James Cook University Partnership, Cairns

Open the James Cook University online course catalog and use the following filters to search for available courses:

• Campus: Cairns or Townsville
• Level: Undergraduate
• Study Period: Trimester 3 is U.S. Fall Term; Trimester 1 is U.S. Spring Term
• Attendance Mode: Internal

IFSA requires students to enroll in a full course load at the host institution, 12 JCU credits per semester. This is the equivalent of 16 U.S. semester credit hours per semester.

Credit Conversion
3 JCU credits = 4 U.S. semester credit hours

CHART Your Course
Find the classes you need fast with CHART. Our easy-to-use tool shows you classes recently taken by IFSA students.

Lab & Field Trip Fees
Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.

Australian Government | Department of Education | CRICOS: 00117J
Australian Government | Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency | TEQSA: PRV12077

• Fourth-year (4000-level) courses and higher are part of a postgraduate degree (Masters or Ph.D.). You are not eligible to take these courses as an undergraduate student.
• IFSA students are eligible to take only courses listed as “Internal” in the description.
• Marine biology classes are not available at the Cairns campus. You may select from a broad range of other biology, zoology, and environmental studies classes at Cairns, or consider the Townsville campus for a specific marine biology focus.

New country, new way of learning!

Here’s what to expect at James Cook University:

• Registration takes place online in the U.S. four to six weeks prior to the program start date and are finalized after the first week of classes.
• Common to have a large lecture class complemented by a smaller tutorial/lab. Tutorials make up two thirds of class work, and participation and attendance are required.
• More emphasis on independent learning. More self-directed learning outside of class. Classes usually require 90 minutes to two hours of student effort per credit point per week.
• The university follows strict policies and deadlines.
• Grades are often based on a single final exam or final paper, or on just a few assignments. Final exams are typically 30–70 percent of total grade.
• Grade inflation and curving is uncommon; fewer students get exceptional grades.
• Strong focus on critical analysis with supporting resources documented.
• Less personal access to professors. Instead, it’s common to connect with junior faculty members.
• Full access to the university’s robust academic support system and resources. IFSA local staff are also available for individual help.
• Students cannot audit courses or enroll in more than four classes.
• More information can be found in the IFSA Student Portal under Resources – Helpful Documents and Links and Academics.
• All classes will be submitted to the host institution for review and approval based on the provided transcript. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the classes they enroll in are approved to transfer back to their home institution once completed.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
• You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
• You must have completed at least one (1) full-time year of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.
• Eligibility requirements can vary among host institutions. Please ask your IFSA Enrollment Counselor for specific information.

Recommendation Letter
Not required.

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.