Applications for the 2024 Early Entry Program have now closed

If you missed the deadline to apply and feel that your end-of-year results may not grant you entry into the course of your choice, we recommend exploring one of the many pathway programs into Swinburne.

What is the Early Entry Program?

Are you a Year 12 student who wants to be part of the next generation of change-makers and big-thinkers? Looking to join the uni that puts innovation, tech, and deep industry partnerships first? 

Our Early Entry Program means you can apply to Swinburne early and ATAR-free, and start shaping the next gen_now.   

When you apply for a course in the Early Entry Program, your application is assessed using a recommendation from your school instead of your ATAR. Because we know your Year 12 results don’t always tell the full story of your potential. 

Do you think your ATAR or Year 12 academic results won’t truly reflect who you are and what you’re capable of as a uni student? We encourage you to apply for the Early Entry Program – especially if you believe you’re a next gen innovator, thinker and doer!

How it works

Step 1: Choose a course

While many Swinburne courses allow Early Entry, not all of them do. Browse the list of Early Entry Program eligible courses before you begin your application.

Step 2: Arrange a recommendation

Speak to your school about your interest in Swinburne’s Early Entry Program and request a recommendation for your application. This recommendation can come from a school representative such as a Career Practitioner, your school’s principal, or your year level coordinator.

Step 3: Complete your application

Got your school recommendation? The next step is to fill out an online application, which includes our next gen_now questionnaire. Take your time answering the questions in this section, as your responses will be used to assess your application. 

Step 4: Submit your application

Once you’ve submitted your online application, you will receive a confirmation email. This will include a form that your school representative must fill out and send back to us so we can pair it with your application.

Step 5: Update your VTAC preferences

Once VTAC applications open, add the course you’ve chosen for your Early Entry Program application to your VTAC preference list. Make sure you select the Early Entry Program version of the course, and preference this course as the highest eligible preference on your VTAC application. Otherwise, your early offer won’t be able to convert to a full VTAC offer.

Check the eligible course list on this page to find the correct VTAC code for your chosen course.

Step 6: Sit tight and wait

Application submitted? School recommendation sent off? VTAC preferences updated? Your work here is done! We'll be in touch in September regarding the outcome of your application.

FAQs

You only need to apply once. Nominate the course that you would like to receive an early offer for in your Early Entry Program application. If you change your mind about which course you’d like to study, update your preferred course in your VTAC preferences and we’ll transfer your early offer to the course you’ve preferenced in VTAC. 

No problem. All you need to do is update your VTAC preferences during the Change of Preference window so the course you’d like to study the most is at the top of your list. You will then be considered for this course in the next VTAC offer round.

You can apply for the Early Entry Program if you are an international student who is completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (such as VCE, HSC or an equivalent curriculum from another state). 

Unfortunately, you aren’t eligible for the Early Entry Program unless you are studying an Australian Year 12 qualification. However, you can contact us to learn more about your options for applying for a bachelor degree at Swinburne.

Yes, you can.

Yes, you can. You’ll need to complete VCE and achieve a score of 30 in EAL to be eligible for the Early Entry Program. 

Your recommendation can come from a school representative such as a Career Practitioner, your school’s principal or their delegate, or your year level coordinator

Yes.  In order to receive a full VTAC offer, you must preference the Early Entry Program version of your course – including the correct VTAC code – as the highest preference on your VTAC application.

If you believe you could meet the Guaranteed Entry ATAR for a course, then we recommend including it on your VTAC preference list. However, if you’re applying for a course via the Early Entry Program, make sure to preference this version of the course – including the correct VTAC code.

No. Students applying for courses through the Early Entry Program have different entry criteria to students applying via their ATAR.

Yes. This is because you’ll still need to meet the existing course prerequisites – for instance, a study score of 25 in any English. If you’re planning on completing an unscored VCE, we recommend exploring our pathway planner to see your options for entering Swinburne.

We recommend speaking with your Career Practitioner or teacher at your school about your application. They may want to have an ongoing conversation to better understand why you feel you would be suitable for the Early Entry Program. If you’re unable to organise a recommendation, we suggest considering another pathway into Swinburne, like UniLink or the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS).

No. We do not record entry pathways on transcripts. You’ll be studying the same course as those who entered via their ATAR. 

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