Information for schools | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Accessibility links

Information for schools

The Early Offer Guarantee enables eligible Year 12 students to receive an early and guaranteed place at UniSC as early as September. These offers are made before the release of Year 12 results, so students do not have to wait until the December or January QTAC offer rounds to start planning their uni journey.

An offer is made based on the Principal's recommendation and is independent of a student’s Year 12 results. The Principal will consider the student’s academic performance, motivation, talents, passions and abilities to see if they are a match for success at university. If a Principal recommends a student for the Early Offer Guarantee, as long as they have met the prerequisites and other program specific requirements for their chosen degree, they will receive an early offer to study an eligible program at UniSC.

All offers made before the last day of school will be conditional on students completing Year 12, so it is important that students stay engaged and complete their exams.

Applications and offers

Benefits

Assessment process

For more details on the recommended assessment see the Early Offer Guarantee Guidelines for Schools.

The Principal or Principal delegate is responsible for assessing applicants for the Early Offer Guarantee. There is no limit on the number of applicants a school can approve. However, it is expected any student approved by your school:

Students who do not yet have the academic skill level and independent learning attributes required for Bachelor level study should be approved for the Tertiary Preparation Pathway or a pathway diploma.

Principal Nomination Form

The Principal can authorise and nominate an alternative staff member to approve student applications by completing the Principal Nomination Form.

The Principal or Principal delegate agrees to undertake a thorough assessment of all student applicants to ascertain their suitability for the program.

Frequently asked questions

My school is not producing end semester 1 report cards. what documentation should I provide?

If your school is not producing end Semester 1 report cards for Year 12 students, we will accept the student’s most recent progress report or report card.

How should schools promote the Early Offer Guarantee to our students?

Each school will have a different approach to how they promote the Early Offer Guarantee to their Year 12 cohort. As a participating school you will need to consider how the application assessment process will operate before determining if you will promote it to your whole Year 12 cohort or identify and invite suitable students to apply.

You can request additional marketing material or request a UniSC representative come and speak at your school by contacting schools@usc.edu.au.

How should we set up the assessment process at our school?

Schools are encouraged to adopt a process which fits with their academic and career programs. UniSC is not prescriptive in how this assessment process is managed within schools. Refer to the Guidelines for Schools for suggestions to assist with setting up in-house administrative processes to determine students' suitability.

We do ask Principals to ensure all applicants approved for a UniSC program have undergone a thorough assessment and meet the prerequisite requirements. Refer again to the Guidelines for Schools (under 'Assessment process' above) for details and eligibility and criterion.

Is there a quota on the number of students one school can approve?

No, there is no quota.

If our school has completed a registration form, will they need to complete a new one each year?

Schools are no longer required to register to participate in the scheme.

If your staffing changes please let us know who your new Early Offer Guarantee Coordinator and/or Principal is by emailing schools@usc.edu.au.

What is the typical profile of an Early Offer Guarantee student?

A typical Early Offer Guarantee student has a genuine desire to commence undergraduate level study or the Tertiary Preparation Pathway at UniSC. Below are some examples of potential profiles of students who would be approved for this pathway:

Profile 1 - The student has the necessary academic potential, talent and motivation to succeed in an undergraduate program and would benefit from being made an early offer to assist in their transition to university.

Profile 2 - The student may not have opted to study for an ATAR, or may have other exceptional circumstances such as medical or family issues which may impact on their Year 12 results. The student has the necessary academic potential, talent and motivation to succeed in an undergraduate program and would benefit from the opportunity to commence a degree.

Profile 3 - The student has a genuine aspiration to undertake tertiary study but would benefit from additional academic skill development and preparation before commencing a degree. This can be achieved through pathways such as Associate Degrees, a Pathway Diploma or the Tertiary Preparation Pathway.

Can students defer their place if offered through the Early Offer Guarantee?

Early Offer Guarantee offers are always made for Semester 1 commencement; however students can defer their place for a maximum of one year (excluding Undergraduate Certificate programs).