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Thursday, 24 July 2014

The following information was well-received by last year's Year 12 students, so at the risk of repeating ourselves (and your teachers), we've reproduced it for the Class of 2014.

Semester One, 2015 applications will soon be opening, and current Year 12 students at WA high schools will receive the 2015 TISC Guide within the next couple of weeks. We've compiled a list of seven things to keep in mind before you submit your application through TISC.

1. One TISC application covers four WA universities

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) administers all Semester One applications for domestic students on behalf of all four of the WA public universities - UWA, Murdoch University, Edith Cowan University (ECU) and Curtin University. It involves an online application with six preferences to utilise, so carefully consider all your options. If you are also intending to submit an application to any other institution (including The University of Notre Dame or the WA Academy of Performing Arts), or you are an international student, alternative application methods apply; refer to the respective university for details.

2. Think about the course(s) you wish to do the most.

You will be offered the highest preference for which you are eligible for, so even if you're not 100% confident of achieving the required ATAR or prerequisites for the course you really wish to study, still make it your top preference.

3. For UWA specifically, you are only applying for your chosen degree (not major) at this stage.

While your choice of major may help you decide which degree you'd like to study, it's likely you won't find a TISC code for it specifically. You will generally be applying for either a Bachelor of Arts , Bachelor of Commerce , Bachelor of Design , or Bachelor of Science . For example, if you're keen on pursuing Landscape Architecture or Fine Arts, you will apply for a Bachelor of Design; if you are interested in Geology or Marine Science, your preferences should include the applicable Bachelor of Science code. Please note, however, there are separate codes for Music , as well as the Assured Entry Pathways to Engineering, Medicine, Law and Dentistry as these do involve additional requirements to be met. All available course codes will be provided on the TISC website or in the 2015 TISC Guide. You will have the opportunity to nominate your chosen major/s at the time of enrolment should your application be successful.

4. Consider your ‘Plan B'.

You have six preferences to utilise, so where possible, keep your options open. This is especially the case if you are considering applying for a course with competitive entry requirements, including the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) or an Assured Entry Pathway to Engineering, Law, Medicine or Dentistry; be sure to add the undergraduate course you are looking at studying - even if you are successful - as a lower preference. If you are worried about not achieving an ATAR of 80 (or 75 if you are from a Broadway UWA school), consider adding a preference for a related course at an alternative university; you may then have the opportunity to apply to UWA at a later stage using your Grade Point Average as a basis for admission.

5. Keep your TISC contact details up to date.

Universities are only permitted to make contact with applicants using the details registered with TISC. If you move house or change email addresses from the time you submit your application to the all-important offer rounds in January and February, we won't know unless you update your contact details via the TISC website. This is particularly important if - like most students - your school email address is your primary or default email contact. Consider this: will you still have access to your school emails from December onwards?

To be sure you don't miss out on any important notifications, requests for more information, or - most critically - an offer of a place, it's crucial that you update your TISC registration details as soon as they change and before the allocated deadline. Furthermore, if you are planning to be away from home at the time offers are released, it is recommended you make arrangements for a trusted relative or friend to collect your mail so they can convey any important information and instructions contained in any correspondence you receive.

6. Be mindful of deadlines and important dates.

Pay very close attention to the ‘Important Dates' information provided by TISC, both in the 2015 TISC Guide and on their website . For example, the on-time deadline for submitting applications (before late fees apply), as well as the final closing date to add Assured Entry Pathway to Medicine and Dentistry preferences is Tuesday, 30 September, 2014; the last chance to make changes to your preferences in time for Main Round offers is 2 January 2015. There are also deadlines for document submission and changing contact details.

7. If in doubt, contact us.

Both the 2015 TISC Guide and TISC website are an invaluable source of information, but if you have any UWA-specific queries or concerns, our Admissions and Prospective Students office staff are available to talk to Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Our office will also be open the week commencing 29 December (after WACE results are released), with the exception of the New Year's Day public holiday, should you need advice during this time.

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