The ECC Foundation Program is equivalent to upper secondary school (Year 12) and university foundation programs. It aims to prepare international students for further study in an ECC Diploma or for entry into the first year of a selected Edith Cowan University bachelor’s degree.
The course consists of either a General or Science stream. Both streams are of the same duration, price and credit points, with slight variances in units and the ECU degrees they will lead to.
Various support services focusing on language, literacy and numeracy assistance are also available to help you in your studies. Each unit includes four hours of classes per week. Assessment for all units is continuous and includes tests, assignments and case study analysis. Most units have a final two-hour examination. To graduate from the ECC Foundation Program, you must complete and pass all units in the General or Science stream.
There are over 250 courses course in 8 study areas to choose from at ECU:
| Course | Lending to ECU degrees | Standard Entry at ECU | Higher Entry at ECU | Standard Entry at ECC (Diploma Year 2) |
| Foundation General Stream | All Bachelors degrees (except below) | 60% | ||
| Bachelor of Science (Exercise Science and Rehabilitation), Bachelor of Science (Occupational Therapy) and Bachelor of Speech Pathology | 80% | 50% | ||
| Law and associated double degrees | 85% | |||
| Foundation Science Stream | Engineering | 80% | 50% |
Other selection criteria may apply in addition to Foundation academic performance, including the requirement to satisfy a University recognised English test such as the IELTS. Students wishing to progress to the following courses will be required to have an IELTS of 7.0+ or equivalent before commencing university.