Faculty rules and restrictions

Information to help you make sure you're choosing the right subject areas and host institutions for your degree.

Check any rules or restrictions related to your course by selecting your faculty below.

Based on the Credit, Advanced Standing and Accelerated Entry Policy at the University of Melbourne, students can only attain up to 50% of the overall standard course credit from outside of the University of Melbourne. This means that students who have been admitted to a 200-point program and have attained 100 points of credit for prior learning (from outside of the University of Melbourne) will be unable to undertake an overseas study experience. Students in a 300-point program that have been admitted to the 200-point program (based on their prior learning from outside of the University of Melbourne) will only be able to undertake 50 University of Melbourne credits maximum through an overseas study experience.

  • Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning

    Bachelor of Design

    • Capstone (final major subjects, e.g. Design Studio Epsilon) subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Compulsory subjects (other major subjects) will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent.
    • Subjects leading to a major will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent.

    We recommend students do not take any compulsory subjects overseas if they intend to pursue postgraduate studies in engineering, as it may affect accreditation.

    Elective and Breadth subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.

    Graduate degrees

    • Compulsory subjects will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent. Completing compulsory subjects overseas may affect accreditation. Check with your relevant discipline adviser if you are planning to take any of these subjects overseas.
    • Capstone subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Thesis subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Studios can be approved if they are a direct equivalent, e.g. Architecture Design Studio B/C/D/E. Completing compulsory and/or studio subjects overseas may affect accreditation. Check with your relevant discipline adviser if you are planning to take any of these subjects overseas.
    • Elective and multidisciplinary subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.
  • Faculty of Arts

    Bachelor of Arts

    • Capstone subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Core subjects will not be approved except for Language and Economics subjects.
    • Elective and Breadth subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.

    Psychology major students:
    It is strongly recommended students do not take any Psychology subjects towards their APAC accredited Psychology major. It is not possible for Psychology subjects to be assessed as equivalent to any of the Level 1 or 2 Unimelb Psychology subjects.

    It is possible for students to seek equivalent Unimelb credit for Level 3 Psychology subjects via the below process: Psychological Sciences Mobility Guide (PDF 99.6 KB). However, it should be noted this is rarely approved.

    Psychology subjects CANNOT be taken as breadth for a  B-ARTS student completing an APAC accredited Psychology major.

    Non-Psychology major students:
    Overseas Psychology subjects will be assessed as breadth only.

    Graduate degrees (Bachelor of Arts Honours, Masters by Coursework, GD-ARTS, GDA-ARTS)

    • Electives are the only subjects which students can complete overseas.
    • Compulsory, Core, Capstone and Thesis subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.

    The Executive Master of Arts does not allow exchange due to the intensive nature of the program. You may be eligible for other types of overseas opportunities, including short term programs.

    Diploma in Languages

    • Core and elective subjects in the Diploma in Languages can be taken overseas.
  • Faculty of Business and Economics

    Bachelor of Commerce

    • 50 credit points of level 3 commerce subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne, and not on overseas study.
    • Compulsory subjects can be taken overseas but must be direct equivalents.
    • Elective and Breadth subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.

    We recommend students do not take any accounting (including the law breadth) subjects overseas, as it may affect accreditation.

    Actuarial students seeking accreditation have one pre-assessed host institution (Heriot Watt in Scotland). Refer to information on the Centre for Actuarial Studies website.

    Graduate degrees

    • Foundation subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Capstone subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Electives are recommended for overseas study. If you have discipline specific electives or general electives, both types can be completed overseas. They do not need to be directly equivalent to electives from your course.
    • Generalist Masters: A maximum of two Core subjects can be completed overseas but must be direct equivalents (e.g. Master of Management suite, Master of International Business).
    • Specialist Masters: Core subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne. Electives can be completed on overseas study. (e.g. Master of Finance, Master of Economics).
  • Faculty of Education

    Refer to the Faculty of Education website for information on overseas study opportunities and course requirements.

  • Faculty of Engineering and IT
    • Core subjects can be approved if they are a close equivalent (~80% match or greater) to the subject version at Melbourne.
    • Elective subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents. Please ensure that your proposed subjects are appropriately complex and relevant to your discipline of study. This is an opportunity to take specialised subjects targeting your personal areas of interest within your discipline.
    • Engineering with Business: The business subjects of the with business streams should not be taken overseas to avoid any potential professional accreditation complications.
    • ENGR90034 Creating Innovative Engineering: May be taken overseas, but is hard to match, so it is recommended that you plan to take this at Melbourne.

      There are various options for crediting of overseas research experiences towards your Engineering or IT degree at Melbourne, but this can vary between disciplines. Please contact engit-exchange@unimelb.edu.au for further advice, or discuss your proposed research project with your capstone or course coordinator to determine how this can be credited.
  • Faculty of Fine Arts and Music

    Talk to your discipline advisers If you need help selecting options.

  • Melbourne Law School

    Refer to the Melbourne Law School website for information on overseas study opportunities and course and eligibility requirements.

  • Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

    Bachelor of Biomedicine

    • Core subjects can be taken overseas but will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent.
    • Core Major subjects (level three) can be taken overseas but will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent.
    • Major electives (level three) can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.
    • Major pre-requisites (level one and two) can be completed overseas if appropriate equivalent subjects are found.
    • Elective and Breadth subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.

    It is recommended that students study overseas in Semester 2 of your second year. This is because your core subject BIOM20002 Human Structure and Function can be replaced by enrolling into PHYS20008 Human Physiology and ANAT20006 Principles of Human Structure in the first semester of your second year, alongside BIOM20001 Molecular and Cellular Biomedicine.

    Overseas study is possible at other times but may extend the time required to complete the Bachelor if you cannot find direct equivalents to the core subjects.

    Psychology major students:
    It is strongly recommended students do not take any Psychology subjects towards their APAC accredited Psychology major. It is not possible for Psychology subjects to be assessed as equivalent to any of the Level 1 or 2 Unimelb Psychology subjects.

    It is possible for students to seek equivalent Unimelb credit for Level 3 Psychology subjects via the below process: Psychological Sciences Mobility Guide (PDF 99.6 KB). However, it should be noted this is rarely approved.

    Psychology subjects CANNOT be taken as breadth for a  B-ARTS student completing an APAC accredited Psychology major.

    Non-Psychology major students:
    Psychology subjects will be approved as Non-specific electives or breadth as appropriate depending on the subject content.

    Graduate degrees

    • Research subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Capstone subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Compulsory subjects will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent. We do not recommend taking these overseas.
    • Elective subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.
    • Dentistry students: Are unable to study overseas due to the core requirements of the course.
    • Medicine students: For advice about overseas study, please submit an online enquiry to Stop 1 following the steps below:
      1. Under 'Current Students', select 'Submit an enquiry'.
      2. Label your enquiry clearly and include your student ID under 'Enquiry title'.
      3. Under 'Topic', select 'Overseas Study > Course advice for overseas study'.

    Psychology

    For advice about overseas study, email StudyAbroadExchange-psych@unimelb.edu.au.

  • Faculty of Science

    Bachelor of Science

    The Faculty of Science has identified partner universities offering suitable study options based on the BSc Majors - explore your options for completing a semester overseas!

    • Major subjects (level three) will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent.
    • Major pre-requisites (level one and two) can be completed overseas if appropriate equivalent subjects are found.
    • Compulsory subjects will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent.
    • Elective and Breadth subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.

    Subjects listed as graduate-level at the exchange host will not be approved for credit for Bachelor of Science students.

    If students intend to pursue postgraduate studies in engineering seeking exact equivalent units is vital as this may affect accreditation.

    Psychology major students:
    It is strongly recommended students do not take any Psychology subjects towards their APAC accredited Psychology major. It is not possible for Psychology subjects to be assessed as equivalent to any of the Level 1 or 2 Unimelb Psychology subjects.

    It is possible for students to seek equivalent Unimelb credit for Level 3 Psychology subjects via the below process: Psychological Sciences Mobility Guide (PDF 99.6 KB). However, it should be noted this is rarely approved.

    Psychology subjects CANNOT be taken as breadth for a  B-ARTS student completing an APAC accredited Psychology major.

    Non-Psychology major students:
    Psychology subjects will only be approved as Non-specific electives only.

    Bachelor of Agriculture

    • Compulsory subjects will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent and it can be difficult to find these overseas.
    • Elective subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.

    Graduate degrees

    • Research subjects must be completed at the University of Melbourne and not overseas.
    • Compulsory subjects will only be approved if they are a direct equivalent.
    • Elective subjects can be taken overseas and do not need to be direct equivalents.

    Students applying for the Veterinary Biosciences major (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine accelerated pathway) are not eligible for a semester long exchange in year 2 of study. Students applying for the major must have completed 200 credit points of study, and received results by December of the year before they wish to commence the accelerated pathway. This includes core subjects which must be completed in Semester 1. Undertaking an overseas exchange in Semester 2 of year 2 will delay the processing of results and mean that students will miss the deadline to be considered for entry to the Veterinary Biosciences major in Semester 1 of the following year.