About concurrent diplomas

Learn what a concurrent diploma is, how it will impact your degree and how much it will cost.

A concurrent diploma:

  • is a Higher Education diploma recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework. It's designed to be studied alongside your main degree course. Studying a diploma concurrently with your degree allows you to develop detailed knowledge in an area outside of your main study discipline and can enhance your employability outcomes.
  • must be pursued simultaneously with your primary degree (e.g. bachelors). For the purposes of the Student Assistance (Education Institutions and Courses) Determination 2019, it is considered a combined course. Concurrent diplomas cannot be taken individually.
  • typically comprises 100 credit points and involves an additional year of full-time study alongside your primary degree. Part-time options may also be available.
  • offers the possibility of cross-crediting up to 50 credit points between the concurrent diploma and your primary degree, depending on the structure of both courses.
  • enables you to graduate with two distinct qualifications: your bachelors degree and the diploma. However, conferral of both qualifications must occur simultaneously. You cannot complete and graduate from one course without completing the other. Graduation from either the diploma or bachelors course is only possible once the requirements for both awards have been successfully fulfilled.
  • When to apply

    Plan early

    You can apply for a concurrent diploma at any time prior to the last semester of study in your main degree.

    If you are interested in undertaking a concurrent diploma, seek advice from Stop 1 as soon as possible – especially if you are a student visa holder. Planning early helps to maximise your subject choices and increases your chances of completing your degree and diploma at the same time.

    It is not possible to defer your commencement of the diploma, or to apply for a leave of absence in the first semester of your diploma. If you cannot commence your diploma in the semester you are offered a place, you must re-apply and go through the application process again when you are ready to do so.

    Application dates

    For upcoming application opening and closing dates, see complete your application.

  • Important information for international students

    As an international student, please be aware that Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) extensions cannot be granted to cover a concurrent diploma. All international students will need to demonstrate that they can complete the concurrent diploma within their main degree full-time duration. This will normally involve careful planning with intensive subjects. International students who are off-shore and not holding a current student visa will still be held to this requirement.

    You must enrol in at least one subject from your main degree (for example, the Bachelor of Arts) each semester, because your CoE and student visa are attached to this degree. This means that you cannot complete all the subjects in your main degree before completing your concurrent diploma.

    You must always be enrolled in a full-time study load (usually 50 points per semester) unless a Reduced Study Load is approved.

    Study load

    Your student visa full time study load for your main degree must be maintained. Student visa holders are permitted to take Leave of Absence from their concurrent diploma only if there are no diploma subjects to enrol into during a half-year period. You are not eligible to take Leave of Absence from your main degree if you wish to remain enrolled in your concurrent diploma.

  • Cross-crediting subjects

    Cross-crediting is available to undergraduate students only. It enables you to credit a subject toward your undergraduate degree (e.g. Bachelor of Arts) and your concurrent diploma simultaneously. Cross-crediting needs to be completed before the census date of the semester following the completion of the subject.

    When a subject is cross-credited:

    • It counts toward the points requirements for each course
    • It is listed under both your degree and your diploma on your academic transcript
    • The numeric marks obtained for the cross-credited subjects (e.g. 74%) will count toward the separate Weighted Average Mark (WAM) for each course. For example: if you cross-credit GERM10006 German 5 from your degree to your diploma, the mark for GERM10006 German 5 will contribute to your degree WAM and to your diploma WAM.

    Read our Cross-crediting FAQ

    IMPORTANT
    Students must submit an Enrolment Assistance Form at the end of each study period when they have passed the subjects that you would like to cross-credit (you cannot cross-credit subjects that you have failed or subjects with pending results). To be eligible for HECS exemptions, this must be completed by the last date to self-enroll of the following semester.

  • Overloading

    The same rules regarding overloading in your main degree must still be adhered to when overloading in your concurrent diploma. If you intend to study more than 50 points in a semester, regardless of whether it is in your main degree or diploma, you must still apply to overload via the Enrolment Assistance Form.

  • HECS exemptions

    If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate Commonwealth Supported Place and plan to undertake the Diploma in Languages or Diploma In Mathematical Sciences, you may be entitled to complete the final 50 points of your diploma without incurring a HECS debt for those subjects.

    • The HECS exemption is limited to a maximum of 50 points.
    • HECS exemptions cannot be applied retrospectively to any subjects for which the census date has passed.

    Advanced Standing

    If you are awarded any advanced standing credit during your diploma, this will reduce the total amount of points you are exempt from paying HECS for.

    For example: If you receive advanced standing for 12.5 points, you will only be entitled to complete the final 37.5 points without incurring a HECS debt for those subjects.

    Advanced standing may include any:

    • Credit you receive for prior study in courses external to the University
    • Non-award study completed at the University of Melbourne, including the Community Access Program (CAP) and the University of Melbourne Extension Program (UMEP)
    • Cross-credited subjects
    • Non-partner overseas study
    • Cross-institutional studies.

    Advanced standing does not include any credit received from an Exchange enrolment – the credit points earned from Exchange can still contribute to your 50 point HECS exception provided the subjects were undertaken in the final 50 points of your Diploma studies.

    To  ensure the maximum amount of eligible subjects is HECS exempted, please cross-credit any completed subjects via an Enrolment Assistance Form by the last date to self-enrol of the following semester.

Thinking of studying overseas?

You can still undertake overseas study during your concurrent diploma. In fact, subjects which have been credited from a University of Melbourne overseas study program towards your bachelor degree may also be cross-credited towards your concurrent diploma.