Pathways to entry
Whether you have just finished high school, are looking to return to study, or want to study to enhance your career prospects, there are a range of pathways to entry to the University of the Sunshine Coast.
USC staff can help you meet the necessary entry requirements and can provide information on the best method of entry for you.
Pathways to entry include:
Current Year 12 and secondary students
Queensland Year 12 students with an OP, Queensland Year 12 students without an OP, students repeating Year 12, or matriculating interstate or overseas, and students studying external senior have different entry pathways.
More information
Certificate and tertiary study
Certificate study
Certificate study is a pathway that can be used to gain admission into programs offered at USC. Students who have completed or are studying a Certificate III or IV may be allocated a QTAC selection rank depending on the number of subjects completed and the grades achieved (if grades were allocated).
Students who subsequently gain entry into a degree program at USC may be eligible for credit (advanced standing) for the subjects completed in the certificate.
Where a student's performance is only reported as 'competent' or 'not yet competent' a good Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) result can be used to increase the QTAC selection rank.
Contact the Admissions Officer at Student Administration for more information about how certificate studies can be used as a pathway into your most preferred program at USC.
Tertiary study
Completing some tertiary study may be a suitable pathway into your most preferred USC program. TAFE Queensland and colleges, including degree, diploma, advanced diploma and associate degree courses can be used as suitable pathways to entry to USC.
At USC, we recognise that success at tertiary study in one program is often an effective predictor of future success in other programs. QTAC schedules are used to allocate ranks based on results achieved in previous study with a separate rank being calculated for each individual program. More information about upgrading via tertiary study is available on the QTAC website.
Contact the Admissions Officer at Student Administration for more information about how your tertiary studies may affect your chance of entry into USC.
Non-award (visiting) study
You may wish to apply to study individual courses (subjects) as a pathway to upgrade or expand your knowledge without committing yourself to a complete program. This is referred to as non-award (visiting) study whereby students must meet any subject prerequisites and pay tuition fees up-front.
Open learning
Open Universities Australia allows people to study a variety of programs offered by more than 18 education providers Australia-wide on an external basis. Study materials are sent directly to students who also access resources online. Contact
Open Universities Australia for further information.
Contact the Admissions Officer at Student Administration for more information about how your Open Learning studies may affect your chance of entry into USC.
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Preparatory and bridging study
Preparatory and Bridging courses are designed to provide people with both the background knowledge and the opportunity to achieve a selection rank sufficient to gain entry into USC programs. There are a variety of preparatory and bridging courses to choose from including those which can be studied full-time, part-time or through distance education.
Before enrolling in any preparatory or bridging course, check with the Admissions Officer at Student Administration to confirm that the course is a suitable pathway for entry to USC.
USC's preparatory program is referred to as the Tertiary Preparation Pathway (TPP). Information about other preparatory or bridging programs can be accessed via the QTAC website.
Mature-age and alternative entry
Non-Year 12 students (mature-age and alternative entry) options can assist your QTAC application.
USC's Tertiary Preparation Pathway (TPP)
USC's Tertiary Preparation Pathway (TPP) provides prospective students an entry option to those who are not able to gain admission to a degree program via QTAC without first gaining additional qualifications.
It is recommended that applicants complete four TPP courses to gain guaranteed entry into most USC degree programs.
Contact the Admissions Officer at Student Administration for details on which TPP courses you will need and how TPP may affect your chance of entry into an undergraduate program at USC.
Special entry schemes
Although not formal 'pathways' to tertiary study, the University offers avenues that can assist applicants in special circumstances to gain entry to programs offered at USC.
Special consideration of educational disadvantage
If you have experienced circumstances beyond your control which have affected your school or academic results, you may apply for special consideration of educational disadvantage (SCD). This scheme takes into account educational disadvantage when assessing an application for study to give the most equitable assessment possible. More information about SCD is on the QTAC website.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander admission
The University is committed to offering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants access to tertiary study and has developed an Indigenous Alternative Entry Program. Contact Indigenous Services for more information.
More information
Contact the Admissions Officer at Student Administration.
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