Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Changing Your Preferences

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Let’s be real: listing your uni or VET course preferences before you even sit your Year 12 exams is a challenge and a half.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed from studying all night long, and scrambling to submit assignments, you’re hardly in the right mindset to decide what you want to do after school. You might have listed Bachelor of Science as your first preference, just because you’ve been binge-watching The Big Bang Theory.

However, let’s all take a deep breath, because you can totally change your preferences later. Just not too much later!

There are a few different reasons why you might want to alter your preferences. Perhaps you didn’t get a high enough ATAR to be accepted into your first preference, or you surpassed your ATAR goal, so you can actually enter a course you didn’t initially list.

Alternatively, you could have just changed your mind, which is perfectly fine.

Regardless of the reason, here’s everything you need to know about changing your preferences.

How long do I have to change my preferences?

Even when you finish Year 12, the deadlines don’t stop rolling in. There are even deadlines for when you can change your preferences, and these differ depending on what state you’re located in, and what course you’ve selected.

You can check out deadline dates through the Tertiary Admissions Centre that is relevant to your state.

• WA: Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC)
• QLD: Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC)
• VIC: Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)
• NSW/ACT: Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) 
• SA/NT: South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC)
• TAS: Applications go directly to the institution. 

Some universities and courses have their own specific closing dates, so make sure you check out the guide for whichever course you’re hoping to enter.

If you have listed a TAFE/VET course as your first preference, you can also rearrange your list before the deadlines. Though, TAFE/VET courses don't always have the same deadlines as universities, so make sure you take a look on your Tertiary Admission Centre's website to find out exactly how long you have. 

When will I get an offer?

To make matters even more confusing, there are different deadlines for each offer round. An "offer round" is when a university will invite you to enrol in a particular course, based on your preferences. Ideally, you’d like to be offered a place in the course you listed as your first preference.

The first offer round happens in December, shortly after Year 12 results are released. However, if you miss out on a December offer, don’t panic. Another offer round will be made in January, so it might just be a matter of reordering your preferences. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that very popular courses can fill up quickly.

Plus, if you are hoping to head to TAFE, the offer rounds are slightly different depending on which institution and course you've selected. It's best to check out key dates on your Tertiary Admission Centre's website, or contact the institution directly. 

It’s a lot to wrap your head around, but we promise it’s not nearly as confusing in reality.

How much will I need to pay?

It would be a relief to have the ability to change your preferences as many times as you’d like at no cost, but unfortunately, that isn’t exactly how it works in every state. For instance, if you’re applying to uni through QTAC, you can change your preferences up to three times for free. From then on, it’s $44 each time you want to amend your list.

It’s best to check out your Tertiary Admissions Centre to see whether your state has fees attached to altering your preferences.

Remember, if you start a course and realise it isn't for you, you'll need to withdraw by the census date to avoid incurring a financial or academic penalty. Not all institutions or individual units have the same census dates, so make sure you check your university's page to find out what the withdrawal process is. 

Are there any other requirements?

Before offers are made, double check whether you have completed all the essential requirements to be accepted into the course you’re interested in.

For some courses, you will need to attend an interview, audition, or submit a folio of work. If you haven’t gone through these steps, you probably won’t receive an offer.

So, head to your course’s handbook to find out exactly what the selection criteria is.

If offer rounds come to an end, and you still haven’t been accepted into a course, it can be pretty disheartening. On the other hand, it might surprise you to know that only about 26 per cent of students actually enter uni using their ATAR.

In the event that you’re absolutely set on attending university, there are loads of alternative pathways you can take to gain entrance into your dream course. Whether it’s through TAFE, online pathway programs, or a bridging course, it is completely possible.

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