• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Section 5 - Procedure
• Admission criteria
• Applications for admission
• Selection
• For VTAC applications
• For direct applications
• For Doctor of Medicine (MD) applications
• Types of offer
• Additional criteria for international applicants (excluding those eligible to apply through VTAC)
• Internal course transfers
• Re-admission
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) This Procedure is effective from 29 April 2021.

(2) This Procedure includes the following schedules:

1. Schedule A: Undergraduate and Postgraduate Minimum Admission Criteria for Deakin Courses
2. Schedule B: Admission and Selection Adjustment Factors
3. Schedule C: Doctor of Medicine Admission Criteria and Selection.

Section 2 - Purpose

(3) This Procedure documents the minimum criteria for admission and selection of applicants into the University's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs and the processes that relate to admission and selection.

Section 3 - Scope

(4) This Procedure applies to the University's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs. It does not apply to higher degrees by research.

Section 4 - Policy

(5) This Procedure is pursuant to the Admission Criteria and Selection (Higher Education Courses) policy.

Section 5 - Procedure

Admission criteria

(6) To be considered for selection to an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program, domestic and international applicants must meet the following minimum admission criteria:

1. English language proficiency in accordance with the English Language Proficiency procedure, or other language proficiency approved by Academic Board
2. course admission criteria specified in Schedule A: Undergraduate and Postgraduate Minimum Admission Criteria for Deakin Courses.

(7) Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee selection into the course, which is based primarily on merit, likelihood of success and availability of places in the course.

(8) Minimum course admission criteria specified in Schedule A: Undergraduate and Postgraduate Minimum Admission Criteria for Deakin Courses may include:

1. completion of formal academic qualification/s, or
2. other evidence of equivalent learning or capability that may include work or life experience.

(9) Faculty Board will determine appropriate currency of qualifications to ensure that applicants have the academic preparation necessary to succeed in their intended study. This information will be clearly communicated to prospective students via public web pages.

(10) Other evidence of learning or capability under clause 8b may include one or more of the following:

1. completion of an aptitude test
2. completion of an audition
3. completion of an interview
4. submission of a portfolio of work
5. submission of references
6. submission of a personal statement
7. completion of a supplementary application form
8. completion of a Deakin Professional Practice credential.

Applications for admission

(11) Applications for admission may be made in the following ways:

1. through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) 
2. by direct application to the University, or
3. for the Doctor of Medicine (MD), for domestic applicants through the Graduate Entry Medical School Admission System (GEMSAS), for international applicants through the Deakin University Applicant Portal or for Indigenous applicants, by direct application to the School of Medicine through the Indigenous Entry Stream.

Selection

(12) The selection process aims to be fair and transparent and to ensure that admitted students have the academic preparation and proficiency in English needed to successfully participate in their intended study, whatever the method of application and basis of admission.

(13) Selection is carried out by selection officers appointed by faculties or by other areas specified in clause 12 of the Admission Criteria and Selection (Higher Education Courses) policy.

For VTAC applications

(14) Applicants applying on the basis of recent secondary studies are ranked by VTAC by Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) with adjustments to aggregate study scores made by the University, as specified in Schedule B: Admission and Selection Adjustment Factors.

(15) Applicants applying on any other basis (including post-secondary and Vocational Education and Training study, and work/life experience) are ranked by selection officers on the basis of their ability to meet the educational demands of the course and likelihood of success, with consideration of relevant adjustment factors as specified in Schedule B: Admission and Selection Adjustment Factors.

(16) Applicants providing evidence of learning or capability as set out in clause 10 and as determined by the relevant Faculty Board, will be ranked by selection officers on the basis of relevant achievement.

(17) Offers are made by selection officers on the basis of ranked order and the number of places available to achieve enrolment targets.

For direct applications

(18) Applicants applying on the basis of recent secondary education will be considered if their ATAR is at or above the Lowest Selection Rank to which an offer was made for the course in the most recent VTAC selection period, after applying relevant adjustments as specified in Schedule B: Admission and Selection Adjustment Factors.

(19) Applicants applying on any other basis, including post-secondary study and work/life experience, will be considered by selection officers on the basis of their ability to meet the educational demands of the course, likelihood of success and consideration of relevant adjustment factors as specified in Schedule B: Admission and Selection Adjustment Factors.

(20) Offers are made by selection officers on a rolling basis to applicants who have met the admission criteria (subject to the availability of places), except for courses where a quota of places has been established.

(21) Where a quota of places has been established for a course faculties assess and determine a ranked listing of applicants who meet the admission criteria and offers are made to applicants based on the ranked order and number of places available.

For Doctor of Medicine (MD) applications

(22) Applicants may apply to MD through the relevant applicant categories (domestic; Indigenous Australian; international) as specified in Schedule C: Doctor of Medicine Admission Criteria and Selection.

Types of offer

(23) One of the following types of offer may be made:

1. full offer if eligibility is confirmed and all verified documentation received, including offers through guaranteed pathways
2. conditional offer while awaiting further documentation or evidence in order to confirm eligibility for a full offer
3. provisional offer while an applicant completes qualifications required for eligibility
4. full offer into an admission pathway or alternative course.

Additional criteria for international applicants (excluding those eligible to apply through VTAC)

(24) Faculties determine indicative ATARs to inform prospective students of likely course criteria. These are based on ATAR trends in recent years for relevant courses and campuses, and the total number of places available.

(25) International applicants who apply on the basis of overseas secondary or tertiary qualifications are considered for selection against criteria that are comparable to the relevant course criteria for the year of entry.

(26) Selection officers assess the equivalence of international qualifications to AQF qualifications on advice from Deakin International with reference where possible to information and guidelines provided by the Australian Government’s Department of Education and Training, or the UK National Academic Recognition Information Centre’s (UK-NARIC) database.

Internal course transfers

(27) Students may apply for internal course transfer if they wish to change their enrolment to a new course, campus or mode.

(28) The minimum eligibility criteria for transferal courses are set by Faculty Boards. This information will be clearly communicated to current students via public web pages and be consistent with the level of academic preparation and proficiency required for course admission. Criteria include:

1. number of units that must be completed in a Deakin University course
2. level of performance required; and
3. any prerequisite requirements for the new course.

Re-admission

(29) A student who wishes to be re-admitted following lapse or discontinuation in enrolment, must apply for re-admission through the appropriate application method.

(30) If a student is seeking re-admission following an exclusion from the course, the application must be considered and approved by the relevant Faculty Committee.

(31) A student is normally not permitted to be re-admitted into discontinued courses.

Section 6 - Definitions

(32) For the purpose of this Procedure:

1. admission and selection adjustment factors: factors taken into consideration for course entry to applicants, but which do not exempt applicants from meeting the course entry criteria. Adjustment categories take into account short and long-term educational disadvantage, the University’s commitment to access and participation in higher education, and academic and non-academic characteristics.
2. AQF qualification: an award attained as the result of an accredited complete program of learning that leads to formal certification that a graduate has achieved learning outcomes as described in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
3. Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR): is a ranking from 0.00 (lowest) to 99.95 (highest) agreed by Council of Australian Governments as a nationally equivalent measure of a person’s relative academic ranking within their complete age cohort in the year they graduated from senior secondary school. The ATAR is derived from the scaled scores achieved for senior secondary school subjects. The specific calculation used is different in each state and territory but the result is designed to be nationally equivalent.
4. credential: a Deakin Professional Practice credential awarded in accordance with the Professional Practice Credential Assessment Framework.
5. Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP): a place in a course for which the University receives funding from the Australian Government.
6. domestic applicant: a person who is a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, a citizen of New Zealand or a person holding an Australian permanent refugee, humanitarian or protection visa.
7. informal learning: learning gained through work or life experiences.
8. internal course transfer: a transfer by a currently enrolled Deakin student from one award course to another.
9. international applicant: a person who is not a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, is not a citizen of New Zealand or a person holding an Australian permanent refugee, humanitarian or protection visa.
10. lowest selection rank: is the equivalent ATAR at which all applicants who applied for that course through VTAC were offered a place, after adjustment factors have been applied in accordance with Schedule B: Admission and Selection Adjustment Factors.
11. re-admission: a term used for applicants who were previously enrolled in a course without completing, due to enrolment lapse, discontinuation, or exclusion and are now seeking to re-enrol into their previous course.
12. recent secondary education: applicants whose admission is based mostly on secondary education undertaken at school, TAFE or other VET higher education provider (Australian or overseas equivalent) that was (or will be) completed in the current year or within the previous two years.
13. selection officer: a staff member(s) appointed by a Faculty or other approved area with delegated authority to select applicants to be offered a place in a course. A selection officer must be conversant with the University's admission and selection criteria.
14. subject adjustment: extra points allocated to the aggregate study score of recent secondary education applicants in recognition of their high performance in pre-determined VCE or equivalent subjects. Study must be relevant to the course/s for which they have applied and completed in the current year or within the previous two years (as published in the VTAC Guide).