Getting In

Everyone’s pathway to uni is different and no matter what your background there are several options available to you.

Going to uni allows you to explore your interests in detail and to build a strong foundation for your career.

If you are completing or have recently completed your HSC, you may be eligible to receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) which can be used to gain entry into uni.

The ATAR shows how well you went in the HSC compared to other students. It’s based on your overall marks in the HSC and is used for selection into university degrees.

Universities work out how many positions are available in each degree and set a minimum ATAR for entry, which is the score of the last person admitted to the degree. Previous year ATAR scores should be taken as a guide only as they can change from year to year according to demand.

HSC students who go to schools in certain regional or rural postcode areas are awarded an additional four bonus points through our Regional and Rural Preference Scheme.

These bonus points are offered to schools and TAFE colleges with postcodes in the Hunter, Central Coast, Central West, Northern Rivers, Mid-North Coast, New England, Western Plains and Broken Hill mail centres. It applies to all undergraduate degrees except the Bachelor of Medicine – Joint Medical Program and Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry).

You don’t need to apply for this bonus – the points are automatically added to your score.

Yapug is a program that helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18 or over to gain skills for entry into degrees at the University of Newcastle. The program is offered at our Newcastle (Callaghan) campus.

The Bachelor of Medicine – Joint Medical Program is included in the degrees that Yapug can prepare students for.

Students enrolled in Yapug are encouraged to develop the academic skills and self-discipline required for success in undergraduate study.

The Wollotuka Institute’s Indigenous Student Support and Development Unit offers services to support students including counselling, the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (tutors helping students with their studies), a well-equipped resource centre, audio and visual materials on Indigenous topics and issues, health support and cultural programs.

For more info visit our Yapug web pages. 

We can help you make the most of previous study through credit transfer.

If your TAFE or other qualification is similar to the university degree you want to study, you may be granted credit (in recognition of prior learning) for up to two years of your degree.

Credit transfer works only after you are offered a university place with us and have accepted that offer.

Certificate IV qualifications and higher completed at TAFE NSW can be used as a basis of admission to uni and may count as credit towards your degree.

Entry is dependent on the level of your qualification and the degree(s) you are interested in.

Credit transfer arrangements apply for a number of WEA qualifications.

For more info visit our credit transfer web pages.

We offer a number of entry schemes to give students a little extra help getting into uni.

This scheme helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants gain entry into our degrees.

To ensure you receive advice about this scheme, lodge your UAC application by October 2012 and indicate that you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent in your application.

Applicants may then be invited to attend interviews conducted at the Newcastle (Callaghan), Central Coast (Ourimbah) or Port Macquarie campuses of the University of Newcastle.

For more info, phone The Wollotuka Institute on (02) 4921 6863.

If you have experienced educational or other disadvantage, you can apply for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS).

The University of Newcastle, through EAS, may award you up to four additional points. The scheme does not apply to the Bachelor of Medicine program. To apply for the EAS, you must complete the application form contained in the EAS booklet produced by UAC or download the form from UAC. 

Your EAS application should be forwarded to UAC with supporting documents no later than 28 September 2012.

For more info phone our enquiry centre on (02) 4921 5000.

All uni applications need to be submitted online to the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). UAC receives and processes applications for most NSW and ACT universities.

Get yourself a copy of the UAC Guide as soon as possible. Your school should be able to give you a free copy of the guide or you can purchase it from major newsagencies and bookshops. You can also view the guide online at the UAC website.

Please note that some degrees have a different application process.

You can nominate up to nine preferences and these can be changed up until early January, once your initial application is submitted.

Select your preferences in the order of what you would like to study most, rather than ATAR score.

You’ll be offered a place in the first degree on your list for which you achieve the ATAR cut-off.

Consider all degrees related to your area of interest. For example, if you want a career in marketing, you could consider studying a Bachelor of Business with a major in marketing.

Applications open in August and on-time main round applications close on 28 September 2012. You can still apply for the main round until early December but you will be hit with a late fee.

As well as meeting any selection criteria specified in the degree entries, applicants are considered for entry on the basis of:

• Performance in Australian year 12 studies with the minimum ATAR or equivalent higher education
• Tertiary or post-secondary qualifications
• Overseas qualifications considered equivalent to Australian qualifications performance in one of the alternative pathways for entry

Applicants must also satisfy our English language proficiency requirements.

It’s important to check if the degree(s) you’re interested in have special entry requirements such as an audition, interview or portfolio.

When researching degrees also check for assumed knowledge and recommended studies.

There’s always a plan B. Your ATAR is not the be-all and end-all, and there is usually more than one way to get the career you want.

If your ATAR result was not what you expected or you’re looking for a different path into uni, check out alternative entry options such as our Newstep program and TAFE.

We can help you understand your options, such as starting a different degree, re-applying later, or doing a related TAFE course.

Our careers service also helps students to rethink career options.

Thinking about taking time out between school and uni? Many students take a gap year after finishing year 12.

Whether you need a break from study, want to get some work experience under your belt or intend to do some travelling, there are loads of opportunities out there and it’s important you do some research and planning to make the most of your time out from studying.

You will probably find that uni is a lot more flexible than school. The majority of our degrees require between 12 and 20 hours of face-to-face contact a week, and you may have the option of determine your own hours through our online timetabling system.

Many students work part-time whilst they study at uni, but make sure to allocate time to study.

If you accept an offer from the University of Newcastle, you may be able to delay the start date of your degree by up to one year. Some degrees don’t allow you to defer.

For many degrees, you can choose to study part-time or full-time. Generally, full-time study is made up of four courses a semester. Part-time study is made up of one or two courses a semester.

Kick start your career in research. Start thinking about research as a possible career direction as soon as you start your degree.

Look into summer vacation scholarships, they provide you with an opportunity to undertake supervised research in an area relevant to your degree before you graduate.

Typically the scholarships range from four to 12 weeks, with a value between $500 and $6,000.

For more info visit our scholarships web pages.

Start thinking about research as a possible career direction as soon as you start your degree.

You can choose to undertake a research higher degree at the University of Newcastle after completing an honours degree or equivalent prior research learning.

Research is highly valued by the University of Newcastle and our research higher degree students are recognised as the next generation of researchers in our region, in Australia and across the globe. A research higher degree is the recognised qualification for a career in academia, and will open doors to new career paths.

There is plenty of support available for students engaged in research study including funding, a laptop, high quality supervision and community connections.

For more info visit our research higher degree web pages.