Procedure: Admissions

Purpose

To provide a clear statement of the University’s coursework student admissions procedure, and support transparent and streamlined application processes.

Definitions

Adjustment factors: These are additional points that may be used in combination with an applicant’s Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) to derive a person’s undergraduate program selection rank. Adjustments do not change applicants’ ATARs, but change their selection rank for a particular program or programs. Common types of adjustment factors are:

• Elite Athlete and Performer adjustments: Adjustments available on the basis of the applicant’s sporting or artistic prowess.
• Equity adjustment: Adjustment available on the basis of characteristics associated with disadvantage.
• Subject adjustment: Adjustment available on the basis of the particular relevance to the academic requirements of a higher education program of a secondary subject that the applicant undertook.
• Maximum adjustment: The maximum total adjustments possible to an applicant’s Selection Rank from the combination of all adjustments they are eligible for.

ANU coursework study: ANU coursework study includes undergraduate, honours, graduate coursework, non-award and cross-institutional studies.

ANU Extension Program: ANU Extension is a program for domestic secondary school students that allows them the opportunity to enrol in an ANU academic award program for which they are eligible for credit on their enrolment in tertiary studies. Students enrolling in the program must have a concurrent full-time enrolment in Year 11 or Year 12 at an ACT College or school (whether Government or non-Government).

ANU Honours Program: ANU Honours Program is an advanced degree for those applicants who can do independent research on a chosen topic. It may be structured following a three-year bachelor pass degree or four year’s direct admission from secondary school studies.

ANU Undergraduate Supplementary Admission Schemes: The ANU Undergraduate Supplementary Admission Schemes allow eligible applicants to be considered on other criteria together with their ATAR scores. These schemes include: National Access Scheme, Elite Athletes Scheme and Special Consideration.

Applicant: Applicant means a person who has already lodged an application to study a specific program. This can include applications through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC); direct applications and program transfer.

Applicant background: The following grouping is used to help prospective students, family and others easily find the admission information most relevant to their circumstances.

• Higher education study: Applicants whose highest level of study enrolment since leaving secondary education is a higher education program, whether at a university or non-university provider.
• Vocational education and training (VET) study: Applicants whose highest level of study enrolment since leaving secondary education is a VET course.
• Work and life experience (includes less recent secondary results or where selection rank is below the minimum requirement): Applicants who left secondary education more than two years previously and have not undertaken VET or higher education study since then. Extended time limits from completion of secondary education may apply to the experience based entry scheme.
• Recent secondary education: Applicants whose admission is based mostly on secondary education undertaken at school, TAFE or other VET or higher education provider (Australian or overseas equivalent) that was completed (or will be) in the current year or within the previous two years.

Admission, Scholarships and Accommodation (ASA) system: The direct domestic ASA system is an ANU-branded application system that covers applications for admission, scholarships and accommodation under one application process for domestic school leavers only.

Assessable qualifications accepted at ANU: For admission to undergraduate programs at ANU, the following qualifications from an approved institution will be considered when assessing applicant’s eligibility:

• Australian Year 12 or international equivalent
• Completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level 5 or higher
• Minimum of 1 year of full time enrolment (1.0 FTE) in a single bachelor program study
• Approved Preparatory Courses as listed on the Attachment to UAC Schedule B10250-1: Preparatory courses offered by Australian tertiary/postsecondary institutions.

For admission to graduate programs at ANU, the following qualifications will be considered when assessing applicant’s eligibility:

• A completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level 7 or higher, or international equivalent.
• Other alternative entry requirements as approved per specific program.

ATAR: The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) provides a measure of a student’s overall academic achievement in relation to other students.

Best of GPA (see also GPA1 and GPA2): The highest GPA out of GPA1 and GPA2

Bridging course: A course which assists students to gain knowledge in specialist areas that are a core component of the course. If a course requires a prerequisite in an area that students have not studied or worked with before, a bridging course will help students to bridge the gap in that knowledge and gain admission. Bridging courses offered at ANU are Maths Bridging and Chemistry Bridging.

Co-curricular or Service requirement: The Co-curricular or Service requirement is a new admissions requirement for all domestic school leavers applying through the direct Admission, Scholarships and Accommodation (ASA) application or through Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). It requires domestic secondary students who aspire to come to the ANU to engage in co-curricular or service activities. The requirement operates as a threshold and does not competitively rank students. Co-curricular and service activities are collated in the Co-curricular or Service Schedule.

Co-curricular or Service Schedule: The Co-curricular or Service Schedule outlines out-of-class activities that ANU will recognise as satisfying the co-curricular or service requirement for admission. Each activity is mapped against 7 skills. As part of their application, domestic school leaver applicants will select the activities they have undertaken and provide appropriate evidence. The skills attained will then be calculated in accordance with the schedule, and assessed against a minimum threshold requirement of 3 out of 7 skills.

Domestic applicants: For the purposes of admission at ANU, domestic applicants are: Australian or New Zealand citizens (including dual citizenship holders of either country); Australian permanent residents; and holders of an Australian humanitarian visa.

Domestic school leaver applicants: For the purposes of applying through the direct domestic Admission, Scholarships and Accommodation system, a school leaver is someone who is due to complete an Australian Year 12 or International Baccalaureate Diploma (November session), where the study took place within Australia, in the current year.

Embedded Honours (or equivalent): A program, typically four years, which combines AQF Level 7 and AQF Level 8 studies and a student graduates with a single Bachelor Honours Degree.

Exempt Programs: Those Graduate Coursework programs which have been approved to be excluded from assessment on the basis of Best of GPA due to professional accreditation requirements. These programs are:

• Master of Clinical Psychology
• Master of Professional Psychology

Experience based entry scheme: Experience based entry scheme is a selection method to assess and select students who may not have assessable qualifications accepted at ANU for admission to a program but who have other relevant work and life skills and experience that make them a suitable candidate. Applicants with work and life experience are considered via Special Tertiary Admission Test (STAT) or work experience.

Gathered field: Applicants who have submitted an application by the application closing date are assessed for meeting minimum requirements. Those meeting minimum requirements are ranked and the top ranked candidates are offered places until vacancies in the program are full.

GPA1 (see also Best of GPA): The 7-point Grade Point Average of a qualification, calculated excluding the Last Study Period of a Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7) or Bachelor Embedded Honours Degree (AQF Level 8) – regardless of how many courses are listed as undertaken during the Last Study Period.

GPA2 (see also Best of GPA): The 7-point Grade Point Average of a completed qualification, calculated including the Last Study Period.

Graduation Check: The process of checking if the applicant has successfully graduated with the Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7) or Bachelor Embedded Honours Degree (AQF Level 8) on the basis of which they were admitted to an ANU postgraduate program. Documentary evidence is required as part of the graduation check process. The Graduation Check needs to be completed before the student can be matriculated into their program. An outstanding graduation check may impact a student’s enrolment.

Completion of the Bachelor degree can be evidenced by:

• Testamur and Graduation Certificate (where applicable) and final official transcript in the original language if not in English, and accompanied by an official English language translation from an accepted translation authority.
• In situations where a testamur is not available due to extenuating circumstances outside the student’s control, an official completion letter from the university awarding the degree, along with the final academic transcript indicating the degree has been completed/conferred/awarded may be accepted in lieu. The completion letter must state the name of the student, the name of the award, the study period, the completion date and the expected or actual graduation date.
• ANU has final discretion on accepting the provided documents to meet the Graduation Check requirements.

GTE: The genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement is an integrity measure used by the Department of Home Affairs to ensure the student visa program is used as intended and not as a way for international students to maintain ongoing residency in Australia.

International applicants: For the purposes of admission at ANU, international applicants are applicants who are not domestic applicants.

Last Study Period: The final period of study at student is enrolled in for the completion of their Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7) or Bachelor Embedded Honours Degree (AQF Level 8), where the period is a semester, trimester, term, or year as dictated by the issuing institution, without factoring in the number of subjects in the final study period. ANU has final discretion on determining the last study period and, where not stated on the transcript, the courses included in it.

Mature Age Entry: Mature-age entry at ANU refers to domestic undergraduate applicants who are 21 or over and do not have assessable qualifications or whose qualifications do not meet the University’s normal entry requirements.

Program Transfer: Coursework students currently enrolled in a program who have completed a minimum of one course who have not graduated and are not eligible to graduate at ANU, apply via the program transfer process if they are applying to transfer into an ANU program at the same career level, e.g. undergraduate to undergraduate degree including within or to a flexible double degree. Applications are submitted within the deadlines specified by the Division of Student Administration and Academic Services (DSAAS). Program transfers exclude honours (as a plus one degree) as a destination degree. Program transfers are an act of admission.

Prospective student: A prospective student is a person who is considering lodging an application to study a particular program who has not yet submitted an application.

Year 11 Rank (see also Year 12 Rank): The ranking that the University uses to assess for a conditional offer to an undergraduate program under the direct Admission, Scholarships and Accommodation application process. The ANU Selection Rank is calculated using an applicant’s Year 11 school results and any adjustment factors.

Year 12 Rank (see also Year 11 Rank): This is calculated using the applicant’s ATAR and any adjustment factors.

Procedure

General Procedure

1. All applicants must meet ANU admission requirements. With the exception of offshore programs where the entire program is taught and examined in a language other than English, all applicants must meet the ANU English language requirements. The Policy English Language Admission Requirements and Post-Admissions Support outlines approved methods for meeting the English language requirements. Documents supporting an application for admission must comply with current standards and may be subject to a back to source audit.
2. Eligibility for admission into a program does not guarantee selection into a program. Entry to all awards at ANU is on a competitive basis in line with the strategic plan.
3. ANU has final discretion on admitting applicants.
4. Applicants meeting the eligibility criteria for admission may be denied admission on the basis that:

• a program or diversity target has reached the maximum number of students;
• an applicant is deemed by the university not to meet the GTE requirements specified by the Department of Home Affairs;
• suitable supervision is not available for an applicant seeking admission to a degree of Bachelor Honours (honours year program) or Master Advanced program.

5. The University places restrictions on the admission of students under the age of 18. For information please refer to the Underage student management policy.
6. Any breaches in admissions standards, including conflict of interest (refer to the disclosure of interest policy) are reported to the Academic Quality and Assurance Committee, Academic Board and the Vice Chancellor.

Undergraduate domestic applicants (non-program transfer)

7. Domestic school leaver applicants apply to the University via the direct Admission, Scholarships and Accommodation application.
8. Domestic non-school leaver applicants apply to the University via Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
9. Applicants who do not meet the direct entry requirements may apply under the ANU Supplementary Admission Schemes or Experience Based Entry Scheme. Detailed information about each scheme and how to apply is given in

• Table 1: Supplementary Admission Schemes; and
• Table 2: Experience Based Entry Scheme.

10. Applicant Selection Rank for Admissions:

• Recent secondary education applicants who have not attempted any further studies will be assessed on the basis of their ATAR or ATAR equivalent and any adjustment factors where applicable.
• Higher education study applicants who have completed a minimum of one-year full time equivalent bachelor studies will be assessed on the basis of their best tertiary results from all assessable qualifications.
• Vocational education and training (VET) study applicants will be assessed on the basis of their best results from completed VET qualification at AQF level 5 or higher. If the VET qualification is incomplete, applicants will be assessed on the basis of their best secondary study results.
• Work and life experience applicants will be assessed on the basis of the Experience Based Entry Scheme where applicable.
• The Selection Rank for applicants through the direct Admission, Scholarships and Accommodation application process will be based on their best of Year 11 Rank OR Year 12 Rank, whichever is highest.

Table 1: Supplementary admission schemes

Table 2: Experience based entry schemes

Admissions procedures for undergraduate international applicants

11. Admission to undergraduate coursework programs is on a competitive basis. Applicants are assessed, and where applicable ranked, by the delegated authority in accordance with the admissions requirements as published at http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/.
12. The University will consider academic achievement, English language ability and diversity targets, outlined in the University’s strategic plan, when ranking students for selection.
13. International applicants who have completed one year or more of a tertiary qualification that ANU does not accept for admission into Undergraduate Degrees, will be assessed based on their completed secondary qualification (if accepted by ANU).

Table 3: International admissions applications

Undergraduate Program Transfer

14. Applicants applying for a program transfer are assessed by the delegated authority as follows:

1. Applicants that have received finalised course results for less than 48 units of study toward the program they are exiting at the time of assessment are assessed using the selection rank that was used for admission to the program they are exiting, excluding adjustment factors.
2. Applicants are assessed on their tertiary results where they have 48 units or more of finalised course results toward the program they are exiting at the time of assessment.
3. Courses with an interim result or a WD grade are not included in the calculation of the units of study under 14a. and 14b. above.
4. Cross-institutional study is included in the calculation of the units of study for program transfer and, where applicable, are included in the tertiary results for assessment.

15. An application to transfer from a flexible double degree to one of the component degrees of that double degree will be permitted regardless of selection rank or tertiary result.
16. Students eligible to apply for a program transfer have:

1. completed at least one course in their current program at ANU; and
2. met the conditions of sponsorship which do not prevent a program transfer, if applicable; and
3. no outstanding fees.

17. Program transfer applications are submitted through ANU ISIS by the published deadline.

Admission procedures for Honours applications

18. Applicants apply direct via the ANU Admissions Office, including any additional research portfolios as instructed.

Admission procedures for domestic Graduate coursework applications

19. Admission to postgraduate coursework programs for domestic applicants is on a competitive basis. Applicants are assessed and ranked by the delegated authority in accordance with the admissions requirements as published at http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au
20. Domestic applicants apply directly to the ANU Admissions Office, except in the following circumstance:

Applicants apply through GEMSAS (www.gemsas.edu.au) for the following program:

• Doctor of Medicine and Surgery

21. Bachelor Degrees (or equivalent) and Bachelor Degrees with Embedded Honours will be assessed on their Best of GPA.

1. For applications to Exempt Programs, all qualifications will be assessed only on their GPA2.
2. For the calculation of GPA1 in such cases where the Last Study Period is not readily identifiable on the official academic transcript of the qualification:

• Admissions will use the total number of credits studied in the program and the number of years taken to complete the program, and use this to determine an average of how many credits have been completed per semester. The number of units equal to a semester’s worth of credit will be deducted from the transcript, starting from the units listed at the bottom and working up as they appear on the official transcript.

22. Graduate Diplomas, Graduate Certificates, Bachelors Honours Degrees (other than Bachelor Degrees with Embedded Honours), Masters Degrees, and Doctoral Degrees will be assessed only on their GPA2.

Admission procedures for international Graduate coursework applications

23. International applicants apply directly to the ANU Admissions Office.
24. Admission to postgraduate coursework programs is on a competitive basis. Where ranking is applied, applicants are assessed and ranked by the delegated authority in accordance with the admissions requirements as published at http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/
25. The University will consider academic achievement, English language ability and diversity targets, outlined in the University’s strategic plan, when ranking students for eligibility.
26. International qualifications are assessed according to the ANU approved admission assessment manual. In lieu of an approved admissions assessment manual applicants will be assessed using the ANU Grade Point Average calculator tool.
27. Bachelor Degrees (or equivalent) and Bachelor Degrees with Embedded Honours will be assessed on their Best of GPA.

1. For applications to Exempt Programs, all qualifications will be assessed only on their GPA2.
2. For the calculation of GPA1 in such cases where the Last Study Period is not readily identifiable on the official academic transcript of the qualification:

• Admissions will use the total number of credits studied in the program and the number of years taken to complete the program, and use this to determine an average of how many credits have been completed per semester. The number of units equal to a semester’s worth of credit will be deducted from the transcript, starting from the units listed at the bottom and working up as they appear on the official transcript.

28. Graduate Diplomas, Graduate Certificates, Bachelors Honours Degrees (other than Bachelor Degrees with Embedded Honours), Masters Degrees, and Doctoral Degrees will be assessed only on their GPA2.

Graduate Coursework Admission based on Professional Experience

29. Where a case for admission includes informal and non-formal learning gained through professional experience, applicants provide:

1. a curriculum vitae clearly identifying periods of full-time and part-time professional experience;
2. the contact details of two referees who can verify the experience;
3. a statement addressing the relevant learning outcomes of the program as specified in Policy: Recognition of Prior and External Learning;
4. A statement from the employer confirming relevant experience, alternative evidence verifying the professional experience or a statement why such a statement cannot be provided.

30. Programs that require applicants to provide alternative documentation to that listed in 28(a)-(d) publish details of the allowable alternative documentation in the Admission Requirements section for the program on Programs and Courses (https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/).
31. The University may request additional information and evidence for the admission assessment.

Graduate Program Transfer

32. Applicants applying for a program transfer are assessed by the delegated authority in accordance with the admission requirements as published at http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/.
33. Students eligible to apply for a program transfer have:

1. completed at least one course in their program at ANU; and
2. met the conditions of sponsorship which do not prevent program transfer, if applicable; and
3. no outstanding fees.

34. Program transfer applications are submitted through ANU ISIS by the published deadline.

Non-Award Study

35. Undergraduate and graduate coursework applicants apply for non-award study using the Application for Non-Award Admission form. Applicants must provide a separate application form and accompanying documents for each unique intake they wish to apply for Non-Award Study in.

Cross Institutional Study

36. Cross institutional study occurs when a student undertakes courses at one institution (the host provider) while formally enrolled for an award at another institution (the home provider), where there is an arrangement for recognition of study by both institutions.
37. Students from other institutions wishing to study at ANU submit an Application for Cross Institutional Studies to the ANU Admissions Office. Applicants must provide a separate application form and accompanying documents for each unique intake they wish to apply for Cross Institutional Studies in. Applicants applying for cross institutional study must meet the ANU minimum admission requirements.

Notifying Admission Outcomes

38. Applicants receive a formal notification of the outcome of their application. The notification, sent by e-mail, will be a full offer, a conditional offer, or a letter indicating an unsuccessful application.
39. If applicants apply through UAC, the notification will be sent from UAC on advice from the University.

Offers

40. A summary of accepting, deferring or declining an offer is outlined in Table 4.

Table 4: Summary of accepting, deferring or declining an offer

Excluded Students

41. Applicants apply to the University after the expiration of the period of exclusion. Periods of exclusion may be up to 5 years according to the ANU Academic Progress Rule, or indefinitely according to the ANU Discipline Rule. Applicants must disclose details about their exclusion in their application and demonstrate that they have successfully completed an assessable qualification for admission to ANU, following the exclusion decision.

Review of Decisions and Appeals

42. Appeals are considered in accordance with the ANU Coursework Awards Rule.

Document and translation requirements

43. All documentation submitted as part of a coursework application must:

1. Be provided in colour;
2. Be clear, in focus, and readable;
3. Must not be altered in anyway

44. All non-English documentation submitted as part of a coursework application must be translated into English by one of the following translation authorities:

1. A translator credentialed by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators & Interpreters (NAATI)
2. Multicultural New South Wales Language Services
3. Interstate office of either the Australian Commonwealth Ethnic Affairs Commission or the Australian Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs
4. Australian diplomatic missions
5. A sworn translator approved by the Australian diplomatic missions in Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, Peru, Switzerland, Thailand and Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City)
6. A Government or other recognised translation authority, e.g. Notary Office in China. Please contact the ANU Admissions Office to determine if the authority is approved to provide translations.

45. Each page of an authorised translation must bear the translator's signature, the date translated and the translator's credentialed details and, if applicable, the official stamp or seal of the translator's organisation.
46. Translated documents must be accompanied by the original language documents.
47. Copies translated by any other sources, including self-translated documents, will not be accepted.