Macquarie University

Distinctive, progressive and transformational

Macquarie University was established in 1964 as a bold experiment in higher education. Built to break from traditions and work in tandem with industry, we strive for the extraordinary by challenging convention and embracing different views.

Led by our academics and researchers, we continue our pioneering approach – from inventing Wi-Fi with the CSIRO, to enhancing graduate employability through personalised degrees and degrees co-designed with industry.

In recognition of the Aboriginal country on which Macquarie University is situated, our main campus in Macquarie Park is known as the Wallumattagal Campus.

Top 1% of unis in the world
QS Rankings 2024, Times Higher Education Rankings 2024

100% of research world standard
2-digit level: Excellence in Research for Australia

#175 in the world
Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2024

300+ global companies
On campus + Connect Macquarie Park Innovation District

A vibrant and diverse community

Campus services at Macquarie University

We have a range of services on campus, including various childcare options, security and several bars and cafes offering venue hire and catering.

Our student accommodation provides a balanced academic and social lifestyle in a supportive environment. Living among our vibrant community is one of the best life and educational experiences you can have as a student.

We’re proud of our diversity on campus, and we promote a culture of support. Our initiatives support student diversity, including diversity in culture, language, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, socio-economic status, and religion.

Our history

Founded in 1964, Macquarie University was a pioneer in many fields, including our open admissions procedures, student choice, semester and grading systems, small group teaching and academic self-appraisal.

Most of these practices are now widespread, but at the time, they were undeniably pioneering.

Inaugurated in 1964
126 hectare campus of rolling lawns and natural bushland

The third university in Sydney
Built to meet the growing demands of a burgeoning city

Realising a vision of the future
Located in Australia’s largest high-tech precinct

Naming the University

Choosing the name for Sydney’s third metropolitan university came down to two different schools of thought: those who wanted to commemorate a great Australian figure in education and those who preferred a geographical name.

In 1964, the NSW State Cabinet chose in favour of naming the University after a prominent Australian. In the end, Governor Lachlan Macquarie was chosen ahead of suggestions which included WC Wentworth and Sir Henry Parkes.

Learn more about Lachlan Macquarie’s influence on Australia, and his life and background. Visit Macquarie University’s Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie Archive, which provides transcripts, artefacts, images and historical details of the lives of the Macquaries between 1761 and 1835.

Our coat of arms

The arms of the University shall be on a field vert, the Macquarie lighthouse tower, masoned proper, in chief the star Sirius, or Motto: And gladly teche.

“Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede.
Noght o word spak he moore than was neede,
And that was seyd in forme and reverence,
And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence;
Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche,
And gladly wolde he lerne
and gladly teche.”
(from the General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer c. 1400)

Macquarie Lighthouse and HMS Sirius

The Macquarie Lighthouse was the first lighthouse built in Australia. Shortly after the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, Governor Phillip ordered a flagstaff be erected to signal the approach of supply ships bound for Sydney Cove.

A beacon, fired firstly by wood and later by coal, was built in 1791 to guide vessels to the harbour entrance by night, becoming Australia’s first marine light. This beacon, tended by convicts, guided shipping for the next 25 years.

On 13 July 1816, Governor Lachlan Macquarie laid the foundation stone of the new lighthouse. The lighthouse was to be the first of many significant works by the convict architect Francis Greenway.

The present building is a replica built in 1880 by Colonial Architect James Barnet. However, the original building was not demolished until 1883, so, for a time, Sydney’s South Head boasted two almost identical lighthouses standing side by side.

The first lighthouse keeper was Robert Watson, after whom nearby Watson’s Bay was named. He had been quartermaster aboard HMS Sirius in the First Fleet.

Wallumattagal Campus

In 2022, Macquarie University’s main campus in Macquarie Park adopted a new name – Wallumattagal Campus – to recognise the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the University is situated, the Wallumattagal Clan of the Dharug Nation.

The name change recognises that First Nations peoples have a spiritual, social, cultural and economic relationship with their traditional lands and waters – and acknowledges their contribution to sustaining our local environments, education and culture for thousands of years.

It builds upon mutually respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities and is one of a number of significant measures undertaken under the

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What is the cost of studying in Australia?

All programs for international students are full fee-paying programs.

There are some additional fees you will need to consider apart from the tuition fee. Additional fees include:

• textbooks
• living costs and accommodation
• Compulsory Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
• Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

NOTE: for research degrees, please see the Graduate Research Academy page.

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Scholarships for international students at Macquarie

Macquarie has one of the most generous international scholarship programs in Australia.

This includes a wide variety of long and short term opportunities for international students. The range of scholarships available can depend on the country you are from, with other eligibility factors including your field of study and academic or sporting achievements.

Scholarships for international students

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Should I apply for an Exchange or for a Study Abroad program?

This will depend on the type of agreement your homw institution has with Macquarie University.

Please make sure to check with your home institution to know whether you should submit an application for the Exchange program or for the Study Abroad program.

How can I apply for an Exchange or Study Abroad program at Macquarie?

Find information on the step-by-step application process for:

• Incoming Exchange students
• Incoming Study Abroad students

Do I need to provide information on the units I want to study at Macquarie when I submit my application?

The stage at which you need to provide information about the units (subjects) you want to study at Macquarie depends on whether you are Study Abroad or Exchange student:

Study Abroad

• If you are a Study Abroad student, you need to provide this information at the application stage:
  • Three-units Package: nominate up to 5 units (or 10 for full year)
  • Four-units Package: nominate up to 6 units (or 12 for full year)

You must nominate more than the number of units stated on the package for alternative options in case a unit is not approved. Your unit choices will be sent to the corresponding Faculty for approval. You will be informed of the outcome via email by your Admissions Officer.

Exchange

If you are an Exchange student, you need to submit your prerequisite waiver requests for the units you want to enrol in after accepting your offer. Please refer to the section ‘Getting ready for your program’ below for more information.

Can you help me choose which units to take at Macquarie?

We cannot help you choose which units to study at Macquarie as each student’s requirements are different.

When choosing which units to study at Macquarie, you need to take into account that:

• the units you choose are equivalent to the subjects back in your home institution so you receive credit for them towards your degree. Information on unit contents is available in the Handbook and the Unit Guides.
• your home institution must have previously approved these units.
• you fulfil the prerequisites for those units, which you can check in the Handbook.
• the units are offered in the session you will be at Macquarie – Session 1 or Session 2. You can check the offerings for each unit in the Handbook.
• You can only take units at the same level as the degree you are doing at your home institution. This means that you can only take undergraduate units if you are an undergraduate student. If you are a postgraduate student, you can only take postgraduate units.

I have submitted my application but I do not understand its status. What does it mean?

You may find that your application is at one of the following stages:

• Incomplete – Finish and submit your application as soon as possible and before the application deadline.
• Assessing / Assessing – More info required / Assessing – Referred for Special Approval – Your application is under assessment. If any information or further documentation is needed, your Admissions Officer will contact you via email. If you are not contacted, please allow some time for the assessment to be completed.
• Conditional Offer – You must meet the condition(s) outlined in the Conditional Offer document as soon as possible.
• Full Offer With Conditions & Qualified – Accept your offer as soon as possible by following the acceptance instructions within your offer document.

How long will it take to receive an offer?

Applications with Macquarie take approximately 3 weeks for the initial assessment.

Do I need an OSHC?

As an international student, you must take out OSHC as a condition of your student visa. Please visit the Overseas Student Health Cover page for more information.

The Australian Federal Goverment Health Department has also created a Fact Sheet as well as a document called Explanatory Guidelines for Consumers with information on the mandatory requirement for students to take an OSHC when coming to Australia.

How can I accept my offer?

To accept your offer you need to:

• Sign your Letter of Offer.
• Pay for your OSHC.

You need to send both your signed offer and proof of payment for your OSHC to your application email address, which is in the body of the email you received when your letter was sent.

How will I receive my CoE?

A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is a document issued by Macquarie to verify your enrolment in a specified course.

You will receive this document shortly after you accept your offer.

You will need to use this document to apply for your visa.

Can you provide advice on how to apply for a visa?

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide advice on visa-related queries. Please refer to the following resources for information on visas:

• Student Visa page
• Department of Home Affairs Website
• If you are outside of Australia, you can contact the Department of Home Affairs at their Contact Us page.

How can I get an OSHC certificate for my visa application?

Your OSHC information is provided in your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). Your OSHC policy number is the same as your Macquarie student ID.Your Confirmation of Enrolment should suffice as OSHC-related documentation for your visa application. For any concerns, please reach out to the Department of Home Affairs.

How can I activate my OSHC?

Your OSHC is activated approximately 2 weeks before session commencement.

If you are planning to enter Australia before the 2 week period, send an email to exchange.studyabroad@mq.edu.au with your date of arrival.

Upon seeking confirmation from the Student Mobility Team, you will need to contact your OSHC provider directly to pay for the extra days the OSHC is required.

Getting ready for your program

How can I find accommodation?

You should plan to make sure you secure your accommodation for your Study Abroad of Exchange program before arriving in Sydney.

For information on accommodation options you can explore, please visit the Accommodation page.

Where can I find my Student ID number?

Your student ID number is in the upper right corner of your Letter of Offer.

I cannot log in to eStudent. What should I do?

Make sure that you have followed the instructions on the First Time Login page.

If you experience issues, contact the Student Mobility Team at exchange.studyabroad@mq.edu.au. If the error cannot be fixed, you will be redirected to the IT Service Desk.

When and how can I enrol in my units?

You can enrol in your units after receiving your CoE and within the enrolment dates.

Your unit approval process varies depending on whether you are a Study Abroad or Exchange student:

Study Abroad

Your unit approvals took place at the application stage. For more information, check the section ‘Applying to study at Macquarie’ above. Watch the following video tutorials for instructions on enrolling into your units:

• Managing your course plan
• Enrolling in Units

Exchange

You can enrol into any unit as long as:

• you meet the unit prerequisite(s) as outlined in our Course Handbook
• it does not appear on the Restricted Units List.

if you wish to select units with a prerequisite, you must first be approved for a prerequisite waiver for that unit. If they do not have prerequisites, you do not have to submit a waiver.

More information about pre-requisite waivers can be found on our Unit Waivers page. The following is a document and a tutorial video with instructions on how to submit a pre-requisite waiver:

• Prerequisite Waiver Request Instructions Document
• Prerequisite Waiver Process Video Tutorial

Once you get approval, you can enrol in the unit. Please refer to the video tutorials under the ‘Study Abroad’ subheading for information on the enrolment process.

How long does it take to get approval for my prerequisite waiver request?

The processing time for special waiver requests can be up to four weeks as outlined in the Special Waiver Request Instructions Document that was sent to you in the email with your Letter of Offer or Confirmation of Enrolment.

Given the current processing times, you should submit your waiver requests as soon as possible after receiving your CoE to make sure you can enrol before the commencement of the session.

What is the difference between enrolment and class registration?

Enrolling is confirming that you will be taking part in the unit at Macquarie and will be added to the iLearn page that will have all the unit information regarding assignments and weekly work.

Please see the below video tutorials for instructions on enrolling in your units:

• Managing Your Course Study Plan
• Enrolling in Units

Registering for your classes is where you select the times when you will attend classes for your units. Please see the below video tutorial for instructions on choosing your class times:

• Creating Your Timetable

I require additional academic support while at Macquarie due to a health condition. Where can I find it?

You can access resources to support your study life at Macquarie so that reasonable adjustments can be implemented for your classes and assessments.

Visit the Accessibility page to learn about the services you can access and how to register for them. Make sure to do this soon after you get your CoE as the registration process takes some time.

How can I get my learning agreement signed?

Some institutions require your host institution to complete and sign a learning agreement form. Send the document to exchange.studyabroad@mq.edu.au with your request.

Documents with information on the specific units you are currently enrolled in will be signed after the commencement of the session.

How many units can I enrol in?

International students must have a full-time study load to comply with visa conditions. A full-time study load is 3 to 4 units.

Can I enrol in undergraduate and postgraduate units?

It is not possible. You can only take units at the same level as the degree you are doing at your home institution. This means that:

• Undergraduate students can only enrol in undergraduate units.
• Postgraduate students can only enrol in postgraduate units.

Where can I find information about life in Sydney as an international student?

The Study NSW website provides useful information about what living, studying and working in Sydney is like as an international student. It also has the most up-to-date information on events open to all international students.

While studying at Macquarie

When do I have to be in Sydney?

You must be in Sydney by the Macquarie Kickstart Period.

Attendance at the Study Abroad and Exchange events is mandatory. You will receive information on these events and instructions on how to register for the events via email.

Check the Academic Calendar to learn about the most important session dates.

Can I get a concession Opal card?

Unfortunately, international students are unable to receive discounted concession cards.

You can still easily sign up for an Adult Opal Card.

Where can I get support with my units and assingments?

The following services and tools are available to international students to develop and enhance their academic skills:

• The Writing Centre – Consultations with a learner adviser, assignment support and revision services, academic skills workshops, and English language support
• Peer Support – Faculty mentoring, Peer assisted study sessions (PASS), Buddy Program, and Peer Mentors
• English Conversation Club
• Numeracy Support – drop-in service, weekly workshops, and online resources.

Where can I get wellbeing support?

The Student Wellbeing team offers counselling and mental health support.

They also provide safety advice and offer wellbeing skillshops and online resources to support your overall wellbeing.

What can I do if I am unable to complete/sit for my assessment?

If you experience an event or circumstance that is serious, unavoidable, significantly disruptive, and beyond your control, you may be eligible for Special Consideration.

Make sure to review the information on the Special Consideration page to learn about eligibility criteria, FAQs about this option, and when and how to submit a request.

Can I make up for a failed final exam and/or unit?

It is not possible to make up for failed exams and/or units.

As explained in Macquarie University’s Special Consideration Policy, the University follows a ‘Fit to Sit’ policy. By taking an exam, in-class test, or submitting any assessment, a student affirms that they can perform these tasks. It is up to the student to assess their fitness to participate in an examination, test, or submit an assessment. If a student feels unfit to do so, they should refrain from participating and follow the Special Consideration procedure.

Students have the option to submit a Special Consideration request for a supplementary exam within the corresponding timeframes if they experience circumstances like the ones described in the question above. Make sure to check the Special Consideration page and Special Consideration FAQs pages for more information.

When will I get my final grades?

Check the Academic Calendar and look for the Result Publication date. Your final grades will be available on your eStudent then.

How can I get my transcript?

You will receive an email with instructions on how to access your transcript via My eQuals.

Macquarie students receive their grades and transcripts via My eQuals. My eQuals is the official platform for Australian and New Zealand universities to provide a secure digital repository for certified academic documents. It was developed to give students, graduates, employers and third parties anytime, anywhere access to academic documents.

You can share your transcript with your Home University through this platform.

How will I get credit back home for the units I studied at Macquarie?

Make sure to reach out to your home university for information on how to get the units you studied at Macquarie credited towards your degree.

You will need to provide your digital transcript to your home university through the My eQuals platform.

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