I loved this month’s newsletter! There were so many useful links that I’m going to use, like the Logistics Training Council publications and the Future skills Framework infographic on our demographic. So much handy information – I even signed up for the Public Sector Commissions job search so that I can pass opportunities for traineeships onto students. (Northern regional Catholic Education School)
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Curtin, UWA and Notre Dame universities all offer a medical degree course and UWA also offers dentistry. None of these universities has planned a 2021 information session although Notre Dame will probably do an online information session given the positive feedback they got for their 2020 online session which is still available online.
To get into medicine in WA you need to get outstanding academic results, get better results than most on an external University Clinical Admission Test and undertake a regime of Multiple Mini Interviews.
School students should apply for medicine at Curtin or Direct Entry at UWA through the normal TISC process.
Applications open for the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) on 1 March 2021 and testing can be done from 1 July to 11 August.
If you do extremely well on the ATAR and UCAT you will be shortlisted to do a Multiple Mini Interview examination
Curtin
Curtin offers the only direct entry Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery program available to school leavers in WA and there is strong competition for the places.
It opened in 2017 with a focus on delivering high quality medical experts to regional and remote areas.
This course is not available to International Onshore Students on Student Visas.
Length of Course: 5 Years
ATAR: 95 (there are conditions around this that need to be explored HERE.)
Essential WACE courses
Essential: Chemistry ATAR, or equivalent. (Contact the Course Coordinator to find out what to do if you don’t have chemistry.)
Applicants are required to successfully complete a First Aid Certificate (including CPR) or equivalent by the completion of the first semester of the course. Students are also required to obtain criminal record history clearance, Working with Children Check as well as relevant immunisations and health screening.
Desirable WACE courses
Mathematics Methods ATAR, Mathematics Specialist ATAR or Mathematics Applications ATAR
Desirable: Study in one of the following Mathematics ATAR courses is desirable:
Mathematics Applications, Mathematics Methods, Mathematics Specialist, or equivalent.
You can find my notes from the 2017 presentation with suggestions from students HERE.
Australian Citizenship
Applicants must be Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents or New Zealand citizens who have successfully completed year 12 with a Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) or an equivalent senior secondary qualification and have an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), or equivalent.
General Information
Applicants will be ranked based on the following categories:
Non-school leavers (notional ATAR from previous tertiary studies and UCAT)
Curtin course switchers (Course Weighted Average from current studies and UCAT).
Top ranked applicants will be invited to attend a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI). The interview process provides an opportunity for shortlisted applicants to demonstrate how they communicate, critically appraise information, and think about issues important to the medical profession. Applicants will be ranked and selected for offer based on their ATAR or equivalent, the UCAT score and the MMI score. Final selection will be made by this composite score. Applicants for this course should refer to the Curtin website for more information on specific admission requirements for Medicine. http://courses.curtin.edu.au/course_overview/admission-requirements/medicine.cfm
Multiple Mini Interview Those students who score highest on their ATAR and UCAT will be given an interview. See notes below on Multiple Mini Interviews.
It is possible to gain a Direct Pathway (guaranteed place) into medicine or dentistry if you have an ATAR of 99. (You still need to complete your first degree prior to starting medicine or dentistry.)
There are 24 places Direct Pathway places available in Dentistry and 65 placed available in Medicine.
Year 12s should apply for a Direct Pathway place via the normal TISC process in August-September.
You will require a:
Minimum ATAR of 99 or equivalent (Applicants are also required to submit the Predicted ATAR form.)
Competitive UCAT score.
The UCAT testing will be open from 1 July to 11 August.
Successful interview
The final rating will be based on UCAT, ATAR and Interview and will be weighted 1:2:2 respectively.
The Notre Dame Getting Into Medicine information session is held the day after the GAMSAT. You can always pick the people who did the GAMSAT… They are the ones who look exhausted!!
A personal folio that demonstrates your suitability for medicine at Notre Dame.
Grade Point Average
Notre Dame says that successful applicants will already have a degree with a minimum Grade Point Average of 5. This score may be misleading as students usually have a Grade Point Average higher than 6.
Applicants must undertake the Graduate Medical School Admission Test (GAMSAT).
Interviews
Applicants are also required to undertake an interview process…. which is described below.
Notre Dame Folio
Notre Dame also requires a Student of Medicine Application Folio which demonstrates more about the student’s personal attributes and suitability for acceptance.
Notre Dame usually wants to know WHY you want to study at Notre Dame and WHY you want to study the course you have chosen for any course so you would need to be clear on that.
Pre-Medicine Certificate
Notre Dame offers a Pre-Medicine Certificate that its students can take WHILE they are doing their undergraduate degree (and getting a high GPA!).
This pathway also provides students with a mentor from the ND School of Medicine.
Completion of this Certificate will guarantee an INTERVIEW as part of the medical course application process if your GPA and GAMSAT reach the minimal score. It does not guarantee a place within the program.
Multiple Mini Interviews
The interview process is made up of 8 Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs). You move from each interview into 8 different rooms. You are given a question and have 3 minutes to prepare your answer, then you go into the room and give your response for 8 minutes. There are two rest breaks.
The MMI’s take 88 minutes.
I have heard this process described as an endurance test.
Interviews are done by trained MMI interviewers who are trying to determine your suitability for the medical profession.
YouTube videos and sites like MedStudents Online and Whirlpool will give you some ideas about what to expect BUT your experienced interviewers are not looking for rehearsed answers, they want to know about you and your suitability for the profession.
UCAT
Curtin and UWA Direct Entry require a UCAT score as part of their application process.
This test may be taken from 1 July – 11 August.
There are thorough instructions, trial tests and videos available on the UCAT site.
Extra Help
I like asking questions on Whirlpool.net.au . It might not be any more reliable than Facebook but you get to ask people who are in the field for their thoughts. You can even ask what students at different unis think about their medical courses.
Medstudentsonline is similar to Whirlpool. You can join in discussion threads about the application process.
Being a doctor is a tough gig.
I have provided career advice to a brilliant ATAR student who said there was no way he was going into medicine. Both of his parents were doctors and he saw the emotional toll it was taking on them and on their family life. He thought he might become a physics teacher.
The health industry is the fastest growing industry in Australia and Australian health scientists are up there with the leaders in many fields of specialisation.
The application of AI to diagnostics and the use of robotics is creating a boom in new health related career choices. West Australian universities are onto this and competing to be leaders in new postgraduate health education fields.
Good Luck with Your Choices.
SCHOOLS PRESENTATION ON GETTING INTO MEDICINE
I bring together the key information you need about getting into medicine in WA in a one-hour presentation about West Australian medical degree courses.
This is a snapshot of universities in Western Australia.
Notre Dame
BEST IN AUSTRALIA
88.4% of Notre Dame undergraduate students were satisfied with the overall quality of their learning experience according to the Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching (QILT).
91.1% Were positive about their skills development.
76.6% found full time employment
Notre Dame is a Catholic University but you don’t need to be Catholic or Christian or even religious to go there, and the fees are comparable with other universities.
The point of difference is that Notre Dame does have a spiritual, values driven, caring approach to teaching and learning which underpins their interactions and decision making. That’s why they are topping the QILT ratings.
It is quite a small university with 10,000 students and the vast majority of them are domestic students.
The university is in beautiful renovated old buildings around Fremantle.
Pastoral care and support developed for international students has been made available to help regional and remote students to settle in. The only shortcoming is the lack of Notre Dame student accommodation but the student support services people will help students to find accommodation to meet their needs.
Curtin University
Curtin is by far our biggest university with over 50,000 students. It seems like a city with business centres, shops, gyms, accommodation and bands and food trucks, art galleries and theatres.
I think undergraduate students could have a ball at Curtin, but the sheer size of of the place can be daunting. You need to actively work at getting engaged with the Curtin community, both social and academic, to make the most of your Curtin experience.
Curtin knows this and has invested in providing plenty of help for new students and for students with special needs, but it is up to you to seek it out.
Because of the size of the university there are many opportunities available for students to extend their experience, in Australia and internationally.
Curtin is part of a knowledge precinct in Bentley with CSIRO, Tech Park and the Pawsey supercomputer in the area. Staff and students actively seek to engage with industry to get knowledge and experience and do industry based research. It is number 2 in the world for Metals and Mining Engineering programs. This industry focus underpins the feel at Curtin.
Curtin seems exciting, dynamic and very cosmopolitan with lots of international students and with campuses in Malaysia, Singapore and Dubai as well as the one at Bentley and in Kalgoorlie.
ECU – Edith Cowan University
The Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching ranks ECU as the top public university in Australia for undergraduates’ student experience. You can feel the quality of the experience when you contact ECU for information. They get back to you. They try to help.
ECU started as a college for teacher training and gradually expanded its courses with WAAPA being one of the first ventures into new areas. Now WAAPA has a reputation as one of the BEST performing arts learning academies in the world.
ECU’s more recent expansion has been into engineering with significant investment into new facilities, international learning opportunities and strong demand for graduates.
ECU is pretty big but students are on the Mt Lawley and Joondalup campuses so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.
The buildings are great examples of design with some of the coolest architecture in Western Australia.
ECU is manageable and there is a strong student centric management focus which means students get help to succeed. There are many alternate pathways into ECU including the UniPrep program and experienced based entry.
People who didn’t think they could get into uni and succeed can are supported to thrive at ECU.
Murdoch University
Murdoch has recognised that the world is changing and that there is a disconnect between education and where jobs are emerging. It has introduced “adaptive expertise” as a learning spine being introduced across the university.
They are focusing on adapting traditional courses with the application of technologies. So History + STEM could result in machine learning that unearths previously unknown information about cultures. Journalism + STEM, as seen in the use of drones, is revealing what is happening in emergency or war environments.
Murdoch has a strong focus on getting girls into engineering. They have engaged with schools and support in industry to lift the number of girls entering this field which delivers 25% of the world’s CEOs.
Murdoch has the biggest percentage of international students in WA.
They are teaching students to think globally, to seek ways to apply technology to their work and to work collaboratively.
UWA – University of Western Australia
This is our oldest university. Many industry, political and community leaders in Western Australia went to UWA which gives strong links between UWA and leaders across the State.
The UWA campus is beautiful with Winthrop Hall being the most recognised symbol of “a university” in WA. The gardens, theatres and art gallery and its role as the initiator of the Festival of Perth make UWA a hub of culture.
UWA has positioned itself as the university for high academic performers and many high achieving school leavers identify UWA as their first preference.
CQU – Central Queensland University
This is a new comer to Western Australia and it is working hard to attract students from their traditional university pathways with courses in sonography and echocardiography which are new to WA.
The main campus is located near the bottom of William Street near Elizabeth Quay and they have set up study hubs in Busselton, Broome, Geraldton and Karratha. These are often on TAFE campuses.
Many of the students are mature aged, external students who make use of online learning, occasional face to face contact and phone calls to fit their learning around their work and other demands.
Although there are 20,000 students at CQU, they are spread across Australia and numbers in WA are still quite small.
Still not sure what to do?
Go to the university open days
Contact the university career advisors. They are paid to help you.
Contact me. I will be able to point you in the right direction for help.
Director of In Focus Careers Careers Resources Hub for West Australians.
If you have just left Year 12 and don’t know what to do next year, there is free, expert advice available to help you to come out of your cocoon and turn into a butterfly.
The range of careers through TAFE is too great to mention. A VET course can get you into the high demand cyber security industry or into a specialist health career without getting a degree. There are also apprenticeships and traineeships that you expect to get from TAFE. See:
Go to a Jobs and Skills Centre which is probably on the same campus as your local TAFE. They have diagnostic tools that will help them to point you in the right direction.
Lots of TAFE courses are free or low cost in 2021.
Still Lost?
Check out the wonderful MyFuture site. There are terrific quizzes there that will help to set you off in the right direction.
West Australians can get the best career support in the world
Subscribe to the Infocus Careers Newsletter
EMAIL: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Infocus Careers is an independent organisation which is solely supported by insanely great subscribers who share information, support each other and help me to pay my bills.
I can talk about careers under water so if you would like to chat about how I can help you to improve your career or the services you deliver, give me a ring on 0434056412 or email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Please send me a complimentary copy of your insanely great newsletter.
If you want to go into a building trade the job prospects are great, the pay is a whole lot better than aged or child care and you have opportunities to go into design, running your own business or project management.
If you would like working in building trades start looking at the big companies first. They are the ones with systems in place that reduce sexism and they try to make workplaces fair.
Students who hate school might want to try their luck at getting an apprenticeship while the employer subsidies are available and the building industry is booming.
You are allowed to leave school early if you go into a job or into training. An apprenticeship is a job WITH training.
Become part of the Network of West Australian professionals who are working to deliver the best career guidance in the world.
Subscribe to the Infocus Careers Newsletter as your first step towards linking to a world of insanely great career ideas.
EMAIL: Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
Bev Johnson
Infocus Careers is an independent organisation which is solely supported by insanely great subscribers who share information with me, support each other and help me to pay my bills.
I can talk about careers under water so if you would like to chat about how I can help you to improve your career or the services you deliver, give me a ring on 0434056412 or email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
The Year 10 Magic Happens Handbook is out for 2021.
It contains information that directly applies to year 10 students in the Western Australian education system.
If you subscribe to the In Focus Careers Newsletter you will automatically receive your copy so that you can start to plan for 2021. Or you can subscribe now by going HERE.
There are three sections:
Step 1: Finding Your Purpose
Discover what you want to do
This is short but it is the most vital part of the Handbook. If you are trying to cut down on time, don’t skip this bit.
This is the boring, nuts and bolts skills that are essential to getting a job. It includes doing research, finding your aptitudes, time management,resumes, choosing career paths and the paperwork for work experience.
This is where you get to use your values and knowledge of how to get a job to design your success strategy. It includes setting SMART goals, doing a SWOT and a USED analysis and creating a project plan.
The 2021 Magic Happens Teachers’ Guide is also available to subscribers.
The Magic Happens TO DO List infographic is also available to subscribers.
To keep up to date with West Australian career news and ideas subscribe to my insanely great monthly In Focus Careers Newsletter. Email me at Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au
The School Leavers#WorkandWander program could be a way forward for school leavers. It provides paid work and a bit of an adventure.
Work and Wander Horticulture Harvest
This is a State government program which is trying to attract workers to help harvest crops. Workers are needed for fruit, vegetables and agriculture crops.
I just got this email through from Brook Lodge Backpackers who asked me to spread the word about picking jobs in Donnybrook:
Brook Lodge backpackers
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
We are looking for workers to pick fruit from November onwards.
If you are looking for extra cash in the holidays, please get in touch with us.
If you relocate more than 100kms from your home (Donnybrook is 198kms from Perth City), the Government will pay you up to $40 per day towards your accommodation costs.
They may also pay you a one-off travel allowance of $150 to come and work in Donnybrook.
(Allowances are for Australian Residents and Citizens only)
If you don’t have a car, we can provide transport to and from the farms
The WA Government ‘Work and Wander out Yonder’ marketing campaign encourages young Western Australians to have a backpacking adventure in WA. As a first step it would be great is students could create worker profile at: https://www.jobsinregionalwa.com.au
On that page the student go to the Looking for a Job Registration page that includes an “Elevator Pitch – Tell us about who you are”. In that section Students should consider they type of work they are interested in and include terms like ‘looking for summer work in agriculture’ ‘interested in working on a farm’ as well as any past work experience ‘I have driven my uncle’s tractor’ as some examples. Students can also search for jobs on Gumtree and Seek as a useful place to see jobs already on offer and even apply directly.
This is a Federal government service that finds workers for fruit/vege growers and vineyards in South West and around Perth’s outer North Eastern area. They are keen to connect with school leavers and have jobs available in coming weeks in Waroona, Margaret River, Lancelin, Gingin, Manjimup, Donnybrook, Bullsbrook as a starting point. I suggest anyone looking for work follow them on Facebook – Rural Enterprises Harvest Trail Services or email them.
Primary Industries Workers Regional Travel and Accommodation Support Scheme
A daily accommodation rebate of up $40 p/night is paid for each night away from the worker’s usual place of residence, where the worker relocates more than 100km from their home to undertake agriculture, fisheries or food processing work in regional WA. Paid on a rebate system, the rate of a maximum of $40 night ($280 week) is available for up to 12 weeks (capped at $3,360 per person) where they have provided evidence of paying for accommodation from the 21 September 2020.
$$$Plus
They can claim a relocation allowance if they have relocated more than 100kms from their usual place of residence. $150 is paid for employment taken up in in Peel, South West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt, Mid-West, Goldfields. $350 in n Gascoyne & Pilbara $350; and $500 for employment in Kimberley. The relocation payment claim be claimed even if they are not claiming the accommodation rebate (if they are getting free accommodation from a friend or relative as an example).
Claims open on 21st October, and they can register online to be advised as soon as claim forms and guidelines are available.
It doesn’t matter how smart you are, if you come across as rude, lazy… or just not interested, you will not get the job.
I have employed people because they are “nice” over applicants with higher qualifications who clearly thought they were too good for the job I was offering.
Speak to any employer and they will tell you that they want workers who they can get along with. They also want them to turn up, on time, today AND tomorrow and be enthusiastic.
ESSENTIAL EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS to WIN THAT JOB
Interpersonal and people skills (being nice)
Communication and teamwork skills (getting along with the team)
Adaptability and resilience (willing to help out and change direction when things are tough)
Digital literacy, critical thinking and problem solving are way down on the list behind these attributes of a great employee.
In her Building Back Better interview on the ABC program, The Money Lisa Fowkes says employers want employees who know how to work. They don’t want kids who have a Certificate II in employability skills.
There is no substitute for the authentic experience of going to work, learning to work with other people, learning to work towards a concrete outcome.
If you are 18 you are probably out of luck at McDonalds as they like to employ younger workers and train them up so that they are ready to take on management responsibilities at 18.
Big retail outlets like Bunnings and jbhifi are booming during COVID so you may have more luck there.
Look on the usual job sites like Seek and Indeed, and also look on Facebook pages like Perth Jobs. These Facebook pages are free to advertise on so many employers are going there with their job ads.
Many outlets, like your local IGA, will ask you to fill out a standard form.
Make sure:
They can read your writing.
Your phone number is clear.
Your email is NOT CutiefromCottesloe@gmail.com or LazyGuyinBroome@hotmail.com
Many employers will Google you before they offer you a job so clean up your digital profile.
Your Resume is Your Pitch, You Don’t Tell Your Life Story to Win a Job
If you have never written a job application or covering letter go to Youth Central for advice.
WORK EXPERIENCE IS BRIEF, BUT AUTHENTIC
Students usually have the opportunity to do work experience in Year 10, and later if they choose the right courses.
Try to impress
If you get a good employer and if luck is on your side, your work experience could lead to a part time job. You should at least be able to get a reference or have them say they are willing to give you a phone reference if you are going for a job.
The State Government has developed a Work Placement Register of government departments willing to take on students from government schools.
Tip
The trick with work experience is that school insurance doesn’t cover you if the experience is not part of a school program. If you get an opportunity to do work experience outside of a school program, go to see your careers advisor or year coordinator to see if they can organise insurance for you.
MENTORS, SPONSORS AND COACHES (Stand on the Shoulders of Giants)
PLEASE see your career advisor or year coordinator and ask if they can help you to get a mentor.
Mentors are priceless. They often work with you for about 3 months. If you are nice (see Interpersonal and People Skills above) they may continue to help you after the formal mentoring has ended.
Mentors can help you to develop employability skills.
There are mentoring programs like those run by the Beacon Foundation and the Australian Business and Community Network. Sometimes a school alumni will run a program for the school. Organisations like Rotary and local business networks may be willing to run them.
Coach a junior sport team, lead a youth group, help to organise Chinese New Year celebrations. All of these experiences add credibility to your resume. They also help you to build your network. The benefit here is that people in your clubs and community groups have probably known you for years and they know your family. They will be happy to give you a reference and may even have a job opportunity for you.
The great thing about volunteering is that you can try lots of different jobs. Three months of volunteering should be enough to make a good impression and learn if you are interested in that industry.
You can find volunteering suggestions HERE or email me for a copy so that you get the live links Bev.J@infocus-careers.com.au . You can find volunteer opportunities on the Seek site, just look for the Volunteering tap at the top. A Google search for volunteer opportunities in your suburb or area will also give you suggestions.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Running your own business will give you heaps of work skills.
It doesn’t have to be a million dollar business. I know young people who run a babysitting club. A friend’s daughter set up an office cleaning business while at uni. My garden needs weeding and I can’t find anyone to do it.
Don’t muck around with this. Remember that your goal is to learn, not just to make some small change.
Go to the Small Business Development Corporation site. It gives heaps of free advice on how to start your business. You can go in and get advice in a face to face meeting.
Once you have left school you can enrol in the NEIS Scheme program that will assist you to set up your business.
Over the last couple of weeks the news has been reporting on all of the jobs being lost at universities in WA due to COVID 19 impacts. The unis are all working like crazy trying to attract local students and they are making it easier and easier to get in next year.
Preparation Courses
You can get into uni in Western Australia by doing a university preparation course. Most universities have at least one of these on offer.
After doing the course you may be offered a place at uni, which you don’t have to accept.
They are generally free.
You may be able to complete one before the start of the 2021 academic year.
You find out about a range of different courses that may interest you.
They are generally a semester long so you can start your degree in Semester 2.
You learn about university life without having the pressure of a full degree program.
Although each course is different there are usually 4 subject like….
Academic Writing
Communication Skills
Essential Maths
Research Skills and Information Literacy
UWA
ATAR-based entry
Normal ATAR entry through TISC applications will be the standard entry pathway for 2021. Find details HERE.
UWAY
UWAY – This is an alternative entry pathway and comprehensive support program for students completing Year 12 under challenging circumstances.
The program provides academic, financial and personal support, and it is responsive to individual student needs, throughout their final year of secondary school and during their university studies. You can apply for alternative entry to an undergraduate degree course through UWay if your academic achievements have been adversely affected by certain disadvantages.
Fairway
Fairway UWA is an admission entry pathway and comprehensive support program for students completing Year 12 under challenging circumstances. The program provides academic, financial and personal support, and it is responsive to individual student needs, throughout their final year of secondary school and during their university studies.
The Broadway scheme allows eligible students from a Broadway-identified Western Australian school to receive an automated ATAR adjustment if the school at which they completed their final WACE examinations:
UWA will provide an offer based on a student’s predicted ATAR from the end of Year 11. We may require a diagnostic interview to identify any additional support that may be required, including bridging units, once they arrive at UWA. At this stage Year 12 students must still sit their Year 12 exams and, when results are released, if their ATAR is higher than their predicted ATAR, they can update their application if they’d like to change their course. Find details HERE.
First in Family
If you have received an ATAR of 75-79.95 and will be the first in your family to attend university, you may still be eligible for a place at UWA. If you have a sibling at uni you are still eligible for First in Family consideration.
In recognition of the unique set of challenges Year 12 students are facing this year, 18 and 19-year-old students who are taking insufficient ATAR-based subjects or are not taking ATAR, will be eligible to sit the STAT test and a diagnostic interview as above.
The Predicted ATAR entry pathway is not applicable for Direct Pathways to Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Podiatry. The STAT test pathway is not available for any Direct Pathways or the Bachelor of Philosophy. The application process for these courses will be communicated shortly.
Applicants who have a VET Diploma can apply for entry to an undergraduate course. Find details HERE.
Indigenous Study Pathways
Did you know Indigenous students can gain entry to UWA without an ATAR? There are various pathways for gaining entry to UWA, and once you’re here, there is great support to help you settle in. Learn more about the Aboriginal Orientation Course and the Provisional Entry Scheme. Find details HERE.
UWA Foundation Program for International Students
The UWA Foundation Program is the most effective path to a place at UWA for international students. Successful completion of the program guarantees entry to an undergraduate degree, subject to any quotas or prerequisites.
School leavers must be able to demonstrate that they have achieved their WACE and meet ECU’s English Competency Requirements.
School leavers who wait until semester 2 to apply will be classified as Non School Leavers and will need to demonstrate how they meet ECU’s English Competency Requirements.
Edith Cowan College offers courses that can result in entry to second year of ECU’s Bachelor Degree program
Curtin University
Normal ATAR Entry
If you apply to TISC before 1 October with Curtin as your first preference, and you receive and accept an offer from us, we’ll refund your application fee of $55.
The Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) provides an admission pathway to university if you don’t hold other qualifications that are acceptable for entry. It’s a test designed to assess aptitude for learning at tertiary level.
Curtin College is a bit like a TAFE. It is on the Curtin campus in Bentley and offers a range of courses that either prepare you for uni or give you credits towards a degree.
Portfolio Entry is not only for the creative courses; it is applicable to courses like Education, Science, Commerce and Health.
Indigenous Enabling Course
If you’re of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and you haven’t met the requirements for an undergraduate (degree) course, we offer a range of enabling courses. These short programs can help you meet the requirements for your chosen course, as well as equip you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to succeed at university.
Not everyone has the same opportunities to achieve their true academic potential. You may have the ability to succeed at university but not had the educational, financial or social opportunities to focus on your studies and achieve a high enough Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for entry.
Graduating from TAFE can qualify you for entry to Curtin, so many students who didn’t successfully complete year 12 use it as a stepping stone to university.
If you are finishing Year 12 in 2020 and aiming to start university in 2021, then HorizonsPlus could be for you. This program provides an entry pathway into Murdoch.
On Track Sprint
On Track Sprint is a 4 week course run over the Christmas holidays. It is going to be a TISC option for 2021 selections. The course prepares you for entry to a course with a minimum ATAR requirement of 70.
On Track
On Track is a 14 week course that prepares students for entry to a course with a minimum ATAR requirement of 70. It is FREE.
FlexiTrack
FlexiTrack– can be done over 1 semester, accelerated 10 weeks, or 2 semesters at part time and this is entirely online.
Law Start
Law Startis an admission pathway for academically capable students who wish to study Law at Murdoch University. To be eligible to apply you must have completed one or more ATAR subjects with a strong focus on communication and essay writing skills. Acceptable subjects will include but not limited to English, English Literature, Modern History, Politics and Legal Studies.
TIC10
TLC10 – prepares students to apply for Murdoch through a 1 day per week course that runs all year in Mandurah and Rockingham.
Portfolio
Portfolio Entry – you can gain entry to courses that rely on creative talent in media, games art and design and creative writing, photography and web communication via a portfolio demonstrating your work + a number of hoops like WACE and English competence. You also need a letter of endorsement from a teacher and a 500 word application – which a school based career advisor can help you to write.
For Portfolio entry try the Domestic Admissions Team on 9360 7458 or send an email by following this link
KTrack
KTrack – is offered through our Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre and is open to students who identify with the ATSI community.
You have to leave school at the end of year 12. Hanging around would be creepy.
Create an Interview Folio
Put COPIES of your stuff in your folio and put the original in a safe place.
You folio can have:
Your resume/CV Youth Central provides tips for school students. Remember, your resume is not your life story, it is your pitch to a potential employer.
Your application for the job/scholarship/course you are going for. You can get help from a Jobs and Skills Centre to do this.
References from teachers, coaches, mentors
Photos of prizes you have won
Reports
Certificates
Creative work (photos of you working on a car, building something, doing community service, art, cooking)
Anything else you can think of that will show you in a good light.
To get many jobs in Western Australia you need a driver’s licence. If you haven’t started to get one, start now. Go to this site to get started.
Tax File Number
If you want to get paid employment you will need a Tax File Number. You can apply HERE.
Bank Account
If you haven’t got a bank account, you will need one. Go to the MoneySmart site to get financial advice on how to manage money now that it is largely invisible. That site also has a budget planner.
UniPrep & UniPrep (Education Assistant Program
West Australian teachers and youth workers save time and improve their services by subscribing to the In Focus Careers newsletter.
