Course Selection Requirements

To be considered for admission to a course, you must meet the specific course requirements. These include:

  • Prerequisites: Required subject scores
  • Additional requirements: Additional tasks such as tests, interviews, or folios

It is crucial to meet all prerequisites and complete compulsory requirements by the specified deadlines to ensure your application is eligible for consideration.

Course requirements are detailed for each program in CourseSearch, under the sections 'Essential requirements' and 'Admission criteria.' Be sure to meet the requirements that apply to your specific applicant group, such as:

  • Current Year 12 student
  • Recent secondary graduate
  • Applicant with higher education study
  • Applicant with VET study
  • Applicant with work and life experience

Review the requirements relevant to your applicant group to ensure you submit a complete and accurate application.

Important note

Applicant selection for offers is a competitive process. In addition to meeting specific course requirements, applicants must also meet competitiveness requirements. Selection ranks for courses change year-to-year, so make sure to always list your courses in the order of your preference. See the "How does the course preference list work?" article for more information.

What to do next

  • View the relevant course pages in CourseSearch to ensure you meet all of the requirements for the courses on your preference list.

  • Review the Key Dates page on the VTAC website to understand all of the relevant key dates and deadlines.

  • Contact the institution if anything is unclear regarding meeting their course requirements

Meeting Course Prerequisites

Most subject prerequisites are typically met through Year 12 and senior secondary studies. You can use the VCE Prerequisite Explorer within CourseSearch or visit the institution"s website to check which courses you meet the prerequisites for. If you have not completed the required subjects, there may be alternative pathways to fulfill the prerequisite requirements.

Course prerequisite details are listed under the "Course requirements" tab within each course entry in CourseSearch. Be sure to select the correct applicant type to view the most accurate requirements.

If you find a course you'd like to apply for but do not meet the prerequisites, contact the institution directly to explore options for alternative pathways.

Alternative Pathways to Meet Prerequisites:

  • Bridging Courses: Some institutions offer bridging courses designed specifically to help you meet prerequisite requirements.
  • Undergraduate Pathways: If your preferred course is at an undergraduate level, you may be able to enroll in another undergraduate program that allows you to complete the prerequisite while earning credits toward your desired course.
  • Single Subject Enrolments: Certain institutions allow you to enroll in individual subjects without committing to a full degree, enabling you to meet specific prerequisites.
  • Foundation Courses: If you need to build your academic skills while completing prerequisites, a foundation course may be a suitable option.

If you are unsure about how to meet prerequisite requirements, reach out to the institutions you are considering for more information and advice.
 

Meeting Study Score Prerequisite Requirements

Unit 3 and 4 prerequisites are determined by the institutions based on the raw study scores students receive, not the scaled study score calculated by VTAC. The minimum study score required for each prerequisite is set in the year you apply.
 

You can find the study score prerequisites in CourseSearch, under the "Course requirements" tab of the course page.
 

If you are a non-Year 12 or overseas applicant and are unsure whether you meet the course requirements, we recommend contacting the relevant institution for further guidance.

Checking Interstate and IB Subject Equivalencies for Prerequisites

If you have completed or are completing an Interstate or International Baccalaureate (IB) qualification, you can use VTAC"s Interstate Subject Conversion Tool to check whether your subject scores meet prerequisite requirements.

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Check if you need to use the conversion tool
  2. Access the Interstate Subject Conversion Tool
  3. Enter the Victorian prerequisite subject
    • Type the name of the Victorian subject that is required for your chosen course.
  4. Select your home curriculum
    • From the drop-down menu, select the state curriculum in which you completed or are completing Year 12.
    • If you studied the IB, select International Baccalaureate.
  5. Confirm your equivalent subject
    • A list of subjects from your home curriculum that meet the Victorian prerequisite will appear.
    • Confirm that you have studied or are studying an equivalent subject.
  6. Check the required score
    • Scroll to the conversion table and locate the required Victorian prerequisite study score for your course.
    • Find the corresponding score, band, or scaled score needed in your curriculum to meet this requirement.
  7. If your subject isn"t listed
    • The Interstate Subject Conversion Tool applies to current subjects.
    • If your subject name or code does not match, refer to the Interstate Subject Guide to Victorian Prerequisites in the Reports and Statistics webpage for further instructions.

By following these steps, you can determine whether your Interstate or IB subject scores meet the prerequisite requirements for your chosen courses. 

If you are in any doubt about a particular course requirement, you may wish to contact the relevant institution to discuss.

How Subject Adjustment Affect the Selection Rank

Some institutions may grant adjustment points to applicants who achieve a study score in specific subjects. These adjustments can increase your selection rank for particular courses.

To check if subject adjustments apply to a particular course, visit CourseSearch and locate your preferred course and open the 'Course requirements' section to see if subject adjustments apply. 

Understanding How Adjustment Points Work

If awarded, adjustment points are added to your aggregate score, increasing your selection rank. Your selection rank applies only to the specific course offering the adjustments. Your ATAR remains unchanged, adjustments only affect eligibility for the relevant course.

Important note: Subject adjustments apply to those with Victorian/interstate year 12, or International Baccalaureate (IB) results.

Understanding the ATAR Profile and Selection Data

VTAC publishes an ATAR profile for every course that uses the ATAR in its selection process. The ATAR profile reflects data from the previous year"s main offer round in January, and you can find it in the relevant course entry on CourseSearch.

The ATAR profile and previous selection data can help applicants gauge the competitiveness of a course by understanding what was used for the previous selection cycle.

The ATAR profile shows the highest, median, and lowest ATARs of applicants who received offers. This includes both the lowest ATAR (before any adjustments such as Equity Schemes or subject bonuses) and the lowest selection rank (the ATAR after adjustments).

Important Notes 

  • ATAR profile information changes year-to-year. Always list your courses in the order of your preference, and not based on the ATAR profile report from the previous year.

  • The ATAR is only one factor in the selection process, which may also include additional selection criteria such as interviews, tests, auditions, folios, and other requirements.

VTAC Personal Statement

The VTAC Personal Statement is required by certain courses and allows applicants to submit additional information as part of their course application. This may include your motivation for study, work and community experience, academic performance, and proficiency in languages other than English.

If you have applied for a course that requires a personal statement, you can submit it via your VTAC account.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Check if a personal statement is required
    • If any of your preferences require a personal statement, it will be listed under 'Course requirements' on the landing page of your VTAC account. If Personal Statement is not listed, you do not need to submit one. Be sure to check the course requirements again if you change your preferences.
  2. Complete additional tasks
    • If a personal statement is required, select "Complete additional tasks" from your account homepage.
  3. Select "Personal Statement"
    • Under General Statement, explain why you are applying for tertiary study, your current area of interest, or your future employment goals.
  4. Provide details of work experience or community service
    • If you want to include work experience or community service, tick the relevant box and follow the prompts to add these details. You can list your experiences and provide details of referees who can support your statement.
  5. Provide information about your academic performance
    • If you wish to include information about your past or current academic performance, tick the relevant box and enter this information in the text box that appears. You can describe any circumstances that have affected your academic performance (either positively or negatively). Note that this section is not a substitute for an equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application.
  6. Add language proficiency
    • If you speak any languages other than English, tick the relevant box and follow the prompts to add this information. You will be asked to select the language you speak and indicate your proficiency in speaking, reading, writing, and understanding.
  7. Submit your statement

    • Once you"ve entered all the information you wish to be considered, select 'Submit statement'.

You can amend your personal statement at any time by following the steps outlined above.

Important Note: By submitting your personal statement as early as possible, you can ensure that you are eligible to be considered for the relevant course in all offer rounds.

Casper Test Requirements

Some courses may require Casper test results as part of the selection process for an offer. Casper is a non-cognitive online test designed to assess an applicant"s personal and professional attributes.

Casper is a requirement of applying to many initial teaching education courses in Victoria. Courses that require applicants to sit Casper will list it under the selection requirements section within the course entry information.

How to Provide Casper Results to VTAC

When registering for the Casper test through Acuity, you must provide your VTAC ID and select the distribution option (i.e. VTAC or Direct application). For VTAC applications, ensure that you have selected the distribution option as "[institution] - VTAC", not "[institution] - Direct".

Once your results are finalised, they will be electronically transmitted from Acuity to VTAC and included in your account. Be sure to double-check that all your details are correct to ensure the electronic matching process is successful.

Important note

To ensure your results are considered in time for the offer rounds, it is important to sit the Casper test within the relevant time period. Please refer to the Acuity website for specific dates and information.

Situational Judgement Test Results

M-Test for Monash University 
If you have completed the M-Test you do not need to provide the results to VTAC. This test is managed directly by the institution. For information on how your results will be linked to your course application, please contact Monash University directly.

Aptitude for Teaching Assessment (AFTA) for La Trobe University
If you have completed the AFTA you are required to provide the completion certificate to VTAC. The completion certificate can be uploaded within the Additional tasks tab, located on the homepage of your VTAC account.

   

Teacher Selector Statement (TSS) for ACU courses

A Teacher Selector Statement (TSS) is an alternative requirement to the Casper test for applicants applying to ACU for an initial teacher education qualification. This statement allows applicants to demonstrate their suitability for teaching by highlighting the qualities that will make them effective educators. If you have submitted a TSS you do not need to sit the Casper test for ACU courses only. If you have initial teacher education courses from other institutions on your preference list, you will need to meet their additional course requirements to be considered. 

If you have selected a course in your preference list that requires a TSS, you will be prompted to complete it as part of the application process.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Log in to your VTAC account.
  2. Select Complete additional tasks.
  3. Click Open the TSS form.
  4. Read through the "What is required?" section.
  5. Complete Category 1: Write approximately 500 words responding to the provided prompts, which assess your interest and motivation for teaching.
  6. Proceed to Category 2: Write about 500 words in response to the prompts, focusing on your personal learning and leadership activities.
  7. Click Save & Edit if you wish to continue working on the TSS later.
  8. Once finished, click Submit. After submission, no further edits can be made to the TSS.

By following these steps, you will successfully submit your ACU Teacher Selector Statement.

Additional Selection Tasks

Certain courses may require an additional selection task as part of the application process. These tasks are listed in CourseSearch and on the institution's website.

If your chosen course requires a selection task, you will receive an email from the institution with detailed instructions on what to do and how to submit your materials.

  • Interviews and Auditions: These will be arranged directly with the institution.
  • Portfolios: Portfolios must be uploaded directly to the institution"s platform, not through VTAC.

For further assistance or more information, please contact the institution directly.

English Language Proficiency Declaration

If you are applying for nursing/midwifery and some allied health courses, you must submit an English language proficiency declaration to be considered for an offer.

You can submit this declaration through your VTAC account by following these steps:

Step-by-step instructions:

  1. Check course requirements in your VTAC account
    If any of your preferences require the English language proficiency declaration, you will see 'English language proficiency for nursing and midwifery' listed under the 'Course requirements' section on your account landing page. If this requirement is not listed, you do not need to complete the declaration for your current preferences.
  2. Click 'Complete additional tasks'
    On the next page, under 'Additional tasks', click 'Open declaration form' under 'English language proficiency for Nursing and Midwifery'.
  3. Complete the declaration form
    Read the declaration in full and select the option that applies to you. You must choose one of the three options to be considered for the course(s). If none of the options apply to you, you are not eligible for the course(s) and should remove them from your preferences.
  4. Provide required information
    • If you select Option 1, enter your AHPRA registration number and expiry date in the relevant fields.
    • If you select Option 3, ensure that you claim the relevant English language tests under Education History and provide the required evidence.
  5. Submit the form
    Read the three declarations under "By submitting this form" and select the corresponding checkboxes. Click Submit to proceed with the submission.

Submitting your English language proficiency declaration as early as possible will help ensure you are considered for nursing and midwifery preferences in all offer rounds.

Providing Your UCAT or ISAT Results

If you are applying for a course that requires the UCAT ANZ (University Clinical Aptitude Test for Australia and New Zealand) or ISAT (International Student Admissions Test), you must provide your test ID in your VTAC account. You will be prompted to enter this information once you submit your course application.

  • The UCAT ANZ is required for specific courses and is held between July and August, with bookings closing in May.
  • The ISAT is required for international students studying Year 12 in Australia applying for Type 3 places in Medicine/Surgery at Monash University.

Please note that you only need to provide one test ID (either UCAT or ISAT) depending on the course requirements.

How to Provide Your UCAT or ISAT Results:

  1. Log into your VTAC account
    • Use your registered email address and password to sign in.
  2. Add the relevant course to your preference list
    • If a course requires the UCAT or ISAT, an additional task will appear on the home page of your VTAC account.
  3. Save your preferences
    • Ensure you save any changes made to your course preference list.
  4. Navigate back to the home page
    • Locate the 'Checklist' heading and select "Complete additional tasks" to access any outstanding tasks related to your application.
  5. Choose "Provide UCAT ID" or "Provide ISAT ID"
    • You will need to enter only one of these, depending on the course requirement.
  6. Enter your relevant ID
    • Carefully input your UCAT or ISAT identification number.
  7. Select "Update" to save
    • Your ID will now be recorded in your VTAC account.

By completing this process, your UCAT or ISAT results will be linked to your application and considered by the institutions when assessing your eligibility for the course.

Meeting Prerequisite Requirements With Overseas Studies

Most institutions will directly assess overseas results in order to determine whether or not they meet subject prerequisite requirements. Please consult the relevant institution page(s) regarding overseas qualifications for more information on meeting their prerequisite requirements.

If any information is unclear, please consult with the institution(s) directly.