Start Uni Now (SUN)

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.

Students have the opportunity to undertake their first Start Uni Now (SUN) unit at zero cost^.
Any subsequent SUN units are offered at $375 per unit, with the exception of AVAT Basic Aeronautical Knowledge which is a double credit unit (12 credits) and will, therefore, incur a fee of $750. This can be almost a third of the cost students pay as an Undergraduate student.

Fees are payable within 4 weeks of each term commencing.

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

It is important that these costs are considered when applying for a SUN unit.

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