There’s no one right way through university. Your journey is your own, with each step a valuable experience or opportunity.

If the path to your ideal course or career is blocked, completing one of our pathway certificates or diplomas may help you find your groove.

Is a pathway certificate or diploma for me?

By studying a pathway certificate or diploma, you can take advantage of lower entry requirements to begin studying what you love. We will then use any completed grades to help secure your spot in a more advanced course. 

We offer programs in a wide range of study areas, applying is easy and we’re here to help you if you get stuck.

Not all of our pathway options are available to our international students, but we’re working on it. 

If you’re based internationally, you can see what pathways are available to you by visiting our international pathways page.

Find out more about international pathways 

We offer a range of pathways for our future students who identify as Indigenous Australians. 

Check out these pathways by visiting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pathway page.

Find out more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pathways


How our pathway courses work

Use this step-by-step guide to learn more about our pathway courses and see if one could work for you. It’s a simple process – with huge potential.

1. Choose your pathway course

We offer a range of pathway courses that can help you gain entry into related bachelor degrees.

To learn more about a course such as where it’s offered, suggested pathway options or specific entry requirements, use our Pathway Finder.

Explore pathways to bachelor degrees

2. Move on to an advanced degree

You can move through qualification levels by gaining full or partial recognition for the pathway studies you complete.

We will use completed grades from your pathway course to calculate your entry score for admission to a bachelor degree.

3. Get extra credit

If you complete a pathway diploma, you may then be able to credit this qualification to a corresponding bachelor degree. This process is known as recognition of prior learning.

Find out more about credit and prior learning

4. Choose a course provider

We're proud to offer a range of pathway courses, but we're not the only ones who run these courses.

We have a number of formal partnership agreements with TAFE and other private RTOs. These institutions are able to provide guaranteed entry into ACU degrees and/or credit for your previous studies.

You can search our partnership agreements to see if a course or provider you're interested in has a formal agreement with us.

Search our partnership agreements using our articulation database

5. Apply

Ready to pick a pathway? Visit your chosen pathway course page to begin your application process, or to find out when applications open for the next intake.

Apply now for your chosen course


Need help? Contact us

Reach out to AskACU or student support if you have any questions about choosing or applying for a pathway course.

Email AskACU

Search our FAQ knowledge database

Call us on 1300 275 228.

Search for the right course for you

Find a course

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Domestic student fees

Access important fees information, including our domestic fee rates and how to apply for the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP).

Calculate your fees

More entry programs

Didn't find the right pathway for you? No problem. Return to our list of pathways to see if any others can help you study with us.

Back to pathways

Important academic dates

Learn about the key dates on the academic calendar, including application deadlines, census dates and class timetables.

View dates

Have a question?

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If you’ve got a question, our AskACU team has you covered. You can search FAQs, text us, email, live chat, call – whatever works for you.

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