How to apply to courses in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)

Applying to study with us is easy! Simply follow our step-by-step guide.

If you’re finishing Year 12 this year, no doubt you’ve heard plenty about your ATAR. But how does it actually work when you’re applying for uni? 

Here's a quick guide. First, your ATAR is used along with any adjustment points that you may be eligible for, to form your Selection Rank. 

This mark will be used as your university entrance score. Adjustment points - previously bonus points - might be given to you if you’ve done well in relevant high school subjects. Other adjustment points may also be given if you have one of the below backgrounds: You might see different Selection Ranks on UTS material compared to UAC material. 

That’s because the UTS guides show the lowest selection rank admitted to the course straight from school while the UAC guides take into account students who finished in the last three years. Year 12s wanting to apply to start uni next year can look up Selection Ranks on the UTS website and course guides, to get an idea of what to aim for. Note: these ranks may change each year… depending on the number of available places, applicants and their quality. 

Put down your preferences in order of what you want to study most. If you’re not eligible for your first preference, you’ll be considered equally with all other eligible applicants for your second preference and so on. 

Also, if you don’t receive an offer for your preferred course in an offer round you can be considered for future rounds for the courses higher on your list, if places are still available in those courses. 

So, say you get a an offer for your fifth preference in December (when UTS makes the majority of offers) - you will still be considered in future offer rounds for preferences 1 to 4 provided those preferences remain above any offers you have received in previous rounds. 

We hope these tips come in handy! And of course, our last tip… study hard. The higher your Selection Rank, the better your chances. 

From all of us at UTS…good luck! 

1. Find your course

Knowing what to study can be tough. Start your journey by searching our Communication, Education and International Studies degrees.

2. Check the admission requirements

Once you’ve found ‘the one’, check that you meet the admission requirements, as well as our eligibility criteria.

If you're a high school student, the majority of courses will assess you based on your selection rank, which is a combination of your ATAR/IB plus any adjustment points you may be eligible for through an admission scheme. 

If you are a non-current school leaver, your admissions is based on one of the following:

  • a NSW Higher School Certificate or Australian equivalent, and an ATAR of 69 or higher
  • a recognised TAFE or Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) (opens an external site), in the form of:
    • associate diploma
    • diploma
    • advanced diploma, or
    • tertiary preparation certificate
  • a UTS College diploma or foundation studies
  • at least one year full-time (or equivalent) in a degree course at an Australian university or college of advanced education
  • an approved overseas qualification (you'll also have to prove your proficiency in English).

3. Visit UTS

Make sure you visit us during the year at one of our events or faculty info sessions. The biggest day on campus is UTS Open Day where you have the chance to explore your course and career options. We also host Info Week in December, where you can chat with staff and students about our degrees and pathways. 

While you're visiting us, you can also check if you are eligible for any educational admissions schemes. Our events and info sessions are a great time to ask any questions you may have about these schemes. 

4. Check your eligibility for any UTS admissions schemes

Admission schemes boost your chances of gaining entry directly into a UTS course by taking into account additional criteria, such as your academic performance in specific HSC subjects, disadvantageous circumstances you've experienced or your Indigenous Australian background. 

5. Work out your preferences

In your UAC application, you can list up to five course choices. Each of these choices are known as 'preferences'. You can change your preferences anytime until the last change of preferences date.

Here is some advice for ordering your preferences:

  • Start with the course you would most like to do as your first preference, then work your way down till you have filled your maximum number of preferences.
  • You should not order your preferences based on the selection rank you think you'll get.
  • During the selection process, you're considered for each course starting from the top of your list, before working its way down. You'll be offered the first course on your list for which you meet the entry requirements. 

6. Apply

Lodge your application and optional additional selection documents through Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).  

If you're applying to start in Session 1, applications open in August the year before. You can see more key dates on the UAC website (opens an external site).

7. Check to see if you have received an offer

If you've applied to start at UTS in Session 1, the bulk of UTS offers will be released in December via UAC. 

You can only receive one offer in each offer round. If you receive an offer in one round and accept it, and then receive an offer in a later round, you can choose either to:

  • keep your previous offer and not accept your new offer, or
  • accept your new offer and withdraw from the course you've already accepted.

Find out how to accept your UTS offer and start enrolling in subjects. 

Things to remember

  • If you are a high school student, the admission criteria for most of our undergraduate courses will be based entirely on your selection rank or IB score.
  • A small number of UTS undergraduate courses have additional or optional selection criteria for high school students. 
  • Your selection rank is calculated on a combination of your ATAR/IB, including any adjustments you may be eligible for from either an admissions scheme or prior qualifications. This could include your previous ATAR, tertiary results, work experience or bridging and preparatory studies. 
  • Each offer round is determined by UAC. You can view each offer round on the UAC website (opens an external site). 

 

Back to Life in the FASS Lane

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.