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Study does not have to be a full-time commitment. Although the structure of high school is rigid and unyielding in terms of class times and study load, university is more understanding. Tertiary institutions offer full-time and part-time study options, as well as the ability to overload, and pick up summer semester units. So if the idea of full-time study makes you shudder, but so does the thought of not studying at all, then consider your options for university.

Part-time study suits the lifestyle of students who need to balance their education with other commitments. A student might be run down after the pressure of Year 12, but not so exhausted as to warrant a gap year. Their job is essential for survival and takes up too much of their week, and so aren’t able to dedicate the appropriate amount of time to study. Or they may be a mother or father, with parenting responsibilities to distract them from study. These kinds of situations are supported by university or TAFE systems, where part-time study is readily available.

Part-time study tends to be classified as less than six subjects per year, or under 75% of the standard full-time study load. Students can choose to simply reduce the load by one subject per semester, or even to reduce to one subject per semester. Depending on how much study a student wishes to undertake, contact hours can range from a few hours a week, often in a single day, to three to four contact days a week. If the university offers a self-scheduling system, a part-time student may timetable their classes in blocks to limit the number of days they need to attend university. Although classes are sometimes offered in the evenings, or otherwise outside of business hours, they are not available at every university or for every course.  

However, since a part-time study load is spread out over an extended period of time, students will be at university or TAFE longer than a full-time student in the same course. For instance, where a full-time Arts student may take three years to complete their undergraduate degree, a part-time student may take from four to six years. Although part-time might be necessary, students can often reach a stage where they want to just finish their degree and get it over and done with. The flexible tertiary system anticipates these changing needs, and allows students to change from part-time to full-time study at any stage during their degree, or vice versa.

Full-time study generally involves undertaking four subjects per semester. Each subject is worth a number of units, and each unit is worth a certain number of credit points. Occasionally full-time students may end up undertaking three subjects in a semester, if the units are worth more credit points than usual. They are still considered full-time, as the credit points still equal the necessary number per semester.