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» Current students » FAQsFind answers to frequently asked questions about degree programs, courses and other aspects of academic life.
If you are a domestic student and have completed or are on track to complete a full year of study at your institution, UAC will generate an admission score based on your results. As the grade conversion and ranking is done by UAC, you should contact UAC directly to get an indication as to the required grade average from your University.
Our general advice is that you should aim to pass all courses, hopefully with a credit average.
Information is on accepting or deferring your offer is available on the main ANU website.
The entry requirement to be assessed for honours is a weighted average mark equivalent to an ANU 70 per cent calculated from the 36 units (i.e. 0.75 EFTSL) of courses in the discipline cognate to the honours specialisation, excluding 1000-level courses (i.e. introductory undergraduate courses), with the highest marks.
And the satisfaction of any admission requirements described in the relevant honours specialisation. Please refer to each Honours specialisations admission requirements on http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/HSC
Honours applications are submitted to the college in different methods depending on your current situation.
Current ANU students in a 4 year undergraduate degree with a built in honours year need to supply an application directly to the college Science Central office.
All other ANU students + non ANU students need to apply via the apply button on the relevant programs and courses page.
For further information and the supplementary forms please refer to http://science.anu.edu.au/study/how-apply/honours-year-application
If you have experienced circumstances beyond your control that affected your results which has resulted in not satisfying our admission requirements, you can request special consideration for admission. If approved, we can assess admission to the program on the basis of your ATAR instead of your tertiary results. Please note that you will need to include a personal statement and appropriate supporting documentations upon submission of your request. For more information on special consideration, eligibility and process, please refer to the 'Special Consideration' for admission webpage.
If you have completed a full year of tertiary studies, your application will be assessed on the basis of your tertiary results only, not your ATAR. More information on undergraduate domestic students' admission can be found on the main ANU website.
If you do not satisfy the chemistry prerequisites we encourage you to list the Bachelor of Science program as your first preference and then undertake the Chemistry bridging course that is offered by the ANU Research School of Chemistry. This will maximise your chances of being made an offer to an ANU program. The bridging course runs in late January/early February. Upon successful completion of the bridging course there are three potential scenarios:
For more information regarding the Chemistry Bridging course including prerequisites, structure and how to apply is available on the Research School of Chemistry website.
If you are interested in the Vertical Double Degree, Bachelor of Science (ANU) / Master of Teaching (UC) please be aware of the following:
Your first step is to enrol in our Bachelor of Science at ANU. There are no specific compulsory courses in Science that you have to do.
For more information please visit the Bachelor of Science (ANU) / Master of Teaching (UC) webpage.
To take advantage of this scheme, you will have to apply at UC and get admitted into their Master of Teaching program in your final year of study at the ANU. During your last semester, you will have to complete two courses from the M Teach at UC, and two courses at the ANU. ANU will give you credits for 12 units upon completion of the two courses from the M Teach at UC to achieve 144 units required to graduate in the BSc. You will also need to complete two ANU courses at a postgraduate level (6000 level).
These 6000 level courses will be counted as 3000 level courses towards your Bachelor of Science degree, leaving you with four 3000 level science courses to complete. The post-graduate level courses can later be credited towards the M Teach when you commence in the program at UC. This reduces the length of the M Teach by approximately half a year.
The Chemistry Bridging Course targets students who have not completed Year 12 Chemistry but wish to pursue first-year university chemistry. This course is delivered once a year, before the start of semester 1 usually at the end of January and/or beginning of February. It takes around two weeks to complete this course.
To enrol into the Bridging course in Chemistry or for more information, please click to the link above. Please note that the webpage is updated once a year before enrolments open, generally in October.
As an international student on a student visa, you are expected to complete your course within the time given on your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE). A reduced study load can be approved in the following circumstances:
Please note: if you are applying for reduced study load on compassionate and compelling grounds. You will also need to supply ample supporting documentation (e.g. medical/ counselling certificates) as well as a supporting personal statement.
If you are applying on academic grounds you will also have to include a personal statement. If enrolment in a non-standard session course is the grounds on which you are applying for reduced study load, you will need to be enrolled in this course prior to lodging your application as this will substantiate your request.
You cannot count any courses towards two different programs or towards more than one major, minor or specialisation. There is one exception to this rule: Up to two 1000 level courses can be counted towards two different degrees or two science majors IF they are compulsory courses for both degrees or majors. The balance of the course requirements needs to be made up with other courses that will contribute towards one or the other degree, major, minor or specialisation. Approval also needs to be sought from the Science Sub Dean.
If you there is too much overlap between the major/minors/specialisation that you have nominated you will either have to change your major/minor/specialisation choice or consider enrolling in a single degree instead.
Program transfer applications are submitted through ISIS (Main Menu > ISIS > Academic Records > Apply for Degree Transfer).
Before applying for a program transfer, please go on the ANU Transferring between degree webpage and read the information on eligibility requirements.
If you are unsure whether you satisfy the degree requirements or would have any questions about the other degree we recommend you book an appointment with the Science Sub-Dean via our online booking system.
Undergraduate students interested in participating in a research project over the summer holidays can apply for our Summer Research Program.
All information on the program, deadline for application, eligibility and scholarships/internships conditions can be found on the Summer Research Program webpage.
If you have any further enquiries regarding this program please email summer.scholarships@anu.edu.au .
In order to apply for credit for courses previously completed you will need to complete an Application for Status (Credit Transfer) form - available on our Get course credit or exemption webpage, and fill out sections 1 to 4.
You should submit your application to Science Central, Peter Baume Building #42, Ground Floor as original transcripts do need to be sighted.
For more information on Credit Transfer, please refer to our Get course credit or exemption webpage.
Before applying for Cross-Institutional studies, we recommend that you make an appointment with the Science Sub-Dean to make sure the course(s) you want to undertake will count towards your degree. Appointments with the Science Sub-Dean can be made by using our online booking system.
For more information on the cross-institutional application process we recommend that you also visit the ANU Cross-Institutional Study webpage. Please note, you will also need to apply directly to the host institution to undertake the courses you want, and some of these institutions may require their forms to be signed by an approving authority at the ANU. In these instances, please also bring this paperwork to your meeting with the Sub Dean.
You can lodge the Application to Study Elsewhere on a Cross-Institutional Basis without meeting with the Sub-Dean however you may be contacted to book an appointment during the evaluation process.
Please submit an outline for each course you wish to take along with your application form (see attachment). Please submit your application to Science Central (Peter Baume Building #42, Ground Floor) or via email to science.enquiries@anu.edu.au (PDF or JPEG files only).
You can request an extension of your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) if you need longer to complete your program than the minimum time because:
To do so, please fill out the Request for change to electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) form (submit your application to Science Central (Peter Baume Building #42, Ground Floor) or via email to science.enquiries@anu.edu.au), or apply via MMD on ISIS.
Please note that it may take up to 10 working days for your request to be approved and processed. Your new eCoE will be emailed to your student email account.
As of January 2014, domestic students no longer need to apply for program leave. Students can take up to two years of leave at any time while still remaining active in their programs. After this time however they will be deactivated from their program and required to re-apply upon their return.
International students are required to submit an Application for Program Leave form prior to the semester they wish to take leave.
Further information on program leave is available on the Program management page on the main ANU website.
First of all, you will have to register your interest with our Global Programs office.
The Global Programs office will contact you with additional instructions as there are several phases in the application process. There are a number of steps (PDF, 242 KB) you will need to take to in order to finalise your placement at your nominated institution. Phase one is to seek pre-approval for a number of institutions. This is done with a College Endorsement Form. You can book an appointment with the Sub-Dean to complete your form and discuss program options in the different Universities but this step is not compulsory so you can also hand in your form at Science Central and collect it at a later date.
Phase two: once you have been nominated to a specific institution you will need to seek formal approval for the courses you will be able to take while on exchange and also apply to have your enrolment details for the relevant semester updated. This appointment can take up to 30 minutes and you will need to bring:
Once courses are approved, you will be notified by email when your letter of approval is available.
For more information on the exchange process, deadlines and ANU exchange partners, please refer to the ‘Applying for exchange Overseas’ webpage.
If you have any other question about the exchange program, please contact Global Programs by calling 6125 7857.
If you wish to enrol in more than 24 units in either Semester 1 or 2, you will have to apply for a study overload.
To do so, please go on ISIS and complete the eform ‘Manage my Degree’ (ISIS/Degree Management/Manage my Degree).
For more information on Overload and the assessment criteria, please refer to the Overload policy.
Read the Transferring between programs page on the main ANU website.
In order to swap or add courses after this deadline, you will need to get authorisation to enrol into your course(s). To do this please:
Your application will be assessed and you will be notified by email of the outcome.
In order to determine whether you would be able to enrol in the course by yourself on ISIS, please first check the course start and end dates on our Programs and Courses catalogue (Offerings and dates tab)
If the course dates overlap with the standard semester, then your course will contribute towards the the max 24 units load. Summer, Semester 1 and Autumn courses contribute to the load of the first half of the year, Winter, Semester 2 and Spring courses contribute to the load of the second half of the year.
If you have already enrolled in 24 units for the semester in question, enrolment in the non standard session course will constitute an overload and you will need to seek College approval. To do so, please log onto ISIS and complete the eform ‘Manage my Degree’ . (ISIS/Degree Management/Manage my Degree).
For more information on Overload and the assessment criteria, please refer to the Overload policy.
Keep in mind that some non-standard session courses do not overlap at all with semester 1 or 2 and therefore you can take up to 12 units during that session without applying to Overload as long as the course contact hours do not overlap.
Information on student enrolment and administrative procedures is available on the Enrolment page on main ANU website.
Before you can enrol there are a few steps you must take:
Your application will be assessed and you will be notified by email of the outcome.
To obtain a letter of confirmation of your study load/ enrolment or a Completion letter, please log onto ISIS and follow these instructions:
More information can be found on the Confirm your enrolment or degree webpage.
If you submitted a form to Science Central we will notify you by email once it has been processed or if we need further information. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period of time (for example, 5 working days), please send an email to science.enquiries@anu.edu.au.
There are many reasons you may get an error message such as:
An error message may appear when trying to enrol if all the prerequisites and/or co-requisites for that particular course have not been met. If this is the case, contact the course convenor and request a permission code. The course convenor should be listed on the Programs and Courses website. Entering the permission code in ISIS will override the error message.
You will also get an error message if you attempt to enrol in more than 24 units. If you wish to take more than 24 units in a semester, you will need to fill out an 'Application for enrolment change' form and receive permission from the College. The 'Application for enrolment change' form which can be downloaded from the Add a course page on the main ANU website.
If you do not know what to do if you get an error message please email us.
The maximum timeframe in which an undergraduate degree must be completed is 10 years. If you have been given credit the clock starts from the date you completed the first course for which credit has been granted.
Courses are officially dropped on ISIS. You have until census date of each semester (31st March for Sem 1, 31st August for Sem 2 or the relevant date if dealing with a non-standard session course) to withdraw courses on ISIS without financial or academic penalty. The course will be dropped and will not appear on your official transcript.
After census date, students have until the end of week 10 of each semester to drop a course on ISIS without academic penalty. Fees will still apply but the course and a grade of withdrawn without failure (WD) will appear on the transcript.
If you drop a course after week 10 and before the end of the teaching period you will receive a grade of withdrawn with failure grade (WN) on your transcript.
You will not be able to drop courses after the last teaching day of the semester will be awarded an NCN (failure – non complete) if you do not complete the course.
For more information on withdrawal and important dates, please refer to the following webpages:
Grades published on the academic transcript are final and cannot be modified unless a formal assessment appeal has been lodged and approved by the relevant authority.
If you wish to appeal your grade, please refer to the Assessment Appeals webpage for more information.
If you have been adversely affected by circumstances beyond your control during the semester, which affected your performance and resulted in failure to drop a course before the census date, you might be eligible to apply for Late Withdrawal. Please refer to our Late Withdrawal webpage for eligibility, process and form.
Please note that the submission of the form does not guarantee that your request will be approved. If you feel you are unable to complete the course please drop the course on ISIS.
If you are unable to attend an exam on the time and date it has been scheduled you will need to submit an application for Deferred Examination to the Examinations Office using the deferred examination eForm, via ISIS. The application needs to be submitted within 3 working days of the scheduled exam.
A Student Quick Guide is available under the 'Resources' box on this page. Please note you will need to provide sufficient and appropriate supporting documentation.
For eligibility and general information, please refer to the Deferred Examination webpage.
If you have any further enquiries regarding deferred examination, please contact the Examinations Office at examinations.officer@anu.edu.au or on (02) 6125 3236.
If you feel your performance in an exam or assessment item has been adversely affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for Special Consideration to the Examinations Office via the special consideration eForm, on ISIS.
A Student Quick Guide is available under the 'Resources' box on this page. Please note that you will need to provide sufficient and appropriate supporting documentation.
Applications must be lodged online within three working days from the original due date of the assessment task or examination. Applications for special consideration will not be accepted after this time unless serious illness or misadventure prevented you from submitting the form within this period. If this is the case, please contact the Examinations Office directly at examinations.officer@anu.edu.au.
For eligibility, process and general information, please refer to Special assessment consideration webpage.
If you have any further enquiries regarding special assessment consideration, please contact the Examinations Office at examinations.officer@anu.edu.au or on (02) 6125 3236.
ANU uses a 7 point GPA scale. To work out your GPA please refer to http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/grade-point-average-gpa
Further to the appeals process that is outlined on the main ANU website, the first step of your appeal is to contact the course convener for informal consideration. If you have already spoken with the course convener and are dissatisfied with the response you can lodge a formal appeal with the Associate Dean of the Colleges.
If you are still unsatisfied with the response given, you can lodge a procedural appeal to the Dean of the College. You can do that via science.enquiries@anu.edu.au .
Please make sure you document all steps of your appeal process so that you can include all relevant information as appropriate.
Notifications sent by the examination’s office at the end of each semester containing your results will only refer to courses taken during the standard semester. If you have completed a non standard session course (i.e. summer or winter), you will need to log into ISIS in order to view your results (ISIS » Academic Records » Academic History).
Once you have satisfied the requirements of your 3 year degree you will be able to undertake Honours. You do not have to have attended the graduation ceremony in order to enrol in Honours.
You can either graduate from your undergraduate studies at the end of the semester or choose to defer your graduation for up to 12 months and receive both your undergraduate and your honours degrees at once.
Syllabus and course descriptions from 2014 are available on our public Programs and Course catalogue. Please note that once you have found the relevant course webpage, you can change the academic year at the top right corner.
Please refer to the ANU Handbooks. Select the appropriate handbook year on the left hand side of the screen. Then, under Quick Link, select Courses. All courses available during the chosen year will be displayed in alphabetical order.
If you need the description of a course taken prior 2008, please email a list of course(s) to science.enquiries@anu.edu.au and we will scan the syllabi back to you.
You can nominate your majors/minors/specialisations at any time during your degree but it is preferable to leave this until the end of your 2nd year when you are sure what path you are following. The last date to add them is the census date of the semester at the end of which you intend to graduate.
ANU offers a number of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. More information on scholarships can be found on the main ANU website.
Invoices are generated in ISIS and then emailed to your ANU email account. Fees for first semester are generally due early March for semester one and early August for semester two. Fees for non-standard sessions (summer, winter etc.) are typically due no less than 21 days after the invoice has been issued.
Fees can be paid online through ISIS, or in person via credit card or cheque at Student Central. Visit the Costs & fees page on the main ANU website for more information.
Timetables are available online via the ANU Timetable Information Centre’s website.
You need to determine whether you have a legitimate clash and, if so, what to do next. When you first build your timetable you may find you have different types of face-to-face course requirements. Some you need to attend and some you may not. You may find your timetable is full with different lab/prac and workshop groups. It is important to note that large courses will be broken down into smaller lab/prac or workshop groups and you will only need to attend one per course.
If you find that you still have clashes with your courses after you have talked with the course convenor(s), you may need to drop one of your courses and enrol in another one.
Lectures displayed on the timetable builder are not compulsory and are recorded however ideally you should aim to attend as many as you can. If you find two course lectures are clashing there are a couple of options available to you:
All lectures should be recorded and available on Wattle. Please check with the relevant course convenor. Their name can be found on Program and Courses and their contact details on main ANU website.
Tutorials and labs are often compulsory. The timetable builder will display all groups but you only have to sign up to one of them, which ever suits your schedule best. e.g. Tutorial 01/001 , Tutorial 01/002, Tutorial 01/003. These are all tutorial and you sign up for them on Wattle. If unsure, please contact the relevant school or course convenor.
All jobs opportunities are listed on our website, where you can also find information on how to apply for a position.
Wattle refreshes its database overnight so, depending when the changes were made on your account, it can take up to 48h before your enrolment change is updated on Wattle.
Class timetables are available through the Timetabling Information Centre. Use the Timetable Builder (under Class Timetable) to create your own unique schedule.
The course lecturer will advise as to the appropriate method for acquiring course materials. However generally you would pay for your brick through the Science Shop website and collect the material from the school.
The CMBE & CPMS have two sub-deans available for providing any kind of academic advice. To make an appointment to speak with a sub dean, please contact us at Science Central.
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