All about the ATAR and applying for uni for students and parents

All about theATAR and applying for uni for students and parents

All About the ATAR and Applying for Uni About this booklet All About the ATAR and Applying for Uni provides a guide to choosing HSC courses and applying for university through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). It includes an explanation of the ATAR and how it is used by universities as part of their selection process. While it is ultimately the student’s decision as to which tertiary course they will study, parents and guardians play an important role in supporting their child in this decision and helping them to explore their options. This booklet can be used as a starting point for an informed discussion between students and their parents about the many paths to tertiary study and the steps to take along the way.Fast facts Study courses you The ATAR is a rank that enjoy and do well indicates your position in. Just about any overall against other combination of students. HSC marks courses can lead to indicate your performance a good ATAR. in each of your courses.To be eligible for an ATAR, you must satisfactorilycomplete 10 units of ATAR courses, including: 8 unitsfrom Category A courses, 2 units of English, 3 BoardDeveloped courses of 2 units or greater, and 4 subjects.

ContentsChoosing HSC courses 4 Contacting UAC: UAC’s Year 10 booklet 4 Telephone: Ensuring ATAR eligibility 4 1300 ASK UAC (1300 275 822) ‘Maximising’ the ATAR 5 from mobiles: (02) 9752 0200 Choosing between different levels of courses 5 from overseas: +61 2 9752 0200 Category A and B courses 5 VET courses 5 In person: Accelerating studies 6 Quad 2, 6 Parkview Drive Dropping courses 6 Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127 For those travelling by train, UACHSC and ATAR 8 is 250 metres from Olympic Park railway station.HSC marks 8 Office hours: 8.30am–4.30pmATAR 9 Monday to Friday (Sydney time)HSC and ATAR: what’s the difference? 12 Postal address: UACFinding out about tertiary study 17 Locked Bag 112 Silverwater NSW 2128Courses and careers 17 Website and email address:Course selection criteria 17 uac.edu.au email online enquiry form,Institutions 18 uac.edu.au/enquiryTuition costs and financial help 18 Facebook: facebook.com/Applying through UAC 20 universitiesadmissionscentrePreparing to apply 20 Twitter: twitter.com/UACinfoApplying online 21 YouTube:After applying 23 youtube.com/user/UACinfoBonus points 23Asking institutions to consider your educational disadvantages 24Early offers through Schools Recommendation Schemes 25Financial assistance 25Common mistakes 26Offers 29Receiving your offer 29Accepting your offer 29Different offer rounds 29Changing course preferences 29Deferring 30Transferring 30Other paths to study 30Common mistakes 31UAC jargon 33 ATAR and Applying for Uni 1

Universities and colleges offer a wealth of opportunity: you can foster or discover your interests and passions, meet many and varied people, enjoy learning for its own sake or prepare for a specific career. At UAC, our aim is to make the process of getting to uni or college as easy as possible. In this booklet, we’ll walk you through your journey from choosing your HSC courses in Year 10 through to taking your place in tertiary education.2 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Steps from school to uni get your review ATAR your course order your course preferences preferences for early offers get your final offerapply for uni accept and enrol before end of go to uni Sep in Year 12 research uni courses and cut-offs choose HSC courses in Year 10 ATAR and Applying for Uni 3

Choosing HSC coursesIn Year 10, you’ll select the courses that you will    assumed knowledge: Some universities assumestudy for the next two years. This is an exciting that students have knowledge of specific HSCtime with many choices available. But you might courses or equivalent before they begin the course.have heard rumours from older students andsiblings about Year 12, the ATAR or university entry.    recommended studies: These are HSC orWe’re here to dispel the myths and give you solid equivalent courses that the universities suggestinformation on which you can base your decisions. will help students in their chosen tertiary course.If you’re thinking about going on to tertiary study, youneed to choose courses that work for you in three While it’s essential to meet course and subjectmain ways: prerequisites, it’s also important not to overlook1 They need to make you eligible to receive an ATAR. the HSC courses listed as assumed knowledge2 They need to be subjects you like, do well in and recommended studies. While many unis offer bridging courses, these courses are not equivalent and, therefore, give you the greatest chance of to the two-year HSC course and they may add receiving the highest possible ATAR. significantly to your course fees.3 They need to prepare you for the areas of tertiary The Year 10 booklet also provides information about: study you’re planning to pursue.    university and college open days to encourageUAC’s Year 10 booklet you to begin researching your options by visiting campusesOur University Entry Requirements for Year 10    HSC courses and whether they are classified asStudents booklet will help you select your courses Category A or Category Bfor Years 11 and 12. It includes information and    how the ATAR is calculated and used for tertiaryworksheets to help you map your interests and skills entry.to some possible career paths and study options andto select useful HSC subjects. It also sets out course Ensuring ATAR eligibilityentry requirements for UAC’s participating institutions.When using the Year 10 booklet, pay careful If you’re intending to go on to further study after highattention to the following information: school, the first thing you have to do is choose (and   course prerequisites: Some tertiary courses continue with) a pattern of study that will make you eligible for an ATAR. It sounds obvious, but it is not require students to have completed, or achieved a unheard of for students to put in a lot of hard work certain standard in, an HSC course or equivalent only to find out that their HSC subject choices did not before they will be offered a place in that course. meet the ATAR eligibility criteria.   subject prerequisites: Some subjects in tertiary To be eligible for an ATAR, you must satisfactorily courses require students to have completed, or complete at least 10 units of ATAR courses, including: achieved a certain standard in, a specific HSC    eight units of Category A courses course before the student is able to enrol in    two units of English those particular subjects.    three Board Developed courses of two units or greater4 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Choosing HSC courses   four subjects. (A subject is an area of study, such A course such as HSC Mathematics Extension 2 is as mathematics. Within that subject there may often studied by a small number of high-achieving be a number of courses, such as Mathematics students who do well in all their courses and, General 2, Mathematics, HSC Mathematics therefore, the scaled marks for that course are Extension 1 and HSC Mathematics Extension 2.) frequently high. You can read more about the scaling process on page 9.If you don’t satisfactorily complete a course (eg attend Rather than trying to work out if you are better offclasses, complete assessments), that course won’t completing a lower- or higher-level course, thinkcount towards meeting your ATAR requirements. If the about which of the two courses you prefer and willcourse is a 2-unit course and you are enrolled in an therefore do better in. This is particularly relevant forassociated extension course, the extension course English because it has to be included no matter howwill not count either. well or poorly you perform.The most common mistake students make is to notstudy enough subjects – make sure you choose Category A and B coursescourses from four subjects.The number of courses, or units, you study will HSC courses are classified as either Category A ordepend on how many you can realistically cope with Category B. Category A courses have the academicand succeed in. You also want to ensure that the rigour and depth of knowledge to provide thecourses you take will give you some flexibility for entry background for tertiary studies. Examples includeinto a range of tertiary courses. Mathematics and Geography. Category B courses don’t have the academic rigour to‘Maximising’ the ATAR provide an adequate background for tertiary studies. However, up to two units of Category B coursesThe ATAR is a rank, not a mark. It is a number that can be included in your ATAR calculation if you areindicates a student’s position in relation to other enrolled with the NSW Education Standards Authoritystudents. for the course and the exam. Examples of Category BMany students and parents are convinced that courses are Human Services and Hospitality.certain courses, such as HSC Mathematics For a complete list of Category A and B courses, visitExtension 2, are ‘scaled up’ and lead to a higher uac.edu.au/atar/courses.shtml.ATAR. But just about any combination of courses canlead to a good ATAR; it all depends on how well a VET coursesstudent has done in all their courses in comparisonto other students. Vocational education and training (VET) coursesStudents who achieve high ATARs are generally give you the opportunity to gain industry-recognisedplaced near the top in all of their courses. Therefore, national vocational qualifications under thethe best way to maximise your ATAR is to choose Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as partcourses you will do well in. It’s as simple as that! of your schooling. Some TAFE-delivered HSC VET courses are Category BChoosing between different courses and can contribute to your ATAR if you arelevels of courses enrolled with the NSW Education Standards Authority and sit an exam. Other TAFE-delivered coursesAs mentioned above, many parents and students are endorsed by the NSW Education Standardsbelieve that studying a higher-level course will lead to Authority and contribute to the HSC but they do nothigher scaled marks and therefore a higher ATAR. have an examination and cannot be included in theIn fact, it’s very difficult to predict which courses will calculation of your ATAR.receive higher scaled marks. Even if we could makethis prediction, it wouldn’t necessarily benefit you ifyour position in the course was low. ATAR and Applying for Uni 5

Accelerating studies Dropping coursesSome students may accelerate their studies by If you are in Year 11 and considering dropping acompleting HSC courses while in Year 11. While subject, the most important thing is to make surethis increases your workload in Year 11, and is not you will still be eligible for an ATAR. You need to studyrecommended for everyone, it can offer advantages the required number of Category A courses, two-unitsuch as: courses and subjects. Also, don’t select or drop a course based on your perception of how it scales   letting you take fewer courses in Year 12, (read ‘Scaling’ on page 9). meaning you can focus on those units   allowing you to study a broader range of subjects   having more units available for inclusion in the calculation of your ATAR.The course is scaled in the year you complete it andthe scaled mark can be used in the ATAR calculationwhen you become ATAR eligible. You will be rankedwith others in the same ATAR cohort.Want to know more?Download from UAC’s website   Choosing HSC Courses – Facts and Myths: PowerPoint presentation uac.edu.au/schoolink/schools.shtml   All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students: booklet uac.edu.au/publications/undergraduate.shtml   University Entry Requirements for Year 10 Students: booklet (four free copies are provided to each school) uac.edu.au/schoolink/year-10.shtmlRead online   Information for Year 10 students uac.edu.au/schoolink/year-10.shtml   Information about Category A and B courses uac.edu.au/atar/courses.shtml6 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Frequently asked questionsQQ Are there any courses I can QQ If I complete Mathematics inchoose to maximise my ATAR? Year 11 then go on to completeNo. It is a myth that choosing certain HSC Mathematics Extension 1 andcourses will increase your ATAR. The best HSC Mathematics Extension 2 inway to maximise your ATAR is to choose Year 12, can my Mathematics resultscourses you will do well in. Students who still be included in my ATAR?achieve high ATARs study a large variety of No. Only four units of calculus-basedcourses and are generally placed near the maths can be included in your ATARtop in all of their courses. calculation. HSC Mathematics Extension 1 has a different weighting (in terms ofQQ Will my ATAR calculation be units) depending on whether you takeinfluenced by the school I attend? Mathematics or HSC MathematicsNo. The calculation of your ATAR will be Extension 2.based on 10 units of your scaled marks; If you study Mathematics (2 units), thenthe school you attend does not form part HSC Mathematics Extension 1 accountsof the calculation. Students who achieve for 1 unit.high ATARs come from a mix of government If you study HSC Mathematics Extension 2(both comprehensive and selective) and (2 units), then HSC Mathematics Extension 1non-government schools. accounts for 2 units. This is calculatedAll students can perform well regardless of by doubling the mark you receive for thethe school they attend, provided they study 1-unit course.hard and achieve good HSC results. Study If you complete Mathematics then go on toHSC courses you enjoy and are good at. satisfactorily complete HSC Mathematics Extension 1 and HSC MathematicsQQ Will a Band 4 or 5 in English Extension 2, your results in Mathematics(Advanced) get me a better scaled cannot be included in your ATARmark than a Band 6 in English calculation, even if you(Standard)? excel in it.It’s very difficult to predict which course willlead to a higher scaled mark. Your scaledmark depends on the scaled mean of thecourse and your position in the course.Choose the course you prefer as you’ll dobetter in it. This is particularly relevant forEnglish because it has to be included inyour ATAR calculation no matter how well orpoorly you perform.Note that if you are planning on applyingfor teaching you will need three Band 5s,one of which must be in English.

HSC and ATARHSC marks different assessment mark. If you are ranked second in your school assessment, you will receive theThe Higher School Certificate syllabus and exams second highest moderated assessment mark.are set by the NSW Education Standards Authority. Only assessment marks are moderated, and you willStudents receive a mark based on their performance always keep your own examination mark.against standards in each HSC course. There is noquota as to the number of students who can achieve Examination markstop marks and students are not scaled against otherstudents in the course. Your performance in each of your HSC courses isYour HSC marks, as reported in your Record of measured against standards defined by the NSWAchievement, indicate the standards you have Education Standards Authority. Depending on howreached in each of your courses. Your HSC mark for well you meet these standards, your raw examinationeach course is a 50:50 combination of your school- mark will be aligned to one of six performance bands.based assessment mark for that course and your For a 2-unit course, Band 6 indicates the highestexternal examination mark. level of performance, and students who reach that standard will receive an exam mark between 90 andAssessment marks 100. It is this aligned exam mark that is reported on your Record of Achievement.As you know, your assessment tasks are marked at Your exam mark will depend on how well you performyour school. Because schools mark in different ways, in the exam and is independent of your assessmentthe NSW Education Standards Authority needs to rank. You keep your own exam mark, regardless ofremove the differences so that it can compare the your performance in your assessments.results in a way that is fair for all students. It doesthis through a process called ‘moderation’. Your Record of AchievementModeration aligns school-based assessment markswith the raw state-wide exam marks. Since the exam Your HSC Record of Achievement will show yourfor a course is taken by all students completing examination mark, assessment mark, HSC markthat course, it can be used as a common standard and overall performance band. You won’t be given aagainst which school assessments can be compared. single, overall score for your combined courses.When assessment marks are moderated, students Here is an example of how your HSC marks will bemaintain their assessment rank but may be given a listed on your Record of Achievement:Year Course Examination Assessment HSC mark Performance2016 mark mark band English (Advanced) (2 unit) 91/100 89/100 90 6 English Extension 1 (1 unit) 44/50 46/50 45 E4 Mathematics General 2 (2 unit) 87/100 83/100 85 5 Business Studies (2 unit) 91/100 91/100 91 6 Modern History (2 unit) 97/100 95/100 96 6 Society and Culture (2 unit) 85/100 85/100 85 5 Studies of Religion 1 (1 unit) 47/50 45/50 46 68 ATAR and Applying for Uni

HSC and ATARATAR ATAR calculation: the detailsIn contrast to your HSC results, your ATAR is a rank, The NSW ATAR is based on an aggregate of scalednot a mark. It’s a number between 0.00 and 99.95 marks in 10 units of ATAR courses comprising:with increments of 0.05. It provides a measure ofyour overall academic achievement in relation to    the best two units of Englishthat of other students and helps universities rank    the best eight units from the remaining unitsapplicants for selection into their courses.Your ATAR indicates your position relative to all the (max. of two units of Category B courses).students who started high school with you. So, if The calculation of the ATAR is a complex processyou receive an ATAR of 80.00, it means that you are that begins with scaling raw HSC marks and ends20 per cent from the top of your Year 7 group, even with ranking the student among their entire Year 7though not everyone who started Year 7 with you cohort. It is a different calculation to that used forwent on to achieve an ATAR. the HSC, which provides a measure of a student’sThe average ATAR is usually around 70.00. You might performance against performance bands.think that the average should be 50.00. It would be50.00 if everyone from Year 7 went on to achieve an The Year 7 cohortATAR. But because the students who leave early aretypically less academically able than the ones that Each state has a different participation rate; that is,stay on, the students receiving ATARs are a smaller, the number of students completing Year 12 who aremore academically able group, and the average ATAR eligible to receive an ATAR. To ensure the interstatethey receive is higher. equivalence of ATARs, an age cohort is used in eachATARs are calculated in each state (except state so that a student’s rank is a measure of theirQueensland) to reflect a student’s rank against other performance against all students who started Year 7students in their state. An ATAR of 85.00 in NSW with them in that state, not just those who completedwill, however, be considered equivalent to an ATAR of Year 12 and were eligible for an ATAR.85.00 in other states.In NSW the ATAR is calculated and released by UAC. ScalingIn the ACT the ATAR is calculated by the ACT Board ofSenior Secondary Studies and released by schools. Just as individual units of different currencies areIt’s quite likely that you’ve heard some incorrect not of equal value (£1 is not the same as $1), marksinformation about the ATAR and its calculation. Here in different courses can’t be compared because theare the essential facts you need to know: courses are completely different. But just as exchange rates allow us to compare the value of differentYour ATAR is Your ATAR is not currencies, the scaling process allows us to compareaffected by affected by marks in different courses properly and fairly.Your position in your The school you attend. Courses are scaled using the mean scores andcourses. distribution of marks, which indicate the abilityYour raw HSC marks Studying certain courses, of the course candidature. Courses such as HSCprovided by the NSW such as Visual Arts or Mathematics Extension 2 and Physics traditionallyEducation Standards Business Studies. scale well because of this. However, you mustAuthority. achieve high HSC marks to gain any benefit fromChoosing subjects you Studying extension or scaling. (Therefore, always choose your coursesenjoy and do well in and advanced courses. according to your interests, aptitude and aspirations,working consistently at Studying extra units. not because of how they might be scaled!)your optimal level. The performance band y For most extension courses the scaled means ou achieve. and standard deviations are determined by the performance of the extension students on the corresponding 2-unit course. Scaled marks are the marks included in the ATAR calculation, not HSC marks, and a higher HSC mark does not always mean a higher scaled mark. ATAR and Applying for Uni 9

The scaled mark in a course will be influenced by the Scaled marks are not reported to students. They arestudent’s position in the course and the scaled mean determined during an interim phase in the calculationfor that course. The example below shows a set of of the ATAR.HSC and scaled marks corresponding to results atthe 90th percentile for each course. English coursesCourse Scaled HSC Scaled In NSW it is mandatory for two units of English to beAncient History mean mark mark included in the ATAR.Biology 48.8 89.0 77.2 The NSW ATAR is calculated using the scaled marksBusiness Studies 53.2 87.0 78.4 from your best two units of English, plus your nextSociety and Culture 47.6 89.0 76.4 eight best units. If your additional English units arePhysics 47.0 91.0 75.4 among your next eight best units, they can also beEnglish (Standard) 61.0 89.0 84.0 used in your ATAR calculation. 38.2 79.0 60.0 English Studies has no external HSC examination and cannot be included in the ATAR calculation.Even though the highest HSC mark was for Society Therefore, English Studies students are not eligibleand Culture, it will not be included in the ATAR for an ATAR.calculation. This is because, apart from English,Society and Culture has the lowest scaled mark Mathematics coursesof all the courses. (Two units of English must beincluded, even if they are the lowest scaled marks.) Up to four units of calculus-based maths can beThis table addresses a number of scaling ‘myths’: included in the ATAR calculation. HSC Mathematics Extension 1 has a different weighting (in termsMyth Fact of units) depending on whether it is paired with Mathematics or HSC Mathematics Extension 2.Some courses Marks are scaled according to a If you study Mathematics (2 units), then HSCare always course’s scaled mean. The scaled mean Mathematics Extension 1 accounts for 1 unit.‘scaled up’, indicates the academic ability of the If you study HSC Mathematics Extension 2 (2 units),therefore I should course candidature, which can change then HSC Mathematics Extension 1 accounts forstudy those. from year to year. Your scaled mark 2 units. This is calculated by doubling the mark you indicates your position within the course receive for the 1-unit course.Some courses candidature. For most courses, your If you complete Mathematics then go on toare always scaled mark will be lower than your HSC satisfactorily complete HSC Mathematics Extension 1‘scaled down’, mark. To get the best possible position and HSC Mathematics Extension 2, your resultstherefore I should and maximise your scaled marks, select in Mathematics will not be included in your ATARavoid those. the courses you will do best in. calculation, even if you have excelled in it. Mathematics General 1 has no external HSCI have to study ‘Hard’ is a subjective term. What is examination and cannot be included in your ATAR‘hard’ subjects hard for one student could be easy for calculation.to get high another. You need to make an individualscaled marks. choice. Students who achieve an ATAR Accumulated coursesI should study of 99.95 have varied patterns of study.Mathematics It’s very difficult to predict which course Courses can be accumulated for the ATAR overGeneral 2 will lead to a higher scaled mark. Your a period of up to five years. Scaled marks arerather than scaled mark depends on the scaled calculated in the year you complete the courseMathematics mean of the course and your position in and the scaled mark can be included in your ATARto get a better the course. Choose the level of maths calculation when you become ATAR eligible.ATAR. that best suits your plans for further study.10 ATAR and Applying for Uni

HSC and ATARRepeated courses Getting your ATARYou will be considered to be repeating an HSC course You can access your ATAR or Limited ATAR by loggingif you: in to UAC’s website or My UAC, the mobile app, in mid-December. To log in, you’ll need your Year 12   repeat the same course student number and your UAC PIN.   study a different course in the same subject When you view your ATAR you’ll also be able to see: area, apart from an extension course.    a list of the ATAR courses you studied and theirIf you repeat a course, only the marks for your latest categorysatisfactory attempt will be available for inclusion inthe calculation of your ATAR, even if they are lower    the number of units of each ATAR course thatthan your earlier attempt. contributed to the calculation of your ATAR.You will receive an ATAR the first year you satisfy theeligibility requirements. If you complete additional If you receive an ATAR between 0.00 and 30.00, yourcourses or repeat courses, your ATAR will be ATAR will be recorded as ‘30 or less’. If you haven’trecalculated. Your most recent ATAR will be the one met the requirements of the ATAR, your ATAR will beused by tertiary institutions for selection purposes. recorded as ‘not eligible’.Re-marked HSC papersIf the NSW Education Standards Authority providesUAC with amended HSC results, your ATAR willautomatically be recalculated and UAC will notify youby email.Here’s an example of an ATAR notification.As at: 16/12/2016Year 12 student number or UAC application number: 12XXXXXXXName: John CitizenNSW ATAR 75.80Your Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR)Shown below are the ATAR courses that were available for inclusion in your ATAR and those units that were actuallyincluded in the calculation. The category, year of completion and unit value of each course is also shown.Your Student Number: 2XXXXXXXCourse name Catergory Year completed Unit value Units includedBusiness Studies A 2016 2 2Economics A 2016 2 2English Advanced A 2016 2 2Mathematics A 2016 2 2Textiles and Design A 2016 2 2 ATAR and Applying for Uni 11

If you have a query about your ATAR, you can call HSC and ATAR: what’s theUAC’s ATAR Enquiry Centre, which operates when difference?ATARs are released. The telephone number andopening hours are published on UAC’s website in HSC marks and the ATAR are two different measuresDecember. of achievement: HSC marks tell you about yourATARs are only accessible by individual students or performance, whereas your ATAR tells you about yourtheir authorised agents. ATARs are also released position, or ranking. They are calculated separatelyto institutions for the purpose of making offers to using different methods:courses but UAC doesn’t give ATARs to parents,schools or careers advisers. You decide who you tell Raw HSC marksabout your ATAR. Performance PositionLimited ATAR The NSW Education UAC undertakes the Standards Authority scaling process andSome institutions allow some applicants completing aligns raw marks to calculates ATARsYear 12 to use a Limited ATAR, along with other performance bands andselection criteria, to gain entry to tertiary study. calculates HSC marksA Limited ATAR is calculated from the best 5 unitsof courses completed, rather than the 10 used for The following table outlines the main differencesthe standard ATAR. between HSC marks and the ATAR.Students who are over 20 years of age on 1 Marchin the year they complete their HSC studies and Your HSC marks Your ATARwho are taking between five and nine units of ATARcourses, including at least one unit of English, are Your HSC marks provide Your ATAR provideseligible for a Limited ATAR. information about how well information about how wellTo receive a Limited ATAR, all courses must be you have performed in each you are positioned overallcompleted in the same academic year. You can’t of the courses you have against other students.accumulate courses over several years. completed.The Limited ATAR is calculated using the scaledmarks from ATAR courses, which must include at Your HSC marks indicate Your ATAR allows youleast one unit of English plus the best four other your performance in the to be compared withunits of Category A courses. different courses you have other students who haveIf you meet the criteria to receive a Limited ATAR and studied. completed differentan ATAR, both will be calculated and you’ll be notified combinations of courses.of both. However, students usually receive a LimitedATAR in one year and an ATAR in a later year, once HSC marks are reported The ATAR is a rank, not athey have completed the required number of units. against standards. mark. HSC marks are provided The ATAR is provided by by the NSW Education UAC. Standards Authority. Most HSC marks lie between 50 and 100, and the middle students in most courses receive a mark between 70 and 80. Students who achieve marks in the mid-70s may get an ATAR of around 70.00, but sometimes marks in the 70s can mean a much lower ATAR depending on their courses and their position in those courses: a high level of performance in their HSC courses does not guarantee a high position in those courses.12 ATAR and Applying for Uni

HSC and ATARExample 1: Fred and Laura Example 2: Liam and KellieConsider the following two students who completed Let’s consider students who have similar HSC marksthe same courses. Fred received an HSC mark of 70 in different courses.in each course, while Laura received an HSC mark Liam and Kellie are in the 50th percentile in all ofof 80 in each course. their courses. Their average HSC marks are similar, 77.4 and 78.0 respectively, but their ATARs are quite Fred Laura different, 55.90 and 81.60 respectively.Course HSC mark HSC mark /100 Percentile /100 Percentile LiamBiology 70 38 80 68 ATAR Course Scaled mean HSC mark 55.90 DanceBusiness 70 39 80 68 45.6 78Studies English (Standard)English 70 11 80 42 Music 1 39.0 68(Advanced) Society and CultureMathematics 70 26 80 50 Visual Arts 42.2 82Modern 70 29 80 62 47.6 79HistoryVisual Arts 70 14 80 50 44.4 80ATAR 57.10 78.50Their HSC marks in each course differ by only 10, Kellieyet their ATARs differ by 21.40. Their performancewas similar, but their positions were quite different. ATAR Course Scaled mean HSC markLaura’s ATAR is similar to her HSC marks while Fred’s 81.60 ChemistryATAR is much lower than his HSC marks. This is 63.2 77because Laura’s percentiles (her positions) in hercourses are much better than Fred’s. Economics 64.4 78The percentile column in this table tells us about English 64.4 81their positions in more detail. For example, in Biology, (Advanced) 62.4 80Laura’s mark of 80 positioned her in the 68th Mathematicspercentile, which means she is placed in the top32 per cent of students. Fred’s mark of 70 is in the Physics 60.8 7438th percentile, so he is only in the top 62 per centof students. Even though Fred and Laura’s The reason for the difference in their ATARs is theperformance in Biology differed by 10 marks, their difference in the strength of the competition in thepositions varied by 30. courses they have chosen. The average scaled mean for Liam’s courses was 43.8 whereas for Kellie’s courses it was 63.0. Kellie has done better overall as she has competed against higher-achieving students than Liam. Consequently, her ATAR is higher. Remember that the scaled mean of a course indicates the overall average academic achievement of the students in that course. ATAR and Applying for Uni 13

Example 3: James and Amy Amy has an ATAR that is almost the same as her average HSC course score (76.4) whereas James’sNow let’s look at James and Amy’s HSC marks, which ATAR is much lower than his average HSC courseare shown in the following tables. Their average HSC score (77.8). In fact, his average HSC score is highermarks are similar, 77.8 and 76.4 respectively, but than Amy’s. However, the average of the scaled meanstheir ATARs are quite different, 65.00 and 75.00 of the courses taken by James is 42.0, whereas therespectively. average scaled mean for the courses taken by Amy is 62.6. This means that Amy has been competingJames against higher-achieving students than James.ATAR Course Scaled mean HSC mark With the exception of the Fred and Laura example, which is based on 47.6 79 2016 HSC data, the examples in this section are taken from the Report65.00 Business on the Scaling of the 2015 NSW Higher School Certificate, which can be Studies downloaded from UAC’s website at uac.edu.au/publications/atar.shtml. Dance 45.6 70 English 39.0 79 (Standard) Industrial 34.0 76 Technology Mathematics 43.4 85 General 2AmyATAR Course Scaled mean HSC mark 75.00 Biology 53.0 78 Chemistry 63.2 73 English 64.4 79 (Advanced) 62.4 76 Mathematics French 70.2 76 Continuers14 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Frequently asked questionsQQ Why is my ATAR low compared QQ Why do some courses scalewith my HSC marks? better than others?It’s a mistake to compare your HSC Courses are scaled using the mean scoresmarks and your ATAR, as they’re different and distribution of marks, which indicatemeasures of achievement – performance the ability of the course candidature (ie alland position. students studying that course). CoursesThere is no general rule for the relationship such as HSC Mathematics Extension 2 andbetween these two measures. However, if Physics traditionally scale well becauseyou are in the middle group of students in of this. However, you need to achieveall your courses (with marks typically in the high HSC marks to gain any benefit frommid-70s), you may get an ATAR of around scaling.70.00, which is usually close to the middleATAR. But sometimes marks in the 70s QQ Can my ATAR be recalculated?can mean a much lower ATAR depending Generally speaking no, but there areon your courses and your position in those some instances in which your ATAR will becourses. recalculated:QQ If I am ranked third in my class    if the NSW Education Standardsbut get the highest exam mark, will Authority provides amended HSCthat exam mark be given to the resultsstudent ranked first?No. You will keep your own examination    if you complete additional courses inmark and your own assessment rank. subsequent yearsWhen your school’s assessment marks aremoderated, you may be given a different    if you repeat courses in subsequentassessment mark depending on the years.exam results of the other students in yourcourse, but you’ll keep your rank. Your If your ATAR is recalculated you will receiveexam mark will depend on how well you a new ATAR notification.perform in the exam and is not affected byyour assessment rank.

Want to know more? Download from UAC’s website    Calculating the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank in New South Wales: A Technical Report (for detailed information on the calculation of the ATAR) uac.edu.au/publications/atar.shtml    Report on the Scaling of the NSW Higher School Certificate uac.edu.au/publications/atar.shtml    All About Your ATAR: brochure sent to Year 12 students mid-December uac.edu.au/atar    All About the ATAR: PowerPoint presentation uac.edu.au/schoolink/schools.shtml Read online    Answers to frequently asked questions about the ATAR uac.edu.au/atar/faq.shtml    Details about HSC results educationstandards.nsw.edu.au    Information about the calculation of the ACT ATAR from the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies bsss.act.edu.au16 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Finding out about tertiarystudyCourses and careers in a course, the number of applicants for that course and the quality of those applicants. They are not anTrying to decide what to study can be difficult. indicator of the quality of the course.A good place to start is to consider your interests, the Main Round course cut-offs from the previous yearsubjects you enjoy at school and the classes you do are listed in UAC’s course search and in the UAC Guidewell in. Find out what jobs would use these subjects and are intended to be used as a guide only.as a key part of what they do: talk to teachers, If you feel daunted by the cut-offs listed for theask careers advisers and visit careers expos. The courses you’re interested in, look out for pathwayUAC publication All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 courses that cover similar areas of study. ExamplesStudents is a useful guide to preparing for tertiary of pathway courses include foundation studies,study. This and other publications can be downloaded preparatory courses and Certificate, Diploma andfrom our website. Associate Degree courses. If you successfullyEvery year UAC publishes a list of courses available complete a pathway course an institution maythrough its participating institutions for the following guarantee you entry into a particular degree course.year. This information is published in the UAC Guide, Otherwise, you can use your pathway coursein the undergraduate course search on UAC’s website studies to apply and compete for admission toand in My UAC, UAC’s mobile app. The course search other degree courses.is updated in August when applications open.The UAC Guide is delivered to schools and distributed The cut-off is not an ATAR cut-off.free of charge to all Year 12 students in July. Copies Cut-offs include bonus points.can also be bought at newsagents. Offers are made to applicants with ATARs below the cut-off.Course selection criteria Additional selection criteriaCut-offs Some courses have additional selection criteria.The course cut-off is the minimum selection rank Additional selection criteria are requirementsrequired by Year 12 applicants for selection into a in addition to or instead of the ATAR. They maycourse. As a Year 12 student, your selection rank is include interviews, auditions, portfolios, supportingusually your ATAR. However, if you’re eligible to receive statements, questionnaires and tests. To find out ifbonus points (read ‘Bonus points’ on page 23), your a course has additional selection criteria, read theselection rank = ATAR + bonus points. This means course description on UAC’s website or the My UACyou may receive an offer to a course even though mobile app, or check the UAC Guide.your ATAR is below the cut-off.Course cut-offs are determined when Main Roundoffers are made. The cut-offs reflect the supply anddemand for a course; that is, the number of places ATAR and Applying for Uni 17

Institutions If you’re an Australian citizen you can elect to take up the HECS-HELP option to pay your studentMost of UAC’s participating institutions hold open days contribution. This defers the payment until you arein August and September. Some offer personalised working and a percentage of your wage is taken outcampus tours throughout the year for prospective to pay off the HECS debt through the taxation system.students and their families. UAC recommends you You will need an Australian tax file number to do this.take advantage of this opportunity to get a feel for the If you’re not an Australian citizen you must pay yourcampus and the courses that are offered. student contribution up-front. If your course does not offer Commonwealth-Tuition costs and financial help supported places, you will need to pay the full cost of the course. However, you may be eligible for aMost tertiary courses for Year 12 students have FEE-HELP loan from the Australian Government,Commonwealth-supported places (CSPs). This means which allows you to repay your debt through thethe government pays part of the course fee and the taxation system, in a similar way to HECS-HELP.rest is paid by the student. This is called the student You might also be eligible for additional financialcontribution and the amount depends on the type of assistance from the Australian Government. Findcourse and the institution. For further information, out more on the government’s Study Assist website:contact the institution. studyassist.gov.au.Want to know more?Download from UAC’s website   All About UAC for Year 11 and 12 Students: booklet uac.edu.au/publications/undergraduate.shtmlRead online    General information about UAC’s   Information for Year 11 and 12 students participating institutions uac.edu.au/schoolink/years-11+12.shtml and the dates for open days uac.edu.au/undergraduate/institutions   Information about HECS-HELP and other Australian Government assistance studyassist.gov.au   Information about Australian higher education institutions from the perspective of recent students and graduates qilt.edu.au18 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Frequently asked questionsQQ What are my options for paying QQ How can I find out about whatfor my tertiary education? a uni is like and what it can offerYour course costs will depend on the type me as a student?of course you enrol in. There are two main Open days are a great way to experiencetypes of courses: Commonwealth‑supported what a uni or college has to offer: there’llplace (subsidised by the Australian be information sessions, campus tours,Government) and domestic fee-paying. workshops and the opportunity to talk toIf you’re an Australian citizen (or hold an students and academic staff. There is aAustralian permanent humanitarian visa), list of open day dates on our website atyou can pay your fees in three different ways: uac.edu.au/undergraduate/institutions. You can also talk to staff and students at   pay all of the fees up-front careers markets and expos. Your careers   receive a HELP loan for all of the fees adviser will have details of these events,   pay some of the fees up-front and and UAC publishes a list of the events our community engagement team will be receive a HELP loan for the balance. attending: visit uac.edu.au/schoolink/Visit studyassist.gov.au for all the details events.shtml.about HELP loans and financial support Finally, browse the institution websites andfrom the Australian Government. get in touch with them directly. They haveInstitutions also offer a limited number lots of useful information to share with youof Equity Scholarships and merit and can answer all your questions.scholarships to help students with thecosts of tertiary study. Find out more aboutthese at uac.edu.au/equity and on theinstitution websites.

Applying through UACPreparing to apply Lost or forgotten PINTo apply to courses at UAC’s participating institutions, If you’ve already applied through UAC, you canyou’ll need: click on the lost PIN link in Check & Change to have it emailed to you. If you haven’t applied, you   access to a desktop or laptop computer (not a can call UAC Customer Service on 1300 ASK UAC tablet or mobile phone) to complete the online (1300 275 822), from mobiles on (02) 9752 0200 application or from overseas on +61 2 9752 0200 (Monday to Friday 8.30am–4.30pm, Sydney time).   a printer (to print the Confirmation of Application Due to privacy legislation, UAC can only release this and the payment receipt or invoice) information to you or your agent (if you have applied and listed an agent in your UAC application).   your Year 12 student number from the NSW Education Standards Authority (or ACT Board of Year 12 student number Senior Secondary Studies) If you are a current Year 12 student, when you apply   your UAC PIN (sent to you in August) you will use your NSW Education Standards Authority   a private email address (not a school address) HSC student number (or ACT Board of Senior   a method for paying the processing charge Secondary Studies student number) and UAC PIN to log in. (a credit card or PayPal account if you are paying online). UAC application numberPINs and student numbers Once you start your application and complete and submit your personal details, your UAC applicationTo apply through UAC as a Year 12 student, you’ll number will be generated.need your Year 12 student number and your UAC PIN. It is important to keep your UAC application number and UAC PIN safe and handy, as you’ll need them toUAC PIN change your preferences and check your ATAR and offers online or on the My UAC mobile app.NSW HSC students receive two PINs that are used fortwo different purposes. Additional selection criteriaYou will receive your HSC six-digit PIN from the NSWEducation Standards Authority early in Year 12. This Year 12 students are selected on the basis of theirgives you access to NSW Students Online. It is not selection rank (ATAR + bonus points) for mostused when applying through UAC. courses. However, some courses have additionalThe UAC four-digit PIN is posted to your home selection criteria. These can include interviews,address in early August. The UAC PIN allows you to auditions, portfolios, supporting statements,apply online through UAC’s website. It also gives you questionnaires and tests.access to your ATAR and to UAC’s Check & Change, Check if any of your courses have additional selectionwhere you can change your course preferences and criteria or particular course requirements. These cancheck for offers. be found in the course descriptions on UAC’s websiteIt is important to keep your PINs in a safe place. and mobile app or in the UAC Guide. For further information, contact the institution directly.20 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Applying through UACTests may be used as a cut-off to filter applicants, and those above the cut-off assessed and ranked onIf you wish to study medicine (or some health the additional criteria. Or the portfolio or auditionscience degree programs), you’ll need to sit the may take precedence over other criteria, includingUndergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences the ATAR.Admission Test (UMAT) during Year 12. It is For further information, contact the institution.only held once a year in July. The test is usedspecifically to assist with the selection of students Gap yearsinto undergraduate-level health science degreeprograms at certain universities. If you choose If you’re intending to take a gap year, UACcourse preferences that require you to sit UMAT, recommends that you apply now and defer. Currentyou’ll be asked to include your UMAT candidate Year 12s are eligible for early entry schemes, andnumber on your UAC application. Your UMAT results regional and subject bonus points. Any bonuswill be sent directly to the institutions, which match points will improve your selection rank. In addition,them to your application for admission to the depending on the institution, Educational Accessrelevant courses. Schemes, Schools Recommendation Schemes andFor information, email [email protected] or visit Equity Scholarships may only be available to currentumat.acer.edu.au. school leavers. If you wait a year you will be applying as a non‑Year 12Special requirements applicant and competing against other non‑Year 12 applicants who may have a range of qualificationsIf you’re applying for entry into health/welfare-related and experiences. You may also no longer haveand teacher education courses, be aware that there access to bonus points.are special requirements relating to: Applying online   criminal record/working with children checks   clinical placements You will apply online to UAC’s participating   procedures for employment after completing institutions through UAC’s website. For undergraduate study, you can apply to up to five the course. institutions – you don’t need to apply separately toFurther details are in the UAC Guide and on UAC’s each institution.website, but these requirements and policies aresubject to regular review, so check with institutions Timingbefore you apply for these types of courses. Applications for admission to study open inInterviews, statements, auditions and portfolios early August. By applying before the end of September, you’llAll interviews and auditions are organised directly avoid the significant increase to processing chargesbetween you and the institution. You’ll need to make between the end of September and late Februarythese arrangements in addition to listing the course the following year, which is the final closing date forin your UAC preferences. semester 1 courses. Also, some courses have earlyIf a portfolio or personal statement is required, it will closing dates – carefully check the requirementsbe listed in that course’s entry in the UAC Guide or in for each of your chosen courses. If you are alsothe course description on UAC’s website and mobile applying for Schools Recommendation Schemes,app. Follow the institution’s instructions for how to you’ll need to complete both applications by the endsubmit the portfolio or personal statement. of September.Each institution has its own policy for determining Once you have your ATAR you can change yourhow additional selection criteria are assessed. preferences quickly and easily. Preferences canSome institutions may allocate a weighting for be changed as many times as you wish at noeach component. For example, the ATAR might be extra cost.worth 50 per cent, a portfolio 25 per cent and aninterview 25 per cent. In other institutions, the ATAR ATAR and Applying for Uni 21

Logging in UAC recommends you list your ‘dream preference’ at number one, but follow that with realistic preferences.To apply, you’ll need your HSC student number (or At the bottom of the preference list you should includeACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies student one or two ‘safe’ options to ensure that you get annumber) and the four-digit UAC PIN sent to you in offer. This is because, during the selection process,early August. After applying, you can change your course preferences are considered one at a time incourse preferences online by logging in to the the order in which they’re listed on the application.My UAC app or Check & Change on UAC’s website. To maximise your chance of receiving an offer, include courses with a range of cut-offs. The cut-offsPaying published in the UAC Guide and in UAC’s course search are the Main Round cut-offs from the previousYou can pay the processing charge online by credit year. Use them as a guide only when selectingor debit card (Mastercard and Visa) or PayPal, or you preferences. Cut-offs are determined when Januarycan print an invoice and pay by BPAY or Australia Post Main Round offers are made. They cannot be knownBillpay. Payments to UAC are not refundable under in advance because they reflect supply and demand;any circumstances except as required by law. Your that is, the number of places in a course, the numberapplication will not be processed until full payment of applicants for that course and the quality of thoseis received by UAC. applicants. Read more about cut-offs under ‘Course selection criteria’ on page 17.Check UAC’s website for dates and processing If you’re concerned that you won’t meet the cut-charges. off for a degree course, don’t forget that many institutions offer lower-level courses, such asListing qualifications Certificates and Diplomas, which can act as a pathway into your desired degree. Consider includingYour Year 12 qualification will be added to your one or more of these as a preference. Also, tick theapplication automatically when ATARs are released in box that asks if you would like to receive informationmid-December. Most Year 12 students will have no on other study options if you do not receive an offerfurther qualifications to add. to any of your selected courses. Most importantly, take responsibility for yourThe work experience question in the application is application by reading all correspondence (mainly viaa standard question that isn’t relevant to Year 12 email) from UAC and following instructions.students. The question is there for non-Year 12applicants with other qualifications, such as work Applying for early entry and specialexperience equivalent to 12 months or more of consideration schemesfull-time employment. It is not necessary for currentYear 12 students to list or supply employment Early entry scheme offers, including those processedexperience as entry to tertiary study is based on through Schools Recommendation Schemes (SRS),their selection rank (ATAR + bonus points) and other are typically made in the early rounds. If you applyselection criteria, where applicable. for early entry schemes you’ll receive notification about when offers are made. In all offer rounds,Listing preferences your preferences are considered in the order you list them, so make sure you have the course you mostAs an undergraduate applicant you can list up to want to do as your first preference. Check UAC’sfive different courses at five different institutions. website for change of preference closing dates.However, you can also apply with just one preference, Special consideration schemes, such as those forparticularly if you are still undecided about what you elite athletes and performers, require you to applywant to do. Once you have your ATAR and know if you through both UAC and the institution. Check withare eligible for any bonus points, you can change the institutions about application deadlines and theyour preferences at no extra cost. Some courses supporting documents you need to provide.have early closing dates and need to be listed in yourpreferences by the on-time closing date at the end ofSeptember. Check our website for dates.22 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Applying through UACSupplying documents Each institution sets its own criteria for allocating these. Some institutions require you to have aYear 12 students usually do not have to supply any minimum ATAR before you are eligible to receive anydocuments with their UAC application. If you do bonus points.need to supply documents, this will be indicated in Bonus points will not change your ATAR; they willyour application confirmation package, which you’ll change your selection rank for a particular coursebe prompted to download when you complete your at a particular institution. So, if you have five courseapplication. preferences in your application, you could potentiallyIf you also apply for Educational Access Schemes, have five selection ranks.you’ll need to provide various supporting documents, The following example shows how bonus points work:so start preparing and collecting these as soon Course A has six applicants and only three placesas you can and avoid a last-minute rush. (Read available. The six applicants have the followingmore under ‘Asking institutions to consider your selection ranks:educational disadvantages’ on page 24.)If you apply through the Schools Recommendation 1 89.00 (ATAR of 89.00)Schemes, you may also need to provide supporting 2 88.00 (ATAR of 87.00 plus 1 bonus point)documentation; it depends on where you completed 3 87.00 (ATAR of 83.00 plus 4 bonus points)your Year 11 studies and whether or not you would 4 86.00 (ATAR of 86.00)like the institutions to consider your awards and 5 85.00 (ATAR of 83.00 plus 2 bonus points)achievements. (Read more under ‘Early offers 6 84.00 (ATAR of 84.00)through Schools Recommendation Schemes’ onpage 25.) Offers will be made to applicants 1, 2 and 3. Applicant 4 will not receive an offer even thoughAfter applying that applicant has a higher ATAR than applicant 3. The cut-off for Course A will be 87.00: the lowestAdding your ATAR selection rank required to receive an offer to Course A.UAC will add your HSC results and ATAR to yourapplication when these results are released and Eligibilityyour application will be processed in time forconsideration of offers. Offers are released online Some tertiary institutions apply bonus points if aand via the mobile app on offer round dates. Most student does well in a subject related to the courseapplicants will receive their offers in December they have chosen. These are subject bonus points.and January. Some tertiary institutions apply bonus points if a student lives in a designated region, others applyChanging preferences bonus points if a student attends school in a designated region, and some institutions do both.You can add, delete and change the order of your These are regional bonus points.preferences online as often as you like via Check Many institutions also apply bonus points if a student& Change on UAC’s website or through the mobile has experienced long-term educational disadvantageapp. There is no charge to do this but you will need beyond their control, including attending a schoolyour UAC application number and four-digit UAC PIN that the government has identified as beingto log in. You won’t be able to choose a course as a disadvantaged. These are Educational Accesspreference if the course closing date has passed. Schemes (EAS) bonus points. For more information on bonus points, visit ourBonus points website and check with the relevant institution.Typically, there are three types of bonus points:regional bonus points, subject bonus points andEducational Access Scheme (EAS) bonus points. ATAR and Applying for Uni 23

Allocation EligibilityMost subject and regional bonus points are To be eligible to apply for EAS, you must haveautomatically allocated as part of the application experienced an educational disadvantage for atprocess. There is no need to apply for these. least six months during Year 11 or 12. There areHowever, you do need to apply for Educational Access seven types of disadvantage considered in EASSchemes through UAC. Bonus points allocated for applications:extra-curricular activities, such as those awardedto elite athletes and performers, require a direct    disrupted schoolingapplication to the institution.    financial hardshipSubject bonus points are different from institution to    home environment and responsibilitiesinstitution and from course to course within the same    English language difficultyinstitution. All institutions limit the total number of    personal illness/disabilitybonus points you can receive. Some are capped at    refugee status15, some at 10 and others at 5.    school environment.You will not receive official notification of bonuspoints allocated to you. For example, you can claim your schooling wasCheck the institution websites for details on their disrupted because you attended three or morespecific bonus point schemes. different schools in Years 10, 11 and 12, or because you moved interstate. If your parents divorced or HSC subject bonus points separated while you were in Year 11 or 12, you can Remember that most universities will give bonus claim that your home environment was severely points to recognise achievement in HSC courses disrupted. For each disadvantage, you’ll need relevant to the university course you wish to study. to provide a written statement and supporting These bonus points are included in the cut-off, so documentation. These are explained in the EAS even if your ATAR is below the cut-off, you can booklet, which you can download from UAC’s website. still get an offer to that course. For more information about bonus points, go to EAS doesn’t cover incidents like breaking your uac.edu.au/atar/bonus-points. arm just before your exams. In this situation you could submit an illness/misadventure appeal formAsking institutions to consider (available at the exam centre) to the NSW Educationyour educational disadvantages Standards Authority via your school principal.Educational Access Schemes (EAS) are for UAC Applyingapplicants who, due to circumstances beyondtheir control or choosing, have experienced long- EAS booklets are supplied to all NSW schools interm educational disadvantage that has seriously August each year. The application form is in theaffected their educational performance during booklet. Copies are also downloadable from UAC’sYears 11 and 12 (or equivalent). website from August each year. The completed formInstitutions use EAS to make offers of admission in must be submitted to UAC with necessary supportingone of two ways. They: documents and statements.   allocate bonus points, or If you’re at a disadvantaged school (as categorised by   set aside a certain number of places for EAS the NSW Government), you’ll have an EAS application automatically generated on your behalf when you applicants. apply for undergraduate admission through UAC. You’ll be notified of this via an acknowledgement letter. However, if you’ve experienced one or more of the other types of disadvantage, you should also submit an individual EAS application.24 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Applying through UACAny student can submit an application and    a permanent resident of Australia orthere is no bias toward any particular school or holder of an Australian permanent residentsector. Students from any school can experience humanitarian visa.disadvantage.Many schools encourage students to hand in their International students can’t apply for SRS.EAS applications to the school, which then submitsall applications from that school directly to UAC. ApplyingHowever, it is up to you to make sure your applicationhas been submitted. You can apply for SRS online through UAC’s websiteIf you decide to defer your offered course and then after you have completed your UAC application forre-apply for another course the following year, you’ll tertiary study.need to submit a new EAS application. Your school will then provide a professional assessment of your ability in, or suitability for,Multiple disadvantages different areas of study and rate your aptitude for tertiary study.You can apply for all the disadvantages that areapplicable to your situation. You’ll need to submit Assessment and offersseparate statements and supporting documents foreach disadvantage. After the school has completed its assessment and rating, your application will be processed by UAC andAssessment then considered by the SRS participating institutions. In most cases, offers are made to successfulEAS applications are assessed by UAC according to applicants before the Main Round in January.the guidelines agreed to by all institutions. You won’tbe notified of the bonus points allocated to you but Financial assistanceyou will receive a letter informing you whether or notyou are eligible to receive them. If you need financial assistance while you’re at uni, Equity Scholarships are available. Most institutionsEarly offers through Schools also offer a number of merit-based scholarships;Recommendation Schemes check with the relevant institution for more information.Schools Recommendation Schemes (SRS) are oneway institutions make offers to current Year 12 Equity Scholarshipsstudents who have applied for undergraduateadmission through UAC. Institution Equity Scholarships help financiallyThey aim to help students gain access to higher disadvantaged students with the costs associatededucation by using a wide range of selection criteria, with higher education.including school recommendations, senior secondarystudies and personal awards and achievements. EligibilityMost institutions will make SRS offers before theMain Round in January. You may be eligible to apply for an Equity Scholarship under one or more criteria. TheseEligibility include exceptional financial hardship, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) status, regional orSRS are open to any Year 12 applicant who is remote disadvantage, carer status, sole parentattempting an Australian Year 12 qualification or an responsibilities, non-English speaking background,International Baccalaureate in Australia and is: refugee status and long-term illness. Be aware that meeting the scholarship eligibility   a UAC applicant for undergraduate admission criteria doesn’t guarantee that you will be awarded   an Australian or New Zealand citizen a scholarship. There are a limited number of Equity Scholarships and there are more applicants than scholarships, so scholarships will be awarded to those in most need. ATAR and Applying for Uni 25

Applying Other types of financial assistanceTo apply, submit an Equity Scholarships application The Commonwealth Government’s Study Assistthrough UAC’s website. Visit uac.edu.au/equity. website has comprehensive information about various types of financial assistance for tertiary study,By submitting just one application through UAC, such as Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY and Austudy. Visityou will be considered for all available Equity studyassist.gov.au.Scholarships for which you are eligible at ourparticipating institutions. Common mistakesOffers The most common mistakes UAC sees when students apply are:Institutions make their Equity Scholarships offersafter assessing applications submitted as part    losing their UAC PINof a competitive application process. The Equity    not applying by the end of September (andScholarships application gathers sufficientinformation from applicants to determine which therefore paying a higher processing charge)applicants best meet the eligibility criteria. An    not paying the processing chargeinstitution can only award an Equity Scholarship to    missing UAC deadlines for applying, changinga student who has received an offer of admission tothat institution. preferences or supplying supporting documentationMerit-based scholarships    not understanding the preference system: —— not listing their most desired course as theirMerit-based scholarships are awarded to applicantson a range of criteria such as: first preference —— accidentally choosing semester 2 courses   school examination results —— listing unrealistic preferences   academic excellence —— not changing preferences after they receive   Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)   course/faculty of study their ATAR to courses with cut-offs more in   personal achievements such as: line with their actual rank —— changing preferences but not saving their —— leadership changes —— creativity —— not moving offered courses out of the way on —— self-motivation their preference list for future offer rounds. —— communication skills    using an email acount they don’t check. —— an outstanding ability in sport.Applications for merit-based scholarships are madedirectly to individual institutions. To find out more,contact the relevant institution.26 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Frequently asked questionsQQ Why do I apply before the end Some universities will considerof September when I don’t know my extracurricular activities such asATAR yet? participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’sIf you apply by the end of September Award and carrying out the duties of school(on-time closing) you avoid the increase in captain, but, as these do not contribute toprocessing charges after this date. Once your HSC results, you must apply directly toyou have your ATAR and know what bonus the institution for consideration for thesepoints you are eligible for, you can change schemes. Special consideration for eliteyour preferences quickly and easily as athletes and performers also requires amany times as you wish at no extra cost. direct application to the institution.If you are also applying for Schools For more information on bonus points,Recommendation Schemes you are check with the relevant institution.required to have completed bothapplications by the end of September. QQ I broke my arm just before my first HSC exam. Can I apply for EAS?QQ How should I list my No. EAS does not cover all life situationspreferences? and this would not be considered a long-List your preferences in the order you wish term disadvantage. In this situation youthem to be considered, with your most could submit an illness/misadventurepreferred course as your first preference, appeal form (available at the exam centre)then the next most preferred course, to the NSW Education Standards Authorityand so on. This is because, during the via your school principal.selection process, course preferences areconsidered one at a time in the order inwhich they’re listed in your application.QQ Am I eligible for any bonuspoints? I participated in the Duke of Edinburgh’s award and otherextracurricular activities.Some tertiary institutions apply bonuspoints if you live in a designated region,others apply bonus points if you attendschool in a designated region, and someinstitutions do both. These are regionalbonus points and they are awardedautomatically – you don’t need to applyseparately. Some institutions apply subjectbonus points if you do well in a subjectrelated to the course you have chosen.Bonus points may also be awarded as partof an Educational Access Scheme (EAS).

Want to know more?    Schools Recommendation Schemes: booklet Download from UAC’s website uac.edu.au/srs    Educational Access Schemes: booklet uac.edu.au/eas    Equity Scholarships: booklet uac.edu.au/equityWatch online Read online   Applying as a Year 12    Everything you need to uac.edu.au/media-hub/ know about applying videos.shtml through UAC uac.edu.au/undergraduate/apply    Information about financial help from the Commonwealth Government studyassist.gov.au    Directions e-newsletter (subscribe on UAC’s website) uac.edu.au/media-hub/newsletters.shtml28 ATAR and Applying for Uni

OffersReceiving your offer Different offer roundsTo retrieve your offer, log in to UAC’s website or Early round offers are made by some institutions to amobile app using your UAC application number and limited number of applicants. These include deferredUAC PIN. Keep an eye out for an email from UAC applicants, applicants for distance educationprompting you to do this. courses, some non-Year 12 applicants, and thoseMost offers to Year 12 applicants are made in selected predominantly on criteria other than anthe December and January rounds but early and Australian Year 12 qualification, such as interview,subsequent offers for semester 1 are made up until audition, portfolio or special admissions program.February. Semester 2 offers are made periodically If you’re a Year 12 student, don’t worry if you don’tthroughout the year. The early rounds are for specific receive an early round offer. Institutions make thepurposes and not all universities participate. Check majority of their offers during December and January.UAC’s website for offer dates. After this, you can change your preferences forIn each offer round, you can receive only one offer consideration in later rounds. Keep in mind that notto the highest preference for which you are eligible all institutions make offers in these later rounds, andand competitive enough. Offers for undergraduate not all courses will have vacancies.places at university are made by UAC on behalf of the It’s best to accept any offer you receive as no furtherinstitutions. UAC does not decide who receives an offers are guaranteed and relatively few offers areoffer and cannot influence institutions’ decisions. made in the later rounds.If you don’t receive an offer to one of your preferredcourses, you may receive a ‘slipback’ offer; that is, an Changing course preferencesoffer to a lower-level course in a similar area of study(read ‘Other paths to study’ on page 30). Once you have accepted your offer you can delete that course from your list of preferences and placeAccepting your offer your new first preference at the top of the list. By doing this you will be eligible to receive an offer in aEach institution has different procedures and later round if places in that course are still availabledates for accepting offers. Some institutions have and you meet the course cut-off for that round. If youonline acceptance and enrolment; other institutions do receive another offer you can accept that offerrequire attendance at an enrolment day. It’s your and withdraw from the course originally offered.responsibility to read your offer and follow theprocedure required by the due date.If you will be overseas when offers are made,contact the institution directly for advice. If you havenominated an agent in your UAC application, thisdoesn’t transfer to the acceptance of an offer onyour behalf. ATAR and Applying for Uni 29

For example, let’s say you have the following five Deferringcourses listed as preferences and you receive anoffer to your second preference: When you receive an offer you will also receive information about how to apply for deferment. Most Preferences institutions will ask for a statement to explain why 1 B Life Science you want to defer. There may also be a fee. 2 B Animal Science In general it is best to accept and defer only one course 3 B Science (Physics) so that other applicants may be considered. When the 4 B Human Sciences deferred course is re-offered to you, we recommend 5 B Natural Science (Animal Science) you accept it, as further offers are not guaranteed.First of all, you should accept your offer to B Animal Deferment periodsScience. Then, if you want to be considered forcourses other than the course you have as your Most institutions offer one-year deferments. A six-first preference (B Life Science), you can change month deferment is not always possible becauseyour preferences in any way you like: just make sure there may not be mid-year intakes for some courses.you have a realistic chance of meeting the cut-off Each institution has its own policies on deferring.and that you can satisfy any additional course For information, contact the admissions office at therequirements. institution making the offer.You might have second thoughts about what youreally want to study and change your preferences to Applying for a different coursethe following: If you would like to be considered for other courses Preferences instead of your deferred position, you will need to 1 B Science (Physics) submit a new UAC application. 2 B Science (Flexible) 3 B Biotechnology Transferring 4 B Human Sciences 5 B Teaching/B Science Course transfers are possible but very competitive and you will usually need to achieve excellent resultsNote that B Animal Science has been removed from in your first year in order to transfer.the list. As long as you have accepted your offer to If the course is at the same university, there may bethis course you won’t lose your place. If you now an internal transfer system. For a course at anotherreceive an offer to a course in your new list, you can institution, you will need to apply through UAC anddecide whether to accept it and withdraw from compete against all other applicants for entry.B Animal Science, or not accept the new offer and There is no straight transfer system as students arekeep your place in B Animal Science. still competing for a place and must meet the newIf you reject an early round offer or let it lapse, and institution’s entry requirements.then change your mind, you’ll need to speak with theinstitution’s admissions office as only the institution Other paths to studycan reinstate the offer. Also, if you leave the offered,but rejected, course as your first preference, no Most institutions offer options if you don’t meet thefurther offers can be made because the rejected entry requirements for their degree courses or needoffer will ‘block’ any new offers to lower preferences. further support and preparation before studying at degree level. Non-degree courses Institutions often offer non-degree courses, such as Certificate or Diploma courses. If you successfully30 ATAR and Applying for Uni

Offerscomplete one of these courses, an institution may Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)guarantee you entry into particular degree courses.Otherwise, you can use your new qualification to Many institutions will accept STAT results from non-apply and compete for admission to degree courses. Year 12 applicants. STAT is a series of tests designedApplications for some of these courses, known as to assess a range of competencies consideredtertiary preparation courses, can be made through important for success in tertiary study. It assessesUAC, or you may receive a ‘slipback’ offer to one a student’s ability to think critically and analyse theof these courses; others require you to contact the material given, rather than testing knowledge ofinstitution directly. specific academic subjects. For information, visit stat.acer.edu.au.TAFE qualification Common mistakesAnother option is to obtain a TAFE Diploma and usethat qualification in an application for admission The most common mistakes UAC sees from studentsto degree courses. Some institutions might after they receive an offer are:even consider a Certificate III or IV qualification.    not removing or moving down the list a preferenceSpeak to the uni or college about their admissionrequirements, as each institution is different. they have already received an offer to, thereby blocking offers to lower preferences in later roundsEntry schemes    declining an offer in the hope of getting a ‘better’ offer in a later roundSome institutions also have specific entry schemes    letting an offer lapse without accepting itor programs for applicants who don’t meet the usual    forgetting to enrol at the institution.minimum admission requirements of the institution,but meet special requirements determined by theinstitution. For further details, contact the relevantinstitution.Want to know more? Download from UAC’s website    Directions e-newsletter (subscribe on UAC’s website) uac.edu.au/media-hub/newsletters.shtml Read online    Information about offer rounds uac.edu.au/undergraduate/offers    Institution contact details uac.edu.au/undergraduate/institutions ATAR and Applying for Uni 31

Frequently asked questionsQQ How many offers can I get? QQ If I don’t think I’ll get into a uniMost offers to Year 12 applicants are course on the basis of my ATAR, domade in the December and January I have any other options?rounds but a small number of applicants Yes. Most institutions offer non-degreemay be eligible for an offer before or after courses, such as Certificate or Diplomathese rounds. In each offer round you courses. If you successfully completecan receive only one offer to the highest one of these courses, the institution maypreference for which you are eligible and guarantee you entry into particular degreecompetitive enough. Once you receive an courses. Otherwise, you can use your newoffer you can accept it and change your qualification to apply and compete forpreferences for the next round. admission to degree courses.QQ I’ll be overseas when the offersare made. Can someone else acceptmy offer for me?No. Contact the institution directly foradvice; many require you to accept online.If you have nominated an agent in yourUAC application, this gives them authorityto manage your application, but it doesnot give them authority to accept an offer.

UAC jargonHere are definitions of the common terms used by ATAR coursesUAC, universities and colleges. ATAR courses are those for which the NSW EducationACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies Standards Authority conducts examinations that yield graded assessments. English Studies, MathematicsStatutory authority responsible for the certification of General 1 and Life Skills courses are not ATARsenior secondary school studies in government and courses. VET courses can contribute to your ATARnon-government schools in the ACT. eligibility requirements and calculation if you enrol in the appropriate additional examination course andAdditional selection criteria complete the examination.Criteria used by some institutions as well as, or Bonus pointsinstead of, the ATAR to assess specific skills relevantto a particular course. They can include tests, Points allocated to you by an institution. Bonus pointsinterviews, auditions and portfolios. do not change your ATAR; they change your selection rank for a particular course preference. Examples areAdmission requirements subject bonus points or regional bonus points. Bonus points can also be awarded to Educational AccessThe minimum qualifications required for you to be Schemes (EAS) applicants.considered for entry to a particular course. Entry tomany courses is competitive and the attainment of Category A coursesminimum qualifications does not guarantee you willbe offered a place. ATAR courses that have the academic rigour and depth of knowledge to provide an adequateAdmissions period background for tertiary studies.The period when applications are open for tertiary Category B coursesstudy. Applications open in August and close in Julyof the following year. HSC courses that do not provide an adequate background for tertiary studies, but can contributeApply to the ATAR when combined with Category A courses. No more than two units of Category B courses can beUAC’s online application system on our website. included in the ATAR calculation.Assumed knowledge Check & ChangeKnowledge of a specific Year 12 course that an UAC’s online facility that enables you to check andinstitution assumes you have before you start a change your preferences and other details on yourparticular tertiary course. If you do not have that application.assumed level of knowledge but have met theadmission requirements, you can be selected for the Cohortcourse but may have difficulty coping with your studies. A student’s peer group. For example, the ATAR cohortATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) refers to those students who receive an ATAR in the same academic year. A Year 7 cohort comprisesA rank, not a mark, indicating a student’s overall those students who began Year 7 together,academic achievement in Year 12 in relation to regardless of when they left the school system.their age cohort. It helps institutions rank applicantsfor selection. ATAR and Applying for Uni 33

Course cut-off HSC markThe lowest selection rank (including any bonus A 50:50 combination of your examination mark andpoints) obtained by current Australian Year 12 school-based assessment mark for each course. It isstudents receiving an offer to a course. The course recorded on your HSC Record of Achievement, whichcut-off is not an ‘ATAR cut-off’. The course cut‑off is issued to you by the NSW Education Standards= ATAR + bonus points. Therefore, offers are made Authority.to applicants with an ATAR below the cut-off. HSC subjectThe cut-offs for courses in a particular year areonly known after Main Round offers for that year A general area of study or key learning area inare made. The previous year’s Main Round cut-offs the NSW HSC; for example, within the subjectpublished by UAC can only be used as a guide. of English, courses include English (Standard),Course cut-offs can change from year to year, English (Advanced), HSC English Extension 1,depending on the number of places available, the HSC English Extension 2 and English as anumber of applications for the course and the quality Second Language.of the applicants. InstitutionDeferment A provider of tertiary study, such as a university orThe situation when a student has received an offer a college.to enrol in a tertiary course but has been givenpermission by the institution to delay the start of the International Baccalaureate (IB)course for a fixed period, usually one year. A Diploma qualification offered by some schools andEducational Access Schemes (EAS) recognised internationally. IB students don’t receive an ATAR; they receive a UAC rank based on their totalSchemes for university applicants who have score if they’ve been awarded the IB Diploma orexperienced long-term educational disadvantage Bilingual Diploma.due to circumstances beyond their controlor choosing. ModerationEquity Scholarships (ES) The process of adjusting school assessment marks to a common scale so that direct comparisons canMoney to help financially disadvantaged students be made between assessment marks awarded bywith the costs associated with higher education. different schools. The rank order of students withinApply for ES through UAC. a school group, and the relative gaps between them, are maintained.Extension courses NSW Education Standards AuthorityCourses that enable students to undertake morein-depth study in areas of special interest. These NSW Government authority that sets the corecourses build on the content of the 2-unit course. curriculum for Kindergarten to Year 12, sets guidelines for school assessment tasks, andHSC course sets, organises and marks the HSC examinations. Until the end of 2016, it was known as the Board ofA branch of study within a NSW HSC subject. Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES).A subject may have several different courses.For example, within the subject of English, courses Pathway coursesinclude English (Standard), English (Advanced),HSC English Extension 1, HSC English Extension 2, Non-degree courses – such as foundation studies,and English as a Second Language. preparatory courses and Certificates, Diplomas or Associate Degrees – offered by institutions to applicants who don’t meet the entry requirements for their degree course or need further support and preparation before studying at degree level.34 ATAR and Applying for Uni

UAC jargonPercentile Scaled meanAn indicator of your position in a course relative to An indicator of the average academic achievementother students. For example, if your percentile in a of the course candidature. It is used in the ATARcourse is 73, you are placed in the top 27 per cent of calculation.the students in that course. Schools Recommendation Schemes (SRS)Performance band Schemes that enable schools to recommendA band representing a level of achievement in a current Year 12 students who are UAC applicantscourse. There are six performance bands for 2-unit for offers of undergraduate admission. SRS aimcourses and four for extension courses. For 2-unit to assist access to higher education for currentcourses, Band 6 is the highest and Band 1 is Australian Year 12 students using a wide range ofthe lowest. selection criteria, including school recommendation, senior secondary studies and personal awardsPrerequisites and achievements. SRS is processed centrally through UAC.Year 12 courses that must be completed in orderto be considered for admission to certain tertiary Although most institutions make early offers ofcourses. Some tertiary courses require applicants to undergraduate admission under SRS, institutionshave completed a specific HSC course or equivalent have their own policies on determining SRS eligibilitybefore they will be offered a place in those courses and making offers.(course prerequisites). Some subjects within atertiary course require applicants to have completed Slipback offera specific HSC course or equivalent before they areable to enrol in those particular subjects (subject An offer to a lower level of study than you haveprerequisites). applied for; for example, if you apply for a Bachelor degree and the institution decides that it cannot offerRaw HSC mark you entry to that course, it may offer you entry to a lower level of study, such as a Diploma.The average of your raw examination mark and yourraw moderated school assessment mark, before it is Universities Admissions Centre (UAC)aligned to performance bands by the NSW EducationStandards Authority or scaled by UAC. This mark is The central office that receives and processesnot reported to you. applications for admission to most undergraduate courses at its participating institutions as well asRecommended studies applications for Educational Access Schemes, Schools Recommendation Schemes and EquityYear 12 courses that an institution suggests you Scholarships. UAC notifies NSW HSC studentsshould study to assist in your chosen tertiary course. of their ATAR (ACT students are notified by theirIf you have not studied these courses your chances school) and makes offers of admission on behalfof selection are not affected. However, if you have of participating institutions. It also processesstudied these courses you will be better prepared for applications for many postgraduate courses.your chosen tertiary course. Owned by universities in NSW and the ACT, UAC is a not‑for‑profit organisation that aims to provideScaled mark excellence in admissions services and promote equity of access to tertiary education.The mark used in the ATAR calculation. It is usedbecause unscaled marks in different courses arenot directly comparable, and an adjustment mustbe made before an overall measure of achievementcan be determined. Scaling allows the comparisonof students who have studied different courses bydetermining what the marks would have been if allstudents had attempted all courses. ATAR and Applying for Uni 35

UACMy UAC’s mobile app My UAC mobile app allows you to search for courses, manage course preferences, and check your ATAR and offers on your phone or tablet.DownloadSearch for courses Tag your favourite courses. They’ll be saved to the Favourites list so they’ll beYou can search for courses by keyword, easy to find next time you use My UAC.field of study, institution name, coursename, course cut‑off, course code, ordistance from your location.Manage your course preferencesIn My UAC, you can manage your application wherever you are by adding courses,removing courses or re-ordering your course preferences.View your ATAR You will need your Year 12 student number (or your UAC application number) andATARs will be available in December UAC PIN to view your ATAR.2017.Check your offers Offers are made in a number of offer rounds throughout the year.You can view and respond to your offers.Need help?For more information visit uac.edu.au/undergraduate/mobile-app.My UAC is available for FREEin iOS and Android. Downloadour app today!

All About the ATAR and Applying for Uni for Important informationStudents and Parents DisclaimerPublished February 2017 While UAC and the institution authors of this publication have used theirPrinter: Finsbury Green, Thebarton, SA best endeavours to ensure that information and analyses of information contained in this publication are correct at the time of printing, any use© U niversities Admissions Centre (NSW & ACT) Pty Ltd 2017 or reliance whatsoever on the publication by any person is that person’s ACN 070 055 935 ABN 19 070 055 935 responsibility and UAC and the institution authors of this publication disclaim any responsibility or liability in relation to that use or reliance.UAC is the owner of the copyright in this publication. UAC and the institution authors reserve the right to change theirApart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, processes, scholarships, schemes, content or the method ofcriticism or review, or otherwise as permitted under the presentation of any unit of study, or to withdraw any unit or course ofCopyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any study on offer or to impose limitations on enrolments in any unit orprocess without UAC’s written permission. Enquiries should course of study.be addressed to the Managing Director, UAC. Advertising disclaimerUAC has no objection to secondary schools and UAC’s UAC does not necessarily endorse any product or service that may beparticipating tertiary institutions reproducing or using the advertised in this publication.publication provided it is for use only within their own Fees and chargesinstitution and this copyright statement is included. All UAC fees and charges include 10 per cent GST. UAC fees and chargesIf the document isn’t reproduced in full, sections shouldn’t are not refundable under any circumstances, except as required by law.be copied out of context where information could be Timesincomplete and/or misleading. Secondary schools and Times indicated in this publication are stated as Sydney time.UAC’s participating tertiary institutions must ensure that UAC Privacy Policythis information isn’t transmitted to any other person or The Universities Admissions Centre (NSW & ACT) Pty Ltd (UAC)body without prior permission from UAC. recognises the importance of protecting personal information andThis publication is available on UAC’s website. is bound by the NSW State Information Protection Principles1, the Australian Privacy Principles2 and the NSW Health Privacy Principles3.Cover image Details of UAC’s Privacy Policy are available at www.uac.edu.au/Universities Admissions Centre (NSW & ACT) Pty Ltd general/privacy.shtml. Also refer to UAC declarations which are set out in our publications, online at www.uac.edu.au/general/legal.shtml or within our applications. UAC collects personal information and, in some circumstances, information regarding your health, or information about someone other than yourself, for the purpose of processing your application for admission to tertiary institutions. UAC will only collect information for lawful purposes related to its function. You may seek access to personal information about you collected by UAC. The type of personal information UAC holds includes your contact details (name, address, telephone number, email address), date of birth, gender, citizenship, educational achievements, professional qualifications, employment experience, examination results, information related to your health or the health of a family member and your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). If you are providing personal information about someone other than yourself, you should tell them about UAC’s Privacy Policy, which can be found on UAC’s website at www.uac.edu.au/general/privacy.shtml. If you are a NSW Higher School Certificate student, your Year 12 results will be held, along with Year 12 results from other states and territories in Australia, in an archive database at UAC. If you are eligible for an ATAR or a Limited ATAR, these will also be held in the database. Your results, including your ATAR if you are eligible, will be held in similar archives at tertiary admissions centres in other states in Australia. Results held in these archives will only be accessed by the relevant tertiary admission centre if you initiate an application for tertiary study through that centre, or if you submit an application for tertiary study directly with an institution participating in that centre. Any questions regarding privacy at UAC should be forwarded in writing to: The Managing Director, UAC, Locked Bag 112, Silverwater NSW 2128. 1 In the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW). 2 In the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). 3 In the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW).

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