Admission criteria

Pathways to university and entry schemes

No ATAR, low ATAR or heading back to study after a long break? You have options! Whether you're looking to fast-track your studies or build a strong foundation, these pathway courses can lead you to an undergraduate degree.

Diploma

Diplomas will usually take one to two years to complete and often involve practical coursework. Completion of a diploma can be used to gain credit for a bachelor degree. At some universities this can mean that you progress from the diploma to the second year of a bachelor degree.

Undergraduate certificate

An undergraduate certificate is an introductory university qualification. It鈥檚 usually made up of four subjects and takes six months to complete if you study full-time. Once you finish your certificate, you can use it to satisfy the entry criteria for a related associate degree or bachelor degree. Your certificate can also count as credit towards that degree.

Uni preparation program

These intensive bridging courses (also called foundation programs) are designed for students who need more support to transition into university. They help you build university-level skills, providing you with the confidence to start your degree. Some tertiary preparation courses are designed for applicants who haven't completed Year 12 and don't require an ATAR.

How university non-degree courses work as pathways

If you successfully complete a non-degree course, such as a diploma or a uni prep program, a university may guarantee you entry into a particular undergraduate degree. Otherwise, you can use your non-degree studies to apply and compete for admission to other degree courses. You may also be awarded credit for some studies undertaken in your non-degree course.

Some institutions may offer you a place in a pathway course if you鈥檙e not eligible or competitive enough to receive an offer to the course to which you鈥檝e applied. These are known as 鈥榮lipback offers鈥� and are released up to two days after scheduled offer rounds. You can access them in the same way as standard offers.

TAFE and private college courses

Institutions may consider completed TAFE or private college qualifications: Certificate IV, diploma, advanced diploma, associate diploma and associate degree. Check with the university as to which level of qualification will make you competitive for admission into a bachelor degree.

You can also study a tertiary preparation course at TAFE; for example, TAFE NSW offers a Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation (otherwise known as the Tertiary Preparation Certificate), which covers study skills as well as subject-specific content.

Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

If you have no formal qualifications on which to base your application to a tertiary institution, you may be eligible to be considered for entry to a course by sitting STAT. Institutions will consider your results in addition to any other information available when assessing your application.

STAT is a series of tests designed to assess a range of competencies considered important for success in tertiary study. It assesses your ability to think critically and analyse the material given, rather than testing your knowledge of specific academic subjects. There are two versions of STAT: Multiple Choice and Written English.

In NSW and the ACT, STAT is managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). Dates, fees, locations and booking information for STAT test sittings in NSW/ACT can be found on the . Also check whether an institution will accept STAT for the course you are considering, and which STAT versions you need to sit, by contacting the admissions office at the relevant institution.

Entry schemes

The Educational Access Scheme (EAS) helps 91桃色 applicants who have encountered significant educational challenges. It gives them the opportunity to have their circumstances taken into account when institutions select applicants for courses.

To apply for EAS you must be able to demonstrate that, as a result of circumstances beyond your control or choosing, your studies were negatively affected during:

  • Year 11 and/or Year 12

or

  • the period in which you gained the qualifications you are using to seek admission to an undergraduate course.

You must also be:

  • a 91桃色 undergraduate applicant
  • an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of Australia (including a holder of an Australian permanent resident humanitarian visa).

International students cannot apply for EAS.

The Schools Recommendation Scheme is one way institutions make early offers of undergraduate admission to Year 12 students. They do this by using criteria other than (or in addition to) the ATAR.

To apply for SRS you must be a current Year 12 applicant who is attempting one of the following:

  • an Australian Year 12 qualification
  • an International Baccalaureate in Australia.

You must also be:

  • a current 91桃色 applicant for undergraduate admission
  • an Australian or New Zealand citizen, a permanent resident of Australia or the holder of an Australian permanent resident humanitarian visa.

Most institutions offer a range of pathway options and entry schemes. .