All About UAC for 2015
Essentials: All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 students
Contacting UAC
UAC
Locked Bag 112 Silverwater NSW 2128
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)
1300 ASK UAC (1300 275 822) from mobiles: (02) 9752 0200 from overseas: +61 2 9752 0200
www.uac.edu.au
email online enquiry form, www.uac.edu.au/general/ contact.shtml www.facebook.com/ universitiesadmissionscentre http://twitter.com/UACinfo www.youtube.com/user/UACinfo
Early August Applications open
End September On-time applications close
Mid-December HSC results and ATARs released
Early January Change of preferences for Main Round close
Mid-January Main Round offers made
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.
Key dates
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
Contents
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 ...
26
Common terms and
abbreviations 27
Course listing
32
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.
Fred and Laura
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 www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/
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 99.95 with
increments of 0.05. 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
80.00 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 70.00. Some people
are surprised by this, thinking that the average should be
50.00. It would be 50.00 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.
Thinking about university?
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 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
4
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 www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/faq/
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 www.uac.edu.au/
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.
Your HSC marks
Your ATAR
Your HSC marks provide information about how well you
have performed in each of the courses you have completed.
Your ATAR provides information about your position overall
against other students.
Your HSC Record of Achievement provides a profi le of your
performance in the different courses you have studied.
Your ATAR allows you to be compared with students who
have completed different combinations of courses.
Your HSC marks are reported against standards.
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.
Performance
BOSTES aligns to performance bands
and calculates
HSC marks
Position
UAC undertakes scaling process and
calculates
ATARs
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 www.uac.edu.au/atar. 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 www.bsss.act.edu.au.
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.
Thinking About University?
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 23.5. 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
70
41
80
75
Business Studies
70
35
80
66
English (Advanced)
70
10
80
45
Mathematics
70
20
80
49
Modern History
70
27
80
62
Visual Arts
70
17
80
56
ATAR
55.95
79.45
All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students
6
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 www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/
admission/interstate.shtml.
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.
UAC’s participating institutions
Year 12 students apply through UAC to study at the following institutions.
APM College of Business and Communication
www.apm.edu.au
Australasian College of Natural Therapies
www.acnt.edu.au
Australian Catholic University
www.acu.edu.au
Australian College of Applied Psychology
www.acap.edu.au
Australian Maritime College
www.amc.edu.au
Australian National University
www.anu.edu.au
Billy Blue College of Design
www.billyblue.edu.au
Charles Sturt University
www.csu.edu.au
CQUniversity
www.cqu.edu.au
Griffi th University
www.griffi th.edu.au
International College of Management, Sydney
www.icms.edu.au
Jansen Newman Institute
www.jni.edu.au
La Trobe University
www.latrobe.edu.au
Macleay College
www.macleay.edu.au
Macquarie University
www.mq.edu.au
MIT Sydney
www.mit.edu.au
National Art School
www.nas.edu.au
SAE Creative Media Institute
www.sae.edu.au
SIBT
www.sibt.nsw.edu.au
Southern Cross University
www.scu.edu.au
University of Canberra
www.canberra.edu.au
University of New England
www.une.edu.au
University of Newcastle
www.newcastle.edu.au
University of Sydney
http://sydney.edu.au
University of Technology, Sydney
www.uts.edu.au
University of Western Sydney
www.uws.edu.au
University of Wollongong
www.uow.edu.au
UNSW Australia
www.unsw.edu.au
UNSW Canberra at ADFA
www.unsw.adfa.edu.au
William Blue College of Hospitality Management
www.williamblue.edu.au
Choosing the direction you want to take in your life can be a diffi cult
task. To make the best decisions it pays to do your research and fi nd
out as much as you can about the areas that interest you.
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.
www.myfuture.edu.au
Job Guide
Describes hundreds of occupational profi les.
Hard copies are distributed to schools each year.
www.jobguide.deewr.gov.au
Job Search
Australia’s largest free online jobs website.
www.jobsearch.gov.au
Careers Advisory Service
Up-to-date information on a range of relevant
career and study options available following the
release of the HSC results.
www.cas.det.nsw.edu.au
Centrelink Career Information Centres
Information on education, training and
employment options and pathways.
www.humanservices.gov.au
Graduate Careers Australia
Produces a range of graduate-related
publications and research about industry and
salary trends and employment opportunities.
www.graduatecareers.com.au
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.
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.
All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students
10
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
2014–15 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 www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/course-search/
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 www.studyassist.gov.au 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 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.
and the type of course as each institution sets its own
tuition fees for each DFEE course.
A small number of courses are:
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.
For information about HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP, visit
www.studyassist.gov.au
Work
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 www.ato.gov.au 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.
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.
All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students
12
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
www.studyassist.gov.au
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
merit-based 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
www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/course-search 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
+61 3 8508 7643 or visit the ACER website at
www.umat.acer.edu.au
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 www.uac.edu.au/stat/and 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
www.uac.edu.au/stat/
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
www.apm.edu.au/apply-online/scholarships
Australasian College of Natural Therapies
www.acnt.edu.au
Australian Catholic University
www.acu.edu.au/scholarships
Australian College of Applied Psychology
www.acap.edu.au/scholarships.html
Australian Maritime College
www.amc.edu.au/scholarships
Australian National University
www.anu.edu.au/scholarships
Billy Blue College of Design
www.billyblue.edu.au/apply/scholarships
Charles Sturt University
www.csu.edu.au/scholarships
CQUniversity
www.cqu.edu.au/study/scholarships
Griffi th University
www.griffi th.edu.au/scholarships
International College of Management, Sydney
www.icms.edu.au/scholarships
Jansen Newman Institute
www.jni.edu.au/scholarships
La Trobe University
www.latrobe.edu.au/scholarships
Macleay College
www.macleay.edu.au/future-students/
scholarships-fi nancial-assistance
Macquarie University
www.mq.edu.au/scholarships
MIT Sydney
www.mit.edu.au/courses/scholarships
National Art School
www.nas.edu.au/degreeprograms/Scholarships-and-Internships
SAE Creative Media Institute, Australia
www.sae.edu.au/admissions/scholarships
SIBT
www.sibt.nsw.edu.au/enrol-today/scholarships
Southern Cross University
www.scu.edu.au/scholarships
University of Canberra
www.canberra.edu.au/scholarships
University of New England
www.une.edu.au/scholarships
University of Newcastle
www.newcastle.edu.au/scholarships
University of Sydney
http://sydney.edu.au/scholarships
University of Technology, Sydney
www.uts.edu.au/future-students/scholarships
University of Western Sydney
www.uws.edu.au/scholarships
University of Wollongong
www.uow.edu.au/about/scholarships
UNSW Australia
http://scholarships.online.unsw.edu.au
William Blue College of Hospitality Management
www.williamblue.edu.au/apply-online/scholarships
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
+61 3 9277 5357 or visit the ACER website at
http://isat.acer.edu.au/.
Now that you’ve done your research and decided on the courses
you’d like to study, you need to 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 www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/
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.
My BOSTES student number is:
My HSC PIN is:
My UAC PIN is:
My UAC application number is:
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 www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/
apply/
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.
All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students
16
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
www.uac.edu.au/media-hub/videos.shtml. 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,
www.vtac.edu.au
Queensland: Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre,
www.qtac.edu.au
South Australia and Northern Territory: South Australian
Tertiary Admissions Centre, www.satac.edu.au
Western Australia: Tertiary Institutions Service Centre,
www.tisc.edu.au
Tasmania: University of Tasmania, www.utas.edu.au
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 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.
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
www.uac.edu.au/undergraduate/check-change/
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
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:
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 www.uac.edu.au/
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 www.uac.edu.au/equity/
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.
All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students
18
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 www.uac.edu.au/eas/
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
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 www.uac.edu.au/srs/
and are:
a UAC applicant for undergraduate admission that year
an Australian or New Zealand citizen
