First-round university offers are out. Here’s how to make the system work for you
Queensland’s first round of university offers has arrived, and educators have a key piece of advice for high school graduates.
“If you received the offer you were hoping for, I encourage you to enjoy the moment and make sure you take the time to soak in and celebrate these first steps into your tertiary education,” said Chris Jack, from the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
“But if you didn’t get the offer you were hoping for, don’t despair. There are many ways to pursue your dreams of study and we encourage you to look at all available options.”
La Trobe University education expert Therese Keane added: “Keep calm, celebrate the offer that you have received, and make sure that the offer you accept is one that you really want to do.
“It is a substantial commitment, both in time and finances.”
University offers via QTAC started rolling out at 10am on Monday.
If graduates do not get their first pick, the advice is not to panic. Here’s what the experts say about how to make the university offer system work for you.
If you get an offer
Jack said applicants who received an offer they want to take up need to accept it before it expires, with the deadline being 4pm on Monday, December 30.
For those who didn’t get an offer, there are multiple offer rounds still to come. The next major round of offers is set for January 16, 2025.
Jack also noted that some courses would not be offered by tertiary institutions until next year, meaning some students will need to wait until the January offer round to receive their offer.
“QTAC encourages applicants to preference courses they are passionate about and to make use of all six preference opportunities,” he said.
“By doing this they maximise their chances of getting an offer for a course they want to pursue.”
Graduates who get an offer that is not their first choice could be offered it in a later round.
“There is always the chance that you might get an offer in a later round, depending on the number of places available, and how many students accept, reject or defer their offer,” Keane said.
However, graduates are advised that they should only ever decline an offer if they are certain they do not want to take that course even if it ends up being their only offer.
Students who want to defer will need to check with the institution that they can do this.
If you don’t get an offer this time
“Wait – as there will be other rounds but keeping in mind with each round that goes by, the chances of getting a course get smaller,” Keane said.
Jack added: “Ultimately, the best next steps from this offer round if you didn’t receive the offer you were hoping for is to do your homework about the options available to you and alternative pathways.
“A critical part of this is to speak to the institutions and to QTAC. Our job is to help create connections for tertiary study, so we can talk you through a wealth of options you may not even know were available.
“The key message is: if you want to study, we want to help you get there.”
Keane said graduates should ensure their ATARs were realistic for the course they wanted.
“Students should also consider whether they have other interests they might want to pursue,” she said.
If you don’t get an offer in any of the rounds
The advice is not to fret. Graduates have a number of options in this case, including TAFE, taking a gap year to reconsider their future, waiting until they are considered a mature-aged student (typically when they are aged over 21), jumping straight into employment, or taking other study pathways.
“Students need to do some homework to explore all their options,” Keane said.
July Luggage founder Athan Didaskalou did not begin his bachelor’s degree in business until he was several years out of school, after studying an advanced diploma.
“I did not care about year 12, and I ended up with a really bad [score],” Didaskalou said.
July founder and RMIT University graduate Athan Didaskalou.Credit: July
“Your score for [entering university] out the gate is the most trivial part of growing up that has a lot of importance placed on it.”
For anyone with questions, QTAC’s customer centre is open on Tuesday, December 24, until 6pm on 1300 467 822.
Note: The ATARs for Queensland tertiary institutions are officially for 2024, but provide a strong indication of the cut-off scores for 2025.
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