Applying to Uni:
it’s easy if you know what
to do…
2015 International students
Thinking about uni?
• Take your application seriously.
• Read and follow instructions.
• Be responsible for your decisions
and actions.
What is UAC?
• Universities Admissions Centre
• processes applications – UG, PG, Yr 12 Int
• administers STAT in NSW
• calculates and advises NSW ATAR
UAC International
You apply through UAC International
if you are an International student doing:
✓ an Australian Year 12
✓ an International Baccalaureate
✓ a New Zealand CEA 3
What is the ATAR?
• It’s all about POSITION
• Your ATAR is a NUMBER that shows your
position in relative to other students
• For example, if Anna’s overall academic
performance is good enough to place her
in the top 15% of her age group,
then her ATAR would be 85
Fred and Laura
Course
HSC mark
Percentile
HSC mark
Percentile
Biology
70
35
80
70
Business
Studies
70
37
80
68
English
Advanced
70
16
80
51
Mathematics
70
26
80
54
Modern History
70
25
80
56
Visual Arts
70
13
80
53
ATAR
57.55
80.00
Steps to applying
1
2
3
4
Prepare
Apply
Manage
Accept offers
Step 1: Prepare
• PINs – HSC and UAC
• Name – legal name
• Prerequisites
• UAC International booklet
• Choosing your courses
Prerequisites
• STAT
• UMAT/ISAT
- Include your candidate number when you Apply
• Check other requirements including subject
prerequisites and additional selection criteria
2015 International Booklet
• General information about the participating
institutions
• Additional selection criteria
• Table of courses available with last year’s
cut-offs
Fees and courses
• International fee-paying courses
• Not all ‘domestic’ courses are available to
international students
• International students :
- must study full-time
- must pay course fee up front
- must meet course cut-off and other
requirements to receive an offer
Choosing your courses
• Check out Uni Open Days
• Choose courses that interest you, with
subjects you are good at
- up to six courses, at up to 6 institutions
- apply for semester 1 and/or semester 2
- preference-based system
Change your course preferences later
– as many times as you like
Step 2: Apply
• Apply on UAC’s website at
www.uac.edu.au/international
• You need your student number and UAC PIN
• There is a processing charge of $70.00
• Apply by 31 October
Course choices
• List 1 to 6 courses in your order of
preference
• CONDITIONAL offer letter immediately (lists
all courses in application - for visa purposes)
• Change course preferences at any time - no
closing dates – no more conditional offer
letters
Equity scholarships
• UC and USyd offer equity scholarships for
international students
• Apply through UAC for equity
scholarships – check the UAC 2015
Equity Scholarships booklet
• Check institution websites for other
scholarship options
Step 3: Manage
• Selection rank
• Bonus points
• Additional selection criteria
• Check & Change
• Changing preferences
Selection rank
• For most HSC students, your selection rank
= ATAR
• Bonus points can change your selection
rank for a particular course - they do not
change your ATAR
• Some courses have additional selection
criteria
SELECTION RANK = ATAR + BONUS POINTS
Bonus points
• Bonus points can increase your
selection rank for a particular course or
a particular institution
• Institutions allocate bonus points based
on different criteria
• Examples include:
- subject bonus points
- regional bonus points
See UAC ‘s International webpage for details
http://www.uac.edu.au/international/atar/bonuses.shtml
Bonus points & cut-offs
Example – Bachelor of Sandology
6 applicants for 3 places:
1. 89 (ATAR of 89)
2. 88 (ATAR of 83+5 bonus points)
3. 87 (ATAR of 85+2 bonus points)
---------------------------------------------------------4. 86 (ATAR of 86)
5. 85 (ATAR of 76+9 bonus points)
6. 84 (ATAR of 84)
XX = selection rank
(Course cut-off = 87)
Bonus points DO NOT change your ATAR
Additional selection criteria
• Tests eg STAT & UMAT / ISAT
• Personal statement
• Interview
• Portfolio
• Audition/
Check & Change
• Check/change
- contact details
- course preferences
- UAC PIN
• View/print
- confirmation of application
- correspondence from UAC
- tax invoice
• Add or modify qualifications eg,
- STAT & UMAT / ISAT
Going overseas?
• Take your UAC International booklet, your UAC
application number and your UAC PIN with you
• Contact UAC at: www.uac.edu.au/international
(7.30am to 12 midnight Sydney time)
+61 1300 ASK UAC (1300 275 822)
8.30am – 4.30pm Sydney time
Step 4:
Check and Accept Offers
• unconditional offers
• residency status
• second semester
Unconditional offers
When?
•
•
•
8 offer rounds between Sept and Feb for
semester 1
Change of preference by 30 Jan for Semester 1
courses
5 offer rounds between April and July for Semester 2
How?
•
•
•
UAC website
Agent
email
Unconditional offers
To get an unconditional offer you must:
• have the course in your preference list
• have an ATAR equal to or higher than the
course cut-off
• meet other course requirements
You can get multiple offers, but
• only one offer per institution in each offer
round
Residency status
Advise changed residency status
– to UAC if BEFORE offer
– to institution if AFTER offer accepted
If applications closed, wait until next admission
period and apply in UAC undergraduate
Summary
1 Prepare
2 Apply
3 Manage
4 Accept offers