JCU (James Cook University) welcomes U3A members to attend most subjects for no fee. U3A members can attend lectures, and may be able to participate in workshops, tutorials and field work, depending on the subject and the lecturer’s approval.

Prior to making the decision to attend JCU, please ensure that you have read and do comply with information and specifics contained on the ‘IMPORTANT – MUST READ’  section on this page. Failure to do so will most likely result in U3A’s inability to process your application and disappointment for you.

Requests to attend JCU need to be forwarded to the U3A Academic Liaison Officer by the due date (see semester section) via the JCU Enrolment Form (see below) and must include details regarding the applicant’s name, U3A membership number, email address, subject code, full subject name and name of college administering the subject. Please note: U3A members should not contact lecturers directly or ask any other JCU Service Team Members for assistance since our contact person is located in Townsville! Please contact our liaison officer for JCU for all matters! The following links may assist with the enrolment process:

• • List of JCU subjects and details
  • Map of Cairns JCU campus
  • JCU timetable and Important dates
  • Parking
    •  Free Parking – on McGregor Road (go through the roundabout, past the campus main entrance) there is an unsealed area on the right opposite the end of Lydia Street.
    •  Paid Parking – is divided into zones:
      • Yellow Zone – first 30 minutes free, $1.00 per hour thereafter
      • Green Zone – 4 Hours maximum (behind the library) 25c per hour. This area also allows for short term parking (ie 15 minutes) to enable access/purchase to the bookstore (ie for parking vouchers).
      • White Zone –  8 hour parking, 25c per hour.
      • Prepaid Parking Vouchers can be purchased from the JCU Campus bookstore (the bookstore is located to the right of the Library across the creek).
      • Paid Parking can also be managed electronically by registering with CelloPark using a credit or debit card, either via online or smartphone app.
      • Multiple vehicles can be registered.
      • Complete parking instructions are available online at www.jcu.edu.au/estate-directorate/campus-services/parking-@jcu/cairns-campus.

Kurt Wagner is the U3A Liaison Officer for JCU and can be contacted by email KurtWagner.autotec@gmail.com

An arrangement exists between U3A Cairns and James Cook University (JCU) Cairns Campus whereby U3A Cairns members are able to attend lectures in a visitor capacity only, once approval has been gained from the lecturer for that specific subject. Please ensure that you read the whole of this page. Additional resources include

• a list of JCU subjects and details,
• a map of Cairns JCU campus, parking information and
• a link to the JCU timetable.

U3A members are NOT to contact JCU lecturers directly to gain permission to attend classes. 

Approximately 2 – 3 weeks prior to each commencement date, the U3A Academic Liaison Officer will conduct an orientation for U3A members, held at the U3A Campus, 129 Mulgrave Road, Cairns.  Notification of this will appear on this website and in the U3A Bulletin. 

All requests to attend lectures on a specific subject must be sent to the U3A Academic Liaison Officer via the enrolment form (see below) by the deadline date which will be advised in the orientation details.  The Liaison Officer will then submit a full list to JCU in order to gain approval from each of the respective lecturers.  The U3A member will be advised once approval is received.

If you have not previously attended JCU as a U3A member, it is important to attend the orientation;  failure to do so will result in non-acceptance at JCU. 

Please take particular note of the following to avoid disappointment and risk failure of your application!

• Cairns U3A members’ attendance at JCU is a privilege granted to our members.
• Your attendance is free.
• As a non-paying student, you do NOT participate in any assessments and/or exams.
• Not all tutorials and workshops will be available to U3A Cairns members, for a number of reasons (for example, class sizes; paying students have priority).
• Any courses attended as a U3A student will NOT have academic recognition.
• Requests to attend JCU courses can only be accepted if submitted via the enrolment form.
• If you apply for the first time your request for enrolment will not be accepted if you do not attend the JCU orientation meeting.
• U3A members should not contact JCU lecturers directly or ask other members of the JCU service team for support. Our contact person is located in Townsville! Please contact our JCU liaison officer for all matters!

The next semester period (SP2) commences 26 July and ends 19 November 2021.

Covid restrictions have eased and most courses will be held face-to-face. 

If you are applying to study at JCU for the first time, please ensure to attend orientation day at U3A campus 129 Mulgrave Road, on Friday, 2 July at 9.30 am, Mulgrave room. Please note that this attendance is mandatory!

You will get the “must hear” information and I will show you how to get all information to fill out the application form.

Keep in mind that you must renew your U3A Membership for 2021/2022 to enable continued free attendance as part of the special arrangements between Cairns U3A and JCU Cairns campus. 

ease also ensure that you renew your U3A Membership for 2021/2022 to enable continued attendance as part of the special arrangements between Cairns U3A and JCU Cairns campus. 

If you are considering submitting an application for the next semester, please ensure that you read all the information on this page.

Wednesday, July 7^th 2021 will be the last day applications will be accepted!