Universities make first round offers

THE wait is over for the Victorian students hoping for good news about receiving a first-round university or TAFE offer.

On January 16, there were 52,973 first round offers made to students for undergraduate and vocational courses.

Those wanting to pursue a career in teaching will now need to have a minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of at least 65, with the rank increasing to 70 in 2019.

The state government increased the ATAR scores with the aim that teaching students in Victoria would be from the top 30 per cent of Year 12 graduates.

This year, the average ATAR score for teaching increased to 69.53.

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre issued 641 graduate entry teaching offers last week, and has already issued 2,547 offers to international students and 5,192 early round offers.

Minister for Education James Merlino and Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney congratulated all students who received an offer, and noted there were plenty of options for those who were not successful this time round.

“We always said we wanted to raise the bar for those wanting to become a teacher to ensure we keep lifting standards in our classrooms,” Mr Merlino said.

Students can either wait on further rounds of VTAC offers or change their VTAC preference.

Another option is to approach an institution directly, including one of Victoria’s 12 publicly owned TAFEs or four dual-sector universities.

Deakin University made 6,626 offers in round one, as well as another 918 early round offers made in November.

The university – which has campuses on the Geelong waterfront and Waurn Ponds – said nursing, arts, exercise and sport science, business and commerce were its five most popular courses.

“Deakin is delighted to this year offer places to more than 6,000 prospective new students, because it is our vibrant and diverse student community that has created the rewarding learning experience Deakin has become known for,” acting vice chancellor Professor Gary Smith said.

“This has been evident in our rise in the international rankings, highlighted by the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, which has for the past two years running been ranked as the world’s best in the Academic Ranking of World Universities rankings of Sport Science Schools and Departments.”