• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Section 5 - Procedure
• Admission requirements
• Applications for admission
• Selection
• For VTAC applications
• For direct applications
• For Doctor of Medicine (MD) applications
• Types of offer
• Guaranteed pathways
• Additional requirements for international applicants
• Internal course transfers
• Re-admission
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) This Procedure is effective from 25 September 2017.

(2) This Procedure incorporates the following schedules:

1. Schedule A: English Language Requirements for Deakin Coursework Programs
2. Schedule B: Undergraduate and Postgraduate - Minimum Entry Requirements for Deakin Courses
3. Schedule C: Access and Equity Programs and Eligibility Criteria (applies to all applications into courses that commence before 1 January 2018)
4. Schedule C: Access and Equity Programs and Eligibility Criteria (applies to all applications into courses that commence from 1 January 2018).

Section 2 - Purpose

(3) This Procedure documents the minimum standards 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 requirements

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

1. English language requirements specified in Schedule A
2. course entry requirements specified in Schedule B.

(7) Meeting the minimum admission requirements 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 entry requirements specified in Schedule B may include:

1. completion of formal academic qualification/s, and/or
2. other evidence of learning or capability that may be associated with work or life experience within the last 10 years.

(9) Formal academic qualifications considered under clause 8a must be Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or qualifications with equivalent learning outcomes. Qualifications must be attained no more than 10 years prior to application unless the applicant can demonstrate that currency of relevant knowledge and skills has been maintained though work or life experience. More recent qualifications may be required by Faculty Boards for specific courses to ensure currency of knowledge and skills appropriate to the discipline.

(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.

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), through the Graduate Entry Medical School Admission System (GEMSAS), or in the case for Indigenous applicants, by direct application to the School of Medicine through the Indigenous Entry Scheme.

Selection

(12) The selection process aims to be fair and transparent 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) Eligible year 12 applicants are ranked by VTAC on the basis of Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) with additional bonus points added to aggregate study scores by the University, as specified in Schedule C.

(15) Eligible non-year 12 applicants are manually ranked by selection officers on the basis of their ability to meet the educational demands of the course and likelihood of success, with consideration for specific equity groups as specified in Schedule C.

(16) Evidence required for ranking purposes is determined by the relevant Faculty Board and may include evidence set out in clause 10.

(17) Offers are made by selection officers on the basis of ranked order, number of places available to achieve enrolment targets and consideration for disadvantage affecting Year 12 performance where relevant as specified in Schedule C.

For direct applications

(18) Selection officers:

1. consider eligibility of applicants on the basis of their ability to meet the educational demands of the course, likelihood of success and the availability of places, with consideration for specific equity groups as specified in Schedule C.
2. make offers on a rolling basis to eligible applicants, excluding courses where a quota of places has been established.

(19) Where a quota of places has been established for a course (due to capacity restrictions or where specific targets are set for postgraduate courses with Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP), faculties assess and determine a ranked listing of applicants who meet the admission requirements, and offers are made to applicants based on the ranked order and number of places available.

(20) For undergraduate CSP places, offers to year 12 applicants who apply directly to the University must be at or above the Clearly-In ATAR for the course, taking into account bonuses as specified in Schedule C, from the most recent VTAC selection period.

For Doctor of Medicine (MD) applications

(21) Applicants who apply to MD through GEMSAS are selected on the basis of the following factors as set out in clauses 22-27:

1. academic performance in an approved undergraduate degree
2. performance in the Graduate Australian Medical School Admission Test (GAMSAT) or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
3. information provided in the Faculty of Health MD supplementary form or the GEMSAS application form
4. performance at an interview (Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) score).

(22) Applicants who apply through GEMSAS are allocated an aggregate score comprising:

1. their Grade Point Average (GPA) achieved in an approved undergraduate course
2. their GAMSAT or MCAT score, and
3. any eligible bonus points as specified in Schedule C. There is no cap on the number of bonus points that can be awarded.

(23) Applicants are ranked on the basis of their aggregate score and any additional information provided in the Faculty of Health MD supplementary form or GEMSAS application.

(24) Applicants are selected for interview based on their ranked order and a MMI score is assigned on the basis of their performance at the interview.

(25) After the interview a final aggregate score, is calculated as follows:

1. Final Aggregate score = MMI score (50%) + GPA (weighted 25%) + GAMSAT (25%) + eligible bonuses.

(26) GEMSAS provides the University with the re-ranked applicant list.

(27) Offers will be made to the applicants based on rank order and number of places available.

(28) Applicants who apply to the School of Medicine through the Indigenous Entry Scheme must demonstrate their eligibility to apply as an Indigenous Australian and are allocated an aggregate score and ranked according to:

1. academic performance in an approved undergraduate degree
2. if applicable, performance in the GAMSAT
3. performance at an interview.

(29) Offers will be made to applicants based on rank order and the number of places available under the Indigenous Entry Scheme.

Types of offer

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

1. full offer if eligibility is confirmed and all verified documentation received
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 a pathway or alternative course.

Guaranteed pathways

(31) Applicants who apply for admission to a course on the basis of an approved guaranteed pathway will be offered a place in that course provided they meet the requirements specified for entry.

Additional requirements for international applicants

(32) Faculties determine indicative ATARs to inform prospective applicants of likely course requirements. These are based on Clearly-In ATAR trends in recent years for relevant courses and campuses, and the total number of places available.

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

(34) Selection officers assess the equivalence of international qualifications to AQF qualifications on advice from Deakin International.

Internal course transfers

(35) Internal course transfer is subject to a competitive selection process and availability of course places.

(36) The minimum eligibility criteria for an internal course transfer are set by Faculty Boards and made available to current students. 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

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

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

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

Section 6 - Definitions

(40) For the purpose of this Procedure:

1. 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).
2. Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR): an overall percentile ranking calculated by Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) for the use of tertiary institutions to compare the overall achievement of students who have completed different combinations of Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) studies, or equivalent Year 12 qualifications in Australia, in the same year.
3. Clearly-In ATAR: is the ATAR at or above which all eligible ranked applicants who applied for that course through VTAC were offered a place.
4. Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP): a place in a course for which the University receives funding from the Australian Government.
5. 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.
6. informal learning: learning gained through work or life experiences.
7. internal course transfer: a transfer by a currently enrolled Deakin student from one award course to another.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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 requirements.
11. Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) bonus: The SEAS program allows selection officers to grant consideration for course entry to applicants, but does not exempt applicants from meeting the course entry requirements. The scheme takes into account short and long-term educational disadvantage, including personal information and location, non-English speaking background, difficult circumstances, disadvantaged financial background, and disability or medical condition.
12. subject bonus: extra points allocated to the aggregate study score of Year 12 applicants in recognition of their high performance in pre-determined Year 12 subjects that are relevant to the course/s for which they have applied (as published in the VTAC Guide).
13. Year 12 applicant: an applicant who is currently enrolled in an Australian or overseas Year 12 program (including the International Baccalaureate (IB)) with no post-secondary studies, or has previously attempted or completed an Australian/overseas Year 12 (including the IB) with:
    1. no post-secondary studies
    2. post-secondary studies of Certificate I, Certificate II or Certificate III (but NOT Certificate IV or above).