Key dates
All the important Open Universities Australia dates, including close of enrolment dates, close of application dates and census dates. You’ll also find key exam dates listed too.
Key dates are based on the university teaching your course. They include dates when enrolments close, when classes start, and when the study term ends. Some degrees include subjects from a mix of universities, so your timetable may run across different study terms and include several key dates.
Exams are usually held in the weeks following the end of each study term. Find out more in the exams key dates section below.
Please note: Semester 3 is an intensive semester. We advise students to enrol in only one or two subjects in Semester 3.
2018-2019
Study period dates for all universities (except Macquarie and ANU)
| Close of enrolment | Classes start | Census date* | Classes end | End of term | |
| Study Period 1 | 18 Feb 2018 | 26 Feb 2018 | 19 Mar 2018 | 27 May 2018 | 1 Jun 2018 |
| Study Period 2 | 20 May 2018 | 28 May 2018 | 18 Jun 2018 | 26 Aug 2018 | 31 Aug 2018 |
| Study Period 3 | 19 Aug 2018 | 27 Aug 2018 | 17 Sept 2018 | 25 Nov 2018 | 30 Nov 2018 |
| Study Period 4 | 18 Nov 2018 | 26 Nov 2018 | 17 Dec 2018 | 24 Feb 2019 | 1 Mar 2019 |
Semester dates for Macquarie
| Close of enrolment | Classes start | Census date* | Recess** | End of term | |
| Semester 1 | 18 Feb 2018 | 26 Feb 2018 | 26 Mar 2018 | 16 Apr - 27 Apr 2018 | 29 Jun 2018 |
| Semester 2 | 22 Jul 2018 | 30 Jul 2018 | 26 Aug 2018 | 17 Sept - 28 Sept 2018 | 30 Nov 2018 |
| Semester 3 | 25 Nov 2018 | 3 Dec 2018 | 17 Dec 2018 | 24 Dec 2018 - 4 Jan 2019 | 1 Feb 2019 |
** Macquarie has a recess mid-way through each semester. Tutors may not be available during these times.
Semester dates for ANU
| Close of enrolment | Classes start | Census date* | End of term | |
| Semester 1 | 18 Feb 2018 | 26 Feb 2018 | 31 Mar 2018 | 16 Jun 2018 |
| Semester 2 | 15 Jul 2018 | 23 Jul 2018 | 31 Aug 2018 | 17 Nov 2018 |
Trimester dates for UNE
| Close of enrolment | Classes start | Census date* | End of classes | End of exams | |
| Trimester 3 | 28 Oct 2018 | 5 Nov 2018 | 26 November 2018 | 25 Jan 2019 | 11 Feb 2019 |
* After the census date students can no longer withdraw from subject and receive a refund or re-credit of their fees.
Application closing dates (all universities except Macquarie)
| Commonwealth supported place (CSP) degrees | Restricted degrees | |
| Study Period 1 | 11 Feb 2018 | 11 Feb 2018 |
| Study Period 2 | 13 May 2018 | 13 May 2018 |
| Study Period 3 | 12 Aug 2018 | 12 Aug 2018 |
| Study Period 4 | 11 Nov 2018 | 11 Nov 2018 |
Application closing dates for Macquarie
| Commonwealth supported place (CSP) degrees | Restricted degrees | |
| Semester 1 | 11 Feb 2018 | 11 Feb 2018 |
| Semester 2 | 15 Jul 2018 | 15 Jul 2018 |
| Semester 3 | 18 Nov 2018 | 18 Nov 2018 |
Study period dates for ACU^, Curtin^ and Swinburne^
| Close of enrolment | Classes start | Census date* | Classes end | End of term | |
| Study Period 1 | 18 Feb 2018^ | 26 Feb 2018 | 19 Mar 2018 | 27 May 2018 | 1 Jun 2018 |
| Study Period 2 | 20 May 2018^ | 28 May 2018 | 18 Jun 2018 | 26 Aug 2018 | 31 Aug 2018 |
| Study Period 3 | 19 Aug 2018^ | 27 Aug 2018 | 17 Sept 2018 | 25 Nov 2018 | 30 Nov 2018 |
| Study Period 4 | 18 Nov 2018 | 26 Nov 2018 | 17 Dec 2018 | 24 Feb 2019 | 1 Mar 2019 |
^ Note: Some subjects by these universities are available in sessions (see below dates) as well as study periods. Refer to the subject page for details.
* After the census date students can no longer withdraw from a degree or subject and receive a refund or re-credit of their fees.
Semester dates for Macquarie
| Close of enrolment | Classes start | Census date* | Recess** | End of term | |
| Semester 1 | 18 Feb 2018 | 26 Feb 2018 | 26 Mar 2018 | 16 Apr 2018 - 27 Apr 2018 | 29 Jun 2018 |
| Semester 2 | 22 Jul 2018 | 30 Jul 2018 | 26 Aug 2018 | 17 Sept - 28 Sept 2018 | 30 Nov 2018 |
| Semester 3 | 25 Nov 2018 | 3 Dec 2018 | 17 Dec 2018 | 24 Dec 2018 - 4 Jan 2019 | 1 Feb 2019 |
Please note: Semester 3 is an intensive semester. We advise students to enrol in only one or two subjects in Semester 3.
* After the census date students can no longer withdraw from a degree or subject and receive a refund or re-credit of their fees.
** Macquarie University has a recess mid-way through each semester. Tutors may not be available during these times.
Session dates for ACU, Curtin, Griffith, Murdoch, RMIT, UniSA
| Close of enrolment | Classes start | Census date* | Classes end | End of term | |
| Session 1 | 18 Feb 2018 | 26 Feb 2018 | 22 Mar 2018 | 3 Jun 2018 |
8 Jun 2018 |
| Session 2 | 8 Jul 2018 | 16 Jul 2018 | 9 Aug 2018 | 21 Oct 2018 | 26 Oct 2018 |
| Session 3 | 4 Nov 2018 | 12 Nov 2018 | 6 Dec 2018 | 17 Feb 2019 | 22 Feb 2019 |
* After the census date students can no longer withdraw from a degree or subject and receive a refund or re-credit of their fees.
Application closing dates for ACU, Curtin, Murdoch and Swinburne
| Restricted degrees | Postgraduate single subjects | |
| Study Period 1 | 11 Feb 2018 | 14 Feb 2018 |
| Study Period 2 | 13 May 2018 | 16 May 2018 |
| Study Period 3 | 12 Aug 2018 | 15 Aug 2018 |
| Study Period 4 | 11 Nov 2018 | 14 Nov 2018 |
Application closing dates for Macquarie
| Restricted degrees | Commonwealth supported place (CSP) degrees | |
| Semester 1 | 11 Feb 2018 | 11 Feb 2018* |
| Semester 2 | 15 Jul 2018 | - |
| Semester 3 | 18 Nov 2018 | - |
*Above is Macquarie University's close of application dates with the exception of Master of Teaching (Birth to Five Years)
Application closing dates for Curtin, Griffith, RMIT and UniSA
| Restricted degrees | |
| Session 1 | 11 Feb 2018 |
| Session 2 | 1 Jul 2018 |
| Session 3 | 28 Oct 2018 |
*Above are close of application dates with the exception of:
Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (Executive) - RMIT
Executive MBA - RMIT
Master of Social Work - Griffith
Exams key dates
Exams key dates are based on the university teaching your subjects. They include dates when exam timetables are published, deadlines to nominate your exam venue, and when exam periods start and end. Some degrees include subjects from a mix of universities, so your exam timetable may include several exam key dates.
Check subject pages to confirm how your subjects are offered—study periods, semesters or sessions—then refer to the tables below for your exams key dates. See your Student Hub and Exams FAQ for more information, including exam venue locations. Exam venue addresses will be emailed to you closer to your exam dates.
2018-2019
| Venue selection open | Timetable publication | Deadline to nominate/ change your venue |
Exam period | |
| Study Period 1 | 9 Apr 2018 | 16 Apr 2018 | 29 Apr 2018 | 28 May - 1 Jun 2018 |
| Study Period 2 | 9 Jul 2018 | 16 Jul 2018 | 29 Jul 2018 | 27 - 31 Aug 2018 |
| Study Period 3 | 8 Oct 2018 | 15 Oct 2018 | 28 Oct 2018 | 26 - 30 Nov 2018 |
| Study Period 4 | 7 Jan 2019 | 14 Jan 2019 | 27 Jan 2019 | 25 Feb - 1 Mar 2019 TBC |
| Venue selection open | Timetable publication | Deadline to nominate/ change your venue |
Exam period | |
| Semester 1 | 16 Apr 2018 | 23 Apr 2018 | 6 May 2018 | 4 - 22 Jun 2018 |
| Semester 2 | 3 Sep 2018 | 10 Sep 2018 | 23 Sep 2018 | 29 Oct - 16 Nov 2018 |
| Semester 3 | To be confirmed |
| Venue selection open | Timetable publication | Deadline to nominate/ change your venue |
Exam period | |
| Session 1 | 16 Apr 2018 | 23 Apr 2018 | 6 May 2018 | 4 - 22 Jun 2018 |
| Session 2 | 3 Sep 2018 | 10 Sep 2018 | 23 Sep 2018 | 29 Oct - 16 Nov 2018 |
| Session 3 | 7 Jan 2019 | 14 Jan 2019 | 27 Jan 2019 | 25 Feb - 1 Mar 2019 |