Admissions pathways

If you do not have a high enough selection rank to get into your preferred course at UTS, you might consider applying for a course with a lower entry requirement. 

After one year of study (some courses may accept less than one year – check the course requirements), you can apply to study your preferred course at UTS via UAC or in some cases via course transfer.  Your results from your undergraduate studies will be considered in your application and may give you a higher selection rank to make your application more competitive.

You may also be eligible for recognition of prior learning, so you can avoid redoing the same subjects.

What if I don't get the marks for a UTS degree?

Just because you don’t qualify for direct entry now, doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to studying a UTS degree. Good news is, UTS College is your direct pathway to UTS.

UTS College has been offering students another way into UTS for over 30 years and offers higher education diplomas that are, in most cases, equivalent to the first year of the corresponding undergraduate degree at UTS. In fact, depending on the course you choose, a diploma can fast track you into the second year* of your degree. Which means you’re not losing any time at all!

You can choose from six study areas:

• Business
• Communications
• Design & Architecture
• Engineering
• Information Technology
• Science

All UTS College students benefit from a special combination of ongoing academic support, access to UTS facilities, small class sizes and practical learning, all designed to give you the ultimate thrive factor at UTS.

FEE-HELP is also available for eligible domestic students.

To find out more about UTS College and how they can help get you into UTS, visit the UTS College website (opens external link).

Are you an international student looking for an alternative entry? Visit our international entry schemes page

* Based on the required Grade Point Average.

You can gain entry to UTS if you’ve completed a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification, such as an AQF diploma, advanced diploma or the Tertiary Preparation Certificate (TPC) through TAFE or another college. 

You should consider completing a diploma or advanced diploma course at TAFE or a private college if you:

• don’t get accepted to UTS straight from school,
• or are unsure about the degree that you want to study.

A VET entry pathway may take a little longer, but it does give you extra qualifications and the time to make sure you’ve chosen the right subjects and the right career path.

Entry requirements for each of our courses vary. If you’re interested in a degree at UTS, and wondering whether your previous study will count towards entry, refer to the course admission requirements.

We also offer recognition of prior learning to students who are transferring from another course. Recognition of prior learning could fast-track completion of your degree by crediting you for UTS subjects, on the basis of your previous studies. We publish some of our standard recognition of prior learning agreements through the recognition of prior learning database, but we also consider applications on a case-by-case basis. 

If disadvantageous circumstances have impacted your vocational education, you may also be eligible for adjustment points as part of our educational access scheme inpUTS.

If you haven’t met the Lowest Selection Rank required to receive an offer for the course you wish to study, not to worry – you can consider taking the STAT test.

Many UTS courses (except scholarship courses, accelerated nursing courses or single and combined Law courses) consider the STAT (Multiple Choice) administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), provided you have reached 20 years of age as at 1 March for the year of intake (e.g. if you are applying to start your study at UTS in 2024, the date would be 1 March 2024) and your STAT results were obtained within 3 years prior to the year of admission.

If you didn’t finish high school or obtain an ATAR, you may consider obtaining a limited ATAR (opens an external site). 

To be eligible for a Limited ATAR in 2024, you must meet both of the following conditions:

• be at least 20 years of age on 1 March 2024; and
• be taking between 5 and 9 units of ATAR courses, including at least 1 unit of a Category A English course.

A limited ATAR is considered for entry to all UTS courses (except scholarship, cadetship and accelerated nursing courses). 

The Jumbunna Admissions Program offers prospective undergraduate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students an opportunity to illustrate their capability for higher education via a testing, assessment and interview process. Selection is also based on factors including previous life, education and work experience.

For more details, please visit Jumbunna Admissions Program