Bachelor of Podiatry
Undergraduate
2024
You're considered an Australian student if you are any of the following:
Undergraduate
2024
Year 12 (ATAR-based): 87.00
Year 12 (Grades-based): A,A,A
TAFE/RTO: AdvDIP
TAFE/RTO Note: Cert IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care (Aborginal applicants only)
View Guaranteed Entry Info
Year 12 (ATAR-based):
- Internal: 80.00
TAFE/RTO: Adv Dip
View full entry requirements
The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.
Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.
Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:
Recent secondary education
Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent
AND
Applicants who have not achieved the Selection Rank required for automatic selection may be selected for any remaining places based on the grades of their year 12 subjects.
OR
Higher education study
OR
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
OR
Work and life experience
Step into a rewarding career in health by studying the Bachelor of Podiatry. In this four-year degree, you’ll develop the expertise to diagnose, manage and treat any disorders affecting the foot, ankle and lower limb, using multiple branches of healthcare.
Feet are complex and sensitive pieces of machinery that play a key role in the body’s overall health. Podiatrists provide end-to-end care for any afflictions impacting the lower half of your body, ranging from managing bone and joint disorders to neurological and circulatory diseases.
You’ll graduate ready to be registered with the Podiatry Board of Australia, and can begin practising as an allied health professional. Pursue careers in a wide range of environments, such as working with children, sports and biomechanics, disability, rehabilitation, aged care, chronic illness and high-risk settings, and more.
High achieving students may be considered for the Bachelor of Podiatry (Honours) during their third year of study. This is your opportunity to advance your research capacity by completing a research project under the supervision of an experienced researcher.
Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, child related employment clearance and immunisation requirements.
Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.
All students enrolled in a program leading to professional registration must be registered with the relevant national board. The registration process is undertaken by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with the University providing notification to AHPRA following enrolment in the program.
The Bachelor of Podiatry will teach you the skills to diagnose, manage and treat any disorders affecting the foot, ankle and lower limb. You’ll learn advanced skills in the theoretical and practical aspects of podiatry, as well as the physical, biological and social sciences relevant to allied health to provide patient-centred, end-to-end care.
UniSA's curriculum prepares you to meet the full scope of a podiatrist’s practice. You’ll begin studying foundational medical sciences in areas including anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, disease groups and conditions. You’ll also learn determinants of health and advanced communication skills, with opportunities to collaborate with other allied health students studying physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and exercise physiology.
You’ll expand your knowledge to deliver comprehensive and holistic assessment and management of patient conditions, as well as learn clinical practice skills including surgery, pharmacology and medicine use, orthopaedic management, wound management, high risk care, chronic condition management, sporting injuries, musculoskeletal problems, practice management, and more.
Benefit from experiential learning through clinical placements, and learn how to provide services to the community in our on-campus podiatry clinics. You’ll also have opportunity to practise your skills and build your confidence in safe environments, using innovative teaching technologies such as 3D printed feet to practise your scalpel skills.
You’ll graduate with qualifications to work as both an autonomous practitioner, and as a key member of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. You will be able to deliver holistic, end-to-end care for afflictions impacting the lower half of the body.
You can gain an extra qualification and broaden your career prospects by completing a Diploma in Languages.
In this degree, you’ll gain the in-depth theoretical knowledge and practical skills to prepare you for a rewarding health career as a podiatrist. With patient-centred care at the heart of your practise, you’ll graduate prepared to meet the full breadth of the podiatry profession including surgery, sports injuries and related biomechanics, paediatrics and high-risk foot conditions.
You’ll learn in dedicated facilities, including our on-campus manufacturing laboratory which has a plaster room and grinder room. This is where you’ll learn how to create orthotics, casts and insoles, as well as how to modify shoes. You’ll also get to use the latest technologies, like digital scanners to capture foot characteristics, and practise your scalpel skills on 3D printed feet.
You will graduate ready to be registered and begin practising as a podiatrist by the Podiatry Board of Australia. Your job prospects are vast and can be applied to both private and public sectors – ranging from working in a public health hospital, to working with children and with the NDIS, to setting up your own private practice.
Gain insight into the fulfilling career of UniSA Podiatry graduate, Ereena Torpey, who works as a Senior Podiatrist in Adelaide, South Australia.
Registered podiatrists are a growing part of Australia’s allied health workforce, who are the leading providers of primary health care.1 Podiatrists have strong employment outcomes and future demand, having provided 3.6 million services of 27 million Medicare-subsidised allied health services provided in 2022-23.2
Podiatrists can work autonomously as individual care providers, or as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team managing and treating chronic conditions and disorders that affect the entire body.
Registered podiatrists are employed in a vast range of settings, including:
Podiatrists qualified to practice in Australia can also work overseas.
1Future focused primary health care: Australia’s Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022–2032. 2Australia’s health 2024: topic summaries: Health status. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The program is recognised for registration as a Podiatrist by the Podiatry Board of Australia.
Applying to study with us:
Please note that all pathways are competitive and no guaranteed due to limited places. A competitive Grade Point Average (GPA) and other entry criteria (including prerequisites) apply. For more information, visit unisa.edu.au/study or contact our Future Student Enquiries Team at unisa.edu.au/enquire or on (08) 8302 2376.
Australian
There are other pathways you can follow to study this degree, including:
International
There are other pathways you can follow to study this degree, including:
This degree is available for deferment. This option is made available by responding to your offer during the application process via the SATAC website. Applicants who receive an offer into a midyear degree are eligible to defer for six months.
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
$5,000 scholarship for South Australian students with an ATAR of 99 who enrol to study a UniSA undergraduate degree.
Up to $10,000 per annum (full time) for South Australian students who obtain an ATAR of 99.95 or IB equivalent and enrol to study at UniSA.
Our campuses are home to fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops and laboratories, as well as spaces that simulate real work environments. But you’ll also discover that your journey at UniSA is about social experiences, healthy living and getting involved. You’ll find student sports and fitness facilities, community clinics, tech zones and chill-out spaces. There are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you are keen to explore the social side of university life, there are movies, cooking demonstrations, parties and loads more.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation and private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages, or explore our student accommodation by Scape on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, an ideal location for students. It is within easy reach of UniSA’s city and metropolitan campuses, Rundle Mall shopping, the Central Market, Chinatown, and the West End’s vibrant nightlife. It is also across the road from the Adelaide train station, and on bus and tram routes.
As a podiatry student you’ll have access to:
You’ll also have access to a range of interesting on-campus spaces including modern lecture theatres, collaborative teaching rooms and relaxed student lounges.
With over two decades of experience podiatry education, research and clinical practice, I am dedicated to supporting the next generation of podiatrists and promoting advanced learning in the field. I am a registered clinician actively involved with industry, and this engagement is reflected in my teaching. I aim to have our students graduate confident to work across the full scope of practice that podiatry offers, which can range from children’s health, gait and foot function issues, surgical practice, foot lesions and prescribing of appropriate medications, footwear design and disability.
There are a number of ways to apply to study UniSA's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.
Applications for admission into the University of South Australia’s undergraduate and most postgraduate degrees are made via the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). Visit satac.edu.au and follow the links.
For the MBA degrees please apply through the UniSA MBA Application Portal. Applications for a small number of degrees are submitted direct to UniSA through our Apply Online portal. It will be noted on the degree page if you need to apply via Apply Online.
Postgraduate study by research
For information on applying to do postgraduate study by research, including Master of Research, PhDs or Doctorates, please visit unisa.edu.au/resdegrees.
Undergraduate
Yes. The deadline to apply to study a degree at UniSA for semester one (commencing late February) and be given equal consideration is in early December. While you may be able to apply after this date, you are not guaranteed to be considered equally with other applicants and your application may not be assessed in time for the main round of offers (mid January). Some degrees will not make any offers after the main offer round. Please click here find all of the key dates for applications here.
Postgraduate
Most postgraduate degrees do not have a closing date for applications. However, there are exceptions, so it is best to check – either on the SATAC website, Apply Online or the degree homepage. Postgraduate offers are normally ‘rolling’, meaning they may be sent out at any time up until the program starts. This also means that applications may close at any time without warning, if the quota is filled earlier. For this reason, postgraduate applications should be submitted without delay. For more information, please contact our Future Student Enquiries team on (08) 8302 2376 or via the online enquiry form.
Credit transfer or advanced standing
You may be eligible to receive a credit transfer or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area at an equivalent or higher level. Receiving a credit transfer will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree.
Recognised prior learning
If you have related industry experience, you may also be eligible to receive recognised prior learning for this experience. Receiving recognised prior learning will normally reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and can reduce the duration of the degree.
How do I get credit?
Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Program Director who will discuss your prior learning and experience with you to ascertain what credit you may be eligible for.
Many of our credit transfer arrangements are listed on our online Credit Assessor.
UniSA welcomes the opportunity to speak with you regarding your study options. Our staff are able to talk to you about degree information, career outcomes and pathways, entry requirements, applications, and student life, so that you are able to make the best study decision for your future.
Click here to book a 1:1 appointment with one of our enquiries team.
If you are interested in studying an MBA please contact admissions@unisa.edu.au and our Future Student Enquiries team will contact you regarding your enquiry.
Alternatively, you can complete a MyCareerMatch career profile. MyCareerMatch is an online career profiling tool that you can use free-of-charge through UniSA. MyCareerMatch specialises in career profiles and provides you with a personalised career report outlining information about your personality style and a list of career options, which are complementary to your natural strengths and talents.
We have many events throughout the year where you can speak with a lecturer or tutor about your degrees of interest. You can find out what is happening at UniSA by visiting our events page or by signing up to our mailing list, so you're the first to know about careers events, information sessions, degree requirements, scholarships and more!
There are also many career counsellors external to the University that you can discuss your career options with. If you are unsure where to start your search, you can contact the Government's Work Ready team (formally Skills for All). Visit skills.sa.gov.au or call 1800 506 266.
You may also find Job Outlook a helpful resource in your decision-making.
It can be difficult to decide what degree you would like to do and where. You might find information from government organisations will help to weigh up your degree and provider options.
Find a course or a provider
TEQSA is a regulatory body for higher education providers. Use the TEQSA national register of higher education providers to search for a course or a provider. Compare courses and providers for undergraduates and postgraduates using the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) online comparison tool.
More information on university admission
Visit the SATAC website to find out important news, events and information on applying to university in South Australia. Visit Study with Us to find out everything you need to know about studying at UniSA, admissions and the application process.
Questions about your application
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application you should contact the Future Students Enquiries team in the first instance.
Hear from Bachelor of Podiatry graduate Tom about his rural podiatry placement in Clare.
Bachelor of Podiatry graduate Thomas Fitzpatrick working in paediatric care.
Bachelor of Podiatry graduate Ereena Torpey working with a patient in high risk care.
Bachelor of Podiatry graduate Angus Burns working in a podiatry clinic.
Students studying in the anatomy laboratory at City East campus.
Students working with a patient in a UniSA Health Clinic.