What is the Early Entry Program?

Are you in Year 12 and wanting 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. 

We encourage you to apply for the 2023 Early Entry Program if you feel that your ATAR, or your Year 12 academic results, will not be indicative of who you are and what you’re capable of as a uni student. We’re especially encouraging students who feel they are part of the next gen of innovators, creatives, thinkers, and doers to apply. 

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 getting started.

Step 2: Organise a recommendation

Speak to someone at your school about your interest in Swinburne's Early Entry Program. If you’re able to organise a recommendation from a school representative – someone like your school’s principal, your year level coordinator, or a career practitioner – you can then proceed with an application. 

Step 3: Complete an application

Take your time with this step as there will be some important questions, like our next gen_now questionnaire, which you’ll need to answer as part of the assessment process. 

Step 4: Submit your application

Once you’ve applied, you’ll then receive a confirmation email. This will include the form you’ll need to forward onto your school representative. Once they’ve completed that form, your school representative can then send it to us, and we’ll pair it with your application.

Step 5: Sit tight

You’ll hear from us regarding the outcome of your application.

Eligible courses

Not every course at Swinburne is included in the Early Entry Program. Those included are courses where a school recommendation would be a reasonable alternative to selection via ATAR.

We’re unable to offer places in specialist courses like aviation and film and television because they are limited by specialist facilities and studio capacity, and with nursing and education courses, there are compulsory entry requirements set by external bodies.

See the full list of participating courses below. Their corresponding VTAC codes will be listed here once released.

CSP = Commonwealth supported place
IFP = International fee place
TBA = To be announced
N/A = Not applicable


Bachelor of Accounting VTAC code:
 3400211771 (CSP); 3400211773 (IFP)


Bachelor of Accounting/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212701 (CSP); 3400212703 (IFP)


Bachelor of Animation VTAC code: 3400211781 (CSP); 3400211783 (IFP)


Bachelor of Animation/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212791 (CSP); 3400212793 (IFP)


Bachelor of Arts VTAC code:
 3400211791 (CSP); 3400211793 (IFP)

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code: 3400212661 (CSP); 3400212663 (IFP)


Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Business VTAC code:
 3400211801 (CSP); 3400211803 (IFP)

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Psychological Sciences VTAC code: 3400212471 (CSP); 3400212473 (IFP)


Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science VTAC code:
 3400211811 (CSP); 3400211813 (IFP)


Bachelor of Aviation Management VTAC code:
 3400211821 (CSP); 3400211823 (IFP)


Bachelor of Aviation Management/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212681 (CSP); 3400212683 (IFP)


Bachelor of Aviation Management/Bachelor of Business VTAC code:
 3400211831 (CSP); 3400211833 (IFP)


Bachelor of Business VTAC code:
 3400211841 (CSP); 3400211843 (IFP)


Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212711 (CSP); 3400212713 (IFP)


Bachelor of Business Analytics and Analysis VTAC code:
 3400211851 (CSP); 3400211853 (IFP)


Bachelor of Business Analytics and Analysis/Bachelor of Applied Innovation ​VTAC code:
 3400212721 (CSP); 3400212723 (IFP)


Bachelor of Business Analytics and Analysis/Bachelor of Business​ VTAC code:
 3400211861 (CSP); 3400211863 (IFP)


Bachelor of Computer Science​ VTAC code:
 3400211871 (CSP); 3400211873 (IFP)


Bachelor of Computer Science/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212831 (CSP); 3400212833 (IFP)


Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology​ VTAC code:
 3400211881 (CSP); 3400211883 (IFP)


Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212671(CSP); 3400212673 (IFP)


Bachelor of Cyber Security VTAC code:
 3400212841 (CSP); 3400212843 (IFP)


Bachelor of Data Science VTAC code:
 3400212851 (CSP); 3400212853 (IFP)


Bachelor of Design VTAC code:
 3400211891  (CSP); 3400211893 (IFP)


Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) (Honours) VTAC code:
 3400212741 (CSP); 3400212743 (IFP)


Bachelor of Design (Interior Architecture) (Honours) VTAC code:
 3400212691 (CSP); 3400212693 (IFP)


Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212731 (CSP); 3400212733 (IFP)


Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Business VTAC code:
 3400212191 (CSP); 3400212193 (IFP)


Bachelor of Design/Bachelor of Media and Communications VTAC code:
 3400211901 (CSP); 3400211903 (IFP)


Bachelor of Digital Construction Management VTAC code:
 3400212481 (CSP); 3400212483 (IFP)


Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) VTAC code:
 3400211921 (CSP); 3400211923 (IFP)


Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212751 (CSP); 3400212753 (IFP)


Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Business​ VTAC code:
 3400211931 (CSP); 3400211933 (IFP)


Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Computer Science​ VTAC code:
 3400211941 (CSP); 3400211943 (IFP)


Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science​ VTAC code:
 3400211951 (CSP); 3400211953 (IFP)


Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science​ VTAC code:
 3400211961 (CSP); 3400211963 (IFP)


Bachelor of Games and Interactivity​ VTAC code:
 3400211971 (CSP); 3400211973 (IFP)


Bachelor of Games and Interactivity/Bachelor of Animation​ VTAC code:
 3400211981 (CSP); 3400211983 (IFP)


Bachelor of Games and Interactivity/Bachelor of Applied Innovation​ VTAC code:
 3400212811 (CSP); 3400212813 (IFP)


Bachelor of Games and Interactivity/Bachelor of Computer Science​ VTAC code:
 3400211991 (CSP); 3400211993 (IFP)


Bachelor of Health Science​ VTAC code:
 3400212001 (CSP); 3400212003 (IFP)


Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Applied Innovation  VTAC code:
 3400212821 (CSP); 3400212823 (IFP)


Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Media and Communication​ VTAC code:
 3400212201 (CSP); 3400212203 (IFP)


Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Arts VTAC code:
 3400212011 (CSP); 3400212013 (IFP)


Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Business​ VTAC code:
 3400212021 (CSP); 3400212023 (IFP)


Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Science​​ VTAC code:
 3400212031 (CSP); 3400212033 (IFP)


Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology​​ VTAC code:
 3400212041 (CSP); 3400212043 (IFP)


Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology/Bachelor of Applied Innovation​​ VTAC code:
 3400212861 (CSP); 3400212863 (IFP)


Bachelor of Media and Communication​​ VTAC code:
 3400212051 (CSP); 3400212053 (IFP)


Bachelor of Media and Communication/Bachelor of Applied Innovation ​​VTAC code:
 3400212871 (CSP); 3400212873 (IFP)


Bachelor of Media and Communication/Bachelor of Business​​ VTAC code:
 3400212061 (CSP); 3400212063 (IFP)


Bachelor of Psychological Sciences VTAC code:
 3400212071 (CSP); 3400212073 (IFP)


Bachelor of Psychological Sciences/Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Criminology VTAC code:
 3400212081 (CSP); 3400212083 (IFP)


Bachelor of Science VTAC code:
 3400212091 (CSP); 3400212093 (IFP)


Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212891 (CSP); 3400212893 (IFP)


Bachelor of Screen Production VTAC code:
 3400212101 (CSP); 3400212103 (IFP)


Bachelor of Screen Production/Bachelor of Applied Innovation VTAC code:
 3400212771 (CSP); 3400212773 (IFP)

FAQs

You only need to apply once. Nominate the course that you would like to receive an early offer for in your application. If you change your mind about which course you’d like to do, you can make this change in your VTAC preferences. We’ll simply transfer your early offer across to the course that you’ve preferenced in VTAC. 

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

Unfortunately, unless you are studying an Australian Year 12 qualification, you aren’t eligible to apply to the Early Entry Program. However, you can always contact us to learn more about your options regarding applying for Swinburne’s standard Bachelor degrees.

Yes, you can.

Yes, you can. You’ll just need to complete VCE and achieve a score of 30 in EAL. 

You can choose to organise a recommendation from your school principal or principal’s delegate, a Year 12 or VCE coordinator, a career practitioner or equivalent. 

Yes. It is essential that you preference the Early Entry Program version of the course as your highest eligible preference on your VTAC application Otherwise, your non-ATAR early offer won’t be able to convert into a full VTAC early offer.

If you’re aiming for the Guaranteed Entry ATAR for your course, then we certainly recommend including it on your preference list. However, if you’re planning on entering via the Early Entry Program, make sure to also preference the correct VTAC code.

No. The selection criteria is different from those applying for ATAR-entry into the course. 

Yes. This is because you’ll still need to meet the existing course prerequisites, like a study score of 25 in any English. If you’re planning on completing an unscored VCE, we recommend exploring our diploma and certificate pathways for entering Swinburne. 

You may need to have more than one conversation about applying for the Early Entry Program. We recommend starting the conversation by speaking to a teacher or your career practitioner. If you’re unable to organise a recommendation, we suggest considering another pathway into Swinburne, like UniLink or special consideration. 

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

Keep on exploring

  • A group of young female and male students huddle together inside whilst looking at reading material.

    Year 11 & 12 Hub

    Preparing to make the exciting leap from school to university? Consider this your hub for everything you need to know – from campus tours to exam prep to VTAC preferences, and everything in between. 

  • Group of students around a table socialising and laughing

    Life at Swinburne

    At Swinburne, we know that your studies are important, but there is more to university than classes and lectures. Find out more about the opportunities we offer to make your time studying with us a memorable experience.

  • Students looking through a course guideline book at open day

    Find a course

    Search our degrees, diplomas and master programs, and find information about pathways to a degree. Explore a range of flexible study options to suit your needs and career goals. 

  • Female student on a professional placement stands in the office and smiles to camera

    Work Integrated Learning

    Swinburne guarantees real industry experience in all our bachelor degrees in the form of placements, internships or industry-linked projects.

  • Image of a group of young people gathered on a balcony at Swinburne's Hawthorn campus, enjoying some pizza.

    Change of Preference

    Want to get more from your ATAR? Use our resources to find the best way to organise your VTAC preferences for every offer round. Plus, discover different ways to get into your dream degree with our pathway planner.