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The time will soon be over to make your course selections for university next year. Tertiary admission centres across Australia are opening for applications for university courses close at the end of September. So you have just a few days to choose your preferences and lock them in.

Depending on your state, you will apply for your courses through the following centres:

• Victoria – VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre)
• New South Wales – UAC (Universities Admissions Centre)
• ACT – UAC (Universities Admissions Centre)
• South Australia – SATAC (South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre)
• Northern Territory – SATAC (South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre)
• Queensland – QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre)
• Western Australia – TISC (Tertiary Institutions Service Centre)
• Tasmania – Direct application. Websites are accessible from BSSC Careers website.

You have to be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident, a New Zealand citizen, or a temporary resident currently studying in Australia to apply through these centres. Otherwise, you will have to apply directly through the institution you wish to attend.

Take a look at the step-by-step guidelines for course selection and application below if you are uncertain about how to apply. In fact, even if you know what course you want to do, follow the below tips, just to test your certainty.

1. Jump on the internet and search for career advice sites. Have a look around, read about various careers and what they entail, what qualifications you’ll need for each career, and which institutions offer those courses. In terms of career advice sites, www.careernav.com.au has it all. It offers career descriptions, life skills, career skills, features and blogs on the latest issues, packages to assist with your personal and professional growth, and a forum to discuss any issues or opinions you have. Use the information on offer, buy a package to help you develop a sense of direction if necessary, and get an idea of what areas you might like to pursue. 
2. Get your hands on a tertiary guide. For instance, if you’re in Victoria, you’ll buy a VTAC Guide, and if you’re in New South Wales, you’ll get the UAC Guide. These guides include a list of all bachelor degrees, associate degrees, advanced diplomas, diplomas, and certificate IV courses.
3. Go to the index, and look for major studies/areas of study. This index will list all the institutions that offer a particular major/course and the page number. Look up each course you might be interested in – even those you might not – to see if it is exactly what you want.
4. Find out how each tertiary institution makes its selections for each course. It may select using ENTER/TER/OP/ATER (previously UAI) scores alone, or it may have extra requirements. The handbook will list the previous year’s required scores to be used as an estimate, as well as the middle-band, and the size of course’s student intake. If you think you can reach a score that will get you in, and you like the course description, then good. If the score seems too high, then have a look at similar courses that require a lower score for selection.
5. Instead of a study score, the guide may state that a range of criteria (RC) is required. This will usually be specified in Extra Requirements, such as audition, interview, folio presentation, UMAT, and so on. Always check Extra Requirements for every course: If you don’t meet the extra requirements, then your application will be invalid!
6. Once you have looked through the guide and read about all of the courses that you might want to do, create a shortlist. Your top 10 courses, in order of preference. Number 1 will be the course and university you most want to attend.

You might also want to consider applying for special consideration. This can help you if you get into a tertiary institution if you are at a disadvantage to other students. Depending on your state, you may apply for:

• EAS – Educational Access Scheme (New South Wales, ACT and Western Australia)
• SEAS – Special Entry Access Scheme (Victoria)
• SCD – Special Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (Queensland)
• SEAS – Student Equal Access Scheme (Flinders University. Each institution in SA has its own access scheme. Contact the institutions for details).

The categories for special consideration access schemes include rural and isolated students, mature age students, non-English speaking background, recognition as an Indigenous Australian, difficult family circumstances, disadvantaged socio-economic background, under-represented schools, women in non-traditional courses, personal disability or long-term medical condition, and refugee status. In some cases, you may also apply for consideration on the grounds of the health of a family member, personal health or trauma, death of a close family member or friend, divorce or separation of parents, adverse living conditions, excessive family responsibility, or natural disaster.

If in doubt, apply. It is better to have applied for special consideration than miss out on a place at university because your marks weren’t high enough due to your circumstances. Applications open in August, and close around the same time as course selections close.

Now, once you have made your course choices (remembering that once you get your ENTER/TER/ATER/OP in December, you are able to alter your preferences), it’s time to make your selections. To apply, your will need:

• Your Application Number (in Victoria, just known as VTAC Number, and WA as TISC Number). You will have either been sent this number by your state’s admissions centre, or it will be on your student ID card. Contact your admissions centre if you have lost your Application Number.
• A PIN number, which you will get when you register online.
• The Course Code of each course you have selected. These codes are 5 numbers, and end in 1, 2, or 3. These final numbers are very important, as they indicate whether you are applying for a Commonwealth Supported Place (1), full-fee place (2), or as a non-Australian citizen – also full-fee place (3).

The application process varies slightly from state to state. However, for an example, those in Victoria need to:

• Register online (www.vtac.edu.au)
• Receive VTAC ID and PIN number
• Login to MyInfo
• Access the:
  • VTAC Course Application
  • STAT DULSAT Application
  • Scholarship Application
  • Apply!

If you are stressing about your course or career selections, don’t. Just remember that you can change your preferences along the way. If you are completely at a loss and have no clue, refer to some of the blogs on www.careernav.com.au or consider taking a Gap Year next year so that when you apply next August, it will be for something you’ve really thought about.

Happy selections!