• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Entry requirements
• Selection Decisions
• Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Admission Information
• How to Apply
• English Language Proficiency Requirements
• Non-Award and Unitrack Admission
• Admission to Higher Level Nested Awards
• Re-admission of Former University Students
• Cross-Institutional Admission
• Admission of International Students Under 18 Years on a Student Visa
• Accepting Offers
• Withdrawal or Cancellation of Offers
• Deferring Offers
• Right of Appeal
• Monitoring
• Section 5 - Guidelines
• Associated information

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) This policy provides the framework for ensuring admission to study at the University is undertaken in a fair, transparent and consistent manner as articulated in the University's Strategic Goals and Objectives.

(2) This policy applies to all candidates for admission except higher degree research candidates.

(3) This policy should be read in conjunction with the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 (Cth) and the University's Enrolment Policy, Student Fees Policy, Advanced Standing Policy, Articulation Pathways Policy, and Progression and Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Section 2 - Definitions

(4) For the purpose of this policy, the following definitions apply:

1. Alternate Entry Pathways - admission to the University based on factors other than formal educational attainment as published on the website.
2. Award course - a course that is formally approved by the University or any other relevant accreditation authority and leads to a Western Sydney University qualification or qualifies a student to enter a course at a level higher than a bachelor's degree. It includes courses of an equivalent nature undertaken overseas.
3. Entry Score - ATAR or equivalent rank the applicant obtains on the basis of completed secondary school study.
4. Inherent Requirements - the fundamental parts of a course that must be met by all students; they are the abilities, knowledge and skills students need to complete a course.
5. Nested Courses - an articulated sequence of courses such as Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Masters program.
6. Non-award - a unit or units taken as one of the following:
   1. Unitrack; non-award undergraduate; non-award postgraduate; post census miscellaneous; or
   2. Cross institutional - one or more units which are part of an award course at another higher education provider.
7. Offer - formal notification from the University or the relevant Tertiary Admissions Centre on behalf of the University offering a place in a nominated course and associated provisos.
8. Quota - the number of commencing student places available in each course in the relevant admissions intake.
9. Rank - a numerical score assigned to scale qualifications held by applicants other than current year 12 courses. Selection ranks range from 1 to 99, with 99 being the highest. A student may have several ranks based on different qualifications.
10. Suitable Relative - is as defined by the Department of Home Affairs, and a person who meets the Department's requirements.
11. Tertiary Admissions Centre (TAC) - the admission authority established in each Australian state/territory to coordinate the admission processes of participating institutions for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(5) Admission into the University is determined on the basis of academic merit and/or the capacity for university level study. Academic merit and capacity for study can be measured by formal qualifications and by means other than formally recognised educational attainment.

(6) The University is committed to:

1. assessing applicants for admission through policies and procedures that are fair and equitable;
2. accommodating student diversity and creating admission opportunities regardless of students' backgrounds; and
3. complying with legislative and regulatory requirements that apply to the admission of a certain class or classes of students, such as international students.

(7) The University also offers a non-award UniTrack program for applicants to improve their competitiveness for selection at the University, undertake professional development, undertake single units only, and/or trial university studies.

(8) The University is committed to increasing access and successful participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in higher education. This includes supporting and providing pathways for transitioning to higher education.

Entry requirements

(9) Entry requirements vary from course to course. A student will be admitted when the University is satisfied they can study the course with a reasonable prospect of success. The University establishes entry requirements for each course, having regard to the following principles:

1. Establishing clear and consistent admission requirements that are consistent with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF);
2. Providing evidence-based admissions requirements;
3. Eliminating unfair or unnecessary barriers for student access to University courses;
4. Offering flexible and appropriate entry pathways;
5. Facilitating recognition or credit for previous studies for entry into University courses.

(10) The entry requirements for a course consist of a combination of the following:

1. Academic merit;
2. Demonstrated English language proficiency;
3. Equivalency;
4. Prior learning;
5. Other experience and attainments;
6. Special factors, including residency, performance at interview, folios and auditions;
7. Meeting the inherent requirements of the course;
8. Other matters that Academic Senate considers relevant to an applicant's reasonable prospect of success.

(11) Changes to entry requirements must not disadvantage any student with an existing, unconditional offer from the University.

(12) An international applicant must meet the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) or Genuine Student (GS) criteria as specified by the Australian Government.

Selection Decisions

(13) The University assesses all applications and makes one of the following selection decisions:

1. Full offer;
2. Conditional offer;
3. Packaged offer of qualifying course/s leading to the principal course;
4. An offer into an alternative course; or
5. No offer.

(14) The University will not consider an applicant whose enrolment at this or another university has been suspended or terminated on the grounds of unsatisfactory academic performance until at least 12 months has elapsed from the date of suspension or termination. The Progression and Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Policy contains an exception covering Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery students.

(15) In most cases, the University will allow students to defer their offer of study up to 12 months. The University may charge a fee for the lodgement of a deferment request.

Responsibilities

(16) Academic Senate, or the relevant national or state training authority, approves minimum entry requirements.

(17) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Academic may in exceptional cases, on recommendation of the Dean of the School, approve an applicant to be admitted to a specific course without otherwise meeting the entry requirements.

(18) The Vice-President, People and Advancement and Registrar or their nominee will make offers of places within courses in writing and in accordance with the University's rules, resolutions, policies and procedures.

(19) The Vice-President, People and Advancement and Registrar may decline admission to a candidate if he or she considers the applicant has, during a previous enrolment, demonstrated they will be unable to successfully complete the course.

(20) The Dean of the School will set entry scores, ranks and quotas for each course at each intake, in consultation with the University Executive.

Section 4 - Procedures

Admission Information

(21) The University publishes minimum entry requirements in the course accreditation documentation and on its website.

1. Domestic students
2. International students

(22) Only applicants who have established Indigenous status will be eligible for admission to identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples programs.

How to Apply

(23) To be admitted to study at the University, an applicant must apply in the approved method by the advertised closing date. Application fees may apply.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

(24) Where English is not an applicant's first language or where an applicant has completed studies in a language other than English, they must demonstrate proficiency in English by achieving a prescribed level in an approved English examination in one sitting. The approved English Language examinations include the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and for some courses, the Pearsons test for English (PTE).

(25) Applicants may be required to provide evidence that their prior study in English or English Language examination results have been completed within two years of the proposed commencement of study.

(26) Alternate evidence of English Language proficiency may be accepted, as advertised on the University's website for International applicants at www.westernsydney.edu.au/international or the UAC website for Domestic applicants at www.uac.edu.au.

Non-Award and Unitrack Admission

(27) To be admitted to the non-award UniTrack program, an applicant must apply as a non-award student and pay the fee for each unit.

(28) A person who passes two or more units studied at the University under the Non-award - UniTrack program in a 12 month period will be eligible to apply for award study in future sessions.

Admission to Higher Level Nested Awards

(29) On completing a lower level nested award, a student may:

1. apply to transfer to the higher level award; or
2. graduate from the lower level award and re-apply for the higher level award.

(30) The University will include the previously-completed units on the student's academic transcript as advanced standing.

Re-admission of Former University Students

(31) Students who wish to re-enrol after they have ceased study in a course, and who have not taken formal leave of absence under the Enrolment Policy, must apply for readmission.

(32) Readmission to the same course of study or an equivalent course of study will be at the discretion of the University and subject to course availability at the time of the application.

(33) Students who have been excluded because of unsatisfactory academic progress must reapply for admission.

Cross-Institutional Admission

(34) Students enrolled in another institution may apply to undertake University units for advanced standing towards their award course. The application must be accompanied by documented approval from the other institution stating the units will be accepted for advanced standing at the home institution, and must be lodged by the advertised closing date.

(35) The same student contribution payment rules apply to the student as apply at the home higher education provider.

Admission of International Students Under 18 Years on a Student Visa

(36) The University may admit an international student who will be under the age of 18 years when they commence their course and who intends to study on a student visa, where the student:

1. is at least 17 years of age;
2. meets other applicable admission requirements; and
3. will live in Australia until they turn 18 either:
   1. with their parent or legal guardian;
   2. with a suitable relative whom the parent or legal guardian nominates; or
   3. under an accommodation and welfare arrangement the University approves.

(37) The procedures for ensuring appropriate accommodation, support and welfare arrangements are in place before admitting international students who will be under the age of 18 years when they commence their course and for monitoring those arrangements, are set out in the Admissions and Welfare (International Students Under 18 Years) Procedures.

Accepting Offers

(38) An applicant must accept their admission offer within the specified timeframe or the offer will lapse.

(39) Successful applicants may request to study full-time or part-time. When deciding whether a student can study part-time, the factors the University will consider include:

1. Maximum duration requirements
2. Course specific requirements
3. Scholarship requirements
4. Regulatory requirements.

(40) International applicants must pay the tuition fees and other compulsory fees identified on their letter of offer. Refer to the International Student Fees and Refunds Agreement

Withdrawal or Cancellation of Offers

(41) The University reserves the right to withdraw or cancel an offer or enrolment where:

1. the offer was made on the basis of incomplete or inaccurate information the applicant or certifying authority supplied;
2. there are insufficient enrolments to make the relevant course viable; or
3. an error has been made in assessing or processing the application.

Deferring Offers

(42) Applicants in receipt of an offer may request to defer by submitting a request in writing to Student Administration within the Student Experience Office no later than the date published on the University's website.

(43) The factors that Student Administration within the Student Experience Office will consider, when making a decision about a request to defer an offer, include:

1. Restrictions or conditions applying to any scholarship held by or offered to the applicant;
2. Course specific criteria as specified in the course accreditation documentation; or for courses where deferment is not granted;
3. Legislative requirements; and
4. Professional accreditation requirements.

Right of Appeal

(44) An applicant not selected for admission has the right of appeal against the decision on any one of the following grounds:

1. the applicant satisfies all University and course selection requirements;
2. the application for admission was lodged on time, in the correct manner, with all relevant documentation included to enable the application to be assessed; or
3. the applicant was not selected due to the incorrect application of this or other relevant University policies.

(45) An applicant must lodge a written statement specifying the grounds on which an appeal is being made to the Director, Student Administration within ten working days of receiving notification that their application for admission has been unsuccessful. All supporting documents and other evidence must be attached to the statement.

(46) If the written appeal statement meets the conditions specified in clause (44), the Director, Student Administration or nominee will consider the appeal and review the admission application in consultation with Admissions staff that processed the application for admission or made an application decision.

(47) After considering the documents submitted by the applicant the Director, Student Administration will determine the appeal as follows:

1. appeal denied; or
2. appeal upheld and
   1. make an offer of admission to the course instance for which the application was made; or
   2. make an offer of admission in the next available course instance; or
   3. include the applicant in a pool of applicants from which applicants are selected in order of merit in the next available course instance.

(48) The Director, Student Administration must notify the applicant of the outcome of the appeal within 20 working days of the University making a decision.

(49) The decision of the Director, Student Administration is final, there is no further avenue of internal appeal available.

Monitoring

(50) The University monitors the effectiveness and appropriateness of admission requirements.

Section 5 - Guidelines

Associated information

(51) English language proficiency

(52) Audition and interview booking system

(53) The Right of Appeal provisions used in clauses 44-48 of this policy are adapted from Section 15 of the University of Wollongong's Admissions Procedures, and are being reproduced and communicated with the kind permission of the University of Wollongong.