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James Cook University

5 Rating
15 reviews
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Why choose James Cook University?

Welcome to James Cook University (JCU), ranked in the top 2% universities in the world, and offering career-focused courses and renowned research excellence.

JCU graduates emerge well-equipped with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for success in the global workforce. Students at JCU can seize the opportunity to explore, discover, and thrive in some of the world's most spectacular and iconic locations, from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed rainforests of the Wet Tropics to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and the bustling cityscape of Singapore with its multicultural tapestry, towering skyscrapers and vibrant business hub.

We provide a diverse array of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including Higher Degree by Research options, along with a variety of pathway programs. Explore our course offerings at our Australian campuses in Townsville and Cairns or at our Singapore campus.

CRICOS Provider Code: 00117J

Website
www.jcu.edu.au
Founded
1970
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Community Photos

Winna Shield Champs!
Magnetic Island
Castle Hill
Cairns Beach Swing
Opera House!
Magnetic Island
Opera House!
Me on a tree swing I found in Cairns!
Scuba diving on the great barrier reef!
Pitcher plant seen during my internship at JCU!
Castle Hill, Townsville, AU
Skydiving!!
Koala!!
Magnetic island Views
Me and my friends on our last day of the semester !
Cheering on Uni Hall in soccer finals

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Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

JCU is proud of the cultural richness and diversity of our university community, and is committed to fostering an environment free of discrimination and where all students feel safe and valued, regardless of their background. Equity Contact Officers (ECOs) can listen and advise students wanting to discuss a potential harassment, discrimination or bullying concern and programs available for its resolution.
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LGBTQIA+ Support

JCU is proudly committed to developing and maintaining a safe, positive, supportive and inclusive environment for our LGBTQIA+ community of students. Students can interact with sexually and gender diverse students and allies, or help support diversity and inclusiveness at JCU, by joining our dedicated Facebook groups or visiting our rainbow lounges.
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Accessibility Support

JCU is committed to ensuring that students living with a disability and/or health condition have equal opportunities to access, engage and participate in all levels of our university. Students with a documented disability or a short or long term health condition can register with AccessAbility to access a range of support services and assistance, including Access Plans, Reasonable Adjustments, access to assistive technology and software, alternative formatting, alternative assessment, examination adjustments and more.
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Impact

Sustainability

JCU recognises that sustainability is fundamental to a thriving society and is committed to the pursuit of more sustainable ways of living. This requires working collaboratively to build social, environmental and economic systems and processes that seek to enhance the current and future quality of life of all living entities. Through world-class research and productive industry partnerships, JCU is focused on delivering innovative and impactful outcomes that help secure a sustainable future for our region.
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Ethical Impact

JCU was established with a clear mandate to encourage study and research generally and with a focus on topics of special importance to the people of the Tropics. Working in, with and for the communities in which we are based, we are responsive to their needs and champions for transformative education and research. In doing so we act ethically, transparently and with generosity of spirit, advocating for, partnering with and making a difference to the regions we serve.
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Reviews

Default avatar
Grace
21
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad at James Cook University, Australia

JCU Abroad

Nov 9, 2023

I had so much fun here in Australia! I’ve seen so many places I could never have seen if I didn’t come here. I traveled to Cairns and the Whitsundays as well as all over Townsville. Travel is much more accessible. I even have more trips planned after exams. I also had the opportunity to take classes my school doesn’t offer and I have definitely found my career path! I am studying environmental science and I go to school in a city back at home. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I chose Australia because of the wide range of ecosystems i could have access too. I took marine classes (I 100% recommend Invertebrate Biology) and general science classes that have shown me towards a career path I never would have thought of. I would recommended this to anyone looking to travel and make friends and just have fun.

Pros
  • Classes
  • Travel
  • Community
Cons
  • Going home :(
  • Food
Opera House!
Cairns Beach Swing
Castle Hill
Magnetic Island
Winna Shield Champs!
Response from James Cook University

Hi Grace,

You're spot on - JCU really is perfectly located if you're looking to truly experience Australia. Plus we're lucky to have so much natural beauty right in our backyard! We're so happy to hear you had fun while you were here, and also that your time with us helped you with your career decisions!

Good luck with the rest of your travels in Australia!

Cheers,
JCU Global Experience team

By Nicole Goodwin on November 12, 2023
Default avatar
Grace
21
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad at James Cook University, Australia

Jcu Abroad

Nov 8, 2023

I had so much fun here in Australia! I’ve seen so many places I could never have seen if I didn’t come here. I traveled to Cairns and the Whitsundays as well as all over Townsville. Travel is much more accessible. I even have more trips planned after exams. I also had the opportunity to take classes my school doesn’t offer and I have definitely found my career path! I am studying environmental science and I go to school in a city back at home. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I chose Australia because of the wide range of ecosystems i could have access too. I took marine classes (I 100% recommend Invertebrate Biology) and general science classes that have shown me towards a career path I never would have thought of. I would recommended this to anyone looking to travel and make friends and just have fun.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Take any opportunity you are given! Especially if you are here for a short time, do everything you can. Experiences like this might not come around all the time and take the opportunity when it comes at you. You won’t regret it and have one of the best times of your life.
Pros
  • Travel
  • Science Classes
  • People
Cons
  • Going home :(
  • Food
Me on a tree swing I found in Cairns!
Opera House!
Magnetic Island
Default avatar
Ellie
26
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad at James Cook University, Australia

GREAT EXPERIENCE

Mar 23, 2022

I am SO grateful to all the friends and professors that made my study abroad experience at JCU so incredible. I originally chose JCU for their marine biology courses since studying marine biology in a landlocked state is hard. I got incredible first hand experiences with marine life SCUBA diving there, I made new friends from all over the world, and I got to do field research with fun professors who really encouraged hands-on and fun learning! The memories I made while attending JCU like the social events, clubs, community events, hikes, and everything else will stay with me forever.

Pros
  • Fun learning environment and city
  • Great student support (especially international students)
  • Getting to meet people from all over the world
Cons
  • Need to take a bus to get to the coast/downtown city/large shopping malls
Scuba diving on the great barrier reef!
Response from

Hi Ellie,
We're glad you had such a great time and got to do all that hands-on learning. We are lucky to have such fun professors at JCU :) It sounds like you were able to get really involved both on and off campus! We hope you will come back and visit us soon!

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

By Samantha Brown on May 1, 2022
Default avatar
Sophia
26
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad at James Cook University, Australia

JCU Study Abroad

Mar 2, 2022

Studying abroad at JCU was the most wonderful and life-changing experiences, and I am beyond grateful for every moment that I was able to spend studying there. As an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major, JCU couldn’t be more perfect. The location of Townsville (on the Great Barrier Reef) makes classes such as Coral Reef Ecology possible, and I was able to attend field trips to reefs including those at Orpheus Island and understand the importance of reef preservation on a very first-hand level. James Cook also offers Biodiversity of Tropical Australia, which gave me the opportunity to learn about and see new systems that I might never get the opportunity to otherwise. JCU also provides so many club and internship opportunities- there is definitely something for everyone. The school also does a brilliant job of integrating and including the international students. They had an International day weekly where people would come to share parts of their culture and there was usually coffee and delicious food as well.I was also able to take advantage of the outstanding outdoor and wildlife opportunities in Townsville, as the school is within miles of the beach and several national parks. Its very hard to describe just how amazing the experience was in words, but If you are considering studying abroad at JCU, I say take the leap- I am forever grateful that I did.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I was amazed at the biodiversity in Australia and around Townsville! There was an abundance of unique plant and animal life to see and learn about.
Pitcher plant seen during my internship at JCU!
Response from

Hi Sophia,
You are so right about JCU being the perfect place to study if you're interested in Ecology and Biology. Both our Townsville and Cairns campuses are located in the area of Australia known as the Wet Tropics. According to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, "The diversity of the plant communities and animal habitats of the Wet Tropics is recognised as being the most floristically and structurally diverse in Australia and is also outstanding on a global scale." The Wet Tropics is also listed as the second most irreplaceable natural World Heritage site on earth by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

We are so grateful that you took the leap to study at JCU, and we hope to welcome you back soon!

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

By Samantha Brown on March 13, 2022
Default avatar
Nathan
Male
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Study Abroad at James Cook University, Australia

The times I cherish

Feb 24, 2022

Fellow student, do not let all the paperwork and endless forms that you need to fill out scare you away from studying abroad. It is going to be a wonderful opportunity for growth and will let you make friendships across the world that you will stay with you (if you choose to maintain them).

I had an amazing time studying at James Cook University. I met people from all over the world and shared special moments with them all. The professors and staff were great, I'm better for having met them. It took a lot of effort to make it happen but I'd do it 10x over to relive it. I dream about the day I can come back and be reunited with my friends. And maybe this time stay!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
I didn't know anybody when I arrived there. I had one friend who I just met three days prior from my ISA group and that was it. I've always been nervous about making new friends. It's hard to do! After the first night I tried to say yes to every invitation and gathering. I made an attempt to sit with people at meals and not by myself on my phone. This paid off pretty quick and I found a great friend group
Response from

Hi Nathan,
Thank you so much for the great advice you've offered future students. The part about saying "yes" to invitations and consciously making an effort to meet new people is such an important part of studying abroad. It sounds like you had the right attitude to create a really positive experience- no paperwork was going to stop you from coming to JCU! And we're so happy that you did come! We hope to see you back here in the future and would love to have you stay longer than a semester.

Cheers,
The International Team
JCU

By Samantha Brown on March 13, 2022
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Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Haley Colpitts

Program
Study Abroad at James Cook University, Australia
Thumbnail

Why did you choose this program?

I have been interested in studying abroad in Australia ever since my older sister did while she was in college. I was lucky enough to study in the same school as her in Townsville. Along with all of her amazing stories of the people and, of course the weather, i wasn’t interested in studying in Townsville because of its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the school’s focus on marine biology.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

My program provider held a four day orientation for everyone in Sydney before we all split up and went to our respective schools. During this orientation they filled out days with activities like hiking the blue mountains, a walking city tour, a night time dinner cruise, and a trip to Bondi beach. James Cook University in Townsville hosted international student breakfasts every Tuesday with special Australian guests or presentations and music and free lunch Fridays where they also brought in traditional Australian entertainment and food.

On my own I had to navigate the city and figure out how to use the public transportation. That, however, was easy since things in Townsville are pretty similar to how things are from where I’m from plus in the same language. The most difficult thing to figure out was where my classes were, since I typically go to a small liberal arts school in America and James Cook had a campus that was significantly larger. I also had to figure out budgeting for all my excursions.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

My study abroad experience was significantly different then my other friends who went abroad to other schools or to other countries. James Cook University encourages abroad students to live in dorms with the Australian students. I found that this promoted my friendships with Australians and my involvement in the school.

I would recommend to students going abroad to Townsville to get involved in their dorm spirit and by to waste a single day. I remember there was a river walking distance from my dorm that had a dock and rope swing that a plethora of us frequented. It was a free option at exploring Townsville and enjoying the biodiversity which is unique to the tropics.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Typically on a week day i would wake up in the morning, go to my dorms dining hall for breakfast then head out to class. After my classes i would eat some vegemite on toast and whatever the daily special was and hangout with my friends. After lunch i would either walk to the river or the pool or sometimes take the bus to the ocean. At night we would all go cheer on our dorm as they challenged the other dorms in sports for the year long competition. Weekends I would take longer excursions such as to the billabong wildlife sanctuary and then at night go support a boy who lived in my hall as he DJ-ed at a local bar with my friends.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear going abroad was that I wouldn’t have enough money to do everything i wanted. I actually wasn’t able to, but instead of focusing of the stuff I could do, I focused on the once in a lifetime experiences that I was able to have. None of my time there I consider to be boring or a waste of time and even though my money did run out like I feared I am incredibly happy with how i spent it.

Do you have any prior travel experience?

I spent my spring break traveling to Bali with some friends who were also abroad. Bali was incredibly different to Australia and to America which was really eye opening for me. It was a country where bartering was the norm and there were wild monkeys everywhere. We got to do things like explore markets and temples, go surfing, and lay on some of the most beautiful beaches.