Your wellbeing is our biggest priority. So, at this stage, it’s likely your course will be temporarily taught online. We will move to on-campus teaching as soon as we can.

Rest assured that while you’ll be studying at home, you won’t be studying alone. ACU has a range of support services available for online learning. This includes recorded lectures you can access at any time; real-time tutorials which are recorded for you to revisit; increased communications between staff and students; and additional support is always available through the Academic Support Unit.

If you are studying a course that is attendance mode (taught on campus), classes may start online, and you will move to campus-based classes as soon as we are able to offer them.

If you elect attendance mode (on campus), you will start out with online learning and then move to campus-based classes as soon as we are able to offer them.

If you want to study online for the duration of your course, you will need to apply for and enrol in an online program.

Recorded lectures

You can access lectures at any time that suits you (and sometimes in real time as well). You can listen to the lecture as many times as you want, and you are able to pause the lecture recording to take notes, look up concepts etc.

Lecture slides are available via the Learning Environment Online (LEO) system, mostly before the lecture or lecture recording is made available. The slides also appear in the lecture recording and any notation that the lecturer makes on the slides during the lecture will be available.

Tutorials

Your online tutorials might involve any and/or all of the following: an online meeting with video and audio content; breakout rooms for discussion of specific topics or issues; online polling; use of virtual whiteboards to show notes, students leading or presenting or staff leading or presenting; shared screens so students can work together on an issue; and real-time or recorded quizzes.

Tutorials are recorded so you can revisit for revision and/or clarification. Some tutorial systems (we have three platforms for virtual tutorials) have a transcription service as well, meaning you can revisit the content by listening to an audio recording or read a transcript.

In addition to lectures and tutorials, you are encouraged to set up your own virtual meetings outside of your classes to discuss, explore and learn with your peers (all of our platforms can facilitate these meetings).

There is also regular communication between staff and students through LEO, email and phone, ensuring you are supported every step of the way.

We have existing adjustment factors available for students who have suffered disadvantage, and COVID-19 consequences will meet these criteria.

Visit your relevant tertiary admissions centre (UAC, QTAC or VTAC) website for any COVID-19 related updates.

Online study for will be offered for the duration of semester 2, 2020 so you can continue studying online from outside of Australia for all of semester 2. 

Our commitment is to try and get everyone on campus as soon as possible so when travel restrictions lift, we will contact you to advise you what to do next.

You may choose to study up to four subjects in the semester. You can choose to do less than four subjects, but that may extend the duration of your studies.

As you will be located outside of Australia, you will not be able to enrol in subjects that include a practical or laboratory component.

Online learning at ACU uses similar delivery methods used in face-to-face study but in a virtual environment. This offers flexibility to live stream lectures and tutorials (where available) or to access this content at a time that suits you. You will use our Learning Environment Online (LEO) as well as other online platforms.

Recorded lectures

You can access lectures at any time that suits you (and sometimes in real time as well). You can listen to the lecture as many times as you want, and you are able to pause the lecture recording to take notes, look up concepts etc.

Lecture slides are available via LEO. The slides also appear in the lecture recording and any notation that the lecturer makes on the slides during the lecture will be available.

Tutorials

Your online tutorials might involve any of the following: an online meeting with video and audio content; breakout rooms for discussion of specific topics or issues; online polling; use of virtual whiteboards to show notes, students leading or presenting or staff leading or presenting; shared screens so students can work together on an issue; and real-time or recorded quizzes.

Tutorials are recorded so you can revisit for revision and/or clarification. Some tutorial systems (we have three platforms for virtual tutorials) have a transcription service as well, meaning you can revisit the content by listening to an audio recording or read a transcript.

In addition to lectures and tutorials, you are encouraged to set up your own virtual meetings outside of your classes to discuss, explore and learn with your peers. This is possible on all our platforms.

There is also regular communication between staff and students through LEO, email and phone, ensuring you are supported every step of the way.

If you decide that online study is not for you, please contact us to discuss your options. These could include deferring your study to a future intake or seeking a refund. Further information on refunds can be found in the ACU Fee refund Policy

Our support services for international students are available virtually. You will have access to all services as you would do if you were studying on campus. 

This will include a full virtual orientation program delivered online, as well as access to our academic skills and study support services. You will also have access to student health and wellbeing services including our dedicated International Student Advisors who are on hand to assist with any issues you may experience. 

Your course coordinator will also be available to assist with any issues you may be experiencing with course content or academic matters. 

If you are unable to obtain a student visa we encourage you to complete the remainder of your studies for this semester online and we will provide a Transcript of Results.

We recommend that you contact the Department of Home Affairs for advice on post study work rights. An Australian government hotline has been established to assist international students with questions or concerns relating to their study and Covid-19:

Email: international.students@dese.gov.au

Phone: 1300 981 621 (8am to 8pm AEDST Monday to Friday)

Student visa requirements do not apply whilst studying offshore, so you will not need a student visa to commence your studies online from outside of Australia. 

You will need to hold a valid student visa to study in Australia when travel restrictions are lifted.

Our application and admission processes remain unchanged, including our GTE assessment. Further information on how to apply is available here. 

While the medium of instruction has changed, we are still delivering the same expert-driven content that you would expect from ACU. Our online delivery aims to mirror what we offer in face-to-face delivery with access to our academic staff and their expertise at the heart of what we offer.

We are committed to providing a high-quality education at the lowest possible cost to students. ACU tuition fees are competitively priced, and the university does not apply annual fee increases for the minimum course duration.

OSHC payment is not required until such time as the you apply for a student visa. Before you apply for your student visa, please contact international.finance@acu.edu.au and we will confirm your OSHC and take any applicable payment for this service. 

ACU recognises the challenges facing prospective students who may have had their education interrupted due to Covid-19.If you were not able to sit your final assessment to complete your prior qualification, please contact international.admissions@acu.edu.au for further advice.

Yes, a COE will be issued so that you may apply for a student visa. ACU will continue to monitor COE validity with the Department of Home Affairs and advise any changes published by the Department.

The IELTS Indicator Test and the TOEFL Home Edition except for programs leading to Professional Practice Registration. Eg Master of Teaching (Secondary).

You can pay for the units you undertake in a semester. If you decide to reduce your study load after payment, you will be entitled to a refund of the fees for the unit(s) you have withdrawn from, subject to this happening before the semester census date (31 August 2020)