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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, we've reproduced it for the Class of 2014...and you!

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 students submit their 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 students need to carefully consider all their options. If students 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 if they are an international student, alternative application methods apply; refer to the respective university for details.

2. Students should think about the course(s) they wish to do the most.

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

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

While the choice of major may help students decide which degree they'd like to study, it's likely they won't find a TISC code for it specifically. Students will generally be applying for either a Bachelor of Arts , Bachelor of Commerce , Bachelor of Design , or Bachelor of Science . For example, if they are pursuing Landscape Architecture or Fine Arts, they will apply for a Bachelor of Design; if they are interested in Geology or Marine Science, their 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. Students will have the opportunity to nominate your chosen major/s at the time of enrolment should your application be successful.

4. Consider ‘Plan B'.

Applicants have six preferences to utilise, so where possible, it's wise to keep options open. This is especially the case if studnets 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; they are encouraged to add the undergraduate course they are looking at studying - even if successful - as a lower preference. For students who are worried about not achieving an ATAR of 80 (or 75 if they are from a Broadway UWA school), they should consider adding a preference for a related course at an alternative university; they may then have the opportunity to apply to UWA at a later stage using your Grade Point Average as a basis for admission.

We appreciate there may be certain circumstances that prevent students from achieving their desired results. Disadvantages may include (but are not limited to) bereavement, excessive family responsibilities and sudden illness. Students who feel their WACE preparation was disrupted adversely in any way are encouraged to consider applying separately through UWay . Note: Information for 2015 applicants is still in the process of being finalised, but will be made available online in August.

5. Keep TISC contact details up to date.

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

To be sure they don't miss out on any important notifications, requests for more information, or - most critically - an offer of a place, it's crucial that students update their TISC registration details as soon as they change and before the allocated deadline. Furthermore, for students who are planning to be away from home at the time offers are released, it is recommended they make arrangements for a trusted relative or friend to collect their 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 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 or your students 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 students need advice during this time.

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