From TAFE to Uni, your guide to the process (1 Viewer)

[kami]

NOTE:UNDER CONSTRUCTION[I probably won't be able to get back to work on this till the end of semester...grrr, uni work]

Hello all and sundry, I’m here to talk to you today about the process of using your TAFE qualification to get into uni. For simplicity’s sake, this is going to be focused around NSW & ACT however much of the general process will be the same for those from other states though the particulars will be different.

There are a few topics I’m going to explore in this guide to help you understand the process.

• Applications Process (much of this is taken from Frigid’s post on transfers found here)
• GPA & the NRSL index[Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, Associate Degrees and Certificate IV only]
• Recognition of Prior Learning [Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, Associate Degrees and Certificate IV only]
• The Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation





The Applications Process

This involves a NRSL (Non-Recent School Leaver) application to UAC (University Admissions Centre). This is almost identical to the applications you may have made at the end of your HSC, using Apply-By-Web. You also have the option of using the application in the UAC Guide which is published each year.

The application opens in early August (like the HSC applications) and closed on 30 September. However the UAC guide is still open for late applications (until the 29 October) with a late fee charge of $82. Then there will be another late period with a higher late fee charge.

The cost of a NRSL application is $35 (inc. GST). Remember to print out your receipt.

When asked to fill the entry FTE (Full Time Equivalence), select the number of years to the end of the year. That is, if you are in the final year of a two year diploma, and are filling out the application during August, you write 2.0 years completed, instead of 1.5 years. This is because, by the time the UAC assessor comes to collect your data from TAFE NSW (or CIT for the ACT applicants), you will have had completed two years of full time study already.

Your application will be processed by UAC and an offer will be made based on a similar system to the HSC applications, ie. supply-and-demand. So a course which is accepting 50 NRSL students next year (and only based on UAI/Tertiary marks) will offer to the 50 NRSL applicants with the highest UAI/tertiary marks. Again it's very similar to the HSC application.

An offer will be made in the same offer Rounds as HSC applicants. You can then use the UAC website to check/accept your offers. Some institutions may have online enrolment, while others need you to physically rock-up and enrol. Again, it is very similar to HSC application.




GPA & the NRSL Index


In order to rank all NRSL applicants they use a combination of your GPA(Grade Point Average) and your UAI( remember that even a less than 30 UAI is still a UAI). If you did not receive a UAI then only your GPA will be used to rank you.


If you have both a UAI and a TAFE GPA then the following will happen:
1. Your marks will be assessed and an average (the GPA) will be determined.
2. This GPA will then be converted into a selection ranking like the UAI.
3. Then, your UAI (if you have one) will be averaged with the selection ranking calculated from your GPA.
4. This mark is your NRSL index and is what the unis will use when picking candidates.(unless your course has additional criteria for entry)

So the next question would be, “How do I find out what my GPA is and what selection rank it will turn into?” The short answer is that you can’t (or at least I can’t). TAFE NSW simply doesn’t release enough exact data on how much each individual module contributes. You can provide a decent estimate however, and I’ll show you how.

Firstly, is to show you what your grades are worth in the scheme of things:

Fail = 0
Pass = 4
Credit = 5
Distinction = 6

This means that someone who gets a majority of marks as Distinctions would receive a GPA near 6. Someone who got mostly Credits would receive a GPA near 5 and someone who got mostly Passes would receive a GPA near 4. It also means that every Fail will bring your GPA down dramatically.

Now, if you want to tell what selection rank your GPA will turn into, then click here.
Students undertaking an Advanced Diploma, Associate Diploma or Diploma must read schedule 4 of the given link. Students undertaking a Certificate IV[not the TPC] read schedule 5 of the given link.

Here is an example of how it works:

Mary has just finished studying her two year Diploma at the Chicken Tonight campus of TAFE. She received 12 Distinctions and 4 Credits overall, so we know her GPA is somewhere between 5 and 6 but probably closer to 6. So we check Schedule 4 from the given link and see that a GPA of 5.5 equals a selection rank of 90, and that a GPA of 6 equals a selection rank of 93. Therefore we can safely assume that Mary’s selection rank using her TAFE GPA is somewhere between 90 and 93.

Before she went to TAFE, Mary received a UAI of 75 so in order to calculate her NRSL index we average her UAI and her selection rank from above. This is done below:

NRSL = (75 + 90)/2 = 82.5
NRSL = (75 + 93)/2 = 84

This means that Mary’s NRSL Index is 82.5 – 84

Recognition of Prior Learning

What is Recognition of Prior Learning (otherwise known as RPL or Advanced Standing) you ask? Well it is where an institution(in this case uni), recognises that the study you have done at a previous institution(in this case TAFE NSW or CIT) overlaps with what you may learn in your university course. RPL does not increase your chances of entry into a degree or ensure your eligibility to enter one, it only grants credit for part of your degree should you get in.

RPL can come in three forms:

Block credit – Where you are accelerated into the second semester or year of a degree because your TAFE qualification has been assessed to develop the same or similar skills of that period of the uni degree.

Specified credit – This is where specific modules and units from TAFE and uni develop the same skill, therefore a university may deem it as equivalent to already having taken that unit.

Unspecified credit – This is where you are awarded general credit points to your degree but not exempt from either specific units, or a period of time in the course. This means that while you may require less credit points to finish your degree you must start from the beginning of the course and complete all core units.

Credit arrangements will be broken down by uni, so please see the appropriate entry for more details.

Australian Catholic University:

ACU B Nursing:

TAFE NSW Certificate IV in Nursing (Enrolled Nurse) : Students may receive exemptions for certain modules completed. This is assessed on a case to case basis.

Nursing - Bridging for Enrolled Nurses - Australian Catholic University : Upgrades enrolled nurses to registered status and bestows Advanced Standing for specific units in the second year of the ACU B Nursing.

ACU Business courses:

General arrangements are in place for TAFE Business (and related) Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas. Cases will be assessed on an individual basis. For a list of Diplomas in the field of Business offered by TAFE NSW and CIT click the following links:
TAFE NSW Diplomas/Advanced Diplomas:
Advanced Diploma of E-Business
Advanced Diploma of Business (Advertising)
Diploma of Business (Advertising)
Advanced Diploma of Business (Marketing)
Diploma of Business (Marketing)
Advanced Diploma of Business Development
Diploma of Business Development
Advanced Diploma of Business (Human Resources)
Diploma of Business (Human Resources)
Diploma of Business (Frontline Management)
Diploma of Business (Quality Auditing)
Diploma of Business
Advanced Diploma of Business Management
Diploma of Business Management
Diploma of International Business Studies
Diploma of Business (Purchasing)

CIT Diplomas in the field of Business:
Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management
Diploma of Business (Human Resource Management)
Advanced Diploma of Management
Diploma of Business (Management)
Advanced Diploma of Marketing
Diploma of Business Development
Diploma of E-Business
Diploma of Advertising
Diploma of Business (Administration)

ACU B Visual Arts and Design:

General arrangements are in place for TAFE Visual Art and/or Graphic Design Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas. Cases will be assessed on an individual basis. For a list of Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas in this field offered by TAFE NSW and CIT click the following links:

TAFE NSW:
Diploma of Visual Arts
Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts
Diploma of Graphic Design
Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design (Print, Packaging & Publishing
Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design (Graphic Design)

CIT:
Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design


Australian National University

B Science:
CIT Diploma of Animal Technology – Graduates of the Diploma will receive a total of 48 cp of unspecified credit.

B Engineering:
CIT Associate Degree in Engineering - Graduates of this CIT/ANU jointly delivered program, with at least a credit average across all CIT subjects, and passes in the ANU Engineering courses, will be eligible for the ANU qualification, the Associate Degree (specialising in Engineering), and will be eligible for 18 months of block credit into the ANU Bachelor of Engineering degree. Graduates are advised to apply via UAC for entry to the Bachelor degree.

B Arts (Music)
CIT Associate Degree in Music - Graduates of this CIT/ANU jointly delivered program, with at least a credit average across all CIT subjects, and passes in the
ANU Music courses, will be eligible for the ANU qualification, the Associate Degree (specialising in Music), and will be eligible for 18 months of block credit into the ANU Bachelor of Arts (Music) degree. Graduates are advised to apply via UAC for entry to the Bachelor degree.

More to come…

Charles Sturt University

Coming soon…

Macquarie University

Coming Soon…

Southern Cross University

Coming Soon…

University of Canberra

Coming Soon…

University of New England

Coming Soon…

University of New South Wales

Coming Soon…

University of Newcastle

Coming Soon…

University of Sydney

Coming Soon…

University of Technology, Sydney

Coming Soon…

University of Western Sydney


Bachelor of Arts (Applied Humanities):

More to come…

University of Wollongong

Coming Soon…




Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation


Coming Soon…

 

[crimsonsabre]

hmmm... you forgot to post about the hsc thing. you know, that hsc intensive program. early school leavers and other people might benefit from it.

 

[kami]

hmmm... you forgot to post about the hsc thing. you know, that hsc intensive program. early school leavers and other people might benefit from it.

Nope, there are two stickies on the HSC program - one is written completely by me and it contains as much TAFE specific info regarding the HSC as is neccesary. In addition, HSC may be delivered by TAFE but its still secondary education which is not the focus of this guide.

 

[parts]

From looking at your example on Mary, i estimated that my NRSL Index would come out to something like (45+90)/2 = 67 does this mean that if the UAI cut-off is 85.5 would I miss out or not even be considered for a place??

 

[kami]

From looking at your example on Mary, i estimated that my NRSL Index would come out to something like (45+90)/2 = 67 does this mean that if the UAI cut-off is 85.5 would I miss out or not even be considered for a place??

UAI cut-offs are not static and do not remain in the one position - an example would be UWS Bachelor of Law which previously had a cut-off over 90 but recently fell down to approximately 85 so you will always be considered it merely depends on how competitive other applicants marks are. Other factors that could influence your application is that a few universities may deviate from this exact formula and may use just the TAFE marks - call both UAC and the university in question to confirm whether the university you are interested in does this.

 

[sxc_ballerina89]

question im in year 12 not getting a UAI cos im doing 3 tafe courses, so when im finished my dipolma at tafe how would my NRSL index work?

 

[sxc_ballerina89]

dnt worry i just went back and re-read it i have my answer lol

 

[etc. etc. etc.]

Kami = HERO