Frequently asked questions - UOW College Australia

General questions about UOW College
Common questions regarding English Language Programs
Common questions regarding Vocational Programs

How do I apply for a UOW College course?

You can apply for a UOW College course:

Online via our online application form
Through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) – selected academic courses available
Directly to UOW College via a hard copy application form

Does UOW College have Student Advisors?

UOW College has Student Advisors who you can contact with concerns or problems. Student Advisors provide liaison, information, support and referral to ensure you meet your educational goals as effectively and efficiently as possible and are aware of available options in relation to your study pathways. There is a Student Advisor available each working day and you can make an appointment to see a Student Advisor either at the Reception desk in Building 30, by telephone or via email. A Student Advisor will see students immediately in emergency situations. Student Advisor contact details are as follows:

Student Advisors: Greg Zaharis / Kris de Liseo
Telephone: 4252 8821 / 4252 8838
Email: college-advisor@uow.edu.au

Where do I find subject information and outlines? Are they available online?

See UOW Course Finder for individual course information. Subject outlines are also available on Moodle, which you will gain access to once you enrol and commence your subject.

How do I access my course/subject timetable?

Class enrolment opening days and times for all courses will open during Orientation Week. Check your SOLS for exact opening times.

Please ensure you have enrolled in all of your subjects for the session before choosing your classes.

You will be able to enrol in most of your lectures, tutorials and labs (where applicable) yourself via SOLS. Please login to your SOLS account and click on My Timetable then Tutorial Enrolment and Show My Timetable.

Please note: For the subject FSPW101 Academic Skills, the College will assign you to your tutorials (for this subject only).

What is a ‘package offer’?

A package offer is where your UOW College offer is for consecutive courses at UOW College and/or UOW. You may have a condition to entry on any of the courses listed in your offer letter. Check the “Conditions of Admission” section in your offer letter against each course.

What are the upfront payment expectations for international students with package offers?

For English language courses of 24 weeks or less, all fees must be paid upfront.
For English courses of 30 weeks or more, you will be required to pay half of the total course fee upfront; the balance will be due about two weeks before the start of the second study period.
For Academic courses, the full session 1 fee as outlined in the offer letter is payable upfront.
If you have an offer for English + Academic Course (Diploma or FSP) + UOW degree, the English course fee is paid as above and a deposit of $1000 is payable for the Academic course. A deposit for the UOW course is also required and will be stipulated on the offer letter.

NOTE: Your offer acceptance must be completed and submitted to UOW College either prior to, or at the same time as, the first fee payment. Education providers are not permitted to accept international student fees before a written agreement has been entered into.

What are the payment method options available for international students?

options are available.

International Payment Options include the following:

Upfront Payment

International students can choose to pay their fees upfront prior to the commencement of the course by Electronic Funds Transfer, Money Order, Visa or MasterCard. The payment due date will be stated in the offer letter. For Credit card payments, please print and complete the Credit Card Payment form. Amex and cash are not accepted. Cheques need to be a bank draft and made out to UOWC Ltd. Please return your bank draft: UniAdvice University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia.

Flywire

UOW College and the University of Wollongong have partnered with Flywire to streamline the international payment process. Flywire allows you to securely pay your fees from most countries through any bank and in your country’s currency. By making payment with Flywire you can track your payment from start to finish and save on bank fees and exchange rates.

To get started, please visit UOW Payment or Flywire UOW to take you direct to the Flywire UOW College Payment Portal.

Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

UOW College bank account details are as follows:

Account Name: UOWC Ltd
Account Number: 13320 1383
Address: University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue
Swift Code: NATAAU3302S

Please ensure you include your student number and full name in all bank transfer payments and email uowcstudent-fees@uow.edu.au with confirmation of your deposit.

Pay via Instalment

Instalment frequency: Instalments consist of three equal payments per session apart from ETS4. The first instalment must be paid prior to the commencement of the course, with subsequent payments automatically deducted from the credit card at weeks 5 and 10. Payment via instalment must be approved by the General Manager. Please see College Reception to make an appointment with a Student Advisor to enquire about this.

What are the processing times for UOW College international student applications?

Typically, applications are actioned within 5 – 10 working days. For assessments that require Faculty consideration, this may take longer – up to 4 weeks. Urgent cases will be assessed within 48 hours.
Conditions of Entry – As above.
Deferrals – If the deferral is required for the next pending upcoming intake, the deferral will be actioned within 5 – 10 working days. This may take longer for deferrals to intakes that are more than 6 months away.

Can I change my course? What do I need to consider? How do I change my course? Can I send the request to the College via email?

You can change your UOW College course, subject to meeting the requirements of the course you want to transfer to. For advice and assistance, it is best to make an appointment to discuss your request with one of the UOW College Student Advisors. Wollongong Campus students can make an appointment at UOW College reception in Building 30 or by calling reception on 4252 8803 or by e-mailing college-advisor@uow.edu.au. All students, including those at regional campuses, also use the college-advisor@uow.edu.au e-mail address to make their request in writing to a Career Advisor. If a new course application is required, the Student Advisor will let you know and help you with it.

What are Homestay arrangements? Where can I find more information?

UOW College Homestay allows students to live with a caring local family and be immersed in the Australian way of life. Our team personally hand-picks each host family that is allowed to join the program and then individually reviews each student's application to make the best match. We have over 2000 host families on our register, which means we have the best opportunity of success when looking for a family that is perfect for you. Our local Homestay program began more than 25 years ago and has diligently cared for many thousands of students and host families during that time. Our program is local, personal, professional and exceptional. You can feel confident that your UOW College Homestay experience will be the best one possible. If you would like to apply for a UOW College Homestay experience, please contact: Within Australia: 02 4252 8236; International: +61 2 4252 8236 homestay-enquiries@uow.edu.au or visit our

Where is UOW College located?

UOW College is located at Building 30, University of Wollongong, Northfields Drive.

Do I have to study English?

All students are required to meet the UOW English language requirement for their course. To satisfy the English language requirement, you can do an international high stakes test such as IELTS or you can choose to study in a direct entry program such as the English for Tertiary Studies (ETS) program at UOW College. To see the minimum scores/results required for entry to each UOW bachelor, master or doctoral course, find your course on Course Finder and select the International Students tab.

What is the date of release of English language results?

English language results are usually released verbally to students at 9.30am on the Thursday of the final week of each English course.

What is the process for the release of ETS results?

The process for releasing ETS results is explained to all students in a special lecture conducted during the ETS course. ETS results are usually released verbally to students on the Thursday of the final week of the course. An ETS academic advice session and associated academic counselling is also conducted by Student Services staff shortly after individual student results are released on the Thursday of the final week of the course for students who have not met the English language requirements for entry to their UOW course. Locations for these sessions are found on the “Week 6 timetable” which is distributed to all ETS students before the final week of the course.

UOW College provides the University with ETS results to enable conditions to be cleared. ETS certificates are distributed at the ETS graduation which is held on the final day of the course. Students who have outstanding fees will have results withheld until fees are paid in full.

If I want to do additional English courses for my interest, how can I arrange this and who do I speak to?

You can study additional English courses. Please come and speak to a Student Advisor at UOW College (in Building 30) who can talk to you about the range of options available.

What are the scheduled class hours and attendance requirements for ETS?

There are 22 hours of scheduled classes each week in ETS and attendance is compulsory. It is a Student Visa condition for all students who are enrolled in English language programs to maintain at least 80% attendance. Students with attendance less than 80% will be reported to the Australian Immigration department unless there are compassionate and compelling reasons for non-attendance. Students with attendance below 70% must be reported.

Does the Diploma of Nursing guarantee a place in Bachelor of Nursing? Are there any credit arrangements in place?

Domestic Students
Once you successfully complete the Diploma of Nursing, you can apply for entry to the Bachelor of Nursing (conditional upon successful completion of the UOW Nursing Bridging Course and ANMAC registration as an Enrolled Nurse) through the Universities Admissions Centre. Domestic students who receive an offer will receive 48 credit points (entry into second year) towards the Bachelor of Nursing.

International Students
Students seeking to progress to the UOW Bachelor of Nursing will be required to successfully complete the Diploma of Nursing qualification (including successful completion of all required units of competency and clinical placement hours) and achieve the minimum English language requirement for entry to the UOW Bachelor of Nursing – please refer to the Bachelor of Nursing. Students will then be required to lodge an application for entry to the UOW Bachelor of Nursing and will be subject to established Faculty assessment practices, with applications judged on merit. Successful completion of the Diploma of Nursing and satisfying the English language requirement does not guarantee entry to the Bachelor program.

What is VET Student Loans?

VET Student Loans is an Australian Government income contingent loan scheme that is part of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) and replaces the VET FEE-HELP scheme from 1 January 2017. VET Student Loans assists eligible students pay their tuition fees for approved courses subject to a maximum loan amount. VET Student Loans will only be approved for students who meet eligibility requirements. A VET Student Loan gives rise to a HELP debt that continues to be a debt due to the Commonwealth until it is repaid. For further details, visit our domestic fees page.