It’s a free university pathway program that helps you get into a Flinders degree if you don’t meet the usual entry requirements. Think of it as your stepping stone to uni - you’ll build your academic skills, get used to university-style learning, and prepare for the degree you want to study next.

You’ll do a mix of assignments and practical tasks designed to build your confidence for uni. There aren’t any big exams. It’s all about learning how to study, write assignments, manage your time, work with others, and apply feedback to improve your work.

No, the program is government-funded and there are no tuition fees for eligible students. 

You’ll need to be an Australian citizen, Australian permanent resident or New Zealand citizen. You must not have previously studied at university or hold a TAFE/VET Advanced Diploma, and you shouldn't be currently completing SACE (or equivalent) in the year you wish to start.

It means if you successfully complete the Foundation Studies course, then Flinders will guarantee your place in certain undergraduate degrees without you having to meet the standard competitive entry requirements for those degrees.

For degrees that don’t offer guaranteed entry, you’ll still need to apply and be selected based on your results and other requirements, like prerequisites or available places. In other words, you’ll be competing with other applicants for a spot.

With guaranteed entry, you know ahead of time: satisfy the Foundation Studies requirements and you will have a place in certain degrees.

With competitive entry, even if you finish Foundation Studies, you still need to apply and hope your results, your fit and other criteria stack up better than other applicants.

In both cases you’re using Foundation Studies as a stepping-stone, but guaranteed gives you more certainty.

A “competitive score” is the result you need (or hope to exceed) to be considered in that pool of applying students. The exact number changes depending on how many people apply and how many places there are.

No worries, it just means your preferred degree isn’t part of the guaranteed entry group or may have extra requirements like a portfolio, interview, or prerequisites. Common degrees without guaranteed entry include nursing, paramedicine, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy. You can still use Foundation Studies as your pathway and apply through competitive entry. Make sure to book a chat with our team to check the exact requirements for your chosen degree.

Flinders Online is self-paced, meaning you can log in at any time to access your learning: you can take as little as six weeks, or as long as six months to complete the course.

Our 5-week intensive, 10-week and 14-week versions of the Foundation Studies program are worth considering, as there are daytime and evening classes available. The 5-week course is available on-campus or through scheduled online classes, the 10-week course is delivered completely online (at scheduled times), and the 14-week course is available on-campus.

You'll learn similar topics and gain skills that build confidence for uni, such as time management, digital and academic literacy, communication and critical thinking. You'd have access to a broader range of topics with the general Foundation Studies course (especially if you select the on-campus offerings), but with Flinders Online you won't miss out on any of the key skills the program aims to deliver.

The best option really depends on your lifestyle!

If you find it hard to dedicate a specific, regular time to study, the Flinders Online self-paced Foundation Studies program might be the course for you. On the other hand, if you know that you're generally free during business hours or evenings, you might like to attend scheduled online or in-person classes.