Tertiary Entrance

Final checklist for Year 12 students applying for tertiary courses through QTAC

Release of Year 12 results

School versus uni
Scholarships

Australian Catholic University (ACU) scholarship applications now open
Course & Institution Updates

Important news for Year 12s from the University of
Queensland – UMAT requirements for provisional entry to medicine

Certificate Programs at Griffith

Business as usual at BNIT
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Summer school at the Australian Institute of Applied Science
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Griffith OP 1-6 guarantee

Information and learning resources from the University of
Melbourne

CQUniversity Updates

Psychology courses

School holiday short courses in filmmaking and animation

Design College Australia Open Days

Fitness courses during the school holidays

The New Students Guide for students commencing nursing at
UQ

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Open Day at MSIT

Aircraft maintenance engineering training at ATAE

New York Film Academy relocated on the Gold Coast

James Cook University return to study information session in
Cairns
 Online children’s services course

Be a Bond University student for a semester

SAE and Qantm Open Day
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Defence Force Updates
 A career as an Army cook
 Australian Defence Force Career Information Session
 One year of adventure
Labour Market

Job prospects
Apprenticeships & Employment

Considering an apprenticeship or traineeship in 2013
 Pre-apprenticeship courses at SkillsTech Australia
Occupational information

Thinking about a career in real estate?

Careers in maths
Competitions

Win $500 on the Careers in Health Facebook page
Gap year program updates

Antipodeans GapBreak program online information night
Career date claimers for November 2012 – February 2013
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Have you submitted your QTAC application?
Although the on-time due date was 28 September 2012, you can still apply to QTAC.
There is a late application fee. Applications received after 12 December 2012 may not be assessed in time for the 17 January 2013 major offer round. Note that it is not possible to apply for courses with fixed closing dates that have passed (see QTAC
Guide p.4).
Did you include six course preferences?
It is not mandatory to have six preferences. However, it is recommended that you use all six preferences if possible.
Are your preferences listed in strict order of what you want?
The QTAC computer is programmed to assume this is the case. It goes to your first preference and if you meet all the requirements (e.g. prerequisite subjects and
OP/Rank) you are offered this course. It does not look at any of your other preferences. If you do not meet the requirements, the computer goes to your second preference and so on until it finds a course where you meet all the requirements or exhausts the list and you miss out on a course altogether.
Did you use the ‘recipe’ when organising your preferences?
The ‘recipe’ is a strategy to ensure you get a course. It consists of ideal courses
(courses you would love to gain entry to but may not have the required OP), realistic courses (courses that have previous OP cut-offs at or near your current estimated OP) and foot-in-the-door courses (courses that are much less competitive and will provide an upgrade pathway to your preferred course if needed). For example, if your current
OP estimate is 9 - 11, then the foot-in-door courses should have previous cut-offs at
OP 13 – 25.
Do you meet the entry requirements for all the courses you have listed?
Course entry requirements include subject prerequisites, folio, audition, etc. If you do not meet the entry requirements, regardless of your OP/Rank, you will not be offered a place in the course.
Are your preferences listed in chronological order according to the QTAC offer rounds?
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QTAC has several offer rounds between November 2012 and mid 2013. If you put a semester two course as your first preference, the QTAC computer will not assess your application until mid 2013 and you will miss out on semester one courses.
Have you deleted all wasted courses?
Wasted courses include those that:
•
• you would not do if you were offered them are full fee or located in regional centres that you have not consulted your parents about
•
• are too difficult or impossible to commute to given where you live are very competitive and you list them below much less competitive courses.
Are you applying for QTAC’s Educational Access Scheme?
If so, you need to submit to QTAC the cover sheet and supporting documents for all the categories for which you are applying. The last date to submit this for the major offer round on 17 January 2013 is 17 December 2012.
Do you have additional qualifications such as those from AMEB?
Check your QTAC application (through the Current Applicant login) to see if QTAC can obtain your results or if you have to provide QTAC with these.
Have you put important dates in your phone or diary?
Important QTAC application and offer round dates are listed on page two of the
QTAC Guide . For example, it is important to know when Year 12 results are released so you can review your QTAC preferences before 10 January 2013 (the last date to make changes for the major offer round on 17 January 2013).
Do you have all QTAC documents and numbers in a safe place?
Put your QTAC Guide , QTAC application, QTAC application number, QTAC PIN,
LUI, and Learning Account PIN together in a place where you can find them. If you will be overseas during the Christmas holidays, you should take all of these items with you.
Do you have a Tax File Number?
You will need this to apply for HECS-HELP when you enrol at a university after you receive an offer of a course place.
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The Queensland Studies Authority will mail the Senior Education Profile (SEP) to
Year 12 students on Friday 14 December 2012. SEPs will arrive in the mail from
Monday 17 December. The SEP may include:
Senior Statement – all students who complete Year 12 are issued this. It contains the subjects studied, the semesters studied, achievement levels for each subject and the student's result on the Queensland Core Skills Test.
Tertiary Entrance Statement – students eligible for an OP will receive this.
It contains the student's Overall Position (OP) on a 1 (highest) to 25 scale and
Field Positions (FPs) on a 1 (highest) to 10 scale.
Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) – students who meet all the requirements receive a QCE. This is Queensland's senior school qualification.
Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement
– this recognises the achievements on an individualised education program.
Find out more about these documents at www.qsa.qld.edu.au/10092.html
. If you have any queries about the documents you receive, contact the Student Connect hotline on
1800 804 991. The hotline service will be open from:
9:00 am – 3:00 pm on Saturday 15 December (closed on Sunday 16 December)
8:30 am – 4:30 pm Monday 17 December to Friday 21 December
8:30 am – 12:30 pm Monday 24 December
8:30 am – 4:30 pm from Wednesday 2 January 2013.
All Year 12 students with a valid LUI and password can access their final results and
OP from their Learning Account via the Student Connect website
( https://studentconnect.qsa.qld.edu.au/ ) from 9 am Saturday 15 December 2012.
The What Degree? Which University?
website at www.whatdegreewhichuniversity.com/Survival-Guide/Smart-money/The-A-Z-of-
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what-makes-uni-different-to-school.aspx
has a list from A – Z about what makes university different from school. This website is made for students, by students.
Other sections of the website provide information to help you compare and contrast different degrees.
The following are tips for a successful transition to university from QUT.

Come onto campus as much as possible prior to semester.
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Self identify any possible academic skill development needs and book a study solutions session.
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Take a time management workshop during Orientation.
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Register with Disability Services if relevant.
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See Equity Services or the welfare officer if worried about money.
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Engage the family in finding out about your course/university.
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Attend as many orientation events as possible.
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Find students in the same course and attend peer run activities.
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Visit the library (virtual and physical) and the learning support and student support pages on the web.

Be an active and engaged student in and out of the classroom.
 Don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand or ask for help.
Other tips for first year university students can be found at www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/01/25/3415649.htm
.
Browse the ACU scholarships at www.acu.edu.au/study_at_acu/courses/scholarships_and_financial_support/Scholarsh ips_and_Bursaries_Browser/ . The application due date for most of the scholarships is early 2013.
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"The University of Queensland (UQ) has recently changed its policy relating to the use of the UMAT exam for entry into the MBBS provisional entry for school leaver programs. From semester one 2013, UQ will no longer require applicants to attain a minimum score of 50 in each of the three subsections of the UMAT. Applicants are still required to sit the UMAT and applicants with OP 1 will be selected in order of their UMAT aggregate, however the requirement to attain a minimum score in each of the UMAT subsections no longer applies."
Manager, Admissions, UQ
This means that 2012 Year 12s who did not gain a raw score of 50 in each of the three
UMAT subsections will be considered for entry to the provisional pathway to medicine in 2013. For more information, visit www.som.uq.edu.au/futurestudents/bachelor-of-medicine-bachelor-of-surgery-(mbbs)/mbbsadmissions/domestic-student-applications.aspx#ProvisionalEntry .
If you are a current Year 12 school leaver, you may apply for admission to a nonaward, continuing education certificate program at Griffith University. Griffith’s continuing education certificate programs provide an alternative study pathway to upgrade your current OP/Rank for entry to Griffith degree programs.
The benefits of the certificate program include a part-time study load while experiencing the Griffith environment and services, and full credit towards a related
Griffith degree. For further information, visit www.griffith.edu.au/certificateprograms .
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You may have heard media reports speculating about the future of TAFE and various campuses. Brisbane North Institute of TAFE (BNIT) is keen to reassure students that it is open for enrolments in 2013.
BNIT offers over 250 courses at five campuses (Ithaca, Bracken Ridge, Redcliffe,
Caboolture, Grovely). Call 13 1248 for information about courses and how to apply. You can also explore the BNIT website at www.bn.tafe.qld.gov.au/ .
Fast track your studies by commencing in the AIAS summer school program. AIAS offers courses in Beauty Therapy, Natural Medicine, Hairdressing, Massage Therapy and Health and Fitness. For more information about the courses available and to enrol for summer school, visit www.aias.edu.au/?elq_mid=2991&elq_cid=1997351 .
If you receive an OP 1 – 6, you are eligible for the Griffith University’s (GU) OP 1-6 guarantee. This scheme gives you guaranteed entry into most of GU’s undergraduate degrees from Semester one 2013. See www.griffith.edu.au/future-students/op-1-to-6guarantee for details.
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The University of Melbourne has developed the Academic Interactive Resources
Portal (AIRport). AIRport is an e-learning resource for preparing for university study.
It can be found at https://airport.unimelb.edu.au
.
Future students and parents can access up-to-date information from the University of
Melbourne at http://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/futurestudents/news-for-future-studentsand-parents/ .
Information sessions in December
In Queensland, CQU has campuses in Bundaberg, Brisbane, Emerald, Gladstone,
Gold Coast, Mackay, Noosa and Rockhampton. Information sessions will be held at all locations from 3 – 7 pm on 17 December 2012. For more information, visit www.cqu.edu.au/calendar/event-items/information-session/cquni-informationsession?SQ_CALENDAR_DATE=2012-12-17 . There will be an online information session from 4 – 7 pm on 4 December 2012. To join the online chat click on the following link https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2011635&password=M.ECEB9CCDA0A57F2
BD489F01766F7.
New health professional programs in 2013
The B Occupational Therapy, B Podiatry Practice, B Physiotherapy and B Speech
Pathology will commence in 2013. For more information on these and other health and medical sciences degrees at CQU go to www.cqu.edu.au/study/what-can-istudy/health-and-medical-sciences .
CQU paramedic science work experience program
Applications are open for students to apply to attend the CQU Paramedic Science
Work Experience Program in Rockhampton from 3 - 5 December 2012. Year 10, 11 and 12 students who are interested in a career in paramedic science are encouraged to
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submit an application. For more information about this program, email schools@cqu.edu.au
. Applications close on 27 November 2012.
The Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP) provides accredited diploma and degree courses in counselling, psychology, case management, coaching and people management. It has campuses in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
You apply directly to this college, not through QTAC. FEE-HELP and VET
FEE_HELP loan schemes are available for the courses offered. For more information, visit www.acap.edu.au
.
The Australian Film and Television Radio School (AFTRS), Sydney, will hold a series of short courses during December and January. AFTRS school holiday workshops are designed to give young people fun and creative experiences in a professional environment. For more information, visit www.open.aftrs.edu.au/schoolholidays .
This college offers courses in graphic design and photography. It will hold open days on 1 December 2012 and 14 January 2013. The college also offers workshops during the school holidays. For information, see http://www.designcollege.com.au/content/design_college_events.html
.
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Fitness Industry Training (FIT), located at Albion, is offering the Certificate III in
Fitness and the Certificate IV in Fitness during the coming school holidays. These courses provide nationally recognised qualifications for fitness professionals. FIT is giving school leavers a $500 discount off the cost of these courses. The courses commence on the following dates:

3 December 2012- Certificate III in Fitness (Mon, Tues and Wed)

7 January 2013 – Certificate IV in Fitness (Mon, Tues and Wed)

Online studies are also available.
For more information about the courses and to enrol, visit http://fit-px.rtrk.com.au/ .
Personal campus tours can be arranged and parents are welcome to attend. If you wish to have a tour, telephone FIT on 1300 031 014.
If you will be commencing the B Nursing and/or B Midwifery courses at the
University of Queensland (UQ) next year, it is important to read the information on the ‘2013 Pre-commencement New Student Guides’ section of the UQ website at www.nursing-midwifery.uq.edu.au/new-student-guide .
The Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE (MSIT) invites Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students to a special open day to be held from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm on
Friday 30 November 2012. This event will be held in Room 1.01, H Block, MSIT
Loganlea Campus, 50-68 Armstrong Road, Meadowbrook.
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This event will provide students with an opportunity to explore the courses offered and to talk to current students. RSVP to the Indigenous Student Support Officer on telephone 3826 3868 by 26 November.
ATAE, located at Archerfield Airport, is a private training organisation that provides the following courses:
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Certificate IV in Aeroskills (Avionics)
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Certificate IV in Aeroskills (Mechanical)
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Certificate IV in Aeroskills (Structures)
For more information about these courses and where they can lead, see www.atae.com.au/ . ATAE is currently taking enrolments for 2013. For information concerning enrolling phone 3277 7227 or email enquiries@atae.com.au
.
The NYFA has established a campus at the Village Roadshow Studios near Movie
World. NYFA offers courses in filmmaking and acting for film. For more information telephone 3337 7888 or email Australia@nyfa.edu
. Also see the NYFA website at www.nyfa.edu
.
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This event will be held from 1 – 3 pm and 5 – 7 pm on Wednesday 28 November
2012 at the Holiday Inn Cairns, The Esplanade, Cairns. Find out about the courses available and talk to students who have already successfully returned to study.
Misso Institute has introduced an online interactive digital e-Learning option for its
Certificate III in Children’s Services. This course prepares students for work in the childcare industry. Visit www.misso.edu.au/ for more information.
Applications are now open for the January 2013 intake for the Student for a Semester at Bond University program. This program offers Year 11 and 12 students an opportunity to experience university life as they study a Bond subject. For more information about the program, see www.bond.edu.au/degrees-and-courses/studentfor-a-semester-program/index.htm
. The online application will be open until Friday 7
December 2012.
Are you looking for that right institution to help you reach your career goals in the creative industry? Take this opportunity to explore what SAE Institute and Qantm
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College have to offer. The open day will be held from 11.00am to 3.00pm on
Saturday 8 December 2012 at the corner of Jane Street and Riverside Drive, West
End. Call 3850 2000 if you have any questions. Explore the SAE and Qantm websites at http://brisbane.sae.edu/en-gb/home/ and http://brisbane.qantm.com/engb/home/ .
Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) is offering students interested in a career as an Army cook the opportunity to meet with soldiers of the Australian Army Catering Corps as they operate a field kitchen during an upcoming exercise with the 1 st
Signal Regiment at Bulimba Barracks. The event will be held from 10.15 am to 1.30 pm on Monday
26 November 2012. Shuttle transport will be available from the DFR office in
Brisbane city. Register your interest in attending this event by emailing the Careers
Promotion Team at CPTQLD@dfr.com.au
.
The last ADF information session for 2012 will be held from 10 - 11.30 am on
Saturday 8 December. The venue will be the Defence Force Recruitment Brisbane office, Level 11, East Tower, 410 Ann Street, Brisbane. Register to attend by phoning 3016 2307 or emailing cptqld@dfr.com.au
.
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The Army is now offering a range of jobs with only one year of commitment required.
Enlistees could be doing anything from organising Army hardware, like Abrams
Tanks and parachutes, to driving some of the most advanced transport vehicles in the world. Over 12 months they will be paid to work in their chosen role. After completing the year, they can choose to continue their career in the Army or use the skills they have learnt during their training to secure a civilian job. Roles include:
Air Dispatcher
Cargo Specialist
Administration Clerk
Clerk Finance
Cook
Driver
Military Police
Dental Assistant
Ground Crewman Mission Support
Preventative Medicine
Operator Movement
Supply Coordinator
Telephone 13 19 01 for more information about this Army option.
There are a number of resources you can use to research the employment opportunities available in various occupations. These include:

The Job Outlook website at http://joboutlook.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
provides information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics about job prospects. The information is based on trends in the employment market. Just go onto the website and search for the occupation you are interested in by the name of the occupation or alphabetically.

Another resource is Australian Jobs 2012 , which you can download at www.deewr.gov.au/Employment/ResearchStatistics/Pages/AustralianJobs.asp
x .
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
GradFiles at www.graduatecareers.com.au/?s=gradfiles shows the employment outcomes of university graduates in a wide range of occupational areas.
It is important to remember that no student is guaranteed a job. It is recommended that students start their job search (do work experience, develop a network of contacts) during their course not after they receive their qualification. All the universities have Careers and Employment Services that can help students with this process.
Wpcgroup, a group training organisation located at 1A/45 Cordelia Street, South
Brisbane, invites you to a morning tea information session to find out about the options available. The sessions will be held at 10.30 am on the following dates:
Friday 23 November 2012
Wednesday 5 December 2012
Wednesday 30 January 2013
Wednesday 13 February 2013.
Call 1300 311 272 to reserve a place. Information about wpcgroup can be found at web www.wpcgroup.org.au
and facebook www.facebook.com/wpchotjobs .
To start an apprenticeship you need an employer. Sometimes finding an employer to hire you as an apprentice is difficult. To improve your chances you could consider completing a pre-apprenticeship course in the trade in which you are interest. STA is one of the registered providers of pre-apprenticeship courses. Contact STA on 1800
654 447 for more information. Information about STA and its courses can also be accessed on the STA website at www.skillstech.tafe.qld.gov.au
.
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The Real Estate Institute Queensland (REIQ) will hold introduction to real estate sessions from 5.30 – 7 pm on Wednesday 28 November 2012 at Real Estate house, 21
Turbo Drive, Coorparoo. To book a place, phone 3249 7347 or email profdev@reiq.com.au
.
The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute has developed a website containing
20 career profiles that require mathematical skills. The website can be found at www.mathscareers.org.au/ .
For your chance to win a $500 spending spree, ‘like’ the University of Queensland’s
Careers in Health Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Uqhealth . While you are on this page, check out the latest health news.
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The Antipodeans GapBreak program will hold an online information night from 5.30
– 6.30 pm on 6 December 2012. Visit www.antipodeans.com.au/infonights.htm#gapbreak to register for this information event.
November
26 Projects Abroad Information Evening – Volunteer Overseas 6.30 – 7.30 pm
Bleeding Heart Gallery, 166 Ann St, Brisbane http://www.projectsabroad.com.au/more-info/meet-us/#information-evenings
28 James Cook University return to study information session in Cairns
29 QTAC early offer round for some courses commencing Semester 1, 2013 www.qtac.edu.au
30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Open Day at MSIT – tel. 3826 3868
December
1
QANTM College Open Day http://brisbane.qantm.com/engb/content/2513/Events_and_Workshops
2-16 Trinity Young Leaders Summer School www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/learning/trinity-institute/young-leaders.html
6 Antipodeans GapBreak program online information night
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7 www.antipodeans.com.au/info-nights.htm#gapbreak
Aspiring Teacher Grants applications close http://education.qld.gov.au/hr/recruitment/teaching/aspiring-teachergrants.html
JMC Academy (contemporary music and performance, audio engineering and sound production, entertainment business management, game design, 3D animation, film and television production) scholarship applications close
7 www.jmcacademy.edu.au/About/Undergraduate-Scholarships.cfm
Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships applications close http://education.qld.gov.au/staff/development/scholarships/indigenous/about.h
tml
8 SAE and Qantm Open Day http://brisbane.sae.edu/en-gb/home/ and http://brisbane.qantm.com/en-gb/home/
Australian Defence Force Career Information Session – tel. 3016 2307; email 8 cptqld@dfr.com.au
9-16 UQ Chrysalis http://chrysalis.foundationyear.com/
10-13 Dive into Design: Architecture and Design Summer School http://benvs.unimelb.edu.au/summer-school-2012
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13 QTAC major offer round for most creative and performing arts courses and other selected courses http://www.qtac.edu.au/Courses/Decemberofferround.htm
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Year 12 results mailed by the Queensland Studies Authority www.qsa.qld.edu.au
15 Year 12 students can access their results through their Learning Account from
9 am on the Student Connect website https://studentconnect.qsa.qld.edu.au
17 University of the Sunshine Coast Options Evening www.usc.edu.au/study/study-at-usc/open-day-and-information-events/studyusc-events/usc-options-q-a-evening.htm
17 Due date to submit documentation for the QTAC 17 January offer round www.qtac.edu.au
17 Australian Catholic University Brisbane Campus Change of Preference
Information Evening www.acu.edu.au/
17 CQUniversity information sessions on all campuses
18 QUT Real Decisions www.qut.edu.au/study/events/qut-real-decisions
18 Griffith University Options Information Evening www.griffith.edu.au/futurestudents/options-information-evenings
19 University of Queensland Options Evening www.uq.edu.au/schools/optionsevening
24 Year 12 students without an OP who are QTAC applicants can find out their
OP ineligible QTAC selection rank via their QTAC application accessed through the Current Applicant online services or by phoning QTAC if they are not a QTAC applicant www.qtac.edu.au
January
4 CAS Hawker Scholarships applications close www.hawkerscholarship.org
7-11 UQ Engineering Summer Experience for Indigenous students www.eait.uq.edu.au/inspireu
10 Last day to change QTAC preferences for the 17 January major offer round www.qtac.edu.au
11 Southbank Institute of Technology Chief Executive's Academic Scholarship applications close www.southbank.edu.au/site/programs/scholarships/chiefexecutive-scholarship.asp
11 Southbank Institute of Technology Equity Scholarship applications close www.southbank.edu.au/site/programs/scholarships/EquityTC.asp
14-18 Enrichment language courses at the UQ Institute of Modern Languages www.iml.uq.edu.au
17 QTAC major offer round www.qtac.edu.au
22-24 UQ Science Experience www.scienceexperience.com.au
February
7 QTAC further offer round for courses with vacancies for Semester 1 2013 www.qtac.edu.au
15 From this date QTAC offers will be made for courses with vacancies for
Semester 1 2013 www.qtac.edu.au
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28 QTAC Twelve To Tertiary applications close (2012 Year 12 students who have not previously applied can lodge applications via Apply By Web from 1
March 2013) www.qtac.edu.au
The above information has been gathered from a range of sources including publicly available websites, institutional and organisational newsletters, student and career advisers and guidance officers. Every effort has been made to ensure the information provided is accurate and up-to-date at publication.
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