Graduate Diploma in Bioinformatics
Overview
Expand your skill-set with advanced bioinformatics courses and develop specialisations for further study.
The Graduate Diploma in Bioinformatics is designed for graduates or experienced professionals, who wish to develop and effectively use best bioinformatics practice to solve scientific problems. It will also help provide a preparation for entry into a Higher Degree by Research program.
During your 1 year of full-time (or part-time equivalent) studies, you'll quickly advance from foundational courses in computing, statistics and biology, to advanced courses. You’ll gain specialised knowledge and skills to be an effective bioinformatician and data-minded scientist.
This program prepares you for a highly rewarding career in a variety of organisations, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, research organisations and government.
Program highlights
- Gain advanced knowledge in computational statistics, software engineering, data mining and genome informatics.
- Learn from academics who are leading researchers in their fields.
- Take advantage of links to industry, government and academic institutions in Australia and overseas.
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Laboratory work
- Workshops
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:
- Bioinformatics 1: Introduction
- Bioinformatics 2: Development & Research
- Advanced Genome Informatics
- Statistical Analysis of Genetic Data
Career possibilities
Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Bioinformatician
- Data scientist
- Data analyst
- Biostatistician
- Clinical data manager
- Geneticist
- Medical writer
- Technical writer
- Research scientist
- Software/database programmer
Graduate salary
Science and mathematics (postgraduate)
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Entry requirements
Entry requirements
To be eligible for entry, you'll need:
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, including two courses in any combination of computer science, biology or statistics, or
- a graduate certificate (or equivalent) in bioinformatics.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.5 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, including two courses in any combination of computer science, biology or statistics, or
- a graduate certificate (or equivalent) in bioinformatics.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.5 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
Related programs
Depending on your previous qualifications and current goals, you might want to consider
one of these related programs:
English language requirements
IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ
TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.
PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.
BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.
CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.
OET is not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Graduate Diploma in Bioinformatics are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).
There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
$8,180
2024
Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.
$8,180
2025
Approximate yearly cost of full-time tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
AUD $47,200
2024
Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.
AUD $47,200
2025
Government assistance
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Graduate Diploma in Bioinformatics are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.
Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.
HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government offers a number of income-support payments to eligible Australian university students.
Scholarships
You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:
How to apply
Applying online
All international applications should be submitted to UQ. If you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Graduate Diploma in Bioinformatics is 5754.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Applying online
All domestic applications should be submitted to UQ.
The program code for the Graduate Diploma in Bioinformatics is 5754.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.
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