UniMelb basics

Credit points, grades, WAM and when you can drop a subject. The stuff nobody explains in first year.

First semester

Most people take 4 subjects. An easy way to pick them:

  1. Pick the major you’re most likely to do, and take its level-1 subjects first. The Plan page shows which ones.
  2. Fill the rest with subjects you’re curious about, or with breadth.
  3. Enrol in my.unimelb, then choose your class times in My Timetable.
  4. Don’t like a subject? You can still drop it for free before the census date. International students, check with Stop 1 first.

Breadth means subjects from outside your degree’s own area, such as commerce or arts for a science student. Each subject’s Handbook page lists the degrees that may take it as breadth. All six degrees here need at least 50 points of breadth (4 subjects). Level-1 breadth counts up to 25 points in Science and up to 37.5 points in Arts, Biomedicine, Commerce and Design; Commerce also counts no more than 62.5 points of breadth in all.

Wondering which subjects students find easier or harder? See the easy and hard subject lists, each with its reasons. Easy subjects · Hard subjects

Credit points

Every subject is worth some credit points. Most undergrad subjects are 12.5. A 3-year bachelor needs 300 points, so 24 subjects. Course and major rules are written in points too, like “at least 50 points at level 3”.

Majors, double majors and minors

Some majors and minors can’t be taken together because they’re too close (the Handbook calls this “Diversity of study”), for example Chinese Studies with Chinese Societies. You also can’t take a minor with the same name as your major.

Concurrent diplomas: the Diploma in Languages, Computing or Mathematical Sciences is 100 extra points taken next to your bachelor, usually one more year. Up to 50 points can count for both, so some students finish sooner. Some majors can’t take Computing or Mathematical Sciences. Indigenous students can also choose the Bachelor of Science (Extended): a foundation year, then the usual Science majors, 350 points over three and a half years.

Stuck between two directions? Make a Plan A and a Plan B on the Plan page. Each plan keeps its own major, strengths, interests and goal, while your record of finished subjects is shared.

Limits that catch people out

Study load

The standard load is 50 points a semester, usually 4 subjects. More than 50 is called overloading. You have to apply, and usually only get approved if:

One exception: in your last semester you can apply to overload by 12.5 points to finish your degree, even if your WAM is under 70.

Domestic students

Full time is at least 37.5 points (3 subjects) a semester. Most have a Commonwealth supported place, and can put their fees on HECS-HELP.

International students

A student visa expects about 50 points a semester, so you finish by your CoE end date. Less is OK if you’ll still finish on time; otherwise you need an approved Reduced Study Load first.

You can enrol in up to 50 points a semester, plus up to 25 points in summer and/or winter term, if your course rules and the subjects allow it. See summer and winter subjects

Enrolment and Timetabling Policy

Studying less on a student visa

Stay enrolled full-time until you get an answer. An approval can mean a new CoE, and possibly a new visa.

Reduced Study Load

Grades

You get a mark out of 100 and a grade for each subject. 50 is a pass.

GradeMarkName
H180–100First Class Honours
H2A75–79Second Class Honours, Division A
H2B70–74Second Class Honours, Division B
H365–69Third Class Honours
P50–64Pass
N0–49Fail

WAM

WAM (Weighted Average Mark) is your average mark, weighted by points. A 25-point subject counts twice as much as a 12.5-point one. It’s used for overloading, honours, scholarships and a lot of master’s applications.

WAM = sum of (mark × points) ÷ total points

Say you have three 12.5-point subjects with 80, 70 and 60. Your WAM is 70.

Subject rules

Prerequisites
Subjects you need to pass before you can start this one.
Corequisites
Subjects you have to take in the same semester as this one.
Non-allowed subjects
Subjects that cover too much of the same stuff. You can’t get credit for both.

Missing a prerequisite but already know the material? You can ask the subject coordinator for a waiver.

Things you have to check yourself

Some subject requirements depend on things this site can’t see. Check these before you enrol:

Dropping a subject

Past the last day to withdraw, you can only ask for a late withdrawal in special circumstances, within 12 months of the end of the semester.

Domestic students: drop before census and the subject doesn’t go on your HELP debt.

International students: there’s no refund after census, and dropping below your planned load can affect your visa. Ask Stop 1 before you drop anything.

Every subject has its own dates. They’re on the subject’s Handbook page. You drop subjects in my.unimelb, under Enrolment.

Class timetable (MyTimetable)

  1. Planning: try out timetables in the Plan tab of MyTimetable. It's a sandbox, nothing gets booked.
  2. Preferences: rank the class times you want for each enrolled subject. You're not guaranteed your first pick.
  3. Allocation: MyTimetable gives everyone who entered preferences their classes and emails you.
  4. Review: swap into classes with spare places, fix clashes and join waitlists.

Timetable clash?

The Medical School and Melbourne Business School don't use MyTimetable.

How class timetabling works

Swap classes and fix clashes

Sick or something happened: special consideration

Alternative exam arrangements, supplementary assessment and fee remission are separate processes.

How to apply

Possible outcomes

Who can apply and what documents

Hurdles

Some subjects have hurdles: a task or requirement you have to pass on its own. Fail one and you fail the subject, even if your total is over 50. The grade is NH and your transcript shows 49.

Each subject's hurdles are in its assessment on the Handbook page, and on this site's subject pages.

Late submission penalties

There's no university-wide late penalty. Each subject sets its own and puts it in the subject outline, and it has to be the same for everyone in that subject. Check the outline before a deadline.

Assessment and Results Policy

If you fail a subject

Your marks overseas

Other unis, employers and governments each convert UniMelb marks their own way. Use the tool of whoever is asking, not a random table online.

Uni rankings

The three rankings people quote most. They measure different things, so the numbers don’t match.

Free study help

Academic Skills

Past exam papers

Professional accreditation

Only some majors lead to accreditation, and usually only if you take specific subjects. These are the ones the 2026 Handbook lists.

What you can do on this site

Rules here are from the University of Melbourne student website and can change. Check there or ask Stop 1 before you decide anything.