UAC News
Here's what you you need to know...
Applications are open
Applications for university in 2023 have opened strongly with more than 13,000 Year 12 students applying since we opened on 12 April. To start their application students will need their NESA student number or their BSSS student number (ACT students) issued through their school and their UAC PIN (emailed by UAC on 12 April).
Remind your students to check that they have registered a personal email address with NESA. They can do this by logging in to Students Online. UAC sends UAC PINs to the email addresses students have registered with NESA. We will email a PIN reminder in early August.
Not all courses available
Institutions haven’t provided all 2023 course information to UAC, but students can still complete their application for uni. They can select any course commencing in 2023 and come back later to review and update their preferences. All courses will be available in August.
Course Compass
If your Year 12 students need help deciding which uni course to apply for, direct them to Course Compass. After they answer a few quick questions about their HSC subjects, Course Compass will display fields of study offered to recent applicants just like them. They can then drill down to institutions offering courses that might suit them.
Early offers to Year 12 students
While the ATAR is still the main selection tool used by most unis, there are other ways for students to show that they’re ready to succeed at tertiary study. This means they may be able to receive an offer to university before ATARs are released.
Offers made through UAC
Because we have several offer rounds in the first half of the year, many Year 12 students ask us if they can receive an offer now. The short answer is 'no': the first UAC offers to Year 12 students will be made to Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) applicants on 11 November 2022. Offers made then are not based on HSC results and ATARs. Instead, they are based on other criteria like Year 11 results and the school's rating of the student.
Before November offers are made to applicants who are not in Year 12 this year and already have a qualification we can assess. They're often applying to start a course in semester 2.
Most UAC offers to Year 12 students are made in late December, after the release of ATARs.
Offers directly from the institutions
In addition to submitting an SRS application, Year 12 students can apply for an early offer directly to individual institutions. Each institution has different application and offer dates. All the details are on our website.
Access and scholarship programs
Applications for the Schools Recommendation Scheme, Educational Access Scheme and Equity Scholarships are all open and application guides are available to download.
If you have students who may be eligible for these schemes, encourage them to start their applications soon as they've submitted their UAC undergraduate application.
Publications
UAC is currently distributing free copies of the following publications to schools. If your school hasn't received these by the second week of June, contact us.
UAC Guide 2022–23
The Guide includes an overview of our 28 participating institutions and the courses they are offering in 2023, plus a guide to the application and offer process. Students can also access the UAC Guide online.
Steps to Uni for Year 10 Students
Steps to Uni for Year 10 students along with the accompanying portal, Subject Compass, will help Year 10 students choose their HSC subjects. It's particularly useful for checking a student's ATAR eligibility. You can access a PDF version of the Year 10 booklet on UAC's website.
Other news
International Baccalaureate update
If your school offers the International Baccalaureate, you'll know that IB students don't receive an ATAR. Instead, the IB awards them an overall score out of 45. UAC and other tertiary admissions centres then convert the overall score into an ATAR-like value called the Combined Rank. This year, we're making some improvements to this conversion process.
What the new Combined Rank conversion process means for applicants
Student stories
Throughout the year, graduates from a range of fields will share their experiences of study and tell us how they kickstarted their careers after uni. This month we hear from Bachelor of Arts grad Akala Newman, plus get advice from a careers adviser about the opportunities and pitfalls of an arts degree.
Student Lifestyle Report
Passion for their subject matter is the primary driver of university course selection for students according to a new report from UAC. They are also keenly aware of their future job prospects with employability outcomes considered by 44 per cent of respondents, and the opportunity for work experience and internships considered by 31 per cent. You can find out more about what this group of young people thinks in the Student Lifestyle Report 2022.
Connect with us
Expos
Our Community Engagement team also attends major careers expos to give presentations on the ATAR, subject selection and uni entry. Details of the events we attend are updated regularly. UAC will be front and centre at two upcoming careers expos in Sydney. Drop by for a chat and come along to one of our seminars on the ATAR and applying to uni. We’ll also be running a seminar on HSC subject selection for Year 10 students.
HSC and Careers Expo: Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park
Thu 2 Jun to Sun 5 June | 9am to 3pm
Western Sydney Careers Expo: The Dome, Sydney Olympic Park
Thu 23 Jun to Sun 26 June | 9am to 3pm
Social media live
Another source of information for students and parents is UAC’s social media live events. Throughout the year anyone join us on Facebook and Instagram to listen to UAC’s experts discuss topics such as applying and access schemes. They can also have their questions answered on the spot.
Our Facebook Live, scholarships and schemes information sessions are always popular. You can catch up on the latest session on Facebook Watch.
UAC Digital
On UAC’s online platform, UAC Digital, we run a range of free webinars for students, careers advisers, parents and anyone navigating their path to higher education.
Join us for live briefings and Q&A sessions on the application process, panel discussions with experts on moderation and scaling, and introductions to the many and varied universities in NSW and the ACT.
We've also programmed a series of sessions focused on popular fields of study, like Medicine and Teaching. The 'Let's Chat' series brings together academics and students for a conversation what to expect from a particular course and how to submit an application. The next session is Let’s Chat: Teaching on Wednesday 1 June.
News from our institutions
Read the latest news from our institutions.
· Australian Catholic University
Key Dates
19 September 2022 11:59pm - SRS application close
30 September 2022 11:59pm - Early bird applications fees end: application fee increased from $73 to $200.
11 November 2022 7:30am - First SRS offers released. These are the first offers Year 12 students can recieve through UAC
22 November 2022 11:59pm - Deadline to submit EAS application and documents to be considered for December Round 2.
15 December 2022 6:00am - NSW HSC results released by NESA
15 December 2022 9:00am - NSW and ACT ATARs released
22 December 2022 7:30am - December round 2 offers released: first offers based on ATARs