To be a successful tertiary student, it is not necessary for you to have completed Year 12 or have any formal academic qualifications. There are a number of alternative qualifications that you can present to assist your application. Using these alternative qualifications is known as Alternative Entry. However, before applying using Alternative Entry carefully consider the qualifications you do have.
For example, if you have ever completed Year 12 or its equivalent, undertaken some Senior External examination subjects, studied at university, TAFE, or registered training organisations or completed an approved bridging course, you may be considered for entry on the basis of these qualifications.
Many applicants incorrectly assume that
because they are over 21 they will automatically be considered
for Alternative Entry. This is not the case: tertiary entrance
depends on each applicant's qualifications and the policies of
the institution to which they are applying. Not all institutions
accept Alternative Entry qualifications for all of their courses,
particularly performing arts or creative arts courses.
It is strongly advised that before you submit your application,
you check your eligibility for Alternative Entry with the relevant
institution admissions office.
Alternative Entry is not recommended as a pathway for current
internal Year 12 students.
If you do not have any formal academic qualifications, Alternative Entry enables you to demonstrate your capacity to undertake tertiary study on the basis of the following:
These qualifications include:
More detailed information about how these qualifications can assist your application is available in the QTAC publication Pathways to Tertiary Studies or by contacting the relevant institution admissions office.
If you have spent more than six months in full-time paid employment you should clearly outline this on your QTAC application, including your job title and the main duties you performed. Your employment does not have to be related to the courses you wish to study.
It is essential that your employment experience be substantiated by written statements from your employer/s or, if self employed, by your accountant, solicitor or tax agent. These statements should be on official letterhead and must include the following information: length of service including date commenced and date finished; type of employment (full-time, part-time or casual); job title; and duties performed.
PCA recognises that many aspects of an individual's life experience may result in the development of skills, abilities and knowledge that relate directly to the ability to undertake tertiary study successfully. The PCA is a written statement in which you address specific categories relating to tertiary study. View more....
If you are applying using Alternative Entry it is recommended that you sit the STAT. The STAT is a two-hour aptitude test that assists applicants to demonstrate their potential for tertiary study and helps institutions make selection decisions. The test is made up of 70 multiple-choice questions that are designed to assess a range of competencies commonly considered important for successful tertiary study.
You do not have to 'study' for the test. It is an aptitude test and therefore is not designed to test your knowledge of specific subjects. All the background information is given to you in the test. The questions focus on your ability to process, analyse and understand material. The background information may be presented in a variety of forms, including graphs, tables, diagrams, prose and cartoons.
In many cases a STAT result may be used on its own (usually if you are 21 years of age or over) or in conjunction with other qualifications and can also be used to satisfy some subject prerequisites. View more...
If you are considering applying using Alternative Entry, you are still required to satisfy subject prerequisites and any other specific entry requirements set by the tertiary institutions. If you are unsure whether your qualifications will satisfy the prerequisites, you should clarify this with the relevant institution admissions office before submitting a QTAC application. Please see Satisfying the English Prerequisite for more information.
The information in the following table is subject to change. For detailed information regarding specific institution policies relating to Alternative Entry, please contact the relevant institution admissions office.
| Institution |
Professional qualifications & employment experience |
Personal Competencies Assessment (PCA) on its own |
STAT accepted on its own |
STAT combined with professional qualifications, employment and PCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Catholic University | Yes. | Yes. | Yes - if 21*. | |
| Australian College of Natural Medicine (ACNM) | No - ACNM selects applicants for entry to their courses by interview. | |||
| Australian Maritime College |
Yes.
|
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| Bond University | No – applicants are selected by interview. | |||
| CQUniversity | Yes. | Yes - if 18*. | ||
| Christian Heritage College | Yes. | Yes - if 21*. | Yes - if 17*. | Yes - if 21*. |
| Griffith University | Yes. | Yes - if 21*. | ||
| James Cook University | Yes. | Yes - if 21*. | ||
|
Qantm College Applicants unable to sit the STAT can submit a folio to Qantm College. Contact the College |
Yes. | Yes - if 18*. | ||
| Queensland Institute of Business and Technology | Yes - if 21*. | |||
|
Queensland University of Technology QUT's Alternative Entry scheme applies to all QUT courses, except for Dean's Scholars, fine arts, music, and graduate and diploma entry programs. |
Yes. |
Yes.
|
No. | Will combine STAT with employment experience and/or PCA. |
|
SAE Institute SAE Institute will consider applicants with a portfolio. Contact admissions |
Yes. |
Yes - if 18*.
|
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| Southern Cross University | Yes – for some courses (excluding B Laws - Graduate entry and combined B Laws courses). | Yes – for some courses (excluding B Laws - Graduate entry). Applicant must be 18*. | Yes - if 18* (excluding B Laws - Graduate entry). | Yes - if 18* (excluding B Laws - Graduate entry). Note: the university will only combine STAT with PCA for some courses. |
| TAFE Queensland | Yes. | |||
|
The University of Queensland UQ will only accept an Alternative Entry application if you have NOT undertaken the equivalent of one year of full-time bachelor or higher level study. |
Yes - in some cases. For employment to be considered applicants must be 18*. | No - but PCA may be considered for applicants applying for programs offered externally at UQ Gatton who are 18*††. | Yes - if 18*. | Will only consider PCA in combination with a STAT result for applicants who are 18*††. UQ will not consider STAT combined with professional qualifications or employment experience. |
|
University of New England Applicants unable to sit the STAT should contact UNE Admissions for information on Alternative Entry |
Yes - for some courses if 17*. (Employment is not accepted for B Archaeology with Honours and B Psychology with Honours). |
Yes - for some courses if 17*. (Employment is not accepted for B Archaeology with Honours, B Psychology with Honours and B Laws (Non-grad entry). |
Yes - if 17*. |
Yes - for some courses - if 17*. (Employment experience and PCA are not accepted for B Archaeology with Honours and B Psychology with Honours). |
| University of Southern Queensland | Yes. | Yes - if 21*. | ||
| University of the Sunshine Coast | Yes - if 18*. | Yes. | Yes - if 21*. | |
* The dates by which age requirements need to be met are dependant
on the entry semester. Refer to the Institution Age Requirements
table below for these dates.
††This rank is capped at
90.
The dates by which age requirements need to be met are dependant on the entry semester. See the list of dates below.
| Institution | Semester 3, 2008 | Semester 1 2009 | Semester 2 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Catholic University |
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| CQUniversity |
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| Christian Heritage College |
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| Griffith University |
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| James Cook University |
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| Qantm College |
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| Queensland Institute of Business and Technology |
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| SAE Institute | Contact SAE Institute for details. | ||
| Southern Cross University |
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| The University of Queensland |
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| University of New England |
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| University of Southern Queensland |
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| University of the Sunshine Coast |
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