How to Apply to Art and Design at Swinburne: Six Bachelor of Design Majors, Industrial Design and Interior Architecture Honours, Animation and Games, No Folio for School Leavers, and Requirements for Students in China, Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

Swinburne University of Technology is in Hawthorn, in Melbourne’s east. Its art and design degrees are taught at the Hawthorn campus and focus on design, animation and games; there is no fine art degree. This guide covers 2027 entry, based on Swinburne’s course pages and international entry requirements page, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. The degrees (international students, 2027)

• Bachelor of Design: three years, CRICOS 088395D. Six majors: Communication Design, Emerging Technology for Design Innovation (also written as Emerging Technology for Digital Innovation elsewhere on the page), Experiential Design, Motion Design, Photography and UX Interaction Design. 2027 international fee AU$45,460 a year.
• Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours): four years, CRICOS 085305B, AU$47,700 a year.
• Bachelor of Design (Interior Architecture) (Honours): four years, CRICOS 085306A, AU$47,700 a year.
• Bachelor of Animation: three years, CRICOS 092511D, AU$47,400 a year. The final year is a two-semester major project covering pre-production and production.
• Bachelor of Games and Interactivity: three years, CRICOS 088399M, AU$42,800 a year, with double degrees including Animation and computing.
• Bachelor of Design (Honours) (Communication Design and UX Interaction Design): four years; the course page says it is available to domestic students only.
• Intakes: the degrees open to international students all have Semester 1 (starting 1 March 2027) and Semester 2 (starting 2 August 2027) intakes. Student visa holders must study full-time on campus.
• Work experience: the course pages say all bachelor degrees include guaranteed Work Integrated Learning (placements, internships or industry projects). Six- or twelve-month professional placements increase the total course fee.

2. Do you need a folio?

• Not for school leavers: the entry requirements on these course pages (qualifications, prerequisites and English) list no folio, interview or selection task; entry is based on results.
• Bachelor of Design exceptions: the page says three groups must submit a Digital Portfolio and answer four design-related questions: (a) applicants last enrolled in secondary or post-secondary study more than five years ago; (b) applicants seeking advanced standing outside an agreed pathway; and (c) applicants relying on relevant work experience or the STAT test. The page gives no piece count or format; ask Swinburne.
• Interior Architecture (Honours): the page says applicants with a Year 12 equivalent must reach a corresponding score in an art, design or media subject. The score is not published.

3. Entry: students at high schools in China

Swinburne’s international entry requirements page lists requirements by course and country. For China:

• Bachelor of Design, Animation, and Games and Interactivity: Gao San completed with a 70% overall average in academic subjects, or the Gaokao with 60% of the provincial total (totals vary by province).
• Industrial Design and Interior Architecture (Honours): Gao San 80%, or 70% of the Gaokao total.
• IB Diploma: Bachelor of Design 24 (26 if applying with predicted grades); Industrial Design (Honours) 26 (29 predicted). We did not check IB scores for Animation, Games or Interior Architecture; the entry requirements page has them.
• A-level: Bachelor of Design 72 UCAS tariff points from three A-levels (or two A-levels plus two or more AS-levels); Industrial Design (Honours) 120 points (128 predicted).
• US curriculum (including AP): Bachelor of Design needs a GPA of 2.5 plus SAT 1060, ACT 21 or an AP aggregate of 8 across three subjects; Industrial Design (Honours) needs GPA 3.0 plus SAT 1160, ACT 23 or an AP aggregate of 9.
• Below the requirement: the Swinburne Foundation Program needs 65% overall for Design, Animation and Games, and 70% for Industrial Design and Interior Architecture; there is also the eight-month Diploma of Design (UniLink).

4. Entry: students at Canadian high schools

• BC: the BC Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood Diploma) with 60% across five Grade 12 courses (Design, Animation, Games); 70% for Industrial Design and Interior Architecture.
• Ontario: the OSSD with 60% across six Grade 12 U/M courses; 70% for Industrial Design and Interior Architecture.
• Other provinces: Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and others need 60% across five Grade 12 courses (70% for Industrial Design and Interior Architecture). Quebec has separate rules on the entry requirements page.
• English: the course and application pages we read do not say whether Canadian high school English exempts you from IELTS; check Swinburne’s English requirements page or ask admissions.

5. English

• IELTS: every course page above asks for IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band below 6.0.
• Other routes: Swinburne’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP 5 Advanced) at 65% overall and in all skills; other tests are on Swinburne’s English requirements page. PTE can be taken at Hawthorn.
• If you fall short: package an English (ELICOS) course with your degree; eligible students get 10 weeks of ELICOS fees refunded (see scholarships).

6. Transfer and credit

• Applying with tertiary study: every course page accepts completed or partly completed approved tertiary qualifications (Certificate IV and above, diplomas, advanced diplomas, associate degrees and degrees).
• Bachelor of Design credit (Swinburne vocational courses listed on the page): up to 15–16 units for the Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design; up to 8 units for the Diploma of Graphic Design, Diploma of Interior Design or Diploma of Visual Merchandising; up to 12 units for the Advanced Diploma of Interior Design. Applicants seeking credit outside an agreed pathway must submit a Digital Portfolio and answer four design questions (see section 2).
• For Animation, Games, Industrial Design and Interior Architecture, check the course page and handbook for credit rules.

7. Fees and scholarships

• Fees (2027 international, per year): Bachelor of Design AU$45,460; Industrial Design and Interior Architecture (Honours) AU$47,700; Animation AU$47,400; Games and Interactivity AU$42,800. Swinburne says these are estimates charged on actual study load; the 2027 Student Services and Amenities Fee (AU$386) is included.
• Swinburne International Scholarship: international students starting an undergraduate course at Hawthorn for the first time in 2027 get 20% off tuition for the standard course duration. You are assessed automatically when you apply, and the result appears in your offer letter.
• George Swinburne International Excellence Scholarship: for 2027 international starters with high academic results, 30% off tuition for the standard duration.
• ELICOS+ Scholarship: if you package an English course because you do not yet meet the English requirement, 10 weeks of ELICOS fees are refunded across your first three semesters of the degree.
• Swinburne does not publish the results needed for each level; admissions decides when assessing your application.

8. Timeline (2027 entry)

• Semester 1: the course pages give a last date to apply of 24 February 2027, with classes starting 1 March.
• Semester 2: last date to apply 28 July 2027, starting 2 August.
• Visas: allow time for a student visa and apply early.
• How to apply: through Swinburne’s online international application system or an authorised agent, with certified academic results, English test results and letters from your school or employer. International students already doing Year 12 in Australia apply through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). The pages we read do not mention an application fee.

9. Key points for each group

Students at high schools in China (Gaokao, A-level, IB, AP):

• Design, Animation, Games: Gao San 70% or 60% of the Gaokao total, IB 24 (Bachelor of Design); Industrial Design and Interior Architecture: Gao San 80% or Gaokao 70%
• No folio for school leavers; IELTS 6.0 (6.0 in each band)
• Semester 1 closes 24 February 2027; you are assessed automatically for a 20% or 30% tuition scholarship

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• BC Dogwood with 60% across five Grade 12 courses (70% for Industrial Design and Interior Architecture)
• Ask Swinburne whether Canadian high school English exempts you from IELTS

Transfer students:

• Recognised university or college study counts for entry; seeking Bachelor of Design credit outside an agreed pathway needs a Digital Portfolio and four design answers
• Swinburne diplomas in graphic design, interior design and more give credit into the Bachelor of Design

Sources: Swinburne University of Technology, Bachelor of Design; Bachelor of Design (Honours); Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours); Bachelor of Design (Interior Architecture) (Honours); Bachelor of Animation; Bachelor of Games and Interactivity; Entry requirements for international students; How to apply as an international student; Scholarships for international students. Information is for 2027 entry. Check Swinburne for the latest details.