How to apply to SAO

Study astronomy online with SAO

Swinburne University of Technology welcomes new enrolments into Swinburne Astronomy Online (SAO), a flexible postgraduate astronomy program designed for students anywhere in the world.

SAO is offered through Swinburne University of Technology (not through Swinburne Online). Students may also apply through Open Universities Australia.

Choose your study pathway

SAO provides a nested suite of postgraduate astronomy programs, allowing students to select the level of study that best matches their interests and goals:

Students may also enrol in individual/single SAO units without undertaking a formal award program (see below).

Entry requirements

Entry requirements depend on the program selected.

The Graduate Certificate of Science (Astronomy) is open to applicants who have successfully completed a recognised Bachelor degree (Australian Qualifications Framework Level 7 or equivalent). Applicants without a Bachelor degree may also be considered where they have significant relevant astronomy or astronomy-related experience.

Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate provides a pathway into the Graduate Diploma of Science (Astronomy) and the Master of Science (Astronomy), subject to meeting the relevant progression requirements.

Direct entry into the Graduate Diploma of Science (Astronomy) and Master of Science (Astronomy) normally requires a recognised tertiary qualification in a cognate discipline aligned with astronomy or related fields.

Full and current admission details are available under "Entry requirements" at the above relevant Swinburne course pages:

Study load

SAO is designed to accommodate students with a wide range of commitments. Many students study part-time while working or pursuing other interests, while others progress more rapidly.

Four units in a study period represents a full-time study load. However, many SAO students choose to complete one or two units per study period and take several years to complete their qualification.

Applying for SAO

Applications for future Study Periods can be made through the course links above. Questions about admission, enrolment, or the application process can be directed to Swinburne's enquiry service.

Current SAO students seeking information about enrolling in additional units should refer to the current student enrolment page.

Individual units of study

Students who do not wish to undertake a formal award may enrol in individual SAO units:

When applying for a single unit, select the appropriate option on the application webpage to enable the online application form. The following image provides guidance on the required selections:

Documents required for new students

All new students must provide documentation as part of their application, including:

Digital certified copies of these documents in PDF format can be uploaded through the online application system. Hardcopy documents sent by post are not accepted. Please note that documents submitted as part of unsuccessful applications are not returned.

Instructions for accessing the SAO student website are emailed to enrolled students shortly before the beginning of each Study Period.