Social work is a sought-after occupation for migration to Australia, and many students want to apply for a social work major. In recent years, however, social work programmes have set increasingly high background requirements for applicants, and cross-discipline applications have become harder and harder.Does that mean students whose undergraduate major is unrelated have no hope of getting in?

Don’t panic — we still have a plan B, and that is the social work bridging course.

A bridging course, as the name suggests, is for those whose academic background and English don’t yet meet the direct-entry requirements of a social work programme — you first study a related course of anywhere from six months to a year, then move seamlessly into the Master of Social Work.

So exactly which universities offer a social work bridging course?

Western Sydney University

No.

Course: Postgraduate Bridging Program (Social Work)+Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

Entry requirements: IELTS 6.5 (6.0), PTE 58 (50)

Location: Bankstown and Parramatta South campuses, Sydney

Intake: July each year

Duration: 0.5+2 years

(moving from the social work bridging course into the master’s main programmerequires no further IELTS or PTE)

Southern Cross University

No.

Course: 0.5-1 year social work bridging course+Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Note: think of it as taking 4-8 subjects out of the Bachelor of Social Work for applicants whose background isn’t strong enough

Entry requirements: IELTS 7 across all four bands, PTE 65 across all four bands

Location: Gold Coast

Intake: February and June each year

Duration: 0.5/1+2 years

Flinders University

No.

Course: Graduate Certificate in Society and the Individual+Master of Social Work (Graduate Entry)

Entry requirements: IELTS 6.5 (6.0), PTE 58 (50)

Location: Adelaide

Intake: April/November

Duration: 2 years 3 months

Federation University

No.

Course: Graduate Certificate in Social and Community Services+Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

Entry requirements: IELTS 6.5 across all four bands, PTE 58 across all four bands

Location: Ballarat campus, Victoria

Intake: July intake at the Ballarat campus, February intake at the Melbourne Berwick campus

Duration: 0.5+2 years

(moving from the social work bridging course into the master’s main programmerequires no further IELTS or PTE)

Charles Darwin University

No.

Course: Graduate Diploma of Health and Social Care+Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

Entry requirements: IELTS 6.5 (6.0), PTE 58 (50).

Location: Casuarina campus, Darwin, Northern Territory

Intake: February each year

Duration: 1+1.5 years

(moving from the social work bridging course into the master’s main programmerequires no further IELTS or PTE)

University of Tasmania

No.

Course: Bachelor of Social Work with Honours+Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

Entry requirements: accepts only IELTS 7 across all four bands; no other English test results accepted

Location: Hobart, Launceston and Cradle Coast campuses, Tasmania

Intake: February each year

Duration: 1+2 years

Australian College of Applied Professions

No.

Course: Graduate Certificate in Human Services+Master of Social Work (Qualifying)

Entry requirements: IELTS 6.5 (6.0), PTE 59 (52)

Location: Sydney and Melbourne campuses

Intake: February and May each year

Duration: 0.5+2 years

(moving from the social work bridging course into the master’s main programmerequires no further IELTS or PTE)

James Cook University

No.

Course: Postgraduate Qualifying Program (Social Sciences) + Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying)

Entry requirements: IELTS 6.5 (6.0), PTE 59 (52)

Location: Townsville, Queensland

Intake: February and May each year

Duration: 2 years 5 months

IELTS 7 across all four bands, PTE 65 across all four bands

(moving from the social work bridging course into the master’s main programmerequires no further IELTS or PTE)

If you’d like a one-on-one study plan tailored for a social work programme

feel free to get in touch with me directly

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