Most courses have a higher education subquota. The exceptions are:

Charles Darwin University

• Children's Services
• Medicine/Surgery

Flinders University

• Government and Public Management (TAFE/VET pathway)
• Laws and Legal Practice (Hons) (including combined degrees)
• Medicine/Surgery
• Physiotherapy

University of South Australia

• Early Childhood Education (External)
• Policing
• UniSA Foundation Studies

This page can help you understand:

• your eligibility to compete in a higher education subquota;
  

• the minimum higher education qualifications accepted; and
  

• how applicants are ranked in a higher education subquota
   

ELIGIBILITY TO COMPETE IN A HIGHER EDUCATION SUBQUOTA

In this section, the term 'higher education level' means study at diploma level or above at a university or equivalent eg a college of advanced education, institute of technology, institute of higher education. It also includes bachelor degree courses undertaken at TAFE or other registered training organisations provided that the degree course is listed on the AQF higher education register of qualifications for the relevant period of accreditation.

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a national system of classification of tertiary awards offered by tertiary institutions ie universities, TAFE and other registered training organisations.

All universities

If you have studied at higher education level, whether you are eligible to compete in the higher education subquota for a given course largely depends upon the length of time you have studied. See below for details.

In all cases below, 'one year' in relation to length of study means the equivalent of one full-time year, eg 80 credit points at Charles Darwin University; 36 units at Flinders University or at the University of South Australia; 24 points at the University of Adelaide; or the interstate equivalent; 'one semester' means the equivalent of one half of one full-time year.

All universities

For all undergraduate courses/programs except Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Medicine/Surgery at the University of Adelaide*:
If you have studied at higher education level for exactly one semester or more, you are eligible to compete in the higher education subquota.

If however, you have studied at higher education level for less than one semester, you are not eligible to compete in the higher education subquota.

* There are specific eligibility requirements for competing in the higher education subquota for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Medicine/Surgery at the University of Adelaide.

MINIMUM LEVEL OF STUDY ACCEPTED

All universities
In order to be eligible to compete in a higher education subquota for undergraduate courses, you must either:

• have undertaken higher education level study at an Australian institution, or

• have undertaken study overseas at a level which is deemed to be the equivalent of Australian higher education level study (see below).

Higher education study undertaken overseas
If you have undertaken higher education study overseas, SATAC will use the guidelines agreed to by its participating institutions to assess your study in terms of its equivalence to higher education level study offered by Australian institutions and hence determine your eligibility to compete in a higher education subquota.

If you are unsure of the equivalence of your overseas higher education study, SATAC can give you advice over the telephone and/or in person (for more complex cases). If you need advice about your overseas qualifications, contact SATAC without delay to allow the maximum time for dealing with your enquiry.

RANKING APPLICANTS IN A HIGHER EDUCATION SUBQUOTA

In order to rank applicants in a higher education subquota, SATAC must first calculate a Grade Point Average (GPA). This is done for each higher education level course you have studied at an Australian institution or overseas equivalent for the equivalent of one semester full-time or longer.

Click here to view the method for calculating the GPA together with some examples.

Course-specific tertiary (higher education) ranks
For most courses, the tertiary (higher education) rank is the one resulting from your best GPA.

There are, however, some course-specific variants, for example:

• the rank resulting from a combined GPA which includes the grades from all courses 

• the rank resulting from the GPA of a course in a field related to the course for which you are now applying 

Note that for entry in semester 1 2012, results from study up to and including semester 2 2011 will be included in the Grade Point Average calculation. Results from later study periods will not normally be included. This may impact on applicants undertaking study in summer school or at Open Universities Australia (OUA).