University of South Australia

The two central University of South Australia campuses can be found in the heart of Adelaide. The university also has metropolitan campuses in Magill and Mawson Lakes, and regional campuses in Whyalla and Mount Gambier.

However, you don’t need to live in South Australia to access hundreds of courses. You can study with UniSA Online from anywhere in Australia. 

The University of South Australia was founded in 1991, after the South Australian Institute of Technology and the South Australian College of Advanced Education decided to merge. 

These much older institutions date all the way back to 1889 and 1856. So while University of South Australia is technically young, it was built on top of a rich history. 

The University of South Australia is known for its business school, which ranks within the top 1% of business schools worldwide. It’s one of the best places in the country to study an MBA because the course is delivered with the Australian Institute of Company Directors, making it the only MBA of its kind. 

The university is also highly ranked in areas like law, economics, healthcare, exercise and sport science—study areas that are all available online.

In 2022, over 37,000 students were enrolled with the University of South Australia.

The University of South Australia is considered one of the top 50 best young universities in the world.

This is due to the quality of the teaching, graduate employability rates and the fact that courses are developed through strong industry relationships. The uni collaborates with more than 2,500 companies so that students (including online students) have access to networking contacts and placements. 

The UniSA Business School is particularly well regarded. It’s accredited by EQUIS, which benchmarks management education providers. There are fewer than 200 universities across the world with this accreditation.

Some of Australia’s most prominent politicians, journalists, activists and public figures have studied with the University of South Australia. 

Notable former students include: 

• Penny Wong, senior Labor Party politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs
• Christopher Pyne, former senior Liberal Party politician
• Dean Brown AO, former Premier of South Australia
• Tom Calma AO, Chancellor of University of Canberra and co-chair of Reconciliation Australia
• Poh Ling Yeow, celebrity chef
• Rebecca Morse, journalist and radio host
• Angelica Cheung, founding editor-in-chief of Vogue China
• Phil Coorey, political editor of The Australian Financial Review
• Sally Sara AM, Walkley Award-winning journalist and foreign correspondent
• Grant Stevens, Commissioner of the South Australian Police
• John Gloster, physiotherapist for the Indian Cricket Team

UniSA Online gives you full control over your study experience. You don't have to be online at a specific time. Instead, you can watch video lectures, complete assessment activities and do readings when it suits you, provided you meet the regular deadlines set by your tutors. 

Subjects are offered in 10-week blocks, which is shorter than most university semesters. This makes it easier to stay engaged and motivated. You can expect to spend about 10-15 hours per week on each subject. 

The trickiest part can be learning how to manage your own time, but plenty of support is available. You can chat with your tutors and classmates through discussion forums and optional Zoom check-in sessions. You can also reach out to 24/7 tech support and a virtual library service. Online students have access to over 700,000 e-books, videos and journal articles. 

Yes, you can enrol in single UniSA subjects through us.

You should consider studying a single subject over a degree if you’d like to: 

• Give study a test run: We make it possible to try UniSA subjects online without committing to a degree. If you enjoy your first subject, we’ll help you switch into the related qualification, with full credit.  
• Upskill in one area only: Learn what will benefit your career most, and nothing else. Your subject will still be covered by HELP funding.  
• Skip entry requirements: If you didn’t get the right ATAR for a UniSA degree, we can help you get in through single subjects instead. We have a unique deal in place with University of South Australia that means we can wave entry requirements. Contact us if you’d like to learn more about this. 

No, you can’t apply for a UniSA degrees through us. University of South Australia handles all enquiries and applications related to full degrees. 

You can still use our website to research your options. If you find a UniSA degree you’re interested in, select ‘Enquire now’ on the course page and fill out the form. A representative from University of South Australia will then get in touch with you. 

For your peace of mind, an Open Universities Australia student advisor will also contact you after you speak with the university to see how you went. We can steer you in another direction if you haven’t quite found the course for you.

For help enrolling in a University of South Australia subject, get in touch with one of our friendly student advisors. 

They can answer your questions around: 

• HELP funding for subjects
• Whether your subject can be used as credit towards a specific degree
• Whether your subject will help you enter a related qualification

Check this list of key dates to understand when enrolments are open.