Start Uni Now

SUN is offered over three university terms; however, not all units are offered in all terms. Prior to applying for SUN, you should determine the availability of your chosen unit by following the link at the 'What SUN units can I study' section of this website.

Each term is 12 weeks in duration followed by an examination period.

University terms generally do not run at the same time as your school terms. In some cases, SUN students will be studying through school holidays (e.g. September holidays and Christmas holidays). For more information on term dates, you can visit the CQUniversity Academic Calendar.

If you are a high performing student who wants to take on the challenge of tertiary level study, then SUN could be for you! Some of the benefits of starting university early with SUN include:

• Sneak peek: With SUN you will get an authentic insight into university life which will assist your transition from high school to university;
• Direct Entry: You may be eligible to apply for direct entry into an undergraduate degree at CQUniversity (excluding quota managed courses), meaning you will not need to apply and wait for an offer to university through a tertiary admissions centre, eg. QTAC. To be eligible for direct entry, you must:
  • Pass at least one SUN unit from the undergraduate degree you are applying for,
  • Meet all the prerequisites of the undergraduate degree you are applying for, and
  • Show evidence of Year 12 completion (e.g. State Certificate of Education such as QCE, WACE, SACE or CQU approved equivalent qualification).
• QCE Credit: Each SUN unit you successfully complete can be credited towards your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). 2 QCE credit points are granted for each 6 credit point unit passed.
• Affordable: The SUN units are offered at a reduced price which is less than a third of the cost a regular university student pays. As a SUN student, you can save anywhere between $900 – $2752 per unit.
• Credit Transfers: If you enrol as a CQUniversity student after Year 12, you will be eligible to receive a credit transfer for each SUN unit you have passed (providing these SUN units are part of your degree). This means that this unit will count towards your degree, reducing the number of units you need to study when you enter university.

You can study your first Start Uni Now (SUN) unit at zero cost^{^}. 
Any subsequent SUN units are offered at $375 per unit, this can be almost a third of the cost you will pay as an undergraduate student.

Fees are payable within four weeks of each term commencing.

In addition to the unit fee, you may also be required to purchase unit-specific resources such as textbooks, uniforms, software, and residential school attendance.

It is important to consider these costs when applying for a SUN unit.

^{^}First unit free initiative applies to new students only. Unit resource costs such as textbooks still apply

You will study actual units from our undergraduate degrees. These units are from a variety of subject areas and are offered in specific terms, at specific campuses. When selecting the unit you wish to apply for it is important you check the unit is available in the term you hope to study and also on your desired campus (or by online study).

Download our SUN Brochure to view the full list of units.

You can study SUN regardless of where you live. SUN units can be studied either on-campus (internal) or online by online study. You can choose a way of studying that suits you best.

If you are interested in studying your SUN unit on-campus, you may have the opportunity to do so at one of our many campus locations.

Prior to applying for SUN you should determine the availability of your chosen unit by following the link at the 'What SUN units can I study' section of this website.

As a SUN student studying either on-campus or by online study, you will require regular access to the internet and it is strongly recommended that you have internet access available at home.

On-Campus Students

As a student studying on-campus, you will be expected to attend lectures and tutorials which may occur during school hours. You will also need access to the internet as all of your unit materials and resources will be available online.

Online Study Students

As an online study student, you will be required to access unit resources and materials online and you may require extra assistance from a teacher or staff member at your school during the unit. Our online teaching resources are designed to provide you with direct access to lecturers and other students for study support.

Residential Schools

Some external units may require compulsory residential school attendance. Residential schools require you to attend a designated campus for three to five days to undertake the practical components of your study. Details of residential school attendance can be found in the course profiles or published in the CQUniversity Student Handbook.

Please ensure that you, your parents/guardian and school nominee read the SUN Guidelines before submitting an application.

To be eligible to apply for SUN you must be:

• Enrolled in Year 10, 11 or 12 (Year 10 students are eligible for Term 3 enrolment only)
• Achieving an average B (HA) grade as per your most recent report card (a B in English is highly recommended). Students must be passing all subjects.

You will also require permission from your principal/school nominee and parent/guardian.

Students not achieving this standard will be assessed on a case-by-case basis on application. Each application will be assessed by the Coordinator, Schools Outreach to ensure the applicant meets the entry requirements.

Ready to apply? Find the application process.

Visit the "How do I apply for SUN" section of this website for details regarding the application process. If you have any queries, please contact the SUN team on 13CQUni (13 27 86) or email sun@cqu.edu.au.

You may be able to study either internally or by online study, subject to unit availability. There may be some units which are only available via online study, which means that you will not be required to attend a campus for classes and will view all unit materials via online resources. Some online study units may have a residential school component.  A residential school is where you are required to attend a CQUniversity campus for a short period of time to undertake practical based tasks related to your course of study.

To see the availability of units (that is, what term they are offered, where they are offered and whether they are offered internally or via online study) click on the name of the unit under "What can I study?" section of the SUN website.

As per the SUN guidelines, we recommend you study no more than one SUN unit per term.

Yes. Students are strongly encouraged to remain ATAR-eligible (please discuss with your school nominee in regards to your ATAR eligibility). This is particularly important as it will provide you with more opportunities should you change your mind about your career choice in the future.

While you are still in high school, you are welcome to study in any term, subject to unit availability. Visit the "When Can I study SUN?" section of this website. Please note, you need to pass one unit to be eligible to enrol in another.

Students can access an academic transcript from CQUniversity as proof of their enrolment, specifying results achieved.

Yes. SUN units are university units and as such they demand a lot of time. You need to have excellent time management skills in order to keep a balance between your school studies, SUN unit, part-time job and other commitments. SUN students are expected to continue doing well with school studies.

Regardless of whether you are studying internally or externally, SUN students (like all university students) must have access to computer and internet. It is strongly recommended that all students have access to a computer and internet at home. All unit resources and materials will be online and studying can be extremely challenging if you do not have immediate access to internet.

This is a matter that deserves careful consideration. You will be expected to catch up with any work you have missed (for both school and university) and you will have to remain extremely organised throughout the term in order to do this successfully.

Yes! A SUN student is a CQUniversity student. SUN students are 'non-award' students. You will be enrolled in a unit from a degree, but not the degree itself. As a student you have access to student facilities such as the CQUniversity library and computer labs. You will be provided with a CQUniversity student ID card for university purposes.

Yes. However, please be advised that students are required to withdraw before CENSUS Date to avoid a financial penalty. Usually, students who withdraw after CENSUS Date will receive both an academic and a financial penalty. SUN students, however, do not receive an academic penalty, so it is the financial penalty about which you need to be concerned. If you are experiencing an extenuating and unexpected circumstance such as illness you may be eligible for withdrawal without financial penalty.

A university student should devote approximately 10 to 12 hours of study per week, per unit.