Admission to Coursework Programs Procedures

These procedures are governed by Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

Calculation and Allocation of Ranks

Calculating a Rank

For applicants other than Year 12 school leavers1, the University will adopt a common schedule in order to assign a rank and to align that rank with the relevant ATAR and OP. These include applicants who:

1. completed Year 12 studies in a previous year and have not completed at least 12 months of full time tertiary study;
2. have completed at least one year of full-time tertiary study (equivalent of 80 credit points)2, in which case the rank will be calculated on the basis of the grade point average achieved;
3. have other relevant education, training and experience or evidence of their ability to undertake tertiary study.

Examples of the types of qualification or prior learning recognised in such schedules include:

• Previous Year 12
• Previous Australian tertiary study
• TAFE qualification
• Tertiary foundation or preparation course
• Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) – Multiple choice. STAT results are valid for 3 years
• Overseas qualifications
• Vocational experience
• Personal Competency Statements (Queensland)

In any state/territory where such schedules are not in use by the TAC, the University will utilise comparable schedules.

Allocating a Rank

Where an applicant has several selection ranks calculated using TAC schedules (e.g. ranks based on Year 12 results, preparatory course/s, employment and/or tertiary study), the University will use its discretion to determine which of these selection ranks will be considered.

When there are more applicants with the same first order rank than there are places available, a second order rank will be used to differentiate between applicants.

2.2 Basis of selection undergraduate

In cases where delineation of ATAR/OP is required, the following provisions will apply for the relevant TAC:

1. QTAC: applicants will be selected on their OP. Within an OP band, if the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of places available for a course, Field Positions will be used to select applicants to whom an offer will be made.
2. UAC: applicants will be selected on their ATAR.
3. VTAC: applicants will be selected on a ranking based on their ATAR.

Direct entry - applicants will be selected on their ATAR or OP, or equivalent, and additional criteria specified by the relevant Faculty.

2.3 Deferment

Subject to Section 18 of the Policy, the Designated Officer may approve an application to defer commencement of a place in an undergraduate course, subject to the following provisos:

1. applications must be lodged prior to commencement of the relevant standard study period;
2. deferments for Commonwealth-supported places may be limited;
3. the maximum duration of a deferment is normally one year;
4. deferment can only be granted for the course in which the applicant has received the offer of a place;
5. deferments cannot normally be transferred to the same course at another campus.

3.1 Calculation of GPA for Postgraduate Entry

3.1.1 Some postgraduate courses require a Grade Point Average (GPA) for admission. The student must provide evidence of their GPA for these courses.

3.1.2 The calculation of the GPA will be according to the formula detailed in the Academic Regulations.

3.1.3 The grade point average is calculated as the average of unit grades obtained by the student, weighted by the credit point value of each unit.

4.1 Transfer of course or campus will be through a competitive selection process.

4.2 The minimum eligibility requirements for a course/campus transfer are detailed in Section 18.2 of the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

4.3 For undergraduate transfers to courses not identified in Schedule 1, a student must have completed two units of study, hold an entry rank equal to, or above the published cut-off for entry to the new course/campus from the previous year’s main offer round, or a minimum GPA of 4.0 from their last available semester of study, and meet all of the entry requirements are in order to be eligible for transfer. Transfers will only be approved subject to availability of a place. Undergraduate transfer requests will be processed before results for the current semester are released.

4.4 Where a transfer application for a competitive undergraduate course identified in Schedule 1 of the Procedures is not approved on the basis of the quota of available transfer places, domestic students will be referred to apply for admission through the relevant state TAC. The TAC will consider results from the student’s study history, including any previous entry rank, and offers will be made as a part of standard TAC offer rounds.

4.5 Transfer requests where students are currently enrolled in a course that is part of an articulation pathway, will be approved where a student has met the requirements for articulation as outlined in Course Rules or other articulation agreements, or where study has been completed to the satisfaction of the destination School, confirmed by the Course Coordinator.

4.6 Transfers from a double degree to a single degree will be approved subject to feasibility and place availability, confirmed by the Course Coordinator.

4.7 Campus transfers within the same program will be approved subject to place availability, confirmed by the Course Coordinator.

4.8 Postgraduate transfer requests will be assessed against minimum eligibility requirements for the new program of study. Admission to an unrelated program of study will be via a new direct offer.

4.9 Where a transfer application is unsuccessful, a student will remain in their current course of study for future study periods. They may apply through their state TAC for admission to their chosen course or re-apply to transfer in a future study period and be re-assessed at that time.

4.10 Students who are course completing in one course must submit a new application if they want to commence study in a new course.

5.1 Non-award applicants must submit a form via the online application system.

5.2 Applications for non-award study are processed as per Section 9.2 of the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

5.3 Individual UG or PG non-award units are studied on a fee-paying basis.

5.4 Cross-institutional applicants must have approval from their home institution for the unit to be credited towards their award course. This requires these applicants to complete the relevant form and submit this to Admissions, in addition to the online direct application.

5.5 Cross-institutional UG or PG units may be studied as with Commonwealth Supported or fee-paying basis depending on the funding arrangements of the home institution.

6.1 Inbound study abroad or exchange applicants must be granted permission from their home University, to participate in an exchange or study abroad program, prior to applying to ACU.

6.2 Exchange and study abroad applications are submitted directly via the ACU online application system and assessed as per the application processes for direct applications, which are outlined in Section 23.3 of the Admissions to Coursework Programs Policy.

Applicants wishing to undertake a unit on an audit basis must contact the relevant School or Faculty directly.

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