Quick start: recent Year 12 applicants
Applying for tertiary education as a recent Year 12 applicant
This page provides an overview of the course research and application process and leads you to key information on this website, including:
Am I eligible to apply through VTAC?
Apply for courses through VTAC
Consider applying for special consideration (SEAS)
VTAC’s role
VTAC receives, collates and forwards applications to institutions. This includes requests for special consideration (SEAS), scholarship applications and other supporting documentation that may be required by institutions.
VTAC also has the role of calculating the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).
After selection decisions are made by the institutions, VTAC sends messages of offer to successful applicants.
Research courses
Find courses you want to apply for in CourseSearch.
Find out about the institutions you are considering applying to.
Research the course requirements (including prerequisites) for each course that interests you. These are listed by applicant category.
What is my applicant category?
Course requirements are listed by applicant category. Your applicant category is based on the highest level of education you have completed, and if it is Year 12 when you completed it. This questionnaire will help you identify your applicant category.
You are a recent year 12 applicant if you completed year 12 in the previous two years and have not undertaken, in full or partially, a post-secondary study at Certificate IV (VET), Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Associate Degree, Bachelor's Degree or higher
Am I eligible to apply through VTAC?
Most recent Australian Year 12 students who successfully completed the VCE, VCE VM or equivalents are eligible to apply through VTAC for courses. You must meet citizenship and residency requirements.
The types of courses you can apply for depends upon the qualification —VCE or VCE VM—you complete. Check minimum tertiary entrance requirements for which courses you are eligible for.
Apply for courses through VTAC
Create a VTAC account and complete your profile. Most applicants will need to get a Unique Student Identifier (USI) before they can complete their profile.
Learn about the process of applying for courses and create a course application by logging into your VTAC account.
You can apply for up to eight courses in order of preference. Make sure you meet the course requirements (including prerequisites) for each.
Is my work and life experience relevant?
Work and life experience is considered for entry to some courses and for some applicants. This is usually communicated by a VTAC Personal Statement. To see if this is required, check ‘essential requirements and admission criteria’ in the course entry within CourseSearch.
Consider applying for equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships
In addition to mature-age entry, equity schemes such as SEAS allow institutions to identify applicants from other under-represented groups, when making selection decisions for some courses. Furthermore, if there have been circumstances that have made it difficult for you to do your best at study, you should consider putting in an equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application. equity schemes such as SEAS also allows institutions to identify applicants from under-represented groups when making selection decisions for some courses.
There are scholarships available for all kinds of reasons: such as those to support students with financial disadvantage, difficult circumstances and the need to relocate for study. There are also scholarships for Indigenous Australians, community service and academic merit. Find out how to apply for equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships.
Changed your mind?
If you change your mind about a course or find a new one, you can use change of preference at certain times of the year to change your application. This includes before and after your results are released.
Course offers
Find out about offers and how to enrol or defer.