Course Admission Requirements (TAFE SA)

Admission Exams

Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Skills (LLND)

The LLND assessment indicates your reading, numeracy and digital skills. Satisfactory performance in the LLND is a course admission requirement for most TAFE SA courses, and may also be used to assess eligibility to access subsidised training.

LLND assessments are tailored to the individual, with tests varying in length from as short as the 15-minute snap shot version to as long as 3 hours.

In some cases, an applicant may be exempt if they meet requirements with prior studies.

TAFE SA administers the LLND assessments and will contact applicants who are required to complete one for their preference(s).

Find out more about the LLND on the TAFE SA website
 

Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) 

The STAT is an aptitude test designed to test readiness for higher education studies. Results can be used to meet course admission requirements and contribute to your selection score for entry into higher education courses only.

In some cases a STAT may be used to meet LLND requirements (see LLND above).

English Language Tests

Applicants to Diploma of Nursing programs will need to meet English language requirements set out by AHPRA.

Applicants who do not meet requirements through their schooling will need to sit an approved English test.

Find out more about nursing and midwifery English language requirements here.

Completion of SACE or equivalent

Students who are awarded the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) have successfully completed Year 12 (final year of secondary school) in South Australia.

When a course lists “Satisfactory completion of SACE Stage 2 (or equivalent)” as an admission requirement, applicants must have completed the SACE, an International Baccalaureate (IB), or an interstate Year 12 qualification. Some courses also have a minimum ATAR requirement. Satisfying the qualification requirement alone does not guarantee selection.

Overseas school qualifications are assessed individually on a country-by-country basis.
 

TAFE, VET and Higher Education level study

When a course requires a completed Certificate-level course (for example, any Certificate III), this requirement is met by applicants who have completed a Level 3 qualification or higher, as defined by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

Applicants who have successfully completed at least one year of full-time study at university at AQF Level 6 or above (for example, an Associate Degree or Bachelor Degree) also meet this requirement.

For more information, visit the Australian Qualifications Framework website.
 

University bridging and foundation courses

Successful completion of a recognised university bridging or foundation course may be used to meet course admission requirements.

A successfully completed bridging or foundation course of 12 months duration may be considered equivalent to completion of SACE Stage 2 or a Certificate III.

Competitive and non-competitive courses

Courses may be competitive if there are limited places available. They are non-competitive if TAFE SA expects that all qualified applicants will be accepted.
 

Competitive courses

Your chances of being selected for a place in a competitive TAFE SA course depend on:

• The number of places available in the course
• Whether you have met the course admission requirements (i.e. whether you are eligible)
• How many other eligible applicants are applying
• How competitive your qualifications are compared to other eligible applicants (i.e. your rank). 

When applying for a competitive course, you need to demonstrate in your application that your qualifications meet the course admission requirements. SATAC will assess your qualifications to determine your eligibility and rank before an offer can be made to you.
 

Non-competitive courses

Many non-competitive courses have no course admission requirements. In these instances, there is usually no ranking or other selection criteria applied. However, if demand is higher than expected, TAFE SA may make offers based on the order in which applications were received – so SATAC encourages students to submit their TAFE SA applications as early as possible once they open.
 

Note for Existing Worker courses

Most Existing Worker courses do not have formal course admission requirements, but you will be required to provide evidence to TAFE SA when you enrol that you are currently employed in a relevant position.
 

How TAFE SA allocates places in a course

Each course will have a total number of places it can allocate. This is called the quota.

If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the quota, applicants will be ranked for selection using predetermined criteria, often the date their application was received. This is why SATAC encourages students to submit their TAFE SA applications as soon as they open.

You can find more information about selection criteria by visiting Course Search and checking the individual course entry.
 

Ranking applicants

For competitive courses with limited places, eligible applicants are ranked in order of merit. TAFE SA has specific ranking rules that determine this order.

Selection rules and decisions are made by TAFE SA, and SATAC applies these rules and decisions on TAFE SA’s behalf.