Choosing study abroad and exchange courses

Find the right courses for your study abroad experience

At Adelaide University, you’ll study alongside both Australian and International students in a variety of class settings. Individual subjects are called ‘courses’ and there are hundreds to choose from at both undergraduate (bachelor) and postgraduate (master) level.

Create your ideal study plan by selecting courses to match your passions, lifestyle, and goals, all taught by expert lecturers.

When submitting your application, you will be asked to nominate specific courses per semester that you would like to study at Adelaide University. Follow the helpful advice below to better understand how to make your course selections.

If you’re returning to your home university after your exchange or study abroad experience, make sure you check that your Adelaide University courses will count towards your degree.

Key information

Adelaide University offers courses from a wide range of study areas. You can select all your courses from one study area, or you can select courses from different study areas to meet your individual academic needs and interests. This includes undergraduate (bachelor) level and postgraduate (master) level courses in the following study areas:

Accounting, Commerce & Economics

Agriculture, Animal and Veterinary Science

Allied Health

Architecture & Design

Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Aviation

Business, Marketing & Management

Computer Science & Information Technology

Creative, Media & Communication

Engineering

Health & Biomedical Sciences

Law & Justice

Mathematics & Data Science

Music

Nursing & Midwifery

Nutrition & Food Science

Property, Construction & Real Estate

Psychology & Social Work

Science, Environment & Sustainability

Teaching & Education

Tourism, Sports & Events.

Visit the Adelaide University study areas webpage to explore more of what you can study.

Please note: Some courses may be restricted and unavailable to study abroad and exchange students. Medicine and dentistry courses are not available to study abroad and exchange students unless supported by a specific agreement.

As a study abroad or exchange student, you can study with us for one or two semesters, commencing in Semester 1 (February to July) or Semester 2 (July to November).

Whether you’re studying for one or two semesters, as an international student, it is an Australian student visa requirement that you study full-time. A standard full-time workload per semester at Adelaide University is usually considered to be:

18 units (usually three courses) - 75% of a full-time semester load, OR

24 units (usually four courses) - 100% of a full-time semester load.

When submitting your application, you will be asked to nominate six courses per semester that you would like to study at Adelaide University, even though you will only enrol into a maximum of four courses per semester. Having additional courses approved provides flexibility in case of timetable clashes, or other unforeseen circumstances.

The following unit conversion can be used as a reference, however please take note this is a guide only and you should be directed by the credit requirements of your home university.

Common credit equivalencies

Adelaide University Units	UK Credits	ECTS (European Credits)	US Credits
24	60	30	15
18	45	22.5	12

Detailed information on individual courses can be found on Adelaide University course webpages. Below you will find details on how to interpret course information, and what you may need to consider when exploring course options.

Course pages include important information such as timetabling, campus location, unit value, prerequisites, course delivery mode, and assessment information.

If the course information for a future year of study is not yet available, you can use the current year course information as a guide.

Course levels

Undergraduate courses are generally for students currently studying a bachelor degree at their home university or are commencing bachelor level study for the first time.

Postgraduate courses are higher level courses and entry is generally restricted to students who hold the equivalent of an Australian bachelor’s degree.

As well as choosing courses from different study areas, you can choose courses across different year levels (e.g. first year courses, second year courses, etc.), assuming you meet entry and any prerequisite requirements. Where you are eligible for postgraduate level courses, you can choose courses at an undergraduate study level where appropriate.

Available courses

Adelaide University has a wide range of courses available to choose from. However, some courses are unavailable to study abroad and exchange students.

Each course page displays an ‘Inbound study abroad and exchange’ label in the course information section (top of each page). If a course is available for selection by study abroad and exchange students, this will be indicated with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. If ‘Yes’, the Discipline Group that course belongs to will also be displayed.

Even though a course is marked as available, there is no guarantee you’ll be eligible for that course. Eligibility will be assessed during the application and assessment process.

For study abroad (fee-paying) students, the Discipline Group label relates to the fees you will be charged for your study abroad semester. Visit the Study abroad and exchange costs and fees webpage for more information.

Prerequisites

Where prerequisites are indicated, you will need to fulfil the requirement for each course based on completed studies from your home university. The relevant prerequisites for each course are listed on the individual course page.

Campuses

Adelaide University has multiple campuses in metropolitan and regional locations. Courses may be delivered across one or several of these campuses. You can study at more than one campus, though we suggest you keep your selection to a maximum of two campuses, as it can become difficult to manage classes. You can see where courses are offered on the individual course pages.

Visit the Campuses webpage for more information about our campus locations.

Online courses

Adelaide University courses are offered in a variety of delivery modes, including online. As an international student, you must take the majority of your courses in an ‘on-campus’ (i.e. face to face) delivery mode. To ensure you comply with your student visa, online courses cannot make up more than one third of your total course enrolments, and you must enrol in at least one on-campus course in each compulsory study period.

Please be mindful of the delivery mode when enrolling, as some of your courses may be available in multiple modes. It is recommended that you enrol in the on-campus mode unless approved otherwise.

To explore Adelaide University courses, visit the Study at Adelaide University webpage.

From here, there are several ways to find suitable courses.

Search for courses by keyword
- Enter a keyword (e.g. ‘supply chain management’) into the search bar on the Study at Adelaide University webpage. The search results will display a list of all Adelaide University degrees and courses relevant to your keywords.
- Use the search filters on the left to select the ‘Course’ and ‘Inbound Study Abroad and Exchange’ fields to display only these results.
Search by study area
- Choose your study area from the available list.
- Navigate to the ‘Degree list’, set your search parameters (undergraduate or postgraduate etc.), and then choose the degree that aligns with your interests.
- Once on the degree page, scroll down to see the courses available within that degree program.

Each individual course page explains more about the course itself – for example, the number of units, campus, semester availability, and more. You can use this information to make a list of preferred courses to input into your formal Adelaide University application. If you’re intending to transfer credit back home, don’t forget to discuss your course selections with your home university. Visit the Apply for study abroad and exchange webpage for more information.