Yes. After completing an ANU Pathway Diploma, you may apply to a Bachelor outside its aligned degrees. ANU assesses that application as it would for any student with one year of undergraduate study at ANU, and decides credit case by case.
Changing direction therefore raises two separate questions: whether you can enter the different Bachelor, and how much of your Diploma study will count towards it. A full year of credit is not guaranteed when you change programs.
What counts as a different Bachelor?
Each Pathway Diploma at The Australian National University has designated aligned Bachelor degrees. A degree outside your Diploma’s aligned list is a non-aligned choice.
| Your Pathway Diploma | Aligned Bachelor degrees and progression GPA |
|---|---|
| Diploma of Business and Economics | Bachelor of Accounting, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Finance: GPA 4.0 |
| Diploma of Computing | Bachelor of Computing: GPA 4.0 |
| Diploma of Politics and International Relations | Bachelor of Asian Studies: GPA 4.0. Bachelor of International Relations, Bachelor of International Security Studies, Bachelor of Political Science and Bachelor of Public Policy: GPA 4.6 |
For example, the Bachelor of Commerce is aligned with the Diploma of Business and Economics. The Bachelor of Computing is not aligned with that Diploma, even though it is aligned with the Diploma of Computing.
That distinction matters because the aligned pathway provides for one year of credit when you meet the relevant progression requirements. A non-aligned application involves a separate admission assessment and an individual credit decision.
Does meeting the Diploma GPA requirement qualify me for any Bachelor?
No. The GPA requirements above relate to the specified aligned degrees. They do not establish eligibility for every ANU Bachelor.
For a non-aligned choice, ANU assesses your application on the basis of your undergraduate study. Completing the Diploma allows you to apply; it does not guarantee admission to the different degree.
Will I still receive 48 units of credit?
Not necessarily. ANU Pathway Diplomas are designed to articulate into aligned Bachelor degrees with one year, or 48 units, of credit.
For a non-aligned Bachelor, credit is assessed case by case. You should not plan on receiving the same credit simply because both programs are at ANU.
The points that matter are:
- Whether you meet the admission requirements for the intended Bachelor.
- Which completed Diploma courses receive credit towards that degree.
- How much study remains after the credit decision.
Admission and credit answer different questions. An offer for a different Bachelor does not, by itself, establish that you can enter with a full year of credit.
Could changing degrees affect my study time and budget?
Yes. If less of your Diploma study counts towards the new Bachelor, more study may remain than under the aligned pathway. The effect depends on the individual credit decision; there is no fixed extension that applies to every change.
For budgeting, the 2027 indicative annual tuition fee is AUD 57,640 for each Pathway Diploma program. This covers the Diploma’s indicative annual tuition only. It is not the total cost of the Diploma-and-Bachelor sequence and does not establish the cost of changing degrees.
How should I plan if I already want a non-aligned Bachelor?
Treat the different Bachelor as an application option, with admission and credit still to be assessed. Your plan needs to account for the intended degree’s entry requirements, the credit awarded and the remaining course requirements.
The Diploma must also be packaged with a Bachelor; it cannot be commenced with a standalone one-year study intention. The option to apply for a different degree after completion does not remove that initial packaging requirement.