Completing University

Many universities offer an Elite Athlete Program (EAP), underpinned by a dedicated staff contact to support student-sportspeople during their time at university.

This position provides the following support:

• Advice and guidance on academic planning
• Support in negotiating necessary flexibility to meet academic requirements
• Advocacy within the university environment
• Support in negotiating and/or implementing cross institutional study or credit transfer arrangements
• Provision of advice and support to NSO / NIN Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Managers or related personnel.

Flexible Study Options

University EAPs use their best endeavours to provide flexibility to student-sportspeople:

• Assessment flexibility may include:
  • Ability to negotiate assessment deadlines based on sporting related travel commitments
  • Ability to sit exams externally under exam conditions within the athlete’s environment (eg whilst travelling, in their hotel etc)
  • The minimum attendance at lectures, tutorials or practicals waived or rescheduled where the student-athlete is unavailable due to sporting commitments.
• Enrolment flexibility may include:
  • Ability to:
    • tailor academic study load to integrate with sporting commitments, available for first year students as well
    • negotiate lecture, tutorial and practical timetables to accommodate sporting commitments
    • extend minimum time to complete course due to periods of decreased study load
    • take several leaves of absence where required due to sporting commitments (eg Olympic Games year)
    • extra flexibility through cross institutional study options with interstate universities, such as eligibility for first year students, increased number of subjects able to be completed by cross institutional study
  • Provision of summer study alternatives and/or ability to swap between distance education mode and on campus mode, depending on sporting commitments
  • Recognition of credit achieved at interstate universities or overseas higher education institutions.
• Course related flexibility may include:
  • Access to distance education materials, and/or class notes for missed lectures, tutorials or practicals.

Course entry

Some institutions may also offer adjustments for entry to university.

Engagement with EAPs

Most universities will require you to apply to be part of their elite athlete program - each institution has different application processes and requirements. We encourage you to make contact with the EAP coordinator at your institution of choice.

More information

For more information please refer to our 2026 University Guide, which will be published in July 2026.

If you have a general query about Elite Athlete Programs or the Elite Sport Education Network please contact the AIS Education Network Partnership Advisor via careerandeducation@ausport.gov.au.