Pathways into tertiary study
There’s more than one pathway into a course you really want to do. Education pathways can be based on life or work experience, or on previous academic achievement. If you are lacking some of this experience or the academic track record required to get in to your course, there are course pathways to help you. Some are pre-tertiary courses but there are also pathways between different tertiary courses.
Some pathways guarantee you entry into a VET or higher education course on successful completion. Not only that, but some actually provide credit when you enrol in the subsequent course, making it a shorter journey to your ultimate education goal!
Pre-tertiary: Foundation courses and bridging courses
Bridging courses prepare you for a particular higher education or VET course, usually in specialist areas like maths or science. If a course requires a prerequisite that you don’t have, you can do a bridging course to ‘bridge the gap’ in your knowledge.
Foundation or preparatory courses cover a broader range of topics and usually take around a year of full-time study. The term 'foundation' usually refers to courses for international students, while courses targeting domestic students are called preparatory courses. If you're an international student, find out more about foundation courses at Studies in Australia.
After successfully completing a foundation or preparatory course, many students who did not initially meet university entry requirements will find that many universities will recognise that they have made an effort to improve their skills, and will consider that they are ready to enter university-level study.
Some foundation and preparatory courses are offered by colleges affiliated with particular universities. These courses usually offer guaranteed entry with credit to a relevant degree at the university affiliate. If you want to attend a college that is not formally affiliated with a particular university, confirm that it offers a certain pathway into degree study.
VET courses and pathways
VET to VET pathways
VET qualifications from certificate I, II and III right up to advanced diploma level are linked so that completion of a course at one level leads directly into the next level. This is called ‘articulation’.
You will usually get credit for study already completed if you choose to advance to the next qualification. This means that if you want to do an advanced diploma but you don’t get in, then you can start with a diploma and work your way up.
VET pathways to university
For students who begin with VET, there is still the opportunity to enrol in a higher education course at a later stage. Many VET diplomas and advanced diplomas articulate (often with credit) into a bachelor degree course.
Completing VET courses in the following areas will give you credit to related degrees at many universities:
- Agriculture/horticulture
- Building/construction management
- Business studies
- Computing studies
- Engineering
- Geology/geoscience
- Library and information studies
- Nursing
- Social work/social welfare
- Surveying/geomatics
- Teacher education (early childhood)
- Tourism/hospitality
- Visual arts and design.
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