Flinders University

Flinders offers a wide variety of courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including Archaeology, Australian Studies, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Chinese (Mandarin), Computer Science, Creative Writing, Criminology, Dance, Design, Development Studies, Disability Studies, Disaster Health, Drama, Earth Science, Education, Engineering, English, Environmental Science, French, Fashion Design, Film Studies (Screen & Media), Geography, Geology & GIS (in Geography), Greek Studies, History, Indonesian Studies, International Relations, Italian, Kinesiology (Exercise Science/Health & Physical Education), Law & Society, Linguistics (& Languages), Math, Nanotechnology, Nutrition, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Spanish, Statistics, Theology, Tourism, Visual Arts, Women's Studies and more.

Haskayne Students: A Haskayne Specific Exchange is available at Flinders. Students can take two senior commerce and/or non-commerce options, and/or a maximum of 2 concentration courses (not ACCT/PLMA). Review your course selection with a Haskayne exchange advisor before your exchange commences to confirm transfer credit. Find your Haskayne exchange advisor online. 

CRDS Practicum: UCalgary Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies students are able to arrange a practicum as part of their exchange. The practicum is designed for students in their 4th year. 

See Flinders' website for the topic (course) search page and an explanation of how to select topics & the list of restricted topics. 

Course Requirements: At Flinders, a course is called a "topic" (sometimes a "unit"). Note that course credits are also called "units". Exchange students are expected to take 13.5-18 units (credits), or 3-4 topics (courses), per semester. 4 topics at Flinders = 5 UCalgary courses. 3 topics at Flinders = 3 UCalgary courses.

The academic year is divided into 2 semesters.

• Semester 1 runs from late February to late June
• Semester 2 runs from late July to late November

Students can start in either semester, however full-year students must start in February.

Exchange students to Flinders cannot always be guaranteed housing, but if they apply by the deadline, the university will try to place them in one of the two on-campus residence halls:

• University Hall - private dorm rooms with shared bathrooms and a fully-catered dining centre (15 meals/week)
• Deirdre Jordan (DJ) Village - 2 or 3 bedroom apartments with a shared bathroom and kitchen for self-catering.

Students should expect to pay AUS$250-350 per week depending on residence type. The on-campus housing is a 5 min walk to main campus, and 20 min by bus to the city & beach. Living on campus also gives students free membership to the Flinders sport centre, including a world-class fitness facility with great views of the surrounding campus and city!

Student Tips: "I lived in the Deirdre Jordan Village, in a five-person unit. It is very spacious and the rooms are really big and have a lot of storage. The bathrooms are also really large. The residence is close to both main campus and the Sturt campus (for medicine, OT, PT, and Disability). My unit was fairly new and nice. In my opinion, the Village is a much better choice than the Hall, especially if you are in your later years of university. Most of the students in the Hall are younger and just starting university. If you are living in the Village I would try to avoid the Annex units, they are much older and smaller and they don’t have air conditioning."

For students wishing to live off-campus, the university also provides several recommended sources for finding accommodation on the private market. See online for more details.

This exchange is open to regular, full-time students in any faculty at UCalgary, who have completed at least 1 full year (10 courses) at the post-secondary level, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Haskayne Students: There are additional eligibility requirements – see the Haskayne Outgoing Exchange Students page for details. When applying in the online application portal, be sure to select the Haskayne version of this exchange. If you do not meet the eligibility requirements, you may be able to participate in the non-Haskayne version of this exchange; contact your Haskayne exchange advisor to discuss.

What's special about Adelaide?

Tied with Calgary for one of the top 5 most livable cities in the world, Adelaide is often informally referred to as the "Food and wine capital of Australia" for its abundant markets and wineries, and the "Amsterdam of Australia" for its flat terrain and expansive cycle culture. Bike rentals can be found throughout the city (note cycling without a helmet is illegal in Australia!) and the relatively calm traffic and plentiful bike paths make it an accessible form of transit. Adelaide is also one of the most affordable cities in Australia (21% cheaper than Melbourne, 23% cheaper than Sydney, 4% cheaper than Brisbane and Perth), saving you money for travelling across the continent. 

Adelaide Central Market is South Australia's most visited landmark, is one of the country's oldest (since 1869) and largest fresh produce markets, making it a mecca for foodies and connoiseurs, with unique offerings and culinary delights you can't easily find elsewhere in Australia. 

See more great things about Adelaide here. Also, check out some of Adelaide's best festivals! 

For information about Halal food availability in Adelaide, check out the "Muslim students' guide to Adelaide", which is published online by the organization Study Adelaide. 

What resources are available for new students?

Flinders' International Student Services office oversees several informative sessions to help give you an introduction to Australian life. These include a mandatory arrival briefing, ISS orientation day, and campus tours. There is also O'Week, an orientation week at the start of semester, full of events for all incoming students.

International Student Services (ISS) at Flinders provides a meet and greet service, meeting students who arrive at the airport with a welcome package and transportation support.

Additionally, ISS publishes an online pre-departure and arrival guide for international students. The office also runs international student activities and trips throughout the year.

What accessibility resources are available?

Flinders' Disability Service provides comprehensive support for students with disabilities or who need academic accommodations. 

Other supports on campus include: Student Learning Support Services, Student Success & Wellbeing Advisors, and the OASIS centre. 

Student Experience Quotes

"I wish I had brought warm clothes (more sweaters, long sleeved shirts, and jackets). I was surprised that it was actually cold in Australia in May, June, and July! I also wish I packed my rain boots and more formal clothes as well. The last thing I wish I packed was a reusable mug or a tea infuser. I don't think there were any items that I could not get in Australia that I did not bring."

"Climate wise- it is really hot in January/February and even in March still. However, it will get cold! 10-15 degrees Celsius does not seem cold- however, in Australia- it feels very cold! The houses are not insulated the best there either, so bring warm clothes/gloves/scarves too!"

"There was an arrival orientation - Flinders University did a fabulous job of it, and all of the international students had a lunch together and there was a draw for prizes as well. The university connected us to a new international student club immediately, and this club supported me throughout my entire time in Australia. The most useful information I received was knowledge and connection to this club and support with navigating the campus."

"There are a lot of trips you can sign up for. There are tours of different parts of the city and initial meet-and-greets with other students. Later on there will be a trip to Kangaroo Island, Granite Island, a surf trip, and a wine tour. I would highly recommend joining the FUSE Club. It is a club for exchange students that puts on lots of awesome events like an ALF game, bar nights, and pub crawls. It’s a great way to meet both Australian and international students."

"Adelaide is great in that even though it is a small city, there is so much to do inside and outside of Adelaide! I would recommend using Facebook to keep up with events going on in the city. The Fringe takes place from February-March every year I believe and it brings people from all over! It is similar to Stampede in terms of city spirit. Go check it out and see a few shows if you can! I enjoyed going to the Barossa Valley, surfing, kayaking in the dolphin sanctuary and the ships graveyard, doing a Great Ocean Road tour to Melbourne (G’s Adventures was amazing!), going to the central market and Plant 4 Bowden Market, the zoo (there is also an open zoo where you ride in a safari cart around the open exhibits - I wanted to do this, but didn’t have time). There are also hikes that are accessible by bus close to the city. Kangaroo Island is about a 1.5 hour drive from the city to get to the ferry and I would highly recommend going on a tour there! It is beautiful! Glenelg beach is also stunning and is one of the first places I went to when I got to Adelaide and never got bored with it!"