Offers of a place
There are three rounds of offers in the VTAC system. Most offers are given in the first round in mid-late January. Second round offers come out in early February and a small number of offers are made in the third round.
The places available in the second and third rounds are places that other students have declined or deferred from the first round.
Irregular offers
Irregular offers provide students with their only opportunity to be considered for a course they did not list in their VTAC preferences before the end of the Change of Preference period. They can also be considered for a course lower on their list of preferences than the course they have been offered. See the VTAC Guide for full details.
Enrolment
Students may be able to enrol online or in person: the university will send instructions on what to do with their offer information. There can be a lot of paperwork to get through, so it’s important to read these instructions carefully and follow all the steps. Depending on the course, the enrolment process may also involve meeting with a course adviser to help the student choose subjects.
“My parents were great. They supported me every step of the way in my decisions, but didn’t interfere. I was left to enrol and organise affairs on my own.” First year student
Can students defer commencing their studies?
Sometimes students decide to defer when they think they need a break from study before starting university. This kind of break can help them to develop their confidence and maturity and help them to succeed once they start their course. This is especially true if they have a plan for what to do with their time off. This could include working, traveling or undertaking short courses.
Students can apply to defer a place for a semester or a year, but they need to check the rules for their particular course and university.
Deferring can also assist students to establish themselves as ‘independent’ and therefore eligible to receive a Youth Allowance. See Centrelink at http://www.centrelink.gov.au further information.