The Australian summer is in the months of December, January and February. Many universities offer a summer school study period in January and February, the advantages including:
- a lower student-lecturer ratio
- compared to a semester unit, a shorter timeframe to complete a course unit
- potential for free time later in the year for a holiday, travel and work
- completion of credit points toward a qualification
- an opportunity to complete an elective, and thus to reduce the semester study and work load
- the opportunity to repeat failed units to meet prerequisites for the following semester