How you can go from TAFE to your dream university course

If you’re not able to go directly from high school to your ideal university course, there’s no need to throw in the towel on your dream career. Here are some pathways that can get you to where you want to be.

While some will receive their ATAR at the end of year 12 and proceed straight into the dream university course, the path for many others is far less simple. Whether you’ve received a lower ATAR than you were hoping, or you’ve been away from study too long to apply straight to university, there are other ways to get to where you want to be.

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Universities across Victoria have partnerships with TAFE institutions that enable special pathway programs for students wanting to finish their studies at university. It means TAFE students that start their VET (Vocational Education and Training) can transition easily into university study, and possibly fast-track a degree using credits acquired during their initial TAFE study.

TAFE students can fast-track their path to university through formal partnership programs.

Chisholm, for instance, has a strong partnership with La Trobe University that allows students who excel in courses such as nursing, IT, early learning and community service to seamlessly transition into a La Trobe course after attaining TAFE qualification.
TAFE institutions often have multiple partnerships — for instance, Chisholm also offers pathways for Deakin University — and institutions work with students towards the end of their qualification support them in whichever path follows next, be it the workforce, university or more TAFE study.

Aside from offering an alternate pathway to university, it may wind up a cheaper and faster way to graduate from university, according to Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE CEO Travis Heeney.

“If you have a post-secondary school qualification, such as Certificate IV or a Diploma plus experience in the field, you can gain credits towards a degree,” Mr Heeney said.

“This means you can potentially reduce your time at university and save money.

“The TAFE qualifications will also allow you to join the workforce quicker and give you on the job experience, which is invaluable and makes students stand out above other candidates applying for the same job.”

Going through a TAFE pathway may save time and money in some circumstances.

GOTAFE, which has campuses primarily in northern Victoria, has university partners in La Trobe University, Charles Sturt University and Federation University.

It is also noting that students can graduate with a degree without having to transfer into a university from TAFE.

Of the state’s 12 TAFE institutions, five offer programs that can help you get a degree: Box Hill, William Angliss, Chisholm, Melbourne Polytechnic and Holmesglen all offer the opportunity to get a Bachelor degree in a wide breadth of subjects, including nursing, cybersecurity, hospitality and events.

Finally, TAFE students can also earn their place in university by completing a relevant course, even in the absence of a formal partnership program.

Vincent Shin started at TAFE only to wind up graduating university and become a lawyer. Picture: Kris Reichl

Vincent Shin, the subject of the 2016 documentary The High School Lawyer, earned a spot at Victoria University’s Law school despite initially recorded an ENTER score of below 30 when he graduated in 2003, after a childhood affected by family violence.

Mr Shin aced his diploma of business at TAFE, doing enough to move into university, where he graduated and went on to become Australia’s first in-school lawyer for The Grange P-12 College in Melbourne’s outer west.

Between the pathways provided by TAFE, the willingness of universities to take on students from TAFE and even the ability to internally transfer from one university degree to another, there are multiple avenues to get into your dream course, even if you miss it on the first try.