Cross-institutional study

Study subjects at another Australian university or at Melbourne through cross-institutional study.

About cross-institutional study

Cross-institutional study allows you to complete a subject at another Australian university and have it count towards your current degree.

There are two pathways:

  • Outgoing – you are a University of Melbourne student who wants to study at another Australian university
  • Incoming – you are enrolled at another Australian university and want to study at the University of Melbourne.

The subject must be relevant to your course and appropriate to your qualification. Approval is generally not granted if an equivalent subject is available at your home university.

Outgoing students

For current University of Melbourne students who want to complete a subject at another Australian university.

Eligibility

You may be considered for cross-institutional study if you:

  • Maintain a strong academic record, normally an average of at least 65 per cent
  • Have completed at least one full-time semester at the University of Melbourne
  • Have a sound academic reason for completing the subject
  • Have selected a subject with appropriate content, contact hours, assessment requirements and graduate outcomes
  • Have selected a subject that is directly relevant to your course and appropriate to your qualification.

Approval will generally not be granted if an equivalent subject is available at the University of Melbourne. An exception may be considered in exceptional circumstances, such as an unplanned short-term interstate work transfer.

You cannot complete cross-institutional study as part of the Juris Doctor.

You may complete up to the equivalent of 100 points of study at another institution if you meet the relevant requirements.

Capstone subjects cannot be completed through cross-institutional study.

Fees and Commonwealth assistance

Your fee arrangements will depend on your enrolment and fee type.

If you have a Commonwealth Supported Place at the University of Melbourne, you may also be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place at the other Australian university. You will need to complete a separate Request for Commonwealth Support form at that institution.

If you use FEE-HELP at the University of Melbourne, you may be eligible to use FEE-HELP for the subject at the other institution, subject to your available HELP balance. You will need to submit a separate FEE-HELP application to the other institution.

If your University of Melbourne course requires you to complete a subject at another Australian university and you have a Commonwealth Supported Place, you will be eligible to complete that subject as a Commonwealth Supported student at the other institution.

Taking subjects at another university without approval

You can study subjects at another university without approval from the University of Melbourne. This means you can be enrolled in a degree at another university while continuing your University of Melbourne course.

Before doing this, keep in mind that:

  • You cannot apply for credit towards your University of Melbourne course for subjects completed as part of the concurrent course
  • You must remain enrolled in at least one University of Melbourne subject in each half-year period, from January to June and July to December
  • You cannot take a leave of absence or defer your offer to study at another institution
  • If you experience academic progress issues, study overload will not be accepted as a reason when responding to a show cause notice.

How to apply

Submit your application at least four weeks before the relevant teaching period begins.

  • You will need:

    • An official description of the subject you want to complete, such as a screenshot or copy of its Handbook entry
    • A statement explaining why you are requesting cross-institutional study.

    Search the University of Melbourne Handbook to check whether an equivalent University of Melbourne subject is available.

  • The approval you need depends on your course.

    Undergraduate students, excluding Bachelor of Science students

    Get written approval from:

    • The coordinator of the relevant major listed in the Handbook, if the subject will contribute to your major
    • The director of your degree, if the subject will count as breadth study.

    Bachelor of Science students

    Submit your application without academic approval. Your application will be sent to the appropriate staff member.

    State whether you want the subject to contribute to your major. This will generally only be considered if:

    • An equivalent subject is not offered at the University of Melbourne
    • Exceptional circumstances apply.

    Graduate coursework students

    Get written approval from your course coordinator.

    Where academic approval is required, it must be provided by email or letter and confirm:

    • The proposed subject is of an equivalent academic standard to subjects taught at the University of Melbourne
    • The number of credit points you will receive if you successfully complete the subject
    • For undergraduate courses, whether the subject is equivalent to level 1, 2 or 3 study
    • Whether the subject will count as an elective or breadth subject
    • That a similar subject is not available at the University of Melbourne, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

  • Complete the Cross-Institutional Enrolment Application .

    Submit your supporting documents through an online enrolment enquiry .

    Use the enquiry title:

    [Student number] – Cross-institutional outgoing application – Supporting documents

    Include the documents prepared in steps 1 and 2.

    You must also apply directly to the other university and complete its enrolment requirements.

Incoming students

For students enrolled at another Australian university who want to complete a subject at the University of Melbourne.

Eligibility

You may apply for incoming cross-institutional study if you:

  • Are currently enrolled in a degree at an Australian university
  • Have a strong academic record, normally an average of at least 65 per cent or an equivalent result at your home institution
  • Have approval from your home university
  • Have approval from the relevant University of Melbourne subject coordinator, unless a different approval process applies.

Approval is at the discretion of the relevant University of Melbourne faculty or graduate school.

Some subjects:

  • Are not available for cross-institutional study
  • Have quotas or limited availability
  • Have earlier application deadlines
  • Have additional eligibility or prerequisite requirements.

Find an available subject

Search for subjects in the University of Melbourne Handbook .

Check the Further information section of the subject entry. Subjects that are not listed as available to Study Abroad and Exchange students are generally not available for cross-institutional study.

Email cap-application@unimelb.edu.au to check whether a subject is available before contacting the subject coordinator.

Different approval processes apply to:

Fees

Where possible, you will be enrolled using the same fee type that applies at your home institution.

Incoming cross-institutional students are subject to the University’s Student Loans, Fees and Charges Policy .

The University will issue fee invoices directly to you. It cannot administer sponsorship arrangements for incoming cross-institutional students.

How to apply

  • Review the Handbook entry for each subject and check:

    • Study period options
    • Teaching dates
    • Prerequisites
    • Availability
    • Quota requirements
    • Application deadlines.

    The subject’s teaching start date determines the course intake you should select in your application.

    See step 2 of Applications – single subjects – domestic for teaching periods, application deadlines and information about late applications.

    The same deadlines apply to Community Access Program and incoming cross-institutional study applications.

  • Before applying, obtain:

    • Approval from your home university
    • Approval from the University of Melbourne subject coordinator for each proposed subject, unless a different approval process applies.

  • You will need to provide:

    • Evidence of approval from your home institution
    • Evidence of approval from the relevant University of Melbourne subject coordinator
    • An up-to-date academic transcript
    • Evidence of your current fee type.

  • Apply through the University’s Online Application System by the relevant deadline.

    Select the course code that matches the level of the subjects listed in their Handbook entries:

    Course level Course code
    Undergraduate XC-UG
    Postgraduate XC-PG

    Applications for the following academic year will open after the University Handbook for that year is available.

Incoming students frequently asked questions

  • No. Students enrolled at an overseas university cannot apply for incoming cross-institutional study.

    Apply as an Exchange or Study Abroad student instead. See Visit Melbourne on Exchange or Study Abroad .

  • Yes. You must submit a new online application for any additional subjects you want to complete in a future intake.

    You can enrol after your application has been assessed and you have received an offer.

  • Yes. You will receive a free academic transcript after completing your cross-institutional studies at the University of Melbourne.

Policy information

The  University's Enrolment and Timetabling Policy (MPF1294) outlines the requirements  and obligations of cross-institutional study.

Review the relevant policy sections for more information:

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