University is a great opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people and make industry connections. However, getting into and choosing a university can seem like an overwhelming and impossible task at times. Even though year 12 entry is the most common form of uni admission, there are a variety of other pathways available to you. Not everything always works out how you want to, so it’s good to know that there are other ways to reach your goals.
There are a variety of alternative access pathways that are available for every university in Australia. Although there are some similarities, there’s variation across the board. If you’re seriously considering embarking on one of these alternative pathways, it’s a good idea to check out the university websites and get in contact directly. The main pathways are through STAT testing, mature-aged entry, employment/experience, bridging courses, TAFE or VET, and scholarships or other similar programs.
So let’s get started!
STAT
STAT stands for Special Tertiary Admissions Test and is generally used to assist in selection. The purpose of the test is to allow people without a recent year 12 qualification to prove that they are capable of tertiary-level study. This is usually used for mature-aged entry. The STAT test allows people to enter a university without meeting the general minimal requirements that everyone else must meet.
If you didn’t complete year 12 recently, the STAT test is probably going to be essential for you to get into university. Different universities will have different combinations of requirements. Some will only require STAT but others will also look at your employment history and other things.
You don’t need to know curriculum-specific knowledge for STAT. It’s a 2h test that comprises of verbal and quantitative reasoning. The purpose is to see if you are capable of studying at a tertiary level to it’s a lot to do with interpretation and other study skills.
Mature-age
This is a follow on from the STAT testing as the two usually go hand-in-hand. The policies and definition of a ‘mature age‘ students differs between universities so you will have to look into the requirements for your chosen university. It’s awesome that mature-age students want to learn more and aren’t afraid to jump back into study!
Apart from STAT testing, there are other things that can be considered when you’re mature-age. Your previous study and qualifications may be transferrable to your new degree. In some states, there are special access programs for mature-age students, which give them advantages and special consideration for entry into universities.
If you’re looking to go back to university it’s best to choose a flexible program that will be able to fit in around your existing life and commitments. As a mature-age student, you may have commitments and responsibilities like jobs and families.
Experience
Some universities will consider or require that you have employment or experience, perhaps in your chosen field for mature-age entry. You may also still need to take the STAT in order to gain entry. Your employment experience may also not need to relate to your chosen field. Year 12’s generally cannot use employment experience to gain entry into a university course.
The selection rank is made using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, to see the level of skill your job is. They only assess paid work that has been ongoing for more than 6 months and includes self-employment. This means that volunteering and work experience does not count.
If you’ve been working it’s a good idea to look into this option!
Bridging Courses
Bridging courses are generally not a requirement for everyone at a university but can be used to help you meet the minimum entry requirements if you haven’t already. They are to help you to gain study skills as well as course-related knowledge as well. A common bridging course is English and foundation studies, for students who haven’t yet met the minimum English requirements for entry.
This is a great way to help you meet the requirements for a course if you didn’t do the required prerequisites for your course in year 12. At some universities, the bridging courses may also be counted as credit towards your degree. Different universities have different rules and costs for bridging courses so you should refer to individual institutions.
TAFE/VET
TAFE and VET (technical and vocational education) courses can be used to gain entry into university. If you’ve completed something like a Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma, you may be able to use the qualifications to help you gain entry into your desired course. Even if they don’t assist you with direct entry, the courses may be able to be added as credit to your degree or to improve your selection rank.
So if you’ve completed any VET or TAFE courses, perhaps during school, you’ll be able to use these to help you directly apply to some universities, such as ACU.
Programs
Many universities may offer guaranteed entry programs, which may help you to gain entry regardless of your score. This works a little bit like scholarships and will depend on your circumstances. This tends to be more for school-leavers, though. Some things that universities will be looking out for are things like volunteering and leadership experience. They’re looking for people with strong community engagement.
Other programs that are common to a lot of universities will be for supporting elite athletes and performers. If you excel in sports or the performing arts, this can help you to gain entry to your chosen university by applying to these elite programs. You may also get subsidies from the university to attend competitions!
Finishing and doing well in year 12 is not the only way to have a successful career. There are many alternative pathways to gaining entry into university and we hope that you will take advantage of this information! It’s encouraging to know that year 12 isn’t the ‘ultimate’ we think it is. If you don’t do as well as you’d like on your year 12 exams, there are always other ways to get where you want to be.
If you don’t get into university, it’s also not the end of the world. You can take the time to gain employment experience, complete TAFE/VET qualifications or get involved in the community around you. Applying yourself in these ways during an unprecedented time off can help you to reapply to university with more confidence!
ACU seems to have the most extensive and accessible alternative access pathways and so their website has a good overview of these options. You can learn more here.
We hope this has helped you get a better idea of alternative routes for university entry. Good luck!
