I didn't think I'd be able to go to uni

No ATAR? No worries. At Charles Darwin University, your diverse background is what we’re looking for. And we believe you should be able to connect to university, no matter where you're from. 

That's why we offer a free, 16-week Tertiary Enabling Program as an alternative pathway into university. It can help you meet entry requirements for a range of undergraduate degrees while building your study skills and confidence. 

If you don't have an ATAR, meet entry requirements for your course or you just haven't studied in a long time and want to brush up on your uni skills, TEP is the program for you.

Here, six students share how they used TEP to get on the pathway to their dream career. 

"I knew I wanted to be a lawyer"

As the NT Young Australian of the Year and a law student at CDU, you might be surprised to know that Sizol actually flunked Year 12.  

“Some of my teachers said I wouldn’t succeed at life but I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.”

Without the ATAR required to apply for a law degree, Sizol took matters into her own hands and enrolled in CDU's free Tertiary Enabling Program.

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"I'm the first in my family to go to uni"

When Beth decided to leave school before finishing Year 12, she wondered if this decision would follow her for life. But Beth comes from a line of strong, hard-working women – and not getting an ATAR was the start of her story, not the end.

"I have so much admiration for my mum and grandma. Going on jobs with them made me realise that I didn’t want to be a cleaner and struggle like they did. My nan was a cleaner, my mum is a cleaner and so is my sister. I want to break that cycle."

She’s the first person in her family to go to uni, and guided by a strong moral compass, has always been interested in the law. But before she could enrol in a law degree at CDU, she completed CDU’s free Tertiary Enabling Program.

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Enabling program to qualified engineer

After bouncing around from one unfulfilling job to the next, Rikki felt there was something missing.

“It was only after having my beautiful baby boy Elijah that I realised he deserved to have a better life. I deserved to have a better life.”

She enrolled in CDU’s free 16-week Tertiary Enabling Program and says the naysayers have only motivated her to work even harder.

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Using TEP to become a teacher

After finishing school without a Year 12 High School Certificate (HSC), Matt tried his hand at the trades for a while but this career path wasn’t for him.

In his 20s, he decided it was time to find a way to try and fulfill his dream of becoming a teacher.

Matt enrolled in CDU's free bridging program, which gave him the skills and confidence to get started with his teaching degree (as well as helping him meet the entry requirements). 

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"I didn't think I'd be able to go"

Jubilee always dreamed of becoming a nurse and she’s let nothing stand in her way. Not even the fact that she didn't meet the prerequisites for a nursing degree. 

“I’d always planned to study a nursing degree, but because I lacked the qualifications necessary to enrol in university, I didn’t think I’d be able to go." 

Jubilee enrolled in CDU's free Tertiary Enabling Program which helped her meet the entry requirements for a nursing degree. 

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Shock to the system

After working as an electrician for 10 years and seeing the projects and positions that would be available to him if he pursued further study, Matt took the plunge to become a mature-age engineering student.

To lessen the shock of heading back to uni after a decade in the workforce, Matt wanted additional help learning skills like academic writing and referencing.

“My maths skills were not up to scratch."

He took full advantage of CDU’s free Tertiary Enabling Program to confidently dive back into study.

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Our 16-week Tertiary Enabling Program can give you the skills you need to enter your desired course and succeed at university. Study TEP online or on campus, part-time or full-time as it suits your lifestyle.