Career change and upskilling pathways

We understand that everyone has different paths and opportunities in life. Not having an ATAR doesn't have to be a barrier to going to university.

We offer pathway courses which can help you into a range of bachelor’s degrees at ACU. We also offer Foundation Studies – a course that is designed to prepare you for further university study in any subject area.

See below the accordion for more information about pathway courses.

Work and life experience

We recognise many of your most valuable lessons were learned outside the classroom. If you didn't receive the academic result you wanted at school, or you started working instead of doing Year 12, you can draw from your life experiences as part of your application to study one of our courses.

Work and life experience is considered for entry to some courses when applying through your local Tertiary Admissions Centre. This may also require a Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) score or a statement of work from an employer. For more detailed information, and to see how you can achieve a selection rank, check the Admission Centre in your state:

• NSW/ACT: UAC
• Queensland: QTAC
• Victoria: VTAC

And then apply:

• NSW/ACT: UAC
• Queensland: QTAC
• Victoria: VTAC

Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

ACU accepts the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) if you are 21 years or older and have no formal education qualifications. It is a multiple-choice test that helps applicants demonstrate their potential for tertiary study. You will need to check the course you are interested in to see if there are any additional entry criteria you need to meet beyond an entry score.

And you can stress less knowing that low STAT scores are ignored, so sitting the test has no downside.

Register now

Apply via our VET partners

Have you done a certificate or diploma? We’ve partnered with several VET providers across the country to help you get into your dream degree.

Search for your VET provider in our articulation database and then search for your course. You can follow the prompts on this page to apply. When you apply for an ACU course from a partner institution we'll automatically apply any credit.

Search for your course

Receive a selection rank based on VET studies

If your VET provider is not one of our partners, you can still apply through a Tertiary Admission Centre. As part of the application process, you will be assigned a selection rank – often also called an entry score – based on your certificate III, certificate IV or diploma. Your selection rank is a number, very similar to a Year 12 student's ATAR. This will be considered by the university when applying for your course.

See the VET equivalent selection ranks for your state

Recognition of prior learning

Did you know you could receive credit towards your degree so you can finish sooner? You can be awarded credit for relevant previous studies, which will save you time and money when completing your degree. Use our credit database to help determine if you're eligible for credit.

Search our credit database

How to apply for credit

If you're applying for credit, this can be done as part of your course application through ACU. Even if your previous study does not appear in the credit search tool, you can still apply for credit. Find out what documents you'll need and how you can check the status of an active application.

Follow these steps

Am I eligible?

If you have studied at another university or other tertiary institute, you can be assigned a new selection rank based on your previous study level, duration and grade point average (GPA). For most students this is an increase on the score they received as an ATAR.

Your selection rank is applied during the admission process. You don't need to fill out any additional forms with us – you simply need to apply via a TAC or directly with ACU. You can begin this process on the individual course page you wish to apply for.

Search our courses

If you’re a current or former member of the Australian Defence Force, you are eligible for ACU’s Veteran Entry Program and Student Veteran Support Program. Your family – partner, spouse or child – may also be eligible for our pathway programs because we want to make higher education more accessible for all.

At ACU, we recognise the training and work experience you receive as part of the ADF. We can determine an entry score for you based on your service. We can also provide credit, based on your ranking, to reduce the amount of time it takes to finish your degree.

Understand the Veteran Entry Program