Graduate Diploma in Aviation

Make your dreams of becoming a pilot a reality, and develop the skills and knowledge to work as a first officer in a multi crew aircraft, or as a pilot in command of most single engine operations.

The Graduate Diploma in Aviation is a highly disciplined, technical flight training program at Parafield Airport.

It is delivered by the professional flight instructors at Flight Training Adelaide, our industry partner.

This qualification equips students with the skills, knowledge and competence to sit the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) exams for a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and Command Instrument Rating (CIR).

These are professional qualifications recognised by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The Graduate Diploma in Aviation is taught mainly at Parafield Airport.

It is studied alongside the Bachelor of Aviation (Pilot).

Please note this qualification is available to Australian students only.

Entry requirements

To be eligible for this program, applicants are required to have an offer for entry into the Bachelor of Aviation (LBAN).

An offer of entry into the Graduate Diploma in Aviation will be made when the following additional requirements are met. Applicants are required to be selected via a process which includes:

• a formal interview
• a flight aptitude test, and
• an assessment of Aviation English Proficiency

The cost of the flight aptitude test is $268.

In addition:

• before commencing flight training, students must obtain a Class I Medical Certificate (Class II will be
• considered if Class I held in the last 3 years)
• before enrolling in Advanced Flying, students must hold an Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC)

This diploma comprises seven courses delivered by our industry partner Flight Training Adelaide. You will study them at the same time as the Bachelor of Aviation (Pilot).

As part of this diploma you will sit the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) theory exams. Your studies in the Bachelor of Aviation (Pilot) will help prepare you for these exams.

When you have developed the flight skills and knowledge – and passed the CASA theory exams – you can test for your Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) and Command Instrument Rating (CIR) flight.

The Graduate Diploma in Aviation, studied concurrently with the Bachelor of Aviation (Pilot), is a very demanding and time-consuming study commitment.

You will be expected to have a minimum of 3 weekdays (and the occasional weekend day) available for flying. Once you start flying you are strongly discouraged from taking any planned leave until you finish your flight training.

The combination of contact hours and flying hours requires a strong work ethic and commitment.

In your own study time you’ll have assignments, readings, projects to work on and assessments to prepare for. You can also watch or listen to most of your lectures again, online.

Our partnership with Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) draws on mutual experience and expertise to deliver quality flight training to our aviation students. FTA teaches from the University of South Australia’s Parafield Airport hangar, located near the Mawson Lakes campus.

We have a focus on aviation research and have developed partnerships and new technologies for industry. In fact, UniSA is one of Australia's leading universities for Engineering research (UniSA's Engineering research rated well above world-class - 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)). UniSA also collaborates with over 2,500 companies worldwide. These extensive industry connections give us a truly competitive edge – our students get real-world skills and contacts.

Your career

Over the next 20 years the world's airline fleet will grow at an average rate of 3.6 per cent annually, driving the need for more than 36,700 new airplanes valued at 5.2 trillion dollars. Growth is being driven by emerging markets such as Latin America, Asia-Pacific, low cost carrier and sixth freedom business models1.

The 2014 Boeing Pilot and Technician Outlook projects that 533,000 new commercial airline pilots and 584,000 new maintenance technicians will be needed to fly and maintain the world fleet over the next 20 years1. You could consider the following careers:

• commercial pilot working for international, national or regional airlines
• corporate and business aviation
• flight instructor
• defence pilot
• firefighting pilot
• medical and air ambulance pilot

1 Boeing’s Current Market Outlook 2014-2033

Entry into this program is competitive and strict standards of behaviour apply. In order to be selected, applicants must be currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Aviation (Pilot) program. Students will be contacted when applications are open for the next intake.

An offer of entry into the Graduate Diploma in Aviation requires certain additional requirements to be met and applicants will be contacted by the University with details of the next steps.

Applicants are required to be selected via a process which includes:

• attending a formal interview
• providing proof of general English language proficiency and being assessed on this proficiency during the formal interview
• sitting a flight aptitude test with FTA.

Our campuses have fantastic facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, tech zones, and areas that simulate real work environments. You’ll also find student gyms and campus sport activities to keep you active. We also offer flexible study options, with online resources available for accessing lecture recordings, virtual classrooms, library resources and learning support.

Adelaide has a variety of accommodation options to suit different requirements and budgets. Options include dedicated student accommodation or private rentals. See our long-term accommodation pages for plenty of options. If you need somewhere to live, our new student accommodation by urbanest is on Bank Street in Adelaide’s lively cultural precinct, a perfect 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.

Our student support services can make your life at university easier. We provide a full range of support services including academic and personal counselling. You can also access a range of services through our students association, USASA. When you become a UniSA student you can contact Campus Central for help with anything related to your degree. They will help you with your enrolment, ID cards, fees, timetables and any other questions you might have.

We have six campuses in metropolitan and regional areas, each with advanced facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, laboratories, and areas that simulate real work environments.

The UniSA hangar at Parafield Airport is fully equipped for flight training with networked classrooms, simulators housed in climate and sound-controlled rooms, and aircraft maintenance hangars. There is also a student lounge, briefing rooms for one-on-one time with instructors, and a flight planning area.

An operations room is staffed by qualified personnel who maintain a ‘flight watch’ service for all FTA aircraft in the air. Students have immediate access to weather, NOTAMS and other flight planning data as required.