Courses FAQs
Information for 2012 main admissions
There are over 1,500 courses available across 18 institutions. Start your search here.
- What should I do before I apply?
- Am I eligible to apply?
To be eligible to be considered for a course you must:
- meet the admission requirements of the institution offering the course and
- meet the entrance requirements of the course – some courses have course prerequisites or additional selection criteria.
Additional selection criteria can be found in the course descriptions available through the course search.
- Am I eligible for a place in a Commonwealth-supported place (CSP) course?
You must have sufficient Student Learning Entitlement (SLE) to be eligible for a place in a CSP course.
Your SLE allows you to study in a CSP course or courses for seven years full-time. Once you've used up your SLE you're no longer eligible for a place in a CSP course and will need to contact your institution for advice about completing your studies.
When you enrol in a CSP course you'll be given a Commonwealth Higher Education Student Support Number (CHESSN). Your CHESSN is used to monitor your SLE consumption. For more information visit the Going to Uni website.
- What are my chances of being selected for the course?
Choose courses that you're interested in but you should also consider your realistic chances of getting into the course. Choosing something that you're good at and interested in is the first step towards doing well at university.
The course search shows the cut-offs Year 12 applicants needed for entry into each course for main admissions in 2011. You can use these cut-offs as an indication of your chances of being selected for a particular course. Remember that cut-offs include bonus points, and you may get an offer to a course even though your ATAR is lower than the cut-off.
Note: The cut-offs for 2012 won’t be known until selection is actually made during the offer rounds as the cut-offs are determined by a number of factors.
- Can I do my course by distance education?
Some distance education courses are offered through UAC – for more information use the course search and select the distance option as your preferred pattern of attendance. A very small number of institutions also offer distance education courses through direct application.
- Can I do the course I want by part-time or evening study?
Read the course descriptions available through the course search to see whether the course is available full-time, part-time, evenings or by distance education. Some institutions allow you to change your attendance pattern after you enrol.
- How do I apply for courses through UAC?
All eligible applicants apply online.
- How many course preferences can I include?
You can choose up to nine course preferences. If you're interested in only one course, then enter only that course.
If you're interested in several courses, enter the course codes in order of preference up to the maximum of nine course preferences.
Remember: You can only include the courses listed in the course search. Check the course updates for up-to-date lists of new and cancelled courses.
- Does the order in which I list my courses matter?
Yes, put the course preferences in the order you'd most like them to be considered. Put the course you'd most like to do first, then the course you'd next prefer to do, and so on. This is because during the selection process, your course preferences are considered one at a time in the order in which you've them listed on your application.
If you're not selected for your first course you'll be considered equally with all other eligible applicants for your second course preference and so on.
Read the selection process for information about how institutions select applicants.
Note: In some offer rounds, only first preferences are considered. For more information about offer rounds read the offers FAQs.
- Are all my preferences given equal consideration?
Yes. If you're not selected for your first 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 placed a course as a lower order preference. You won't be selected for a course just because you entered that course as a higher order preference.
For example: Anna doesn't qualify for an offer to the courses she has listed as preferences 1, 2 or 3, and has course 116677 as preference 4. Anna is eligible and more competitive than Blair and Catriona, who have both listed course 116677 as their first preference. Anna, therefore, receives an offer ahead of Blair and Catriona.
Note: In some offer rounds, only first preferences are considered. For more information about offer rounds read the offers FAQs.
- How do I change my course preferences?
You can add, delete, or change the order of your courses using Check & Change.
First, read the closing dates listed in the course search, then follow the instructions in Check & Change. There is no UAC charge to change your preferences.
You can't change your courses by telephone, letter, fax or email.
- How do I know if my course has any additional selection criteria?
A number of courses have additional selection criteria you must meet. Examples of additional selection criteria include an interview, sitting a test or submitting a portfolio. Additional selection criteria can be found in the course descriptions available through the course search.
In addition, there are special requirements and policies for students in both health-related and teacher education courses.
- How do I pay for my course?
Read fees for more information.
- What is included in the course fees?
The amounts listed in the course descriptions are for one year of full-time study. The fees don't include any expenses such as the cost of books, stationery, meals, accommodation and transport.
- Do all universities in NSW and the ACT charge the same tuition fees?
No. Tuition fees will vary from institution to institution. Tuition fees also differ between courses. You may need to contact the relevant institution to find out the exact cost of your chosen course.
- Are all tuition fees fixed?
Some institutions guarantee set fees for the duration of the course. Other institutions increase course fees each year to cover the cost-of-living increases in Australia.
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