Townsville (population 190,000) is known as the ‘Capital of the North’ in Australia and offers a dynamic and cosmopolitan lifestyle.

A thriving coastal port city, Townsville is the largest city in northern Australia and one of Australia’s fastest-growing regional centres. The region has a strong and diverse economic base including mining, mineral processing, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and healthcare, government and defense.

There are many stunning beaches within a short journey from the Townsville, Bebegu Yumba campus, Douglas. Grab a snorkel and explore the kaleidoscopic colours of the Great Barrier Reef or jump on a ferry and visit nearby Magnetic Island.

Castle Hill – a giant pink granite monolith – stands proud in the centre of Townsville and offers walking tracks which are frequented by more than 2,500 locals a day! The 360-degree views of Townsville at the top are well worth the journey.

The JCU Townsville, Douglas campus has been named Bebegu Yumba, which means “Place of Learning” in the Birri-Gubba language.

JCU Townsville, Bebegu Yumba campus is located in the Townsville Tropical Intelligence and Health Precinct (TropiQ) in the suburb of Douglas. Set in a 386-hectare natural bush and parkland setting, 13 kilometres (8 miles) from the Townsville CBD, the campus houses around 1,400 students in colleges and halls of residence. Over 13,000 students are part of the JCU Townsville community, including approximately 1,500 international students.

Immerse yourself in the heart of Townsville at JCU Townsville City Campus. Located in Townsville’s CBD and boasting a range of innovative spaces and state-of-the-art facilities, Townsville City Campus delivers services for the university, its students, businesses, and community organisations.

Townsville is small enough to escape the hustle and bustle of big city life, but large enough to boast a range of facilities. Students can make the most of the great outdoors through rainforest hikes, mountain biking and snorkelling or scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

Study Abroad – Nursing Eligibility Criteria

Per the Fairfield University catalog: The nursing semester study abroad program is open to Fairfield University nursing students who have successfully completed all semesters prior to studying abroad, have an overall GPA of at least 2.80, and are recommended by their faculty advisor and the director of the undergraduate nursing program. Every effort will be made to accommodate all requests to study abroad. If there are more applicants that meet the criteria than available spots, then a determination will be made by looking at multiple factors including, but not limited to, academic and clinical performance as well as student conduct.

Nursing students are required to submit 2 academic references as part of their application to study abroad. Recommendations must be from Fairfield faculty who have seen them in an academic setting. While it is strongly encouraged both are from Nursing faculty, students may select one of their references to be from another faculty member outside of the Department.

This program is open to all junior Nursing students who meet all academic requirements for admission by the host university as well as the Fairfield University requirements for participation in our study abroad programs. This program is competitive, and applicants are expected to exhibit a high level of maturity, independence, and seriousness of purpose.

Study Abroad – General Criteria

Students must not only qualify themselves to study abroad through their application but must also ensure they are maintaining their eligibility for their intended study abroad program until the program start date. The deadline to demonstrate your eligibility for the location that you are applying to study abroad is at the point of your application submission. Applications will be reviewed and approved by Global Fairfield in accordance to the host institution requirements but ultimately it is the host institution who makes the final admission decision. Therefore, making any academic adjustments and/or not maintaining your eligibility can affect your final admittance. After your acceptance decision, Global Fairfield will continue to monitor your Academic, Financial and Dean of Student records to ensure that you remain in compliance with the host university admission requirements through your program start date. To see the full list of eligibility requirements, please review our Eligibility Page.???????

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James Cook University provides students with an exciting and comprehensive orientation upon arrival, known as “O-Week” (Orientation Week). During the session, students will meet other international students and receive a welcome pack, containing information about JCU and North Queensland. Other topics covered in the session include:

• Overseas Student Health Cover
• Student visa requirements and compliance
• Enrolment information
• Support services provided JCU and available in the community
• Student clubs and social activities, safety information and more.

The Department of Nursing and Midwifery at JCU will also host Nursing-specific orientation sessions during “O-Week” to acclimate students to the curricular requirements of the semester program.

Nursing students who study abroad with James Cook University will be enrolled in a prescribed curriculum during the Fall semester. Please see below for the prescribed course schedule. These courses and their equivalents can also be found in the Database of Approved Courses, linked below:

NS1015 Law and Ethics for Nursing and Midwifery – Counts as Applied Ethics Elective

NS1555 Culturally Safe Healthcare for Australia’s First Peoples – Counts as Tier 2 Social Science Core (SASS)

NS1882 Nursing Practice 2 + Residential – Counts as NURS 3307 Fundamentals of Nursing Care + Lab (120 clinical hours applied to NURS 3307 and NURS 2272 hours)

NS2219 Health Equity and Policy – Counts as NURS 3301 Health and Wellness

For proper academic planning, please refer to the Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies 4 year degree plan below, as curriculum modifications are required for study abroad participation.

Fairfield Hybrid Course While Abroad

Students will enroll online in NURS 2272 Geriatric Nursing with a professor from Fairfield for the duration of the Fall semester while abroad. This Fall course is part of students’ regular Fall Fairfield tuition; it is not an additional cost.  Part of the course will be asynchronous, part will be lectures via zoom. NURS 2272 Geriatric Nursing clinical hours will be completed at the end of the Fall semester with JCU at Townsville University Hospital.

Fairfield students will be living with other Australian and international students in JCU Townsville’s newest on-campus student residence that feature a range of spaces to study, relax, and socialize. Connect and gather with friends in the Sports Lounge or Ground Floor Bistro, collaborate in Group Study Spaces, or wind down and take in the view at the Roof Garden Sky Lounge. The student residence aims to deliver a high-quality residential experience that celebrates Townsville’s tropical environment, a place that fosters community engagement, balances students’ academic and social experiences, and creates an aspirational student home.

These accommodations are home to more than 400 students. Designed to provide contemporary and affordable student accommodation in a secure, safe, and environmentally sustainable environment, the facility features study bedrooms in group-share accommodation, high-quality communal facilities, and a centralized, self-catered ‘master-chef’ style kitchen and dining space. The kitchen is self-catered, where students will manage their own meal requirements in a communal, centralized facility. The space consists of a series of cooking islands, wet preparation islands, and microwave zones. Students will be provided with individual dry storage lockers and lockable fridge and freezer compartments.

The facility provides on-site laundry, including washing machines and dryers, that can be used via a card-based, cashless payment system. Laundry rooms feature ironing station with ironing board and iron, stainless dual tub, and shorting bench.

Fitness and Recreation

Australians are crazy about their sports – they don’t just like it, THEY LOVE IT! From cricket and football (the oblong and the round ball variety) to surfing and athletics, there are endless opportunities to participate (or to spectate) in sport during your time in North Queensland. At JCU, there are a number of established sporting clubs affiliated with the JCU Student Association. For a list of clubs and societies at JCU Townsville, please click here.

Fisher Shield: A yearlong competition for college residents on the Townsville campus, featuring eight different sports.

Fitness Centres: Students are welcome to join the JCU Townsville Gym. Please note, this is not included in the cost of of the program.

Clubs, Societies and Organisations

There are many clubs and societies available on campus, run by fellow students. The JCU Student Association supports students in forming clubs and societies. For a list of clubs and societies at JCU Townsville, please click here.

North Queensland offers a diverse mix of hobby groups, clubs, societies and organisations. These include environmental groups, literature clubs, photography, bushwalking, public speaking and sporting groups to name a few. Townsville City Council’s Community Directory for a list of all sporting clubs and organisations in Townsville.

International Student Support

James Cook University provides many resources for students traveling to study abroad in Australia. Review the videos below to learn more about pre-departure essentials and the health and safety resources, including Australian insurance through Allianz (required for all international students studying in Australia and provided by JCU as part of the program) and the local Sonder app for all health and safety concerns and needs!

Students studying abroad in Australia are required to obtain a visa prior to arrival in-country. Visas must be obtained online through the Australia Department of Home Affairs website found here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500

Students are responsible for obtaining all necessary documentation and for applying for their own visa. Upon acceptance, James Cook University will provide students with additional visa guidance and instructions. As of Summer 2025, the Subclass 500 Student Visa for Australia was $2,000 AUD, approximately $1,300 USD (dependent on current exchange rate).???????

Required Medical Examinations

A chest x-ray and/or medical examination may be required as part of the Australian student visa application. This medical examination is common for Nursing students studying abroad for a semester at JCU, where you will be participating in clinical rotations and academic experiences inside medical facilities. You will be notified about whether your student visa application requires the medical examination after submitting your initial student visa application to the Department of Home Affairs. Please check the Action Items on your Immi account. Note that all examinations must be performed by a Panel Physician that has been approved by the Australian government. An approved Panel Physician may not be available in your home city or state, and the medical examination may require extensive personal travel. It is recommended you complete the student visa application as soon as you are instructed, as this would allow for you to complete your medical examination in New York City while you are still on campus during the Spring semester (if required). Further information and guidance on the medical examination requirement will be provided to you in the application process. There is an additional cost for the medical examination conducted by a Panel Physician, which is typically around $500-$600, which you must pay at the time of the examination.

All students will be charged Fairfield University tuition and the townhouse room charge. For questions regarding billing, please contact the Fairfield University Bursar’s Office.

Semester program costs include:

• Tuition
• Housing
• Airport pick-up and transfer
• Comprehensive orientation
• Onsite student support with 24-hour emergency assistance
• Cultural excursions
• Insurance, including full medical coverage and medical emergency evacuation

Semester program cost does NOT include:

• COVID Testing
• Transportation to Airport for Departure
• NURS 2272 course taken in the summer prior to departure

Students studying abroad are often eligible for alternative scholarships and are encouraged to use these resources to reduce their financial burden. Some scholarships can be used to pay parts of tuition while others can be put toward flights or living expenses.

All students studying abroad are required to abide by the Fairfield University Study Abroad Policies and Procedures. Please find details on the following policies on the main Global Fairfield website.

• Admissions Policies
• Academic Policies
• Financing
• Withdrawal and Cancellation Policy
• Code of Conduct
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Accessibility Support Policy
• Housing Policy
• Health and Safety Policy
  • International Insurance Policy
  • Booking Flights
  • International Cell Phone Policy
  • Credit Card Policy
  • Banking Abroad
  • Passports and Visas