News
JCU and Army speaking the same language
JCU is expanding its language program to provide soldiers with vital communication skills for deployments.
Study with purpose: Your next mission starts at JCU
Whether you’re a veteran or serving member of the Defence Force, you've already shown commitment — now it's our turn to support you.
With tailored support, flexible study options, and a community that understands military life, JCU is where your next chapter begins — confidently and with purpose.
Get started with confidence
Flexibility for Your Defence Commitments
Online, On-Campus, or Hybrid
Choose the mode that best suits your location and commitments—study entirely online, attend classes on-campus, or combine both.
Flexible Exams and Deadlines
When deployments or training conflict with due dates, we offer alternative arrangements to help you stay on track.
Support for Defence Personnel
Our dedicated Defence support team understands your unique needs and can assist with enrolment, course planning, and special consideration processes.
Connect and belong
Army Tertiary Education Program (ATEP)
Seeking a new challenge?
Through the Army Tertiary Education Program (ATEP), eligible soldiers and officers without a degree can complete JCU’s Bachelor of Business part-time—with all fees covered.
You’ll receive credit for the first two years and enter directly into the final year of the program.
Eligible ADF personnel can:
- Have your course fees covered by ATEP
- Enter directly into the final year (Year 3) of the Bachelor of Business
- Study part-time around service commitments
- Choose a major in Human Resources Management or Management
How to apply
Voices from the ranks
After her deployment to Afghanistan, Linda McNaughton noticed a lot of her mates faced their biggest challenge when they returned home. When she realised she could no longer help them personally, she decided to study Social Work as a holistic approach to mental health.
Whether you finished school without an ATAR, are missing pre-requisite subjects, or you didn’t finish high school, JCU Prep is a fee-free course that will help you realise your study goals.
JCU and the ADF working together
News
Uni ready to ‘get square’ against Army
JCU takes on Townsville’s 3rd Brigade in the annual “Battle of the Icons” Uni vs Army Games.
Research
Soldiers ‘use the force’ to stay fighting fit
JCU researchers have given soldiers a potential new way to work out based on assessments from force plates.
Research
New program to boost veterans’ health
A new program designed to help Townsville veterans thrive physically and mentally has been rolled out by JCU.
FAQs
Yes. If you’ve completed general training and served for at least 12 months, you may receive a selection rank that qualifies you for a range of JCU degrees—even without an ATAR.
ATEP is a pathway for eligible ADF members to receive advanced standing (credit) for military training and experience, allowing you to enter directly into the final year of JCU’s Bachelor of Business.
You can complete your degree in as little as one year, (studying full time), thanks to the advanced standing that recognises your prior Defence study and experience.
JCU offers flexible study options (online, on-campus, hybrid), personalised academic support, and special consideration to ensure your service commitments don’t impact your academic success.
Yes. JCU Prep is a free, flexible program that builds your academic skills and helps meet university entry requirements. It’s ideal for those returning to study or entering university for the first time.
Absolutely. JCU offers online and hybrid learning, as well as flexible assignment and exam schedules designed to fit around ADF duties and deployments.
Several scholarships are available, including the Wandering Warriors Scholarship, to help reduce the financial burden of study for both current and former ADF personnel.
- For ATEP: email armytertiaryeducationprogram@dpe.protected.mil.au
- For JCU Prep: visit our webpage to learn more
- For undergraduate study: Apply via QTAC
- For postgraduate study: Apply via the JCU website.
Yes. Defence@JCU is a peer support network for current and former ADF members studying at JCU—offering connection, mentoring, and shared experiences.
ADF members who have completed training at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), the Australian Defence College (ADC), or an equivalent military institution.