Tertiary admissions
There are several ways you can apply to study a TAFE Queensland degree. To help make your higher education application process as simple as possible, select the applicant type that is most relevant to your study or work background. We also offer a number of degrees in collaboration with our partners the University of Canberra, and Southern Cross University.
Applicants with recent secondary education are those whose admission is primarily based on the completion of Year 12 within the last two years, but also includes those who may have completed their senior secondary studies with a TAFE or other VET provider within the same time frame. This includes applicants whose secondary education was undertaken interstate or overseas.
Prospective students must provide evidence stating completion of Year 12 in an Australian school system or overseas equivalent; or attained Year 12 leaving age.
Eligibility for entry will be based on:
- your Australian Tertiary Entrance Rank (ATAR)
- any additional course specific criteria, such as English language proficiency, police checks, portfolios and auditions specified for your chosen course
Specific course admissions and enrolment information is available on the relevant course page.
Find out about ATARs and prerequisite study score conversions by visiting Queensland ATAR.
Applying through QTAC
If you apply through QTAC, you will be admitted on the basis of your ATAR (and additional criteria if specified). Application made via QTAC is preferred by TAFE Queensland.
Applying directly to TAFE Queensland
If you apply directly to TAFE Queensland, you will be eligible for admission if you have achieved the relevant selection ranking for the course you have applied for or satisfied the requirements or additional criteria specified for the course (for example, submission of a portfolio). An offer of admission will be made to eligible applicants where places are available. To apply directly through TAFE Queensland visit the course page above.
Applicants with higher education are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a higher education course, such as a university degree. This includes applicants who are currently studying a higher education course at another education provider and want to transfer to TAFE Queensland. It also includes applicants who have completed past study with university and non-university higher education providers.
Applicants with higher education can include students who have completed a bridging or enabling course delivered by, or on behalf of, a higher education provider.
Your prior study must have been completed within 10 years of your course application, unless you are able to demonstrate your relevant knowledge and skills are still current, for example through work or life experience. Applicants must provide evidence of their higher education qualification (including partial completion) along with an AHEGS statement or similar.
Applicants with relevant higher education qualifications are encouraged to apply for advanced standing.
Specific course admissions and enrolment information is available on the relevant course page.
Applying through QTAC
If you apply through QTAC your eligibility will be determined according to the highest grade point average achieved in all courses of study. Application made via QTAC is preferred by TAFE Queensland.
Applying directly to TAFE Queensland
If you have completed some or all of a higher education qualification, your eligibility for entry will be determined on the basis of your academic performance and that you satisfy the requirements of additional criteria specified for the course ( for example, submission of a portfolio). An offer of admission will be made to eligible applicants where places are available. To apply directly through TAFE Queensland visit the course page above.
Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a VET course. This includes study at a public TAFE or other VET provider, whether a qualification was completed or not.
Applicants with VET study may have other qualifications and/or they may have work and life experience. Applicants must provide evidence of their VET qualification (including any partial completion).
Specific course admissions and enrolment information is available on the relevant course page.
Applying through QTAC
If you apply through QTAC your eligibility will be determined according to the highest QTAC selection rank or equivalent ATAR achieved in your course of study. Application made via QTAC is preferred by TAFE Queensland.
Applying directly to TAFE Queensland
If you have completed some or all of a VET qualification, your eligibility for entry will be determined on the basis of your qualification and that you satisfy the requirements or additional criteria specified for the course (for example, submission of a portfolio). An offer of admission will be made to eligible applicants where places are available. To apply directly through TAFE Queensland visit the course page above.
Applicants with work and life experience are those who left secondary education more than two years ago (i.e. who are not classified as recent secondary education applicants) and have not undertaken vocational education training (VET) or higher education study since then.
Applicants in this category are selected according to eligibility and merit; completion of any one of the recommended science subjects (via ATP or Unilearn-online offered at TAFE Queensland); vocational experience; previous study and personal attributes.
‘Experience’ includes a combination of factors sufficient to demonstrate readiness for higher education. This may include a combination of factors sufficient to demonstrate academic suitability for higher education such as:
- previous academic results
- written submissions
- portfolio presentation
- professional experience
- community involvement or work experience.
Applying through QTAC
If you apply through QTAC your eligibility will be determined according to the relevancy of your work and life experience. Application made via QTAC is preferred by TAFE Queensland.
Applying directly to TAFE Queensland
Your application for academic suitability for admission into your chosen course will be determined on the basis of your application and supporting documentation and that you satisfy the requirements or additional criteria specified for the course (for example, submission of a portfolio). An offer of admission will be made to eligible applicants where places are available. To apply directly through TAFE Queensland visit the course page above.
Additional information
Scholarships
Achieve your career goals with our range of merit, access and equity scholarships. Ensure you check the scholarship's details carefully and apply before the due date.
Advanced standing
Advanced standing is a form of credit for any previous learning. If approved, it can reduce the number of units you need to study at TAFE Queensland, allowing you to complete your course earlier.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
At TAFE Queensland we understand the unique needs of our Indigenous student community, With dedicated Indigenous student support we are well suited to help you reach your education goals.
Orientation
Orientation is a great way to familiarise yourself with your each campus, meet other students, talk to teaching staff, locate rooms, and learn how to access library resources.
FEE-HELP available
FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that covers the cost of your tuition fees on your behalf. If you're studying one of TAFE Queensland's degree programs you may be eligible for a FEE-HELP loan.
Student profiles
TAFE Queensland is committed to providing transparent and clear admissions information to applicants. Learn more about the latest admissions information and student profiles of our higher education courses.
| Terminology | Definition |
| Advanced standing | A form of credit for any previous learning (Australian Qualifications Framework definition) – see also the definitions for “credit transfer” and “recognition of prior learning”. |
| Applicant | An applicant is generally taken to be a person who has already lodged an application to study a specific course. |
| Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) | In 2020, the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) will replace the Overall Position (OP) as the standard pathway to tertiary study for Queensland Year 12s. The ATAR is the standard measure of overall school achievement used in all other Australian states and territories. It is a rank indicating a student’s position overall relative to other students. The ATAR is expressed on a 2000-point scale from 99.95 (highest) down to 0, in increments of 0.05. ATARs below 30 will be reported as ‘30.00 or less’. |
| Bridging course | A course designed to cover subject knowledge, 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. |
| Credit transfer | A process that provides students with agreed and consistent credit outcomes for components of a qualification based on identified equivalence in content and learning outcomes between matched qualifications (Australian Qualifications Framework definition). |
| Direct application | Application made to a higher education provider rather than through a tertiary admission centre. |
| Enabling course | A course designed to provide students with skills needed for success in further study, to assist in the transition to tertiary education – for example study techniques or English language skills. Successful completion helps prepare a person to be admitted to a course that leads to a higher education award. |
| Overall Position (OP) | The Overall Position (OP) refers to a Queensland student’s position in a state-wide tertiary entrance rank order based on their overall achievement in senior secondary subjects. It indicates how well a student has done compared to all other OP-eligible students in Queensland. Students are placed in one of 25 OP bands from OP1 (highest) to OP25 (lowest). Queensland students seeking admission to higher education in other states can have their OP converted to an ATAR. Interstate students looking to study in Queensland can have their ATAR converted to a Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) Selection Rank. Queensland will adopt the ATAR instead of the OP for students who commence Year 11 in 2019 and beyond. |
| Prospective student | A prospective student is generally taken to be a person who is thinking about lodging an application to study a particular course but has not yet done so. |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) | A process used to assess an individual’s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) to determine the credit that may be granted towards completion of a qualification (adapted from Australian Qualifications Framework definition). |
| Selection rank | The ranking that tertiary admission centres and most universities actually use to assess admission to a course. A person’s course Selection Rank can include their ATAR, any adjustments they are eligible for, such as equity or subject adjustments, other contributions calculated on the basis of work experience or previous non-secondary study, portfolio assessments, results of the Special Tertiary Admissions Test, other supplementary tests, etc. |
| TAC application | Application made through a tertiary admission centre, namely QTAC, UAC, VTAC, SATAC, TISC and University of Tasmania, in relation to applications to study in that state. |