Why Choose James Cook University?

  • Programs: James Cook University offers 49 undergraduate and 68 postgraduate degrees through six colleges and 32 areas of study. Out of all, Marine and Freshwater Biology is ranked at No. 1 in the world by CWUR. Also check: Courses at JCU
  • Admission Requirements: Admissions are granted on the basis of merit and English language proficiency. Hence, international students must maintain a minimum average score of 75% and a TOEFL score of 94, SOP, and LOR.
  • Cost of Attendance: The average tuition fee to attend JCU is 30,000 AUD. Apart from this, students are required to be prepared with a living cost in Australia of 5,304 AUD.
  • Campus and Accommodation: Around 1,400 students live on campus in colleges and halls of residence, giving the campus a true community atmosphere. The average cost to live on-campus is 8,640 AUD.
  • Scholarships: JCU offers 15 different kinds of scholarships in Australia to students. Students can avail of fee waivers upto 10,000 AUD on the basis of an overall academic and scholastic profile.
  • Placements: The highest paid job offered to James Cook University is IT & Software Development with an average salary of 59,000 AUD (32 lakhs). Furthermore, students with bachelor's degrees are 76,000 AUD (41 lakhs).

Highlights 

University Type Public Research University
Campus Setting Suburban, Regional
Establishment Year 1961
No. of Campuses 7
Graduate Job Rate 72.9% (full time)
Funding 826 million AUD
Cost of Attendance 29,036 - 46457 AUD (annually)
Applications Accepted Online/Offline/Through Agent/QTAC
Work-Study Available
Mode of Program Full time, Part-time, Online
Website jcu.edu.au

James Cook University Rankings

  • #424 in QS Top University Rankings 2022
  • #251–300 World University Rankings 2022
  • #51-100 in QS Subject Rankings 2021
  • James Cook University ranked 287 in best global universities as published by US News 2021
  • According to Rankings published by US News 2021, JC University secured 21st position among best global universities in Australia and New Zealand and 19 in only Australia

James Cook University Programs

49 undergraduate and 68 postgraduate degrees are offered at JCU under six colleges and 32 areas of study.

  • JCU’s Marine Biology is ranked number one in the world.
  • Other subjects that have ranked worldwide are Art, Business Management Studies, Engineering, Law, Biomedical Sciences, Dental Surgery, etc.

Some of the popular programs offered by James Cook University (with fees) have been mentioned in the table below:

Department Name Estimated Tuition Fee/Year (AUD)
Arts, Education & Information Sciences 29,471
Law & Nursing 31,213
Business 32,186
Engineering & Pharmacy 35,859
Science 36,846
Medicine 55,936
Veterinary Sciences 57,176
Dental 64,931

James Cook University Campus

James Cook University campuses in Australia are located in the city of Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane. It also operates a fourth campus in the international city of Singapore.

  • JCU Townsville, Bebegu Yumba campus is in Townsville Tropical Intelligence and Health Precinct (TropiQ) in the suburb of Douglas. It is situated within a 386-hectare natural bush and parkland setting that is 13 kilometres from the Townsville CBD.
  • The Campus houses over 1400 students in colleges and residence hall and offers facilities such as teaching and research facilities, library, cafes, bars, gym and sporting facilities
  • The JCU Student association and JCU international student association organizes an array of social, sporting and academic clubs and societies.
  • Townsville Campus also has excellent sporting facilities such as cricket pitch, gym, hockey, football, tennis courts, swimming pool, squash courts, rowing and the like.
  • Cairns hosts around 3,000 students which include 355 international students. Cairns also has two sub-campus located at Smithfield and in the heart of the city. With the campuses located near two World-heritage-listed natural ecosystems - the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Wet Tropics ancient rainforests, it gives students the opportunity to develop specialised skills during field trips and expeditions to research locations.
  • The Campuses at Cairns offers facilities such as teaching and research facilities, library, sporting facilities, gym, cafes, bars, clubs and societies. The JCU Cairns City Campus also offers study facilities.
  • Besides the usual sporting facilities, JCU Cairns Smithfield Campus also has a world-class mountain bike track.
  • Campus at Brisbane is located in the middle of Brisbane’s business district and operated by Russo Higher Education. It offers bachelors and postgraduate courses in business and information technology to international students.

James Cook University Student Accommodation

JCU University offers on-campus accommodations at Townsville and Cairns for domestic and overseas students planning to study in Australia. The campuses provide a safe and secure environment for international students and offer a range of living options.

  • At JCU Townsville, accommodations are available at George Roberts Hall, Rotary International House, University Hall, Saint Catholic College and The John Flynn College.
  • The residence halls at JCU Cairns are located at John Grey Hall and Cairns Student lodge(just across the street from Smithfield Campus).
  • The rooms at JCU on-campus residences are single board and come with facilities such as study desk and chair, bed, Wi-FI, Air conditioning, Fan, Wardrobe and Secure Swipe Lock System.
  • The Residence halls also have a common area which includes common rooms, computer labs and printers, TV rooms, Study areas, Kitchenettes, Laundry, outdoor seating and so on.
  • The on-campus residences also offer services such as security, three meals per day, daily cleaning and maintenance.

One can also opt for off-campus student accommodations in Australia. The University aids students to find residential options such as homestays, community living, share

housing, or a place of your own near JCU.

James Cook University Admission Process

Admissions at James Cook University will vary depending on the program one is applying to - undergraduate or postgraduate program.International students can apply online, offline or through their country-specific agents. The students belonging to Australia and/or pursuing an International Baccalaureate Diploma can apply through QTAC Application. The application can be submitted six weeks before attending college.
Where to Apply: Online Application Portal
Application Fee: No fee
Documents to be submitted:

  • Academic Transcripts
  • Passport
  • CV or Resume
  • Letter of Recommendation(Only required for specific courses)
  • Passport Size Photograph
  • English Proficiency score details
  • Original Certificates/Grade Score reports
  • Statement of Purpose(for specific programs)
  • ACT : 22
  • SAT: 1000
  • GMAT (for PG): 620

Students should also explore: Australian Student Visa application guide

English Proficiency Requirements

The following table shows the required score for each exam:

Test Test Scores
TOEFL (iBT) 79-100
TOEFL (PBT) 550-577
IELTS 6.5 overall
PTE 79-100

Cost of Attendance at James Cook University

The cost of stay in Australia in a broader perspective remains more or less the same. However, the major change in cost is seen, due to residence differences. Either on-campus or off-campus with a full board facility is around $290 AUD to $442 AUD per week. Apart from that other expenses have been tabulated below:

Expenses Approximate Costs (weekly)
Rent (on share) 120 
Homestay 180 
Electricity 80 
Internet 55 
Transport/Travel 70 
Books and Supplies 55 
Other 50 

Note:

  • All costs are estimated and are subject to change.
  • JCU offers free Wi-Fi to students on Campus.
  • Approximate costs of attendance generally shoot up to 48,731 AUD per year.

James Cook University Scholarships and Financial Aid

James Cook University offers a range of scholarships in Australia enrolling for all levels of study from pathway programs to research degrees at masters and doctoral level. Some of them have been mentioned below:

Name of Scholarship Eligibility Value
James Cook University College Pathways Scholarship Available to international students enrolling Diploma of Engineering, Diploma of Health (Nursing Pathway), Diploma of Science, and Diploma of Technology 25% reduction in tuition fee
JCU International Student Merit Stipend Available to international students hailing from Asia, Africa, Papua New Guinea and the Middle East 700 AUD/ monthly
JCU College Progression Scholarship Offered to students who transition from JCU College Diplomas to JCU Bachelor Programs with a GPA of 4.5 or above To be decided based on the student profile
JCU Research Scholarship Offered to students commencing research degrees at Master or Doctoral level To be decided based on the student profile
Australia Award Scholarship Offered to international students enrolling for undergraduate/postgraduate courses at Australian Universities All costs covered for the duration of the study

Note:

  • There are no certain criteria that decide the value and eligibility. However, the Scholarship is assessed on the basis of an overall academic and scholastic profile.
  • All profiles are automatically assessed for available scholarships at the time of admission to James Cook University. Students who are selected will receive the scholarship offer along with the offer of admission to their chosen program of study.
  • Applicants should note that some programs are ineligible for the International Excellence Scholarship. This includes, but is not limited to, the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Master of Engineering (Professional), and online and non-award programs

James Cook University Placements

JCU's Career and Employability help students in career planning and provides a variety of employment opportunities like MBA jobs in Australia.

  • Students may explore full-time and part-time jobs along with internships through CareerHub. It also provides information about upcoming career events, workshops, and employers.
  • Students can earn work experience and increase their employability skills through volunteering programs. Participation in volunteering can increase a student's chances of getting hired during on-campus recruitment.They can work as volunteers either on-campus or off-campus including overseas.
  • Students are also advised to apply for an internship program during the second year of their study program. The internships are advertised throughout the year on various internship job portals. In that case, they should also have an Australian Work Visa.

Top Paid Jobs offered to James Cook University Graduates:

Job/Position Average Salary(AUD)
T & Software Development 59,000
Compliance, AML, KYC & Monitoring 56,000
Executive Management & Change 36,000
Marketing, Product & Communications 34,000
Support Functions & Translation 25,000
Human Resources 24,000

Average Salary of JCU Graduates by Degree:

Degree Average Salary(AUD)
Bachelor 76,000
Master of Science 68,000
Bachelor of Science 36,000
MBA 35,000
Bachelor of Arts 31,000
Masters in Management 9,900

James Cook University aims to help students achieve their dream career. At JCU students are able to apply technical knowledge while thinking critically about the various challenges facing the world.It not only offers courses at undergraduate, postgraduate level, pathway levels but also study abroad and exchange programs.

Students receive not only world-class theoretical education but also learn practical skills which enables them to be job ready. Through volunteering, field trips, practicums, placements, internships, students will be able to build their knowledge, gain valuable work experience and network with industry professionals to kick start their career.

FAQs

Ques. What is James Cook University Famous for?

Ans. The University is famous for its innovative research as well as high-quality teaching. It has received many accolades for its research performance. It also received Excellence for research in Australia.

Ques. Is James Cook University worth it?

Ans. JCU is worth it as it is one of the top-rated universities in Australia. It has received much recognition for high teaching standards all over the world. The university also helps international students through financial aids and helps them in career planning through internship programs and career opportunities. It is worth going for those who are looking for good placements along with scholarships.

Ques. What is the minimum GPA required for admission to James Cook University?

Ans. A GPA of 5.0 on the scale of 7.0 or a 3.0 GPA on the scale of 4.0 is required for admission in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Ques. What are the courses offered by MTU?

Ans. The University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in disciplines like Business, Law, Pharmacy, Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry, Education, Tourism, Veterinary, and Nursing.

Ques. What are the Tuition fees at James Cook University?

Ans. Average Undergraduate tuition fees are 12,900 AUD per semester. The tuition fee for graduate programs is 14,450 USD per semester.

Ques. Does James Cook University offer scholarships for international students?

Ans. International students are eligible for need-based and merit-based scholarships. Merit-based scholarships are awarded based on the minimum GPA scored.

Ques. Does James Cook provide Career Service?

Ans. The career service of James Cook University has a variety of services available from job opportunities to career development resources. It also helps international students in search of jobs and helps them in securing their careers.

Ques. Is there an Accommodation facility available at James Cook University?

Ans. Accommodation facility is available both on-campus and off-campus. On-campus Accommodation has numerous facilities available. Students looking for an independent house can opt for off-campus Accommodation.