Postgraduate Qualifying Program
Overview
The Postgraduate Qualifying Program (PQP) is designed for students who would like to undertake postgraduate studies at Swinburne, but who haven't met our English language or academic entry requirements.
After completing this program, you'll be guaranteed entry into the first year of a postgraduate degree at Swinburne.
We'll equip you with the skills necessary to succeed in postgraduade study in areas including: business administartion, marketing, supply chain innovation and 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
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?
Smaller class sizes and one-on-one time with teachers
Seamless and guaranteed connection to your degree
24/7 support for Academic English and skill development
Admissions
Satisfactory completion of a 3 Year post-secondary qualification (After Australian equivalent Year 12 completion).
Course prerequisites
- 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.
- 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:
- IELTS overall band of 6.0 (Academic Module) with no individual band below 5.5
- Swinburne’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP 5 Advanced level) with overall 65%, all skills 65%
- or equivalent measures available at English language requirements.
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.
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.
-
English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS)
How credit points work
To complete the Postgraduate Qualifying Program students must complete units comprising of:
4 core non-award units
Upon completion of the Postgraduate Qualifying Program, students’ English competency will be deemed equivalent of IELTS 6.5 to proceed to their Masters destination program.
Below is a list of courses which includes the Postgraduate Qualifying Program as an optional entrance requirement.
Please refer to the individual courses for a full list of entrance requirements.
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Business Administration (Executive)
- Master of Business Information Systems
- Master of Data Science
- Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Master of Finance
- Master of Financial Technologies
- Master of Human Resource Management
- Master of Information Technology
- Master of Marketing
- Master of Media and Communication
- Master of Professional Accounting
- Master of Professional Accounting (Extended)
- Master of Project Management
- Master of Social Impact
- Master of Supply Chain Innovation
Your units
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
| Core units | |
|
Academic Practices and Communication Skills
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
COM10010 |
|
Applied Academic Literacies
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
LAL10003 |
|
Critical Thinking for Further Study
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
MFP30001 |
|
Research Techniques for Further Study
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
MFP30002 |
2025 fees
Yearly fee* ($AUD)
$16,240.00
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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!