Current Students Enrolment Trimester FAQs
Trimester FAQs
- Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders in Marine Science
- Courses
- Future Students
-
Current Students
-
Enrolment
- Enrol online
- New students enrol
- Course Enrolment Planners
- Change course (Variation to Study)
- Return to study (Variation to Study)
- Transfer campus (Variation to Study)
- Withdraw from subjects or your course
- Applying for Credit
- Student Centre and Enrolment Team Contacts
- Enrolment Terminology
- Class Registration
- JCU Flex FAQs
-
Fees & Financial Support
- Domestic undergraduate subject fees
- Financial support
- Defer your fees
- Pay your fees
- Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSA Fee)
- Postgraduate subject fees
- Refunds and withdrawal under special circumstances
- Penalties for unpaid fees and late withdrawals
- Incidental & Administration Fees
- Eligibility Conditions for Commonwealth Assistance
- Unique Student Identifier (USI)
- Assessment and results
- Support
- Academic Calendars
- Student Life
-
The Learning Centre
- Taking Online Exams
- Services Available
- Getting Started
- Peer Assisted Study Sessions
- Assignments
- Academic Integrity
- Develop Your English
- Maths and Statistics
- Exams
- Short Courses and Workshops
- Downloads and Module Booklets
- Bookings (Peer Advisor)
- Learning in a Virtual Environment
- Learning Online
- Orientation for Intensive Courses
- Services for Academic Staff
- Forms
- Safety
-
Enrolment
- Research and Teaching
- Partners and Community
- About JCU
- Reputation and Experience
- Celebrating 50 Years
- Academy
- Anthropological Laboratory for Tropical Audiovisual Research (ALTAR)
- Anton Breinl Research Centre
- Agriculture Technology and Adoption Centre
- Living on Campus
- Advanced Analytical Centre
- Applying to JCU
- Alumni
- AMHHEC
- JCU Aquaculture Solutions
- AusAsian Mental Health Research Group
- ARCSTA
- Area 61
- Association of Australian University Secretaries
- Australian/NZ Students
- Australian Lions Stinger Research
- Australian Tropical Herbarium
- Australian Quantum & Classical Transport Physics Group
- Boating and Diving
- JCU-CSIRO Partnership
- Employability Edge
- Career Ready Plan
- CASE
- Careers at JCU
- Careers and Employability
- Chancellery
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology
- CITBA
- CMT
- College of Business, Law and Governance
- College of Healthcare Sciences
- WHOCC for N&M Education and Research
- College of Medicine and Dentistry
- College of Science and Engineering
- CPHMVS
- Centre for Disaster Solutions
- CSTFA
- Cyber Security Hub
- Cyclone Testing Station
- The Centre for Disaster Studies
- Daintree Rainforest Observatory
- Discover Nature at JCU
- Research Division
- Services and Resources Division
- Education Division
- Economic Geology Research Centre
- Elite Athletes
- eResearch
- Environmental Research Complex [ERC]
- Estate
- Fletcherview
- Foundation for Australian Literary Studies
- Gender Equity Action and Research
- General Practice and Rural Medicine
- GetReady4Uni
- Give to JCU
- Governance
- Information for JCU Cairns Graduates
- Art of Academic Writing
- Art of Academic Editing
- Graduate Research School
- Graduation
- Indigenous Education and Research Centre
- Indigenous Engagement
- Indigenous Legal Needs Project
- Inherent Requirements
- IsoTropics Geochemistry Lab
- IT Services
- International Schools
- International Students
- Research and Innovation Services
- JCU Eduquarium
- JCU Events
- JCU Global Experience
- JCU Ideas Lab
- JCU Job Ready
- JCU Motorsports
- JCU Prizes
- JCU Sport
- JCU Turtle Health Research
- Language and Culture Research Centre
- CEE
- LearnJCU
- Library
- Mabo Decision: 30 years on
- MARF
- Marine Geophysics Laboratory
- New students
- Off-Campus Students
- Office of the Vice Chancellor and President
- Virtual Open Day
- Orpheus
- Outstanding Alumni
- Parents and Partners
- Pathways to university
- Planning for your future
- Placements
- Policy
- PAHL
- Publications
- Professional Experience Placement
- Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Rapid Assessment Unit
- RDIM
- Researcher Development Portal
- Safety and Wellbeing
- Scholarships
- Contextual Science for Tropical Coastal Ecosystems
- Staff
- State of the Tropics
- Strategic Procurement
- Student Equity and Wellbeing
- Student profiles
- SWIRLnet
- TARL
- TESS
- TREAD
- TropEco for Staff and Students
- TQ Maths Hub
- TUDLab
- Unicare Centre and Unicampus Kids
- UAV
- VAVS Home
- Work Health and Safety
- WHOCC for Vector-borne & NTDs
- Media
- Copyright and Terms of Use
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine
- Clinical Psychedelic Research Lab
A word from our DVC Education, Professor Maree Dinan-Thompson on our move to a refreshed academic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions about Trimesters
The academic calendar at JCU is a three-tier calendar comprised of Semesters, Carousels (short-form study periods), and Trimesters.
The heart of the calendar is the Trimester model, where teaching is split over three study periods during a calendar year.
A Trimester is a model where teaching is split over three equal study periods during a calendar year.
The semester model has two teaching periods per academic year of 13 weeks each.
The trimester model has three teaching periods per academic year of 10 weeks each.
From 2024, the structure of each Trimester includes:
10 weeks of teaching
One week lecture recess
One week for exams.
View the current Academic Calendars here.
The primary benefit of our students is that trimesters responds to the demand for flexible , year round learning.
Students can better manage their study load. Students can structure their own degree progression and even build one or two trimester breaks into their study plans to balance work, family, and university commitments. Students can also complete 9 subjects in one calendar year (a slight acceleration) or 6 subjects across three trimesters to maintain full-time load. The trimester model caters for ‘study around work’ and other commitments.
Trimesters also simplifies and aligns study periods across all JCU locations. From 2024, the academic calendar aligns JCU Australia, JCU Singapore and JCU Brisbane, which increases opportunities for shared study experiences.
Some courses have already transitioned to trimesters including:
During 2021 courses in the College of Business, Law & Governance except Law.
During 2022 first year subjects in the Bachelor of Information Technology (or a dual course).
Commencing from 2024 further courses will transition to trimesters.
Courses delivered in Trimesters only include:
Pathway Programs | |
---|---|
100130 | JCU Prep (commencing from 2024) |
113121 | Diploma of Higher Education |
118121 | Diploma of Business (commencing from 2024) |
118421 | Diploma of Technology (commencing from 2024) |
Undergraduate Degrees | |
116910 | Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (commencing from 2024) |
20510 | Bachelor of Business |
60610 | Bachelor of Business - Bachelor of Laws (commencing from 2024) |
114310 | Bachelor of Business - Bachelor of Psychological Science |
20710 | Bachelor of Commerce |
103110 | Bachelor of Information Technology |
103109 | Bachelor of Information Technology (Honours) [end-on] (commencing from 2024) |
118610 | Bachelor of Laws (commencing 2024) |
70809 | Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours) [Embedded] (commencing 2024) |
112810 | Bachelor of Psychological Science (commencing from 2024) |
109110 | Bachelor of Tourism, Hospitality and Events |
Postgraduate Degrees | |
23511 | Graduate Certificate of Accounting |
109011 | Graduate Certificate of Business Administration |
23411 | Graduate Certificate of Conflict Management and Resolution |
50311 | Graduate Certificate of Information Technology |
23506 | Graduate Diploma of Accounting |
109104 | Master of International Tourism and Hospitality Management |
112304 | Master of International Tourism and Hospitality Management - Master of Business Administration |
116204 | Master of Business Administration |
116604 | Master of Business Administration (2 year) |
112004 | Master of Business Administration - Master of Conflict Management and Resolution |
113804 | Master of Education (commencing from 2024) |
117404 | Master of Education - Master of Business Administration |
117304 | Master of Conflict Management and Resolution |
117704 | Master of Governance and Leadership |
113504 | Master of Information Technology |
112404 | Master of Information Technology - Master of Business Administration |
109504 | Master of Professional Accounting |
112104 | Master of Professional Accounting - Master of Business Administration |
Courses delivered through a combination of Trimester and Semesters include:
115510 | Bachelor of Advanced Science |
20310 | Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Business |
12010 | Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Science |
101510 | Bachelor of Business and Environmental Science |
109410 | Bachelor of Education (Secondary) Accounting, Business and Economics Teaching Areas Only |
109310 | Bachelor of Education (Primary) |
109410 | Bachelor of Education (Secondary) |
116209 | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) |
116309 | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Bachelor of Information Technology |
116409 | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Bachelor of Science |
115710 | Bachelor of Science |
109804 | Master of Public Health - Master of Business Administration |
Yes, students studying online will also follow the Trimester model.
The flexibility to accommodate a separation of Trimester and Semester study periods could result in dual and double degree students studying across trimesters and semesters. You can seek study planning advice by emailing enrolments@jcu.edu.au.
To be classed as full-time a student will be required to enrol in a minimum number of credit points in each standard study period.
A normal full-time workload for each Trimester is nine credit points (three subjects). For Student Income Support purposes a student must undertake 75 per cent of the normal full-time workload; being six credit points (two subjects) for a Trimester. For more information, please refer to the Australian Government website for details about eligibility for Student Income Support.
Guidelines for undertaking study in the Trimester model and retaining eligibility for Student Income Support:
- If a student requires Student Income Support for the full academic year they must enrol in six subjects spread across all three trimesters, with at least one enrolment in every Trimester. It is recommended students enrol in all their subjects for that year no later than January of the academic year to enable system processing and sustained income support.
- If a student’s enrolment pattern for the year will have an uneven number of subjects in each trimester (e.g. 3+2+1 or 3+1+3), it is recommended they enrol in all their subjects before the commencement of Trimester One to indicate to Centrelink they are planning to undertake the minimum 75 per cent normal full time load across the year.
Each Study Period and Trimester is allocated to a Teaching Period. The academic year is divided into two Teaching Periods. Teaching Period 1 is the first six months of the year and Teaching Period 2 is the second six months of the year. Subjects with a census date prior to 1 July fall within Teaching Period 1, and subjects with a census date on or after 1 July fall within Teaching Period 2. Trimesters One and Two are included in Teaching Period 1 and Trimester Three is included in Teaching Period 2.
To be classed as full-time a student will be required to enrol in a minimum number of credit points in each standard study period.
A normal full-time workload for each Teaching Period is 12 credit points (four subjects). For Student Income Support purposes a student must undertake 75 per cent of the normal full-time workload; being 9 credit points (3 subjects) for that Teaching Period. For more information please refer to the Australian Government website for details about eligibility for Student Income Support.
Guidelines for retaining eligibility for Student Income Support whilst undertaking study in Teaching Periods when also required to undertake a subject offered in a Trimester:
- If a student requires Student Income Support for the full academic year they must enrol in six subjects spread across two Teaching Periods. It is recommended students enrol in all their subjects for that year at the commencement of the academic year.
- Teaching Period 1 example: If a student is required to enrol in two subjects in Study Period 1 and one subject in Trimester One they must be enrolled in the subjects before the earliest commencement date.
- Teaching Period 2 example: If a student is required to enrol in one subject in Study Period 2 and two subjects in Trimester Three they must be enrolled in the subjects before the earliest commencement date.
If available in the course, students can undertake a mix of both on-campus and online subjects. Students enrolled as on-campus (internal) are able to undertake online subjects. Please refer to the subject search engine for subject availability.
No, graduation dates are not affected by trimesters.
International students should follow their study plan and complete their studies in the timeframe permitted under their visa. Trimesters will not change their visa requirements as they will be able to complete in the appropriate timeframe.
Students can enrol into a maximum of three subjects per trimester. Enrolment in additional subjects needs to be approved by the College. Students requesting approval will be assessed on their GPA score.
No, students do not need to study in all three trimesters, however, if a student receives Centrelink payments, they may be required to undertake study in all three trimesters to be eligible for payments while studying. For more information see FAQ ‘How will studying in Study Periods and Trimesters affect my Centrelink Payments?’
No, not all subjects are offered in every trimester. Please refer to the subject search engine for subject availability.
Please direct any enrolment-related enquiries to enrolments@jcu.edu.au.