.

*Please note: some courses may have additional professional requirements.