University offers: First round uni and TAFE offers to be released
The first round of university and TAFE offers for Victorian students has been released. See the courses cut off scores here.
Education
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More than 40,000 year 12 students have found out if they have secured entry to their dream course, as the first round of university and TAFE offers are released.
La Trobe University has offered the only Victorian course requiring the highest possible ATAR, and the most accessible courses to this year’s school leavers.
Students must have achieved a perfect score of 99.95 in order to study physiotherapy with honours at the university’s Bendigo campus.
Meanwhile, students needed to achieve a 40 ATAR to study a Diploma of Health Sciences at La Trobe — making it the most accessible course in Victoria.
Students need a 40.15 to study a Diploma of Arts, a 41.45 for a Diploma of Business or a 41.50 to study a combined diploma and bachelor of business.
Seventy nine courses across Victorian universities require an ATAR of 90 or above.
Higher Education Minister Gayle Tierney said 40,595 first round offers had been made to students for undergraduate and vocational courses across the state.
Students who missed out on a first-round offer will have plenty of options for further study in Victoria, including further entrance rounds, alternative entrance pathways and Free TAFE courses.
They can either wait for further rounds of VTAC offers in January and February or change their VTAC preference if they meet course requirements.
In 2023, Victorians will have access to more than 70 Free TAFE courses across a range of growth industries, including early childhood education, health, construction and infrastructure, agriculture, hospitality, and community and disability services.
Ms Tierney said Victoria was home to world-class universities and TAFEs that provide high-quality education and training and assisted students to take up rewarding careers in the industries they choose.
“Congratulations to every student who received a course offer from a university or TAFE – this is an exciting step in their education and training and a milestone of which they can be very proud,” she said.
Education Minister Natalie Hutchins said: “Today’s first round offers represent the outcome of years of hard work for students and I would encourage them to apply themselves in the same way to their future endeavours.”
SEE THE CUT-OFF SCORES FOR EACH VICTORIAN UNIVERSITY COURSE IN OUR SEARCHABLE DATABASE
Almost a third of those are on offer at the University of Melbourne, which asks for a score of 99.8 to study a double degree in commerce and law, and a 99.9 for Arts (Chancellor’s Scholars).
Minimum scores for popular courses include 72 to study Arts at Monash University’s Caulfield campus, 97 for Law at its Clayton campus and 86.75 to study commerce.
Law at RMIT University required an 88 ATAR, Arts at Swinburne required a 57.70, paramedicine at Australian Catholic University needed a 92.25 and Deakin University’s Arts course at its Burwood campus required a 60.25.
Nursing has remained the top pick for incoming Deakin University students for the third year in a row as more than 5300 school leavers receive offers for the uni’s most popular courses.
Business has emerged as the second most popular course, followed by exercise and sport science.
Biomedical science, psychology and commerce were among the university’s most in-demand courses.
‘Job ready’ health courses top picks at Deakin
Acting deputy vice chancellor academic Helen Partridge said: “The interest in health-related fields is no surprise given the continued fallout from the global pandemic and the unprecedented demand for experts in these professions”.
Prof Partridge said students were choosing to study in fields that would make them job-ready by the end of their courses.
“Our growing information technology, data and analytics focused courses will also help meet workforce demand to capitalise on the enormous opportunities presented by new smart technologies, as well as tackle the serious risk of cyber security threats to keep communities safe,” she said.
“This is an exciting milestone for year 12 graduates, with the December offer round providing welcome news for students, who can now start planning for 2023 ahead of the new year,” said Teresa Tjia, chief executive of the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre.
“Victorian universities, TAFEs and independent colleges have embraced the December round, with 82 per cent of Victorian courses making offers in this round.”
This is the first time students have received a December offer since 2019, with universities making 23 per cent more offers this time.
“If you haven’t received an offer on Wednesday, there are other opportunities. There is still time to seek out support from your school, tertiary institutions, and VTAC, and adjust your preferences before Thursday’s change-of-preference deadline.”
Ms Tjia said students planning to head off on a gap year should accept their offer and apply for a deferment to lock in their place for 2024.
Further offers will be made in January and February, including those for courses such as medicine which did not make offers today. Students studying the International Baccalaureate and those from interstate will get offers in subsequent rounds.
Eight in 10 students will secure the course they want in either the first round on December 21 or the second round on January 13.
Fifty-five per cent of offers will go to female students, with science, arts, business, commerce, biomedical science and engineering the most popular courses.
Futuristic Swinburne course sees largest growth
More than 3000 year 12 students have been invited to study a future-focused degree at Swinburne University of Technology.
The Bachelor of Computer science has seen the highest growth in preference rankings at Swinburne and drives strong employability outcomes.
The university’s media and communications and aviation programs have seen a boost in interest too.
National Admissions manager Lauren Connelly said Swinburne was delighted to have participated in VTAC December round for the first time since 2019.
“This year’s students are the third cohort to have battled pandemic affected learning, and their achievements are a testament to their resilience and perseverance,” she said.
“The admissions team and I are pleased to be making over 3000 offers to students for a range of programs across our vocational and higher education suite of courses, 78 per cent of which were for first and second preferences.”
Dreams come true for state’s high achievers
MacRobertson Girls High School VCE student Riya Verma, who was anxiously waiting for first round offers to be released, said her career aspiration is to become a doctor.
“I guess I’ll see what happens with offers when they come out, I do have backups,” she said.
“If medicine doesn’t work out this year it’s not the end of the world because I know I’ll get there some day with hard work, what matters more to me is that I saved my dad’s life.
“I came home from school after a biology SAC and when I got home my father suddenly collapsed. I was home alone so I had to call triple-0 and had to do CPR without ever doing it before. The operator was really helpful throughout though and reassured me I was doing OK. It’s not easy seeing someone you love and care about so much nearly die in front of you, I was pretty traumatised and wasn’t in the right mindset after.”
Riya said her final year was definitely a “ride” and not one that she was expecting.
“It definitely was a learning experience, in the end it all worked out.
“I loved all my subject teachers; they became friends to me by the end of the year. They were really supportive with me and everything that happened.”
Emma O’Brien, dux of Genazzano FCJ College, who received a 99.95 perfect score has been offered a Bachelor of Science at The University of Melbourne with a Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholarship.
Carmen Lye has been offered the VCA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production) through the University of Melbourne and the VCA Fine Arts Entrance Tuition Scholarship Grant valued at $5000. The scholarship goes out to 12 students studying a Fine Arts Degree at VCA.
Alessandra Flynn, also from Genazzano, has received an offer at Deakin University and will be accepting a position for the Bachelor of Nutrition Science (Dietetics Pathway).
Shelby Dedman, Makayla Hudson, Caitlyn Legg and Lucinda Stephens have also received early offers, from the Australian Catholic University.
Mount Lilydale Mercy College student Caitlyn, 18, who has received an early offer into a Bachelor of Educational Studies, said she was “thrilled” to be studying the course.
“It was great to receive an early-round offer as I didn’t have the pressure and stress of exams to worry about,” Ms Legg said.
“From my own experience, I remember the teachers that helped me grow and learn and that’s why I’d like to become a primary school teacher.
Australian Catholic University interim deputy provost Chris Lonsdale said the institution had made more than 1400 offers for places at its Melbourne and Ballarat campuses, with nursing, teaching, law and occupational therapy the most popular courses among year 12s.
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