Citizenship & Visa Requirements for Submitting a Course Application

You can apply for courses through VTAC if you meet one of the following citizenship and residency criteria:

  1. Australian Citizens

  2. Australian Permanent Residents

  3. New Zealand Citizens

  4. Temporary Residents or Students on a Pathway to a Student Visa
    If you are currently studying an Australian Year 12 program (either in Australia or overseas), such as VCE, VCE-VM, HSC, NTCE, QLD Senior Certificate, SACE, TCE, WACE, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) in Australia or New Zealand, you can apply through VTAC.

  5. International Students at The University of Melbourne
    If you are an international student enrolled at The University of Melbourne and wish to transfer to another course within the university, you can apply through VTAC.

  6. Students in New Zealand Applying to Monash University
    Temporary residents who are currently studying or have completed the NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) in New Zealand and have not yet started tertiary studies.
    (For mid-year intake apply direct to Monash University.)

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a security measure that requires applicants to provide two or more forms of verification before gaining access to an account.  MFA helps protect sensitive data in your account from unauthorised access.   Passwords alone can be easily compromised, MFA ensures that your VTAC account cannot be accessed without the second factor, for example the one-time code or call sent to your phone.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Log in to your account

    • Enter email address and Password
    • Select Sign In

  2. Multi-factor authentication

    • Select Send Code or Call me

    • If Send Code  was selected 

      • A six digit code will be sent to your mobile number on record

      • Enter code and select Verify code

    • If Call me was selected 

      • Answer call, select # key on keypad

By following these steps you should be able to successfully sign in using multifactor authentication.

Course fees vary depending on the type of place you are offered. The last digit of the course code (1, 2, 3 or 4) shows the type of course fees you will be required to pay if you get an offer:
 
Commonwealth supported places (CSP) - course code ends with 1
A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) means the Australian Government subsidises part of your tuition fees, and you pay the remaining student contribution amount.
  • Eligibility: CSPs are available to Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, and New Zealand citizens.
  • Student contributions: Fees depend on the units of study undertaken and are capped by the Australian Government.
  • Enrolment requirement: You must provide your Tax File Number (TFN) to your institution. If you don’t have one, apply through the Australian Taxation Office.

Domestic full-fee places - course code ends with 2

  • Domestic full-fee places (DFP): These places are not subsidised by the government, meaning students must pay the full tuition cost unless eligible for FEE-HELP. Fees vary by institution.

International fee places - course code ends with 3

  • International fee places (IFP): International students must pay the full course cost directly to the institution. Eligibility for applying through VTAC depends on a variety of factors. Please visit our citizenship and residency requirements for more information.
VET and fee type determined by provider   - course code ends with 4
For vocational education and training (VET) courses, the institution determines whether a student is eligible for a government-subsidised place. Eligibility may depend on factors such as age and prior qualifications.   For more information on government funding for VET courses, visit the TAFE and Training website.
HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP loans The Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) assists students in covering tuition costs.
  • HECS-HELP: Available to CSP students to cover student contributions. Loans are repaid through the tax system once your income exceeds the repayment threshold.
  • FEE-HELP: Available to full-fee-paying students to cover tuition costs (up to capped loan limit). Repayments work the same way as HECS-HELP.
VTAC does not determine course fees or administer HELP loans. To understand HELP loans in more detail, including eligibility and repayment, visit the Study Assist website
 

There are two ways in which your previous education, training or experience can directly contribute to a new qualification - credit transfer and recognition of prior learning (RPL). You may seek to transfer credit or receive RPL directly with the institution once you are enrolled in the course.

Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning (RPL):

  1. Credit transfer is when a university or training provider allows you to count previous education or training in a similar field or topic towards part of a degree or other qualification. This can reduce the number of subjects you have to do to gain your qualification. 

  2. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a way of getting any previous relevant experience – working, training, volunteering, including activities in the community – formally recognised towards a qualification. This can be a shortcut to getting a qualification because you will be formally recognised to have completed parts of the training requirements.

Policies and procedures for credit transfer and RPL vary by institution. Some institutions list this information on our website, however where you are unsure you may wish to contact the institutions directly for further information.

Your eligibility for a course is determined by various factors including your residency status, minimum tertiary entrance requirements, institution/course-specific requirements and prerequisites.

You can use VTAC's CourseSearch tool to view course requirements and determine which courses you are eligible for.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Ensure you meet the minimum tertiary entrance requirements and any institutional requirements for the institutions you are interested in applying for.

    • If you don't meet these requirements, you may wish to consider pathways or bridging courses. You may also be eligible as a mature-age applicant through the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS).

  2. Go to CourseSearch.

  3. Filter by Applicant type, and select any other filters relevant to you (or search by keyword) if you wish to narrow down your search.

    • For VCE students, use the VCE prerequisite explorer to further narrow your search to courses you are eligible for based on your VCE study program.

  4. Select a course you are interested in, and navigate to the 'Course requirements' tab. Carefully review the admission criteria for your applicant group to see what may apply to you. 

    • If you are unsure of which applicant group applies to you, you can use this questionnaire.

Determining your eligibility for courses will enable you to make an informed decision when applying. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee you an offer, as you will be competing for limited places with other eligible applicants. If you are in doubt about your eligibility for a particular course, or require clarification on institutional or course requirements, you should discuss your individual case with the course advisers at the institution.

Registration for a VTAC account will require you to provide a few personal details and should only take a few minutes of your time. After creating your account, you will be able to log in to your VTAC account using your email and the password you set during registration. 

How to Register:

  1. Navigate to the VTAC home page and click the "Sign Up" button.

    • Once you have been navigated to the "Log In" page, click the "Sign up now" button

  2. Enter your email address and then press "Send verification code". A code will be sent to your email address. You will need to copy and paste this code into the registration form to verify that your email is correct.

    • If the verification email does not come through immediately, you may need to wait a few minutes or refresh your inbox.  

  3. Create a password and enter in the rest of your personal details. 

    • Please read the "My education" drop down options carefully. If you are unsure of which of these statements best describes your circumstances, please contact the VTAC Connect team for assistance. 

  4. Agree to the VTAC Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and click "Create account"

  5. On the next screen, enter in your mobile number to enable multifactor authentication. You can either choose "Send code" to receive your verification code via text message, or "Call me" to authenticate your number over the phone. 

    • For more details on multifactor authentication, please view our relevant article: "What is multifactor authentication?".

Once you have verified your phone number, you will be navigated to the home page of your VTAC portal and will be able to use your details to log in in the future. 

Things to Consider When Deciding Whether to Apply Through VTAC or Directly to an Institution

When deciding on whether to apply through VTAC or directly to an institution, consider the following:

  1. Citizenship and Residency Requirements
    To apply through VTAC, you must meet certain citizenship and residency requirements. If you do not meet these requirements, you will need to apply directly to the institution, not through VTAC.

  1. Are You a Current Year 12 Student?
    If you are currently completing an Australian Year 12 program, you must apply through VTAC.

  2. Applying for One Course vs. Multiple Courses

    • One Course, One Institution: If you are applying to only one course at a single institution, you might be able to apply directly to the institution.
    • Multiple Courses or Institutions: If you want to apply to more than one course or institution, you must apply through VTAC. VTAC allows you to list up to eight course preferences.
  3. Already submitted a VTAC application
    If you have already submitted a VTAC application, you will be blocked from submitting a direct application if the course offers both direct and VTAC application methods. You must proceed with your VTAC application.

Be sure to check whether the course you’re interested in allows for direct applications, as most require you to apply through VTAC for semester one intake.

Once logged into your account, you can access different parts of your application from the home page or the drop-down menu.   Dashboard overview   From your dashboard, you can find:
  • Account details - Name, email address & VTAC ID 
  • Your profile - Citizenship and residency details, education history, USI
  • Key dates - Link to all important VTAC dates
  • Course preferences - View or update your preferences
  • Equity schemes & scholarship - View or submit your applications
  • Checklist - Track any outstanding documents or evidence
  • Additional Information - Find details on additional requirements for your courses

From the drop down menu, you can find: 

  • My Profile - Edit your profile details, education history, and manage account permissions including adding/removing authorised nominees. 
  • My Course Preferences - Update your course preferences and view offer outcomes for each round.
  • Equity schemes & scholarships - Modify your application and check for scholarship offers.
  • Providing Evidence - View a detailed breakdown of required documents and their status.
  • Inbox - Access copies of all VTAC emails and view the Activity Log which records changes made by you or VTAC staff.

To navigate back to the home page, you can click the home icon or the VTAC logo. 

You may be restricted from accessing certain parts of your account until preceding steps have been completed. 

The VTAC application process is the same for both current Year 12 students and non-Year 12/post-school applicants, including those considered mature-age by institutions.

When you register and apply for courses, VTAC will determine your applicant type based on your responses. However, "mature-age" is not a separate applicant category. Instead, it is a term used in SEAS Category 1 (Special Entry Access Scheme) or more generally to describe adults returning to study. The application form remains the same regardless of age or study history.

Mature-Age Entry Requirements

Policies and age requirements for mature-age entry vary by institution. To check specific requirements and additional steps, visit the institution pages you are applying to.

Special Entry Consideration for Mature-Age Applicants

Some institutions consider mature-age applicants under VTAC's SEAS Category 1 (Special Entry Access Scheme). If the institutions you are applying to participate in this scheme, you must complete Category 1 of the SEAS application in addition to your VTAC course application.