Semester 1 is the first major intake of the university year. Start here to explore courses, study areas, and which intake is the best fit for you.

Start Midyear 2025

Want to start sooner, or in a smaller cohort? Many courses have a Midyear intake. Swinburne’s 2025 Midyear intake begins on Monday 4 August.  

Learn more about Midyear

Start in Semester 1

Want to start at the top of the year? If your course has a Semester 1, 2026 intake, applications are open all year round.

Apply for Semester 1, 2026

Other intakes

Swinburne intakes and start dates vary across courses and study levels. Browse our list of Swinburne intakes or check your course page for specific start dates.  

Swinburne intakes and start dates vary across courses and study levels. Browse our list of intakes or check your course page for specific start dates.  

Find more intakes

Find your course  

Ready to discover what study looks like with Swinburne? Start by browsing courses.  

Why Swinburne?

Top 300 universities worldwide  

QS World University Rankings 20251

Rated 5 stars by our own students  

For ‘Overall Experience’2

We’re a university and a TAFE provider

Because education should be accessible

Frequently asked questions

You may need to organise supporting documents before you apply, such as proof of name and citizenship, and certified and translated copies of previous academic results.  

You’ll be notified of the specific requirements for your application as you go through the process, and will be able to save your application and come back to it if you need time to gather the required documentation.  

Find more on supporting documents

Several courses at Swinburne have a Midyear entry, also known as Semester 2. To see if your course has a Midyear start, check your course page or contact us. Semester 2 starts on Monday 4 August.

Find out about starting Midyear 2025

Yes, you can. And we’ve found that in most cases, transferring unis or courses is easier than people think.  

You can start the process by browsing our courses, coming along to an event, or booking an appointment to speak to a course and applications advisor at Swinburne.  

Find more on transferring

You'll find information about fees and scholarships across our website, but if you'd like to talk to someone who can give you tailored advice – including how you can afford uni, which government subsidies and scholarships you might be eligible for, and more – we recommend booking a chat with us. It's free, quick, and gets straight to the point.

TAFE (also known as Vocational Education and Training or VET): Pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, traineeships, trades, certificates and diplomas.

You might be looking at TAFE because you’re interested in studying a skills-based vocation like electronics, plumbing, or community services. Maybe you’d like to start small before progressing into further study, or perhaps the eligibility criteria caught your eye. In many cases, it is broader (for example, you can apply for some TAFE courses without an ATAR). 

UniLink: A UniLink diploma is called so because it serves as a ‘link’ course between you and undergraduate study. These courses are a great choice if you didn’t complete high school in Australia, or didn’t get the ATAR needed for your preferred bachelor degree.

Undergraduate (or UG): Bachelor degrees, double degrees and associate degrees

Many undergraduate degrees will take 3 years to complete and will result in a bachelor’s degree. Double degrees are for those who’d like to study a little longer and graduate with twice the qualifications. Associate degrees will take around 2 years, and can either send you off into the world of work or prepare you for further study. 

Postgraduate (or PG): Graduate certificates, Graduate diplomas, master degrees, and doctoral degrees.

Postgraduate study is, in most cases, for those who have completed undergraduate study. In some cases, postgrad study can be undertaken by students with significant industry experience in lieu of undergraduate study.

Completed master and doctorate degrees will result in a ‘Master of’ and ‘PhD’ respectively. Or you could exit your master degree study early having completed sufficient units to achieve a graduate certificate or diploma.

Other resources

  • International students on Swinburne's Hawthorn campus

    International students

    We welcome students from all over the world to study with us at Swinburne in Melbourne – Australia’s best student city.

  • Scholarships

    We offer a wide range of scholarships to help selected students from all walks of life reach their academic goals.

  • two female students hug and smile to camera at the Hawthorn campus

    Applying

    Learn the process of applying to study at Swinburne and understand our entry requirements, how to pay your deposit and how to accept your offer.

  • Planning your future

    Thinking about life after high school? Explore different options to transition to Swinburne.