All About UAC for 2015 Year 11 and 12 Students

Transcription

1 All About UAC for 2015 Year 11 and 12 Students

2 Essentials: All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 students Key dates Early August End September Mid-December Early January Mid-January Applications open On-time applications close HSC results and ATARs released Change of preferences for Main Round close Main Round offers made Fast facts Study courses you enjoy and do well in just about any combination of courses can lead to a good ATAR but make sure you understand eligibility rules. To fi nd out if tertiary study is for you, consider your interests, what subjects you enjoy and what classes you do well in, and investigate what careers these may lead you to. Apply for tertiary study through UAC s website you don t need to apply separately to each institution. Understand the application process and how to manage your application so you can make the most of the offer process. Contacting UAC UAC Locked Bag 112 Silverwater NSW ASK UAC ( ) from mobiles: (02) from overseas: universitiesadmissionscentre Quad 2, 8 Parkview Drive Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127 For those travelling by train, UAC is 250 metres from Olympic Park railway station. 8.30am 4.30pm Monday to Friday (Sydney local time) online enquiry form, contact.shtml

3 Contents Thinking about university? 2 What s next? 3 Is university for me? 3 All about the ATAR 3 Your Year 12 subjects 5 UAC s participating institutions 7 Step 1: Prepare 8 What to consider 9 Which university, which course? 9 What does it cost? 10 How can I pay for university? 11 Additional selection criteria 12 Step 2: Apply 14 Applying to uni 15 Who can apply? 15 The application process 15 How you re selected 17 Equity Scholarships 17 Educational Access Schemes 18 Schools Recommendation Schemes 18 Step 3: Manage 20 Selection rank 21 Cut-offs 21 Bonus points 21 Changing your preferences 22 Step 4: Accept 23 Offer rounds 24 Enrolment 25 If you don t get in Common terms and abbreviations 27 Course listing 32 How to use this section 33 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

4 Thinking about university? Now that you re in Year 11 or 12 you may be thinking about where you re heading after school. For some it will be off to work and for others it will be tertiary study. Working out what you would like to do next can be daunting.

5 Thinking about university? What s next? If you re unsure about your next steps and are wondering if university is for you, this booklet will guide you through some of the things to think about and answer some questions you may have. It also explains the process of applying to university through UAC, the Universities Admissions Centre. UAC processes applications for admission to most undergraduate tertiary courses at participating institutions. UAC also: calculates and provides the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) to NSW HSC students administers tertiary admissions tests such as the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) processes applications for Educational Access Schemes (EAS) processes applications for Schools Recommendation Schemes (SRS) processes applications for some Equity Scholarships (ES). For a list of UAC s participating institutions, read page 7 or visit institutions/ Is university for me? Not sure yet or maybe are answers you might give to this question. This isn t surprising. Many Year 11 and 12 students are still not sure of the career path they want to follow. Selecting the study you need to get the job you want is important, not only now but in the next few years. Uni isn t just for the brightest students. It s for anyone who s committed to reaching their full potential and wants to acquire the skills and experience to achieve their goals. If you re looking at a specifi c career path for which extra study is the key to success, then uni could be the right choice for you. All about the ATAR Although getting into uni isn t only about the ATAR the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank it s a good place to start. The fi rst thing to understand is that your ATAR is a rank, not a mark. It s a number between 0.00 and with increments of The ATAR provides a measure of your overall academic achievement in relation to that of other students and helps universities rank applicants for selection into their courses. Your ATAR indicates your position relative to the students who started high school with you in Year 7. So, an ATAR of means that you are 20 per cent from the top of your Year 7 group, even though not everyone who started with you in Year 7 went on to achieve an ATAR. The average ATAR is usually around Some people are surprised by this, thinking that the average should be It would be if everyone from Year 7 went on to achieve an ATAR. But because the students who leave early are typically less academically able than the ones that stay on, the students receiving ATARs are a smaller, more academically able group, and the average ATAR they receive is higher. Fred and Laura Fred and Laura are two Year 12 students who are thinking about going to university next year. Fred goes to school in the city and enjoys hanging out with his friends and playing football. The end of school seems a long way away but he thinks he might study something to do with sport when he fi nishes school. He also likes the sound of business studies. LAURA Laura goes to school in the country and grew up on her family s farm. She enjoys helping out with the sheep on the property and loves riding her horse. Although she always thought she would study something related to agriculture, she likes many different subjects at school, including Visual Arts, so she s also thinking about being an art teacher, which will allow her to be creative and work with her hands. Fred and Laura have chosen the same subjects for the HSC: Biology, Business Studies, English (Advanced), Mathematics, Modern History and Visual Arts. Throughout this booklet we ll use Fred and Laura s story to show you how you can navigate your way to tertiary study. All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 3

6 ATAR courses ATAR courses are Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) developed courses for which there are formal examinations conducted by BOSTES that give you a graded assessment. These are the only courses that can be included in the ATAR calculations. ATAR courses are classifi ed as either Category A or Category B courses. Only two units of Category B courses can be included in the ATAR calculation. In the ACT your ATAR is calculated from your best three T or H major scaled course scores plus 0.6 of the next best scaled course score. The scaled course scores are added to form an Aggregate Score. Students are then ranked based on their Aggregate Score, which is converted to an ATAR. The ATAR calculated by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (ACTBSSS) is directly comparable to the ATAR calculated in NSW and other states. Category A courses These courses have the academic rigour and depth of knowledge to provide a foundation for tertiary studies; for example, Mathematics, Geography and Visual Arts. For a complete list, visit atar-courses.shtml. Category B courses These courses don t provide an adequate foundation for tertiary studies, but they can contribute to the ATAR when combined with Category A courses. No more than two units of Category B courses can be included in the ATAR calculation; for example, Financial Services, Hospitality and Automotive. For a complete list, visit undergraduate/faq/atar-courses.shtml. Your Year 12 marks and your ATAR The most common question is Why is my ATAR low compared to my Year 12 marks?. Your Year 12 marks and your ATAR shouldn t be compared because although they are both numbers they have different meanings, like different currencies. The ATAR is a rank, not a mark. It indicates your position. Your Year 12 marks, on the other hand, tell you about your performance. It isn t possible to average your HSC marks to calculate your ATAR or to estimate your ATAR using your HSC marks. This is because, like in a race, your performance or time doesn t necessarily say anything about your position or place. The median HSC mark for most 2-unit courses is between 70 and 80. The middle ATAR is usually just below 70.00, which is lower than the median HSC mark. So the ATARs of students in the middle of the HSC candidature will be typically lower than their average HSC mark. Although there are many websites that claim to be able to calculate your ATAR, UAC does not endorse the use of ATAR calculators. ATAR calculators do not use current data so can only be a general indication of a student s possible ATAR. Scaling Because marks in different courses can t be compared, marks of individual students are scaled before they are added to give the aggregates from which ATARs are determined. The scaling process is designed to encourage you to study courses you enjoy, are good at, and that best prepare you for future study. The underlying principle is that you should neither be advantaged nor disadvantaged by choosing one course over another. Raw HSC marks Performance BOSTES aligns to performance bands and calculates HSC marks Position UAC undertakes scaling process and calculates ATARs Your HSC marks Your HSC marks provide information about how well you have performed in each of the courses you have completed. Your HSC Record of Achievement provides a profi le of your performance in the different courses you have studied. Your HSC marks are reported against standards. Your ATAR Your ATAR provides information about your position overall against other students. Your ATAR allows you to be compared with students who have completed different combinations of courses. Your ATAR is a rank, not a mark. In NSW, your HSC marks are provided by BOSTES. In the ACT, your HSC marks are provided by the ACTBSSS. In NSW, your ATAR is provided by UAC. In the ACT, your ATAR is provided by the ACTBSSS. 4 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

7 Thinking About University? Remember, the ATAR is about position, and your position in a course is not altered by scaling. For more information about the ATAR, visit UAC s website at You can also download these publications: Frequently Asked Questions About the ATAR (booklet) All About Your ATAR (booklet) reports on the Scaling of the NSW Higher School Certifi cate The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank in New South Wales: A Technical Report (booklet). If you re an ACT student and want to apply for tertiary study, you must sit the ACT Scaling Test (AST). The AST is used by ACTBSSS to calculate your ATAR. For more information about the ACT ATAR, visit the ACTBSSS website at Your Year 12 subjects At the end of Year 11 you need to decide what subjects you will continue in Year 12. There are a few things to consider when you do this. If you drop a subject will you still be eligible for an ATAR? For NSW students to be eligible for an ATAR they must complete at least 10 units of ATAR courses. These ATAR courses must include at least: eight units of Category A courses two units of English three Board Developed courses of two units or greater four subjects. Remember, you can include up to two units of Category B courses. Fred and Laura Fred and Laura studied the same subjects for the HSC. When Fred and Laura fi nished their exams, their HSC marks and their ATARs showed the difference between their performance and their position. In the table below you can see that Fred got marks of 70 for all his courses, while Laura s marks were all 80. Even though their HSC marks only differed by 10, the difference between their ATARs is Their performance was similar, but their positions were quite different. HSC marks between 70 and 79 are Performance Band 4 results. These are average HSC marks, so a large percentage of students are in this category. This means that when students are ranked for their ATAR, those at the bottom of Band 4 (like Fred) are placed signifi cantly lower than those at the top of Band 4 or higher (like Laura). The percentile column in the table below tells the story of their positions in more detail. For example, let s look at Biology. Laura s mark of 80 positioned her in the 75th percentile, which means she has done better than 75 per cent of students. Fred, on the other hand, with his mark of 70, is in the 41st percentile, so he has done better than only 41 per cent of students. Even though Fred and Laura s performance in Biology differed by 10 marks, their positions differed by 34. Course Fred Laura HSC mark Percentile HSC mark Percentile Biology Business Studies English (Advanced) Mathematics Modern History Visual Arts ATAR All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 5

8 For ACT students, your ATAR is calculated from your performance in your best courses. If you drop a course it may not affect your ATAR directly, but you need to take into account prerequisites for tertiary courses. Is the subject you re dropping a prerequisite for a course or subject you d like to study at uni? Some tertiary courses require you to have studied certain subjects, or their equivalent, or to have achieved a specifi c standard before you ll be offered a place in the course. If you don t have the required course prerequisite, you cannot be selected for the course. If you don t have a required subject prerequisite, but have met the admission requirements for a course, you may still be selected for the course but be unable to take the particular subject. There are a few places you can check prerequisites: UAC s booklet on university entry requirements for Year 10 students the course description on UAC s website the UAC Guide institution websites. What about assumed knowledge and recommended studies? Some institutions assume you have knowledge of a specifi c HSC subject or its equivalent before you begin a particular tertiary course. If you don t have the assumed knowledge but do have a suitable ATAR, you may still be selected for the course but you may have some diffi culty coping with your studies. Some institutions offer bridging or introductory courses to help you achieve the required level of assumed knowledge. However, these courses are not equivalent to the two-year HSC course and they may add signifi cantly to your workload at university. Recommended studies are HSC, ACTBSSS or equivalent subjects that the institutions suggest will help you in your chosen tertiary course. If you haven t studied these subjects, your chances of selection are not affected but, again, you might be offered a bridging course. You can check assumed knowledge and recommended studies in the following places: UAC s booklet on university entry requirements for Year 10 students the course description on UAC s website the UAC Guide institution websites. ACT Year 12 students may need to know how their Year 12 Certifi cate subjects compare to NSW HSC subjects when applying for NSW universities. For a list of comparable ACT and NSW subjects, visit admission/interstate.shtml. Fred and Laura If Fred was to apply for a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Management at his preferred institution, the course description says he would need to have Mathematics and any two units of English as assumed knowledge. Luckily, he has studied these subjects. If Laura was to apply for a Bachelor of Agriculture, her preferred institution lists Biology and/or Chemistry as recommended studies with Mathematics as assumed knowledge. Laura has studied both Biology and Mathematics. With the HSC subjects they ve chosen both Fred and Laura would, according to the institutions, have a good background knowledge of key subjects in these degrees and would likely do well if they decided to study them. 6 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

9 Thinking about university? UAC s participating institutions Year 12 students apply through UAC to study at the following institutions. APM College of Business and Communication Australasian College of Natural Therapies Australian Catholic University Australian College of Applied Psychology Australian Maritime College Australian National University Billy Blue College of Design Charles Sturt University CQUniversity Griffith University th.edu.au International College of Management, Sydney Jansen Newman Institute La Trobe University Macleay College Macquarie University MIT Sydney National Art School SAE Creative Media Institute SIBT Southern Cross University University of Canberra University of New England University of Newcastle University of Sydney University of Technology, Sydney University of Western Sydney University of Wollongong UNSW Australia UNSW Canberra at ADFA William Blue College of Hospitality Management All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 7

10 Step 1: Prepare Choosing the direction you want to take in your life can be a difficult task. To make the best decisions it pays to do your research and find out as much as you can about the areas that interest you.

11 Step 1: Prepare What to consider Here are some research tips. Consider what your interests are, what subjects you enjoy at school and what classes you do well in. Often these are the same because you tend to do well at subjects you enjoy and are interested in. Investigate the types of jobs that involve these subjects. Think about whether you like being outside or inside; with people or on your own. Do you like helping others? Do you like working with technology? Talk to your teachers they know your abilities and can give you feedback on what careers may suit you. Ask your careers adviser for information and options that can be explored to achieve your goals. Talk with your parents and family about your thoughts on a career. They might have great ideas or know someone in an industry that interests you. Speak to people you know who are working in the fi eld. Do some work experience. You might consider volunteering at a workplace to see if you enjoy it. Talk to friends about what they re interested in and what they ve found out and share what you know. Visit careers expos and attend employment information sessions where you can meet prospective employers and recruiters. Also consider job growth areas. You can fi nd out about skills shortages in different fi elds by looking at job vacancy websites. Ask at your local job centre or look at government websites: there are a few listed in the box to the right. International students If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia, but are studying an Australian Year 12, IB or New Zealand NCEA, you apply through UAC as an international student. Check the international course search on UAC s website or the international booklet, as not all domestic courses are available to international students. You ll receive a copy of UAC s international booklet through your school in Term 3 of Year 12. Career research websites There are lots of places to research potential careers. Here are a few to get you started. My Future A searchable, interactive website with information on particular jobs, general career areas and courses. Job Guide Describes hundreds of occupational profi les. Hard copies are distributed to schools each year. Job Search Australia s largest free online jobs website. Careers Advisory Service Up-to-date information on a range of relevant career and study options available following the release of the HSC results. Centrelink Career Information Centres Information on education, training and employment options and pathways. Graduate Careers Australia Produces a range of graduate-related publications and research about industry and salary trends and employment opportunities. Which university, which course? When you ve decided that tertiary study is for you, the next questions are which institution and which course? There are many different institutions of varying size and location to choose from, and there are more than 1,800 undergraduate courses available through UAC. UAC handles applications for participating universities and private providers. Universities offer longstanding, well-rounded opportunities for pursuing your academic goals. A private provider may also be an option; they can offer specialist courses that are fl exible and can adapt quickly to industry developments. Be aware, however, that courses at most private providers are full fee-paying this means your course costs are not subsidised by the Australian Government. However, you may be eligible for FEE-HELP, a loan scheme that helps eligible students repay their tuition fees once their income meets a certain amount. All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 9

12 Here are a few tips on researching your options. Talk to your careers adviser about special and early entry schemes, and how to apply for them. Talk to students, friends and relatives about their uni experiences. Look at what courses are offered. Courses offered in are at the end of this booklet. Also explore the undergraduate course search on UAC s website or read the UAC Guide for course descriptions. These sources also provide general information about institutions, details of special entry and access schemes, open days and admission requirements. As each institution is slightly different, it s wise to read about each one you re interested in. Although many institutions offer courses with the same name, each may have a different structure and content. So looking at the major studies and asking questions about the course content is important. Check out institution websites and ask questions online, or request a prospectus. A prospectus has detailed information about the campus, facilities and courses. Go to open days so you can get a feel for the campus and explore the facilities that are available to students. Most institutions will have faculty representatives and presentations to explain the content of courses being offered. This is a great opportunity to ask questions to help you make informed decisions about what and where you would like to study. Think about key questions like: Do I want to study close to where I live? Does the institution that I like have everything I m looking for? What other aspects of uni life am I interested in? Which mode of study would suit me? A full-time degree usually takes three to four years to complete. Studying part-time will take you longer to fi nish your course, but it may suit you if you have other commitments. If you can t study on campus, distance education is a good alternative. You can vary the number of subjects you study to suit your schedule. All work is done online, but you may need to attend residential school for a few days once a semester. For more information about the courses you re interested in, visit UAC s undergraduate course search at What does it cost? Course fees The Australian Government has proposed a range of changes that will affect the fees that universities can charge, and the way that students will repay debt accumulated under the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). For the most up-to-date information, visit the Budget 2014 Student Overview area of the government s Study Assist website at and contact institutions directly. There are two main types of courses for domestic students: Commonwealth-supported (CSP) Domestic fee-paying (DFEE). Most university courses for Year 12 students have CSPs. This means the Australian Government pays some of the course cost and you pay a student contribution. The amount you pay depends on the institution and the type of course. Each institution sets its own student contribution level for each unit of study. The range varies depending on the area of study. DFEE courses are generally run by independent or private colleges, institutes or training organisations, DFEE typically cost more than CSP courses you pay the full cost of your course. Your tuition fees are not subsidised by the Australian Government. The amount you pay depends on the institution Fred and Laura Fred has lots of friends from school who also want to go to university. He d like to stay in the city so he can keep in touch with them. He s also thinking of living in share accommodation or on campus to make the most of the social life. Laura thinks she d like to study close to the family farm so that she can keep up her horseriding and save money by living at home. She also likes the idea of a university with smaller class sizes. Fred has checked UAC s course search and found that there are many courses in sport and business available at institutions in the city. Laura has one institution close to her home and has checked its website to see what sort of art, teaching and agriculture courses it has. They ve both decided that studying full-time is the best way to complete their study as quickly as possible. 10 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

13 Step 1: Prepare and the type of course as each institution sets its own tuition fees for each DFEE course. A small number of courses are: International students Courses available to international applicants are known as international fee-paying (IFEE) courses. Each institution sets its own tuition fees for international students, so fees vary between institutions and courses. International students must pay these course fees up-front. a combination of CSP and DFEE (ie the Bachelor program is CSP, the Masters program is DFEE) sponsored by the Australian Defence Force (ie the student contribution is paid by the Australian Defence Force) exempt from student contributions. The course type is identifi ed in each course description on UAC s website or in the UAC Guide. Other costs Apart from your student contribution, you need to think about other costs involved in going to uni. Accommodation If you have to move out of home to attend uni, there are many options. For on-campus accommodation, contact the institutions you are interested in and ask for a prospectus, which will outline the facilities that are available. Don t wait until the last weeks to get organised, as on-campus accommodation fi lls quickly. Renting independently or in a share house with friends is another option. University housing services can help you to fi nd other students in a similar situation. Travel costs If you study full-time, you will be able to use public transport at a cheaper rate. International students are eligible for discount public transport fares on some tickets. If you intend to drive you might need to obtain a parking permit from your institution. For information on parking permits and fees contact the student centre. Living expenses You need to think about day-to-day living expenses for food, utilities (including your phone) and entertainment. Textbooks and equipment In your fi rst year of study your textbooks can be one of your largest expenses. However, at most universities you will be able to buy second-hand books from other students to save some money. Also, some courses may require you to buy specialist equipment. Check with the faculty of the institution you re interested in to see if this is the case. Computer and internet access You will need a computer with internet access to make the best use of your uni s online study facilities. How can I pay for university? HECS-HELP If you enrol in a CSP course, you can choose to pay all or part of your student contribution up-front, or defer payment by taking a HECS-HELP loan, which is repaid later through the tax system when your salary reaches a certain amount. FEE-HELP This Australian Government loan scheme helps eligible students pay their tuition fees. (It won t pay for other costs like accommodation or textbooks.) Your HELP loan is repaid later through the tax system once your salary reaches a certain amount. Work For information about HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP, visit Most students in tertiary study have a part-time or casual job. Some work in the area of their study to gain some experience before graduating. Government assistance Centrelink provides fi nancial assistance for students studying full-time and part-time through income-tested schemes such as Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY. If you plan to pay your student contributions through the HECS-HELP scheme you must have a tax fi le number (TFN) when you enrol at university. Visit the Australian Taxation Offi ce website at or ask if your school participates in the secondary schools tax fi le number program. Youth Allowance Youth Allowance provides assistance to students aged between 16 and 24 who are studying full-time in an approved course. Students are usually considered dependants of their parents and the rate of Youth Allowance paid is based on the Parental Means Test. Students can be classifi ed as independent if they are living away from home, which means their parents fi nancial situation is not taken into account. All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 11

14 Austudy Austudy provides assistance to students aged 25 or over who are studying full-time in an approved course. All Austudy students are automatically considered independent, therefore the Parental Means Test is not necessary. However, there is a partner and personal income test and an asset test. If you receive Youth Allowance or Austudy you may also be eligible for: Fares Allowance for travelling between your permanent home and institution Rent Assistance if you are receiving the away from home rate of Youth Allowance Low Income Health Care Card Pharmaceutical Allowance Remote Area Allowance an interest-free advance payment. ABSTUDY ABSTUDY provides assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, apprentices and trainees who are studying full-time or part-time in an approved course. For more information about Australian Government assistance with tertiary study costs, visit Commonwealth Scholarships The Commonwealth Scholarships Program (CSP) assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from low socio-economic backgrounds, particularly those from rural and regional areas, with costs associated with higher education. The Commonwealth Relocation Scholarship is an annual payment for eligible people on Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY Living Allowance who have to live away from the family home to study. Merit-based scholarships Institutions also offer merit-based scholarships to prospective and current students. Unlike Institution Equity Scholarships, which are awarded to students experiencing fi nancial or educational disadvantage, merit-based scholarships are awarded to applicants on a range of criteria such as: school examination results academic excellence Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) course/faculty of study personal achievements such as: leadership creativity self-motivation communication skills an outstanding ability in sport. You need to apply directly to individual institutions for meritbased scholarships. To fi nd out more, visit the websites listed on the next page. Additional selection criteria When considering your university studies make sure you fi nd out what is expected of you for entry. As a Year 12 student, you will be selected on the basis of your ATAR for most courses. However, some courses have additional selection criteria. You may need to attend an interview or audition, present a portfolio, provide a personal statement, or sit a test such as the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) or the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT). Course selection criteria can be found in the course descriptions on UAC s undergraduate course search at or in the UAC Guide. If Medicine or Optometry interests you, you ll need to register for UMAT early in Year 12. Do this before you apply for uni, as UMAT is only held once a year in July and applications close in early June. For information about UMAT, call ACER on or visit the ACER website at If you are applying for Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney, you need to sit STAT. You can take this test during Year 12. Information about dates and venues is available on UAC s website at listed in the UAC Guide. Registrations open in August. You must sit STAT before early December for your result to be considered in the January Main Round offers this is the round when most Year 12 students get an offer. For more information about STAT, visit 12 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

15 Step 1: Prepare International students International students applying to medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and physiotherapy courses at some Australian universities are required to sit the International Student Admissions Test (ISAT). Some other courses may also require special categories of applicants to sit for ISAT. The university will notify you if you are required to sit for this test. For information about ISAT, call ACER on or visit the ACER website at Scholarship websites Applications for merit-based scholarships are made directly to individual institutions. To fi nd out more about merit-based scholarships visit the websites listed below. APM College of Business and Communication Australasian College of Natural Therapies Australian Catholic University Australian College of Applied Psychology Australian Maritime College Australian National University Billy Blue College of Design Charles Sturt University CQUniversity Griffith University th.edu.au/scholarships International College of Management, Sydney Jansen Newman Institute La Trobe University Macleay College scholarships-fi nancial-assistance Macquarie University MIT Sydney National Art School SAE Creative Media Institute, Australia SIBT Southern Cross University University of Canberra University of New England University of Newcastle University of Sydney University of Technology, Sydney University of Western Sydney University of Wollongong UNSW Australia William Blue College of Hospitality Management All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 13

16 Step 2: Apply Now that you ve done your research and decided on the courses you d like to study, you need to apply.

17 Step 2: Apply Applying to uni More than 50,000 Year 12 students apply through UAC for admission to courses offered by UAC s participating institutions every year. You apply for uni online through UAC s website you don t need to apply separately to each institution. UAC processes the applications but it is the institutions that decide who receives an offer of a place. For a list of UAC s participating institutions, read page 7, or visit institutions/ Who can apply? You can apply through UAC if you re: an Australian citizen a New Zealand citizen a permanent resident of Australia a holder of an Australian permanent resident humanitarian visa. International students Some international students can apply through UAC. If you are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of Australia, you can apply for undergraduate courses through UAC if you re completing: an Australian Year 12 qualifi cation an International Baccalaureate a New Zealand National Certifi cate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 3. All other international students need to apply directly to the institution. The application process How to apply NSW and ACT Year 12 students will need a four-digit UAC Personal Identifi cation Number (PIN) to apply. This is different to your HSC PIN. Your UAC PIN will be sent to you in early August. You can write it below and keep this booklet in a safe place. You ll need your UAC PIN and Year 12 student number, issued to you by BOSTES or ACTBSSS, to start your application the fi rst time. A nine-digit UAC application number is generated after you put in your personal details. It s also a good idea to store these numbers somewhere like your phone, and don t share them with others. You ll need your UAC PIN and UAC application number to log in to your application after this and to retrieve your ATAR and university offer/s. Here s a checklist of what you need to have ready to apply: your BOSTES student number (if you re a NSW HSC student) and UAC PIN your ACTBSSS student number (if you re an ACT Year 12 student) and UAC PIN your STAT or UMAT candidate number, if relevant your chosen courses (up to nine) and their course codes which can be found on the course search on UAC s website or in the UAC Guide in order of preference, with the top one being your most preferred a printer, to print your application package, which includes your Confi rmation of Application, payment receipt or invoice and document cover sheet (if you are required to send us documents) a credit card (MasterCard or Visa) to pay the processing fee. You can also pay by PayPal, BPay or over the counter at Australia Post. Apply for uni at apply/ My BOSTES student number is: My HSC PIN is: My UAC PIN is: My UAC application number is: All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 15

18 Check the course search and the course updates page on UAC s website to make sure the courses you want to apply for are still available, and for any additional selection criteria. Watch the Year 12 undergraduate Apply video at It shows you how to apply for university through UAC, step by step. Studying interstate If you want to study in another state, you need to apply through the tertiary admissions centre in that state or directly to the institution. Victoria: Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre, Queensland: Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre, South Australia and Northern Territory: South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre, Western Australia: Tertiary Institutions Service Centre, Tasmania: University of Tasmania, When to apply Make sure you apply before midnight on the on-time closing date, usually the last business day in September. If you apply after this date you will pay a progressively higher processing charge. Some courses have earlier application closing dates than the UAC closing dates. Check these details in the course search on UAC s website or in the UAC Guide before you apply. It doesn t matter if you re not sure which course to apply for just apply on time by the end of September and list at least one preferred course. You can change your preferred courses as many times as you want before change of preference deadlines. When you get your ATAR in December, you can make more informed choices about the university courses you want to apply for and change your preferences for the Main Round of offers in January. In your application you ll be asked if you d like to receive information about pathway programs if your application to university is unsuccessful. Choose this option to make the most of your application. International students International applicants are encouraged to apply by late October for courses starting in semester 1; however, applications for semester 1 don t close until early February. Fees for international applicants do not increase during the admissions period. If you re an international student you will receive a conditional offer from UAC immediately after you apply. This is for visa purposes only and does not guarantee a place in a course. Read page 25 for more information. Fred and Laura Fred is interested in sports-based courses, including exercise and sport science, exercise and health science, human movement science, sports coaching and sports psychology. He s also interested in business courses, including accounting, banking and fi nance, commerce, economics, management, marketing and sports management. Because he has a broad range of courses to choose from, Fred has decided to list nine courses in his application. He lists a Bachelor of Sport and Management as his fi rst preference because it s the course he most wants to study; it combines both his areas of interest business and sport even though he s not sure he will have the marks to make the cut-off (the course listing indicates it was 90.3 last year). He lists a Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Sport Management) as his second preference. It s in the same area as the course he has as his fi rst preference but the cut-off is more achievable. For his third to seventh preferences, Fred chooses a variety of business courses that could lead him to careers in banking, fi nance, marketing and management. He is confi dent that his ATAR will be high enough for him to get an offer to one of these courses. Laura is certain of the courses she wants to study and chooses fi ve for her application. A Bachelor of Equine Science is her fi rst preference because she enjoys looking after her horses. Having grown up on a farm she is interested in the land and how to care for it for future generations, so her second preference is a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management and her third is a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management. Her fourth and fi fth preferences are teaching courses which would allow her to focus on her interest in art. 16 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

19 Step 2: Apply When you apply you will receive your UAC application number. This number will also be printed on your Confi rmation of Application. Write this number in the box on page 15 as you will need it to log in to Check & Change on UAC s website, or retrieve your ATAR and uni offer/s. When you ve completed your application, download and print your Confi rmation of Application. To update your application log in to Check & Change at Course preferences When you apply, you need to list courses in the order you d like to study them, with the one you d like to do the most at the top, the next most preferred second, and so on. If you re interested in only one course, then enter only that course. You can choose any number of courses up to a maximum of nine. International students can choose up to six courses. Similarly, if you re only interested in one university, choose one, or you can apply for courses at a number of universities. The choice is yours. Last year s Main Round cut-offs (see the course listing starting on page 32) are published to be used as a guide to your chances of being selected. The current year s cut-offs aren t known until Main Round offers are made. How you re selected To be selected for a place in a course you must: be eligible to be considered be competitive with other eligible applicants. To be eligible you must meet the admission requirements of the institution offering the course, and meet the entrance requirements of the course. For most courses you will be selected on your ATAR, but some courses have prerequisites or additional selection criteria such as a personal statement, questionnaire, portfolio of work, interview, audition or test. The course description will tell you if this will apply to you. Universities can see your preferences, but this will not affect what you re offered. All preferences on your application are considered in the order you ve listed them. If you re not selected for your fi rst preference you ll be considered equally with all other eligible applicants for your second preference and so on. Your chance of being selected for a particular course isn t decreased because you listed it as a lower preference and you won t be selected for a course just because you listed that course as a higher order preference. See page 22 for more information about changing your preferences. Make sure you apply with your legal name. If you re registered with BOSTES using a nickname, anglicised name or preferred name, have this changed. Your name on your UAC application and BOSTES record must be what s on your photo identifi cation (passport or driver s licence). This is the name that will be on your results, ATAR Advice Notice and offer. When you enrol at uni you ll need to show identifi cation that matches the name on your application. Equity Scholarships Equity Scholarships (ES) assist fi nancially disadvantaged students with the costs associated with higher education. If your family is receiving a Centrelink or other Commonwealth Government means-tested income support payment, such as a Disability Support Pension, Parenting Payment (single) or Carer Payment, you are considered to be fi nancially disadvantaged. You will also be considered for an Equity Scholarship if you meet one or more of the following criteria: International Baccalaureate An International Baccalaureate (IB) is accepted by UAC s participating institutions as equivalent to an Australian Year 12. If you re completing an IB, you won t receive an ATAR, but you will receive a UAC rank based on your IB score. have carer responsibilities have English language diffi culty have fi nancial hardship are an Indigenous Australian have a long-term medical condition/disability or ongoing effects of abuse have refugee status (disrupted schooling) reside in regional or remote area have sole parent responsibilities. Apply online for UAC Equity Scholarships at equity/. Applications open in early August. This is a separate application to applying for university. The ES booklet is available in early August from your school and as a download on UAC s website. More information about Equity Scholarships is available at All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 17

20 By submitting just one Equity Scholarships application through UAC you will be considered for all Equity Scholarships for which you are eligible. You ll need to supply supporting documentation with your application. For example, if you apply under the long-term medical condition category, you ll need to submit: a Personal Statement written by you outlining the nature of your condition and the personal impact it has had on you a Medical Impact Statement, completed by a medical professional treating you for your condition an Educational Impact Statement completed by someone at your school such as a teacher, counsellor, principal or another responsible adult who can comment on the impact of your disadvantage on your studies. These documents must be correctly verifi ed. Read the UAC Equity Scholarships booklet or visit UAC s website for information on correctly verifying your documents. There are a limited number of Equity Scholarships and there are more applicants than scholarships. Individual institutions make offers as a result of a competitive process. If you re unsuccessful it doesn t mean that you re not in need; rather, it means that there are other applicants who ve been assessed as being in greater need. Educational Access Schemes Educational Access Schemes (EAS) are for students who ve experienced long-term educational disadvantage because of circumstances beyond their control. The disadvantage must have seriously affected your educational performance for a period of at least six months. Disadvantages could include: attending three or more different secondary schools in Australia moving interstate the death of an immediate family member or close friend a severe life-threatening illness the divorce or separation of parents work requirements to support your family excessive responsibility for care of children or family members a severe and long-term medical or psychiatric condition or disability. Institutions use EAS assessments in two ways: they set aside a number of places they allocate bonus points. EAS applications are assessed centrally at UAC but individual institutions have their own policies on how EAS assessments are used to allocate offers. The application form is in the EAS booklet, which is available in early August from your school and as a download on UAC s website. This is a separate application to applying for university. You ll need to supply supporting documentation with your EAS application. For example, if you apply under the disrupted schooling category because you attended three or more different secondary schools during years 10, 11 and 12, you ll need to submit: an Applicant s Statement detailing the schools you attended and the reasons you changed schools during this period an Educational Impact Statement completed by someone at your school such as a teacher, counsellor, student adviser or your principal a record of attendance from each school you attended These documents must be correctly verifi ed. Read the UAC EAS booklet or visit UAC s website for information on correctly verifying your documents. If you submit your EAS application before the end of November you ll receive an eligibility letter through UAC s website around the time ATARs are released. The eligibility letter will show which institutions will consider your EAS application. This will help you make decisions about your preferences in time for the Main Round. Elite athletes or performers are not eligible to apply for EAS on the basis of missing periods of schooling due to sporting or performance commitments. However, some institutions give special consideration to elite athletes or performers you ll need to check with individual institutions. International students are also not eligible for EAS. More information about Educational Access Schemes is available at Schools Recommendation Schemes Schools Recommendation Schemes (SRS) are one way institutions make offers to current Year 12 students who have applied for undergraduate admission through UAC. SRS aims to assist access to higher education for current Australian Year 12 students using a wide range of selection criteria including school recommendations, senior secondary studies and personal awards and achievements. SRS is open to: Year 12 applicants in the current year who are attempting: an Australian Year 12 qualifi cation, or an International Baccalaureate in Australia 18 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

21 Step 2: Apply and are: a UAC applicant for undergraduate admission that year an Australian or New Zealand citizen a permanent resident of Australia or holder of an Australian permanent resident humanitarian visa. International students can t apply for SRS. Applications for SRS are completed online and open in early August. This is a separate application to applying for university. The SRS booklet is available in August from your school and as a download on UAC s website. Your school will need to be registered to participate in the SRS scheme. After you apply your school will provide their assessment of your abilities and aptitude. After your school has completed their assessment, your application will be processed by UAC and then considered by participating institutions. Participating institutions take a variety of information into account when considering your application, including: your responses to the questions in the application your senior secondary studies your awards your achievements your school s assessment. You ll need to supply supporting documentation for each award or achievement you include. More information about Schools Recommendation Schemes is available at All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 19

22 Step 3: Manage Once you ve applied for uni, it s important to know how to manage your application. This means understanding your selection rank, course cut-offs, bonus points, and how to change your preferences.

23 Step 3: Manage Selection rank Your selection rank determines whether you are eligible for selection to any of your course preferences and for many HSC students your selection rank is your ATAR. However, if you re eligible for any bonus points or EAS consideration, your selection rank will be higher than your ATAR. Cut-offs The cut-off for a course is the minimum rank required by Year 12 applicants for selection into that course. It includes bonus points. Course cut-offs can change from year to year, depending on the number of places available, the number of applications for the course and the quality of the applicants. The cut-offs for courses in a particular year are only known after Main Round offers for that year are made, therefore UAC publishes the previous year s Main Round cut-offs in this booklet, in the UAC Guide and in the course search on UAC s website. They can be used as an indication of course cut-offs for the current year. International students Cut-offs for international applicants applying through UAC may differ from those of domestic applicants. Use the international course search at or refer to UAC s international booklet for cut-offs for international students. Bonus points Some applicants may receive an offer to a course even though they have an ATAR below the published cut-off. Often this is because they ve been awarded bonus points for that course. Bonus points are allocated for things like performance in HSC subjects, living or attending school in a certain area, and applying for consideration through EAS. Subject bonus points are awarded differently from institution to institution and from course to course within the same institution. Visit each institution s website for details. Regional bonus points are for students who live in or attend school in the catchment areas of specifi c institutions. For details of regional bonus points, visit each institution s website. If you re eligible for bonus points, they will be automatically added to your application. These bonus points are different to Educational Access Schemes bonus points (read page 18). How bonus points work If institutions allocate bonus points they re not added to your ATAR. Bonus points change your selection rank for a particular course preference, so your selection rank equals your ATAR plus bonus points. For example: Course A has six applicants and only three places available. The cut-off for Course A is The six applicants have the following selection ranks: Applicant Selection rank (ATAR of 89.00) (ATAR of plus 1 bonus point) (ATAR of plus 4 bonus points) (ATAR of 86.00) (ATAR of plus 2 bonus points) (ATAR of 84.00) Fred and Laura Laura has found out that the institution she s applied to offers regional bonus points to applicants who, like her, live or attend school in its catchment area. These bonus points will be automatically added to her application for courses at that institution she doesn t have to do anything. Laura may also receive bonus points through EAS for attending a rural school. These points will be added to her selection rank automatically. Fred isn t eligible for regional bonus points as he lives outside the catchment area of the institution he wants to attend. All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 21

24 Offers will be made to applicants 1, 2 and 3. Applicant 4 won t receive an offer, even with an ATAR higher than applicant 3 and applicant 3 will receive an offer even though their ATAR is below the cut-off. Remember: bonus points do not change your ATAR, they change your selection rank for a particular preference course cut-offs include bonus points you selection rank = your ATAR + bonus points bonus points are automatically added to your UAC application. As bonus points schemes are course specifi c, your selection rank can be different for each of your course preferences. Changing your preferences After you apply, you can log in to Check & Change on UAC s website as often as you like to add, remove or change the order of your preferences. There is no charge for this. Once you ve received your HSC results and your ATAR and have an idea of the bonus points you may be eligible for, it s time to go back to your preferences to make sure they re realistic. Perhaps you ve done better than you expected and want to change the courses you applied for, or maybe you ve rethought what you really want to study. The last thing you want to do is miss out on an offer because you don t meet the cut-offs for the courses you ve listed. Go back and look at last year s cut-offs for your preferred courses. These are in this booklet, in the UAC Guide and in the course information on UAC s website at Make sure you re not wasting preferences by listing courses that have already closed or have additional selection criteria or prerequisites that you haven t met. Make sure you do this by the fi nal closing date for change of preferences for the next offer round. For the Main Round of offers this is in the fi rst week of January. Change of preference dates for all offer rounds can be found at International students Dates for offers and deadlines for changing preferences are different for international students. Visit key-dates.shtml for further information Fred and Laura It s mid-december and Fred and Laura have both received their ATAR. Fred s ATAR is and Laura s ATAR is Now that they know their ranks they can realistically review their course choices. They have about two weeks to change their course preferences before offers are made in the Main Round. Fred is disappointed with his ATAR and realises he is unlikely to receive an offer to his dream course, a Bachelor of Sport and Management, so he s decided to change his course preferences to remove it from his list and make his second choice, the Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Sport Management), his new fi rst preference. He speaks to an admissions offi cer at the university who advises him to list two pathway courses as well. A pathway course is a lower-level course with a lower cut-off that may help him gain entry into the degree course the following year if he completes it successfully. For example, if Fred completes a Diploma course successfully he can apply for entry to the degree course the following year. He may even gain credit for prior learning. Fred puts a Diploma of Business and Commerce as his second preference. Laura is pleased with her ATAR and is still keen to study at her local university. Over the holidays she s been doing lots of reading about the environment and has found out that by studying a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management she will have a wide range of careers available to her, including national parks and protected area management, environmental protection and environmental education and interpretation. She has decided to change her preferences and make this her fi rst preference. Judging by last year s cut-off, her ATAR should be high enough for her to receive an offer. 22 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

25 Step 4: Accept You will find out if you have received a place in a course in one of the many offer rounds.

26 Offer rounds There are offer rounds throughout the year. At these times UAC advises students on behalf of institutions whether they ve been offered a place in one of their courses. Although you can receive an offer in any offer round, the most important offer round for Year 12 applicants is the January Main Round. This is when the majority of applicants receive their offers. The offer rounds before this, known as early offer rounds, are usually for: early entry schemes, such as SRS ADFA courses distance education courses deferred students some non-year 12 applicants. Only fi rst preferences are considered in the early offer rounds and not all institutions participate, so if you don t receive an offer, and aren t in one of the categories above, don t worry; remember that most offers are made in the January Main Round. Subsequent offer rounds are for entry to courses that still have vacancies or for new courses that begin later in the year, such as in second semester. You can receive an offer in more than one round if you change your preferences, but you can only receive one offer per round. Offer round dates are available at undergraduate/key-dates.shtml International students International students can receive more than one offer per round but only one offer per institution per round. For information on offer rounds, visit offers-selection.shtml Receiving an offer To fi nd out if you ve been made an offer to study at your chosen university, go to UAC s website on the offer round date and log in using your UAC application number and UAC PIN. The institutions, not UAC, decide who receives offers. So if you have questions, you ll need to speak to the admissions offi ce at the institution. You could ask why you didn t receive an offer and what other study options are available to you. Accepting your offer If you receive an offer in one round, don t assume that you ll receive another offer in a later round. Accept any offer you receive by following the instructions the institution has given you. You must accept your offer by the date indicated in your offer material, otherwise you will lose your offer and it may go to another applicant in the next round. Accepting an offer doesn t stop you from being considered in later offer rounds, but you must remove the successful course from your preferences list or it will block further offers. If you receive an offer in one round and accept it, then receive an offer in a later round, you can choose either to: keep your previous offer and not accept your new offer accept your new offer and withdraw from the course you ve already accepted. Once you accept your offer, the next step is enrolment. Remember that after you enrol you have until the end of March to pay your fees, sign up for a HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP loan, or withdraw without penalty from the course. Receiving further offers If you ve received an offer to your fi rst preference, you won t be considered for further offers in subsequent rounds unless you change your preferences. If you d like to be considered for other courses, you need to change your preferences by removing that course from your list of preferences. Fred and Laura Laura is thrilled; she s received an offer to her fi rst preference a Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management. She accepts her offer and starts planning for the year ahead. Fred is pleased, too; he s received an offer to his second preference, a Diploma of Business and Commerce. He s determined to do well and will probably start the Bachelor degree in his second year. He s also looking forward to getting involved in sport on campus. 24 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

27 Step 4: Accept If you ve received an offer to a lower preference, you will be automatically considered for higher preferences in the next round. If you d like to be considered for other courses, you need to change your preferences by removing that course from your list of preferences. Log in to Check & Change on UAC s website and move your new most preferred course to the top of your list or add your new course and shuffl e the others so that your least preferred course is removed or at least at the bottom of the list. Do this by the closing date for change of preferences for the next round. These dates are available in the UAC Guide or on UAC s website. Courses that start later in the year are progressively added to UAC s online course search so check for these when changing your preferences. Not all institutions offer courses that start later in the year. If you receive another offer and accept it, don t forget to withdraw from the course you ve already accepted. Visit for change of preference and offer dates Slipback offers Some institutions may make a slipback offer to a pathway course if you re not eligible or competitive enough for the course to which you ve applied. This means that you may receive an offer to a lower-level course in the same area at the same institution rather than the course you listed in your preferences, even if you didn t apply for it. For example, you may get an offer to a Diploma in Marketing if you applied for, but weren t competitive enough for, the Bachelor of Marketing. If you successfully complete a pathway course, an institution may guarantee you entry into some degree courses. You may also be awarded credit for some studies undertaken in your pathway course. Enrolment Each institution has its own procedures for enrolment. When you apply, make sure the name on your application matches your offi cial ID (birth certifi cate, passport, citizenship documents). You ll need your ID when you enrol and there may be problems if the name on your ID doesn t match your offer letter. Some institutions have online enrolment and payment of fees. Many institutions have orientation days for new students. Orientation programs are designed to help you adjust to campus life. Most include subject selection and course planning, so it s important to attend. International students A few days after you ve submitted your application you ll receive a conditional offer letter, which lists all the courses you ve applied for. You can access your conditional offer letter using International Check & Change. You will need your UAC application number and UAC PIN to log in. This letter is intended for your pre-visa assessment only, it doesn t enable you to enrol at your chosen institution. You only receive one conditional offer letter. You will not receive another one if you change your preferences. You must receive an unconditional offer to be eligible to enrol in a course. To receive an unconditional offer you must: have the course in your list of preferences when offers are made have an ATAR (or equivalent) equal to or higher than the fi nal international course cut-off meet any other course entry requirements. Remember that if you don t meet the requirements for a course, you may receive an offer to another course with a lower level of study, such as an international foundation program. You can fi nd out if you ve received an offer by checking UAC s website. If you use an agent, your agent will also be able to view your offers. UAC will advice about unconditional offers to successful applicants between mid-december and February. Follow the instructions in your offer pack on how to accept your offer and how to pay the required tuition fee deposits and the compulsory Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) charge. Once you ve accepted your offer and made your payment, the institution will send you a Confi rmation of Enrolment (CoE). This document will allow you to obtain your student visa. Visit key-dates.shtml for information on application closing dates, change of preference dates and offer dates All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 25

28 Bridging courses You can enrol in some courses even if you haven t completed the HSC subjects recommended for that course. But you may fi nd it diffi cult, or be limited in your course subject choices, if you haven t completed the recommended subjects. Most institutions offer bridging courses if you need to do some extra study before the course begins. However, bridging courses are not equivalent to the two-year HSC course and they may add signifi cantly to your workload at university. Deferring After you ve received an offer, you may decide that you d like some time away from study. Some institutions let you defer your course, usually for six months or one year. Many students use this time to travel, follow a personal interest and get some life experience. You are not usually permitted to undertake tertiary study during this period. Most institutions will ask you to provide a statement to explain why you want to defer and what you ll be doing during this period. There may also be a fee. If your deferment application is successful, you ll receive written confi rmation from your institution with instructions on how to take up your deferred offer. You may need to re-apply directly to the institution or to UAC carefully read the instructions you receive from your institution. Transferring You may receive an offer to a course that isn t your fi rst preference. Many students enrol in a course with a view to transferring into another course after completing a year s study. A typical example is completing one year of a general degree such as Arts and then transferring to a more specialised degree such as Arts/Law. Transfers such as this are possible but very competitive and you usually need to achieve excellent results in your fi rst year. Remember that each institution has its own requirements for transfers check with the relevant institution for more information before you enrol. In most cases you are not in fact transferring, but withdrawing from one course and applying for entry to another. You usually need to submit a new application through UAC for the new course. Then, if you get an offer you can formally withdraw from your current course. It s important to do this so you don t have additional HECS fees or absent fails. If you don t get in If you don t get a high enough ATAR for your chosen course, or don t get an ATAR at all, there are many options available if you still want to go to uni. For example, if you don t meet the cut-off you can change your preferences and try for an offer to a course with a lower cut-off or starting later in the year. If you didn t get an ATAR, most institutions offer non-award programs or preparation courses which, once completed, can help you gain entry into a Bachelor degree. If you re ATAR is too low, some institutions offer Diploma courses which, when complete, will help you gain entry to a degree course as well as give credit towards a degree. When you apply through UAC, you ll be asked if you d like to receive information about these types of pathway courses. Choose this option to make the most of your application in case you miss out on an offer. There are also many pathways available between TAFE and uni, and between other tertiary providers and uni. For information about Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers and training courses, visit Alternative entry schemes and programs Some institutions have a scheme or program to provide alternative entry to tertiary study. Applicants considered through these schemes don t normally meet the usual minimum admission requirements of the institution, but they meet special requirements determined by the institution. In addition, most institutions have a special admission scheme specifi cally for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Contact the institution for further information about these schemes and programs. International students If you change your residency status after applying, advise UAC if you are still waiting for an offer. Advise the institution, not UAC, if you ve already accepted an offer or enrolled. 26 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

29 Common terms and abbreviations Here s a summary of terms used by UAC and tertiary institutions. Take a few minutes to read these definitions as they will help you to understand the information provided in this booklet.

30 Academic year The part of the year when students are attending classes. It normally commences in February/March each year and ends with the examination period in November/December. It may comprise two semesters or three terms. ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (ACTBSSS) A statutory authority responsible for the certifi cation of senior secondary school studies in government and non-government schools in the ACT. Additional selection criteria Requirements, either in addition to, or instead of, normal entry requirements used by institutions for selection purposes for a particular course. These may include a personal statement, questionnaire, portfolio of work, audition, interview or test. Admission requirements The minimum qualifi cations required for entry to a particular course. Entry to many courses is competitive and the attainment of these minimum qualifi cations does not guarantee you will be offered a place. Advanced Diploma An award requiring two or three years full-time, or equivalent part-time, study. Age cohort To ensure the interstate equivalence of ATARs, an age cohort is used in each state. This ensures that a student s rank is a measure of their performance against all students who started Year 7 with them in that state, not just those who completed Year 12 and were eligible for an ATAR. Apply UAC s online application system at Apply direct UAC lists courses for institutions to which you apply directly. UAC does not process applications or make offers on behalf of these institutions. These courses are listed as apply direct in UAC s course search and cannot be selected when you apply. Associate Degree An award requiring two years full-time or equivalent parttime tertiary study, which equates to the fi rst two years of a designated three-year degree course. Assumed knowledge A level of achievement in a specifi ed course at the HSC (or equivalent) considered desirable for successful study in a tertiary course or fi rst-year subject. If you don t have the assumed level of knowledge but do have a suitable ATAR, you may still be selected for the course, but may be offered a bridging course. ATAR courses Board Developed courses for which there are formal examinations conducted by BOSTES that yield a graded assessment. Classifi ed as Category A courses or Category B courses, these are the only courses that can be included in the ATAR calculations. Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) A number between 0.00 and that measures your overall academic achievement in Year 12 in relation to your age cohort. The ATAR is a rank, not a mark. It helps institutions rank applicants for selection. Bachelor degree An award requiring three or four years full-time, or equivalent part-time, study. Board Developed courses Courses in which the syllabus has been developed by BOSTES. Board Endorsed courses Courses that may be studied as one or two units and as preliminary and/or HSC courses. They count towards the HSC and appear on the student s Record of Achievement. However, Board Endorsed courses do not count in the calculation of the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) Sets the core curriculum for Kindergarten to Year 12, sets guidelines for school assessment tasks, and sets, organises and marks the HSC examinations for government and non-government schools in NSW. Bonus points Are determined by the institution and used in addition to an applicant s ATAR to increase their selection rank for a particular course preference. They do not change a student s ATAR. Examples are subject bonus points or regional bonus points. Bonus points can also be awarded to EAS applicants. Bridging courses Some institutions offer bridging or introductory courses to enable you to achieve the required level of assumed knowledge. The inclusion of one or more of these subjects in your fi rst-year program, however, could prevent you from completing your course in the minimum time. Campus The grounds of a university or other institute of higher education. Some institutions may have several campuses at different locations. 28 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

31 Common terms and abbreviations Category A courses ATAR courses that have the academic rigour and depth of knowledge to provide an adequate background for tertiary studies and can contribute to the ATAR calculation. Category B courses ATAR courses that don t provide an adequate background for tertiary studies, but they can contribute to the ATAR when combined with Category A courses. No more than two units of Category B courses can be included with the ATAR calculation. Census date The date on which all your enrolment requirements must be fi nalised for a semester. You can withdraw from a course before this date without fi nancial or academic penalty. Course fees are payable from this date. Check & Change UAC s online function for applicants to log in to their application and check or change their details and course choices at check-change/. Combined/double degrees Allow students to complete two degrees in less time than if the two degrees were studied sequentially. Commonwealth-supported place (CSP) A place in a course to which the Australian Government contributes towards the cost, and the student pays only a student contribution. Course prerequisite Some courses require you to have achieved a specifi ed standard in a NSW HSC course (or equivalent) before you will be offered a place in the course. If you do not have the required course prerequisite you cannot be selected for the institution s course even though you may have met the admission requirements. Cut-off A rank indicating the lowest entry rank required for entry to a course. It includes bonus points. UAC publishes the previous year s Main Round cut-offs in this booklet, in the UAC Guide and in the course search on UAC s website as a guide for the current year. The cut-offs for courses in a particular year are only known after Main Round offers for that year are made. Deferment Delaying the commencement of a course, usually six months or a year. Some institutions only grant deferments in special circumstances. Diploma An award usually requiring two or three years full-time, or equivalent part-time, undergraduate study. These courses are usually characterised by more emphasis on practical skills than on the theoretical content required for a degree. Direct applicant An applicant who applies for study directly to an institution, not through UAC. Distance education When you study off-campus, usually at a study centre or at home. Residential attendance at on-campus sessions is sometimes required. Domestic fee-paying students (DFEE) Students who are Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of Australia who meet the entire cost of their studies through tuition fees Educational Access Schemes (EAS) Schemes for university applicants who have experienced long-term educational disadvantage due to circumstances beyond their control or choosing. Apply for EAS through UAC. Equity Scholarships (ES) Assist fi nancially disadvantaged students with the costs associated with higher education. Apply for ES through UAC. Faculty A department within a university in a particular area of study such as arts, law, engineering or medicine. FEE-HELP A loan for eligible fee-paying students to pay their tuition fees. As part of the Budget, the Australian Government has proposed a range of changes that will affect the fees that universities can charge, and the way that students will repay debt accumulated under the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). These changes are subject to the passage of legislation. HECS-HELP A loan for eligible Commonwealth-supported students to pay their student contributions. As part of the Budget, the Australian Government has proposed a range of changes that will affect the fees that universities can charge, and the way that students will repay debt accumulated under the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). These changes are subject to the passage of legislation. Honours An additional year of study at university involving a higher level of study in a certain subject. All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 29

32 HSC subjects and courses A subject is the general name given to an area of study. A course is a branch of study within a subject. A subject may have several courses. For example, within the subject of English the courses include English (Standard), English (Advanced), English as a Second Language (ESL), HSC English Extension 1 and HSC English Extension 2. International fee-paying students (IFEE) Students who are not Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of Australia and meet the entire cost of their studies through tuition fees. Major studies Areas of in-depth study or specialisation within a course, consisting of a sequence of subjects/units in a single discipline generally studied throughout the course. In some courses it is possible to have more than one major study. Some institutions may refer to major studies as majors or specialisations. Matriculation The attainment of the minimum qualifi cations required for entry to a tertiary institution. Non-award programs A program for students looking for a pathway into a Bachelor degree. It allows students to study individual units (subjects) that, when successfully completed, can count towards a degree. Non-Year 12 applicant An applicant who has not completed the most recent Australian Year 12 or is not currently studying an Australian Year 12 is a non-year 12 applicant when applying through UAC. Non-Year 12 applicants are also non-standard Year 12 applicants (eg students at Steiner schools, home-schooled students). Open days Open days are set aside for prospective students to visit a campus to view the facilities and meet academic staff and students. Part-time student A student enrolled in fewer subjects than a full-time study load, usually less than three subjects per semester. Pathways Pathways are alternative study options for students who don t get into a course. Pathway courses are a lower level of study than a Bachelor degree and often offer entry into the degree after successful completion of the lower-level course. Some institutions offer pathway courses through UAC. Percentile Indicates a student s position in a course against other students. If you re in the 73rd percentile, for example, you have done better than 73 per cent of the students in that course. Postgraduate Study done after completing an undergraduate degree including a Graduate Certifi cate or Graduate Diploma, Masters degree or Doctorate. Preparation courses Designed for applicants who haven t completed Year 12 or haven t met entry requirements. Minimum age requirements sometimes apply and the length of these courses differs between institutions. Prerequisites A level of achievement in a specifi ed course/s in the HSC (or equivalent) that must be reached before an applicant is eligible for a course. There are two types of prerequisites: course prerequisites and subject prerequisites. Recommended studies HSC (or equivalent) courses that institutions suggest will help you in your chosen course. If you haven t studied these courses, however, your chances of selection are not affected. Scaling The fi rst step in calculating your ATAR. It is necessary because HSC students take all kinds of different courses and scaling allows courses to be compared fairly. Schools Recommendation Schemes (SRS) One way institutions make offers to current Year 12 students who have applied for undergraduate admission through UAC. SRS aims to assist access to higher education for current Australian Year 12 students using a wide range of selection criteria including school recommendations, senior secondary studies and personal awards and achievements. Semester The academic year is usually divided into fi rst and second semesters. Students can start courses at the beginning of the fi rst and, in some cases, second semester. Some institutions call them autumn and spring semesters. Others use session or half-year. Some institutions have trimesters or terms, with an additional study period over summer. 30 All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students

33 Common terms and abbreviations Slipback offer A slipback offer is an offer to a lower level of study than you have applied for. For example, you apply for a Bachelor degree and the institution decides that, while you are not eligible and competitive enough for entry to the Bachelor degree, you are eligible for a lower level of study (such as a Diploma). The institution makes you an offer to the lower level course. Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) A series of tests to assess competencies considered important for tertiary study such as the ability to think critically and analyse information. Many universities use STAT for admission, but usually for non-year 12 students. Start date This is the date when teaching for a course starts, excluding institution orientation and student information days. Subject prerequisites HSC (or equivalent) courses that institutions require as preliminary studies to study a subject as part the course. If you don t have these, but have met the admission requirements, you can still be selected for a course, but may be unable to take particular subjects within that course. Tertiary education The next level of study after completing secondary school. Tuition fee The amount that domestic fee-paying students must pay as their study costs. This is determined by each institution. Tutorial A session at university involving a group of students and a tutor where you can discuss lecture and other subject topics in detail. Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) The central offi ce that receives and processes applications for admission to most undergraduate courses at its participating institutions as well as applications for Educational Access Schemes, Schools Recommendation Schemes and Equity Scholarships. UAC notifi es NSW HSC students of their ATAR (ACT students are notifi ed by their school) and makes offers of admission on behalf of participating institutions. It also processes applications for many postgraduate courses. Undergraduate course An entry-level course for fi rst-time university students that leads to a fi rst qualifi cation, such as a Bachelor degree, an Associate Diploma or a Diploma. Year-round admissions This means that in a single application applicants can apply for undergraduate tertiary study at UAC s participating institutions from August each year until July the following year for courses starting anytime between September that year and August the following year. Year 12 applicant A Year 12 applicant is someone who is sitting one or more units of an Australian Year 12 in Australia or outside Australia (except Queensland Year 12 external students) or sitting the International Baccalaureate in Australia or outside Australia in the current admissions period (August to July each year). All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students 31

34 Course listing UAC s institutions offered more than 1,800 undergraduate courses in In this section we list these courses under broad areas of study so you ll have an idea of the courses available to you.