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Program Highlights

CQUniversity's main campus is located in Rockhampton, a city of about 60,000. "Rocky", as it is most commonly called, has a small town feel. It is known as the city "where the Outback meets the Reef".

Queensland, where Rockhampton is located, is considered to be the meeting point of bush and sea in Australia. To the east, west and south, Queensland is bordered by sea. To the north is the Northern Territory. Rockhampton has a population slightly greater than Champaign’s.

CQUniversity's has many course options that will help you connect with Australian culture, such as Asian Pacific tourism, scuba diving lessons at the Great Barrier Reef, and indigenous Australian culture courses.

Study abroad students have the option to take courses solely at the Gold Coast or Brisbane campuses, rather than Rockhampton. However, these branch campuses only offer courses in business and information technology.

Check out Lauren Rathke's Fall 2011 blog!

Read more about CQU in their online viewbook.

Academic Programs

At CQUniversity, you will take courses along with Australian and other international students.

Term 1 in Australia is equivalent to EIU's Spring Semester.
Term 2 in Australia is equivalent to EIU's Fall Semester.

Please ensure that the courses you are planning on taking are offered during the term that you are planning to attend.

To view the entire list of courses and course descriptions at CQUniversity,
please click this link.

To view courses offered by term, please click here.

Please keep in mind that Term I in Australia is our Spring Semester and Term 2 is our Fall Semester.

CQUniversity's Credit Point System
6 units of credit = 4 credits in the U.S. system. However, the courses you enroll in may equate to 3-credit classes here at EIU. It is at the department chair's discretion.

**Depending upon prerequisite requirements and/or selectivity criteria in specific departments, you may not be eligible to take certain classes. The International Office at CQU will assist you in determining your eligibility. However, it is always a good idea to choose 2nd and 3rd choices for each class you would like to take.**

Student Life

CQUniversity encourages you to get involved on campus. Capricornia College offers many activities and events for students in the residence halls, such as volleyball tournaments, the Capricornia College Ball, and friendly competitions between the different residence halls. You may also want to get involved with the CQUniversity Student Association.

If you want to explore Rockhampton and get off campus, the city is a short bus ride away. In Rocky, there is a shopping center, movie theatre, bowling alley, and many restaurants and bars.

On weekends, many students travel to other locations within Australia. Sydney and Brisbane are two popular destinations. Traveling within Australia can be done fairly easily (despite the country's size). The Rockhampton Airport allows for easy and relatively inexpensive flights. Two airlines that typically have reasonably priced flights within Australia are Virgin Blue and Qantas. You may also consider taking the Rockhampton Tilt Train or traveling by Greyhound bus.

Housing

Most students studying abroad at CQUniversity in Rockhampton stay in the on-campus residence halls of Capricornia College (not a separate school, just the name of the residence halls). Capricornia College provides single occupancy, co-ed housing with shared bathrooms and kitchen areas. It is made up of 350 Australian and international students.

To apply for on-campus housing, click here for the application materials.

To view their Handbook, please click here.

If you would prefer to live off-campus, the staff in the International Office at CQU can assist you. However, you will need to arrive one week prior to the beginning of orientation to make housing arrangements.

Foreign Entry Requirements

Passport
To enter Australia, you must have a valid passport. If you are a U.S. citizen and do not currently have a valid passport, or if your passport will expire during the time you will be overseas, please go to the U.S. State Department web site for information on how to apply for/renew your passport.

Visa
All students studying in Australia must obtain a Student Visa. Students can apply for a visa on-line by visiting the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA). A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) - which is provided by the host university upon acceptance - is needed to apply for the visa. A valid passport, credit card, and overseas health coverage is also needed. Student visa applications submitted electronically are normally finalized within 5-10 working days. The cost is approximately $320 US.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
Australia requires all study abroad students to purchase Australian health insurance. CQU will assist you in purchasing the proper insurance; insurance is charged in Australian dollars and usually runs around $150 US (depending upon the exchange rate) for a 6-month stay.

Travel Document Systems (TDS) can also provide you with helpful information on every country, including entry requirements, cultural information, travel conditions, economy, and more.

You are strongly encouraged to read the U.S. State Department's Consular Information Sheet. It will provide you with a great deal of information to help you prepare for your trip.

**Please be aware that you are responsible for obtaining the most up-to-date information on entry requirements. The Office of Study Abroad only provides general information, as visa regulations and procedures are constantly changing. Please consult the Consulate for more information. **

Please note that EIU does not own, operate, or sponsor this program.