Study Abroad and Exchange Student Athletes
Make sports part of your experience while studying at the University of Melbourne for a semester or year as a visiting study abroad and exchange (SAEX) students. Choose from more than 40 sports, extend your playing season, and benefit from the University’s Elite Athlete Program.
Discover the sports played at Melbourne, their level of play, the semesters of play and more in the Melbourne University Sports guide.
Play Your Sport Year-Round
The seasons are opposite in Australia and so are the playing seasons for most sports at the University of Melbourne. Play your sport at UniMelb during what is likely to be the off season in your country and extend your playing season. This helps to maintain and even advance your skills, specific conditioning and level of play.
| Sports played mostly in the Northern Hemisphere Fall Semester and played Semester 1 (February to June) at UniMelb | Sports played mostly in the Northern Hemisphere Spring Semester and played Semester 2 (July to November) at UniMelb |
|---|---|
Cross country |
Golf |
Field hockey |
Rugby 7s |
Rugby 15s |
Sailing |
Soccer |
Tennis |
Ultimate Frisbee |
Volleyball |
Volleyball |
Water polo |
Water Polo |
Athletics (Track and Field) |
Sports played in both semesters at UniMelb
Badminton / Basketball / Cycling / DanceSport / Fencing / Golf / Judo
Kendo / Karate / Squash / Taekwondo / Tennis / Touch Football / Volleyball
Sports renowned in Australia
Australian Rules Football (AFL) / Cricket / Netball / Surfing / Rugby / Underwater (Scuba diving)
Eligibility to play
Join a Melbourne sports program or team, even for just a semester and even if it’s already mid-season in Australia. With many levels of play, there’s a team or competition available to you at UniMelb.
Check your country or university’s eligibility to play your sport abroad. For student athletes from the US:
| NCAA Division | Eligibility to play your sport abroad | Reference |
|---|---|---|
Division 1 |
No sports eligible |
|
Division 2 |
All sports except basketball |
|
Division 3 |
All sports |
|
Non-NCAA conference sport |
All sports |
How to join a team
Sports at Australian universities are organized as clubs, with multiple teams in each club. The University's Elite Athlete Coordinator can assist you to connect with a University of Melbourne club and answer any questions you may have. You can make contact either in the lead up to your arrival to Melbourne or during orientation. The club will assist you to find the right level.
If you choose a residential college as your campus student accommodation, you could also play in intercollegiate sports. (Residential colleges are dormitory style housing with a meal plan). You can also participate in campus sports, intramurals for social fun.
Elite Athlete Program (EAP)
The Elite Athlete Program offers customised strength training, conditioning, mentoring and physical therapy. It also offers support for flexible study arrangements for student athletes in any national and international competitions while at the University of Melbourne. Our EAP staff work with you, your coaches and trainers back home to continue your existing programming or tailor something to your specific needs.
Any athlete playing a sport at the national or international level for their home university, club or country is eligible for the Elite Athlete Program. Eligible student athletes can access the program’s daily training environment support even if they do not play their sport while studying at Melbourne.
You can apply to the EAP either in the lead up to your arrival to Melbourne or once you are on campus by emailing us directly here.
Country-specific guaranteed access to the Elite Athlete Program
Country | Eligibility |
Canada | Students who have played in U Sports Championships |
UK | Students who have played at the BUCS level |
United States | All NCAA D1, D2, and D3 and NAIA athletes |
For more information regarding the Elite Athlete Program contact:
Brendan Parnell, Elite Athlete Program Coordinator
bparnell@unimelb.edu.au; +61 3 9035 3626
Other unique sports opportunities
UniSport Nationals provides an opportunity for students from 42 Australian universities (including Melbourne) to compete head-to-head in 32 sports for a week of national standard sporting competitions. UniSport Nationals takes place in late September to early October, during Semester 2 at the University of Melbourne.
Sports Facilities at the University of Melbourne
Our facilities are considered some of the best in Melbourne and provide a wide range of fitness and sport options.
Highlights of the fitness facilities include:
- the Beaurepaire Centre (featuring the lightweight zone, free-weights and squat racks, state of the art cardio equipment and the high-performance studio)
- the Nona Lee Sports Centre (Group Cycling Studio, two indoor stadiums for badminton, volleyball, netball and basketball, four squash courts, the massage and physiotherapy clinic, space for well-being classes and group fitness classes)
- Lincoln Square Fitness (cardio zone and extensive strength zone)
- An indoor heated 25m lap pool
The sports precinct also includes:
- Athletics track with jumps facilities
- Multi-purpose grass playing field (University Oval)
- Tennis courts x 4
- Outdoor basketball/netball court
- Synthetic Hockey pitch
- Cricket and baseball training nets
Study sports at UniMelb
Enhance your experience as an athlete with these sports-focused classes.
Study in Australia’s Sporting Capital
Study in the heart of Melbourne’s, renowned as Australia’s sporting capital because of the city’s passion for sport and hosting renowned sporting events.
Melbourne is home to nine of the eighteen Australian Football League (AFL) teams, a sport that originated in the city. The city is also home to rugby and cricket matches, the Australian Open Tennis, the Australian Grand Prix and more. The city’s two major sports stadiums are both in the city centre within 20 minutes of the main Parkville campus by public transport.
Contact
Send an email to saex-sports@unimelb.edu.au with any questions about the sports program at the University of Melbourne for visiting study abroad or exchange students.