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Tertiary study

Tertiary study within Australia

The University will consider results from certain types of tertiary study when considering applicants for admission into this undergraduate courses via UAC. This may include study in degree courses, associate diploma, diploma or advanced diploma level courses offered by Australian course providers. There is no limit to how old a tertiary qualification can be for it to be acceptable.

Results in tertiary study will be only considered if the enrolment meets certain conditions regarding level of award, duration and where the course was taught. For further information about these conditions, please see the sections below about the various types of tertiary qualifications. If your tertiary study does not meet these conditions your application will be considered on the basis of your results in your other academic qualifications.

The results that you achieve in your tertiary study will affect the way that your application is considered. Generally, if you have an acceptable tertiary qualification, your application would be considered on the basis of both your results from your secondary (HSC or equivalent) and your tertiary qualifications. However, if your results from your secondary qualification are not as good as those from your tertiary study, the results from your secondary qualification would not normally be considered.

Within this framework, if you have more than one enrolment which meets the conditions listed above, your best set of tertiary results are considered. If you do not have a secondary qualification, your application would be considered on the basis of your tertiary results alone. However, if you have applied for courses which have additional selection criteria your performance in those criteria will also be taken into account.

Please note that fail results count as part of your tertiary record. Students who leave their courses without notifying their institution may have a year-long record of failure, which would be taken into consideration. See below for information about the Special Consideration for Admission Scheme.

Results from enrolment in RATE certificates and advanced certificate and AQF certificate I-IV courses offered by universities, TAFE and private providers are not acceptable for admission to undergraduate courses.

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Enrolment at University

Your results from tertiary study will only be considered if you have been enrolled for at least one full-time year or an equivalent period part-time. These studies would normally need to be part of a recognised award course of at least associate diploma level or higher for your results to be considered. Please note that certain courses, such as Graduate Law, may have more stringent requirements.

In general, if your results are from an enrolment in a Bachelor's degree or higher level course at a university in Australia (or New Zealand) they can be considered, provided that the enrolment has been at least the minimum period of one full-time year (or part-time equivalent), ie, the equivalent of 48 credit points at the University of Sydney. However, results from graduate certificates (whether complete or incomplete) and incomplete postgraduate research degrees will not be considered.

Recent tertiary study at TAFE and private providers

If you have been enrolled in a diploma or an advanced diploma at TAFE or a private provider from 1996 onwards you may also be able to use your results from that enrolment to apply. For this to be possible your qualification must be complete, it must be a diploma or an advanced diploma, and it must have been accredited under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) at the time you were enrolled in it.

The AQF is a national standard for accrediting postsecondary and tertiary qualifications offered in Australia. If you have studied at a private institution, and you are uncertain as to whether your course had AQF accreditation when you were enrolled, you should be able to obtain this information from the institution at which you were studying. An AQF accreditation symbol may also appear on your transcript of results or on your award certificate.

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Older tertiary study at TAFE and private providers

Results from periods of enrolment in award courses offered at Australian post-secondary institutions such as TAFE colleges and private providers may also be considered. If your qualification was awarded before 1996 it is possible that it was awarded under the RATE system of accrediting qualifications.

Results from an enrolment in a RATE qualification may be considered if the enrolment was for a period of one or more full-time years (or part-time equivalent) and if the enrolment was in an award course of associate diploma or diploma level. Normally associate diploma and diploma qualifications offered by private providers before 1996 will not be accepted.

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Failure and exclusion

Applicants with a record of failure at tertiary study are less competitive for a place than those with a successful academic history. A record of exclusion will normally prevent applicants from gaining admission into any undergraduate course.

If you have been excluded from a degree course you will not be considered for admission unless you have successfully undertaken study at a similar course level since the exclusion or you are able to provide a satisfactory explanation with appropriate supporting documentation. See the section below on special consideration for admission for more information on how to make this submission.

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Special consideration for admission

The Special Consideration for Admission Scheme is a special entry scheme for applicants with a record of tertiary study.

If your performance in your secondary and/or your tertiary studies has been adversely affected by circumstances beyond your control you may apply for consideration under this scheme. You should apply under this scheme if you have a record of exclusion from tertiary study.

In order to be considered you must be able to cite severe medical or personal problems as the cause of your poor results and you must be able to provide documentation in support of your application which proves your claims.

Further information about the Special Consideration for Admission Scheme

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Credit on the basis of previous studies

You may be entitled to academic credit if you have previously been enrolled in another university course, at TAFE or at a private provider. This could mean that the subjects you have completed already may be counted towards your new enrolment, which in turn may reduce the amount of work you have to do to complete your degree course.

The issue of academic credit is separate from admission in that a UAC applicant is not assumed to be applying for admission into any particular academic year, but just for a place in the course. The decision about how much academic credit an applicant can receive for previous study is made by faculty staff, not the Admissions Office, and is usually resolved by making a separate application directly to the faculty.

Most faculties will be able to provide you with a general indication of the amount of credit you might receive before you apply for admission. However, a final decision would not normally be available until after your application for admission has been successful. Since the rules about and procedures for applying for academic credit are so varied it is best to contact faculty offices about academic credit soon after you consider applying.

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Further information

You are welcome to contact the Admissions Office for further information.

Admissions Office
Level 3, Jane Foss Russell Building (G02)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
Phone: + 61 2 8627 8210 / 8209 (General inquiries, including those about overseas qualifications)
Phone: + 61 2 8627 8207 (Special admission)
Fax: +61 2 8627 8278
Email: (General inquiries)
Email: (Special admission)