The University of Melbourne

Doctor of Optometry

Graduate
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Details

University Location Melbourne, Victoria
City Population 5.3 million
Student Population 53,000
Int'l Student Population 23,850
Main Campus Parkville (Melbourne)
Program Campus Parkville
Program Duration 4 years
Estimated Annual Tuition AUD$62,976 (2025 fees; subject to increase)
Semester Intake February / March
Next Available Intake 2026
Application Deadline TBA*
International Places variable (64 total)
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Overview

The University of Melbourne is OzTREKK’s only university partner offering a 4-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) program. The OD is a master’s-level professional entry degree, and is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere, creating a new benchmark in optometric education. It is an internationally recognized qualification with full accreditation from the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ).

Within the School of Health Sciences, the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences at the University of Melbourne educates future optometrists, performs internationally recognized vision science research, and contributes widely to the advancement of optometry as an essential healthcare discipline.

Program

Throughout the Melbourne Doctor of Optometry, you’ll be immersed in this rich field of study through innovative and contemporary teaching styles. You’ll also benefit from witnessing firsthand practical and dynamic bedside manner skills, and hone your own patient management by learning one-on-one from experts with years of experience in primary care.

The Day-to-Day Experience
Throughout your 4 years of study, enjoy learning about healthcare in context as you become a member of an active department that focuses on hands-on learning. Your experience through various yearly placements at leading health organizations will enhance your overall experience in the program.

Research into contemporary health issues plays an important role in your day-to-day experience. You will engage regularly with world experts focused on specialized eye diseases, including posterior eye disease, glaucoma, and anterior eye problems.

Enjoy the benefits of a small but engaged cohort with a very active student community. As part of your involvement, you will partake in a two-day Doctor of Optometry student conference. In your final year, you have the opportunity to run the conference as part of the curricula, assisting you to make lasting connections with experts beyond the realm of the stand-alone course and pursue potential employment prospects.

Learning Mode
Theory and practiced-based learning will direct you through the program. A highly practical program, the Doctor of Optometry will see you regularly apply your theoretical knowledge in real-world situations, with a heavy emphasis on clinical practice and contact hours.

During your second year, you’ll see your one-on-one patient numbers increase to match your growing clinical skills. As you enter your third and final year, your learning will mostly focus on direct patient care, preparing you for entry into this specialized health arena.

Clinical Practice
This degree provides you with more than 1,000 hours of clinical practice throughout the program. With this high level exposure, you will have the opportunity to develop a better understanding of what clinical practice path may best suit you post-graduation.

Admission Requirements

1. Completed bachelor’s degree
You must have an undergraduate degree in any discipline completed within 10 years of commencing the Doctor of Optometry. If your undergraduate degree is more than 10 years old you will need to provide evidence that you have completed graduate study such as a graduate diploma, master’s, or PhD.

2. Prerequisite subjects
You must have completed three subjects at Year 2 or Year 3 (or equivalent) from one or more relevant biological science disciplines. See Melbourne’s list of pre-approved prerequisite subjects.

3. Admissions Test
You must have completed the OAT (Optometry Admission Test (USA). For 2025 commencement, OAT scores from test sitting dates from January 1, 2023 will be accepted and test results must be available by July 31, 2024. A competitive OAT score is 300.

Alternatively, you can complete MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) or GAMSAT (Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test), no more than 2 years before the date of program commencement.

Please note, meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection. Credit is available to students who have relevant prior study or professional practice experience. Please contact OzTREKK for more information.

Admission Timeline

*Applications for the 2025 intake closed July July 26, 2024. For information about the 2026 intake, please contact OzTREKK.