Understanding our entry requirements

Completion of a JCU degree requires you to understand and use the English language to a minimum level. This is called English Language Proficiency and is different to the English subject pre-requisite.

All courses have a minimum English Language Proficiency requirement which can be met through study, employment or an approved English language test. You can find more information on JCU's English Language requirements for students from non-English Speaking Backgrounds here.

Undergraduate degrees

Pre-requisites are typically met on the basis of four semesters of Sound Achievement or better of the relevant Queensland Senior Authority subjects. However, there are many different ways to satisfy the course pre-requisites.

If you do not meet the pre-requisites, we encourage you to consider a pathway.

Postgraduate degrees

Pre-requisites are typically met on the basis of a completed undergraduate degree in a relevant field.

If you do not meet the pre-requisites, we encourage you to consider further undergraduate study or an alternate postgraduate course.

Assumed knowledge indicates a good understanding of knowledge you require for a particular subject.

You can still enrol in a subject that requires assumed knowledge, even when you don't have the assumed level of knowledge. However, you will be considerably disadvantaged.

We strongly advise undertaking additional study or other appropriate preparation if you don't have assumed knowledge.

Recommended knowledge refers to the subject knowledge that JCU would advise you to have studied and understood before commencing a particular degree or subject. These are generally relevant Year 12 subjects available in Queensland or other Australian high-schools.

You can still enrol in a subject that has recommended knowledge, even if you have not previously studied those subjects. However, you may find the content more challenging to understand.

If you do not have the recommended knowledge for the course, you may wish to consider completing an introductory course in that area through the JCU Prep program.

An Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) allows tertiary admissions centres to compare students from across Australia when they apply for tertiary study. The ATAR is a number between 0 and 99.95, in increments of 0.05. ATARs below 30 are not reported.

All JCU undergraduate courses have an ATAR entry requirement. The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) is responsible for calculating ATAR results.

Find out more about ATARs and the role they play in university entry. If you do not meet the ATAR requirement for your chosen course, you may wish to consider one of JCU's Pathways to University options.