Admission requirements
CDU TAFE courses
TAFE courses range from Certificate courses such as a Certificate III, through to TAFE Diplomas. These courses are great way to get your study underway.
Certificate courses
Most certificate courses do not have specific entry requirements. You can be eligible for admission even if you haven’t completed Year 12 or received an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).
Learn about the different TAFE certificates.
Diploma courses
To be eligible for admission into a diploma course, you will need to have one of the following:
- successfully completed Year 12 or equivalent
- successfully completed a Certificate IV or higher
- relevant work or life experience.
Literacy and numeracy requirements
All TAFE courses require you to have satisfactory English literacy and numeracy skills.
If you think you may need help with your English literacy and numeracy skills, check out our TAFE Prep program. This program is designed to give you the confidence and skills you need to succeed in your TAFE course.
Undergraduate
There are several ways to meet the admission requirements for undergraduate courses at CDU. It doesn’t matter if you have just finished Year 12 or if you haven’t studied in years.
You will meet the admission requirements if you have completed one of the following:
- Successful completion of the Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (or equivalent) and, the awarding of an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) of at least 60 after any applicable ATAR Adjustments have been applied.
- Successful completion of a national qualification at Certificate III level or higher.
- Successful completion of at least 0.5 years of full-time study (or equivalent) of a higher education degree/diploma.
- Overseas secondary or tertiary qualifications considered equivalent to the above Australian qualifications.
- Attainment of a STAT Multiple Choice score of 135 (or a score of 145 if prior to May 2010).
- Successful completion of the Tertiary Enabling Program, the ACIKE Preparation for Tertiary Success courses, or another recognised tertiary preparation course.
- Submission of an acceptable personal competencies statement and/or employment experience
- Defence members with service of 1 year or more at specified ranks (or higher).
Some courses are more competitive than others, and while the minimum ATAR for admission is 60, these courses may cut off at a higher score. Check the course detail page of your chosen course to check the ATAR requirements.
Additional criteria
Bachelor of Clinical Science
It is expected that applicants will need to achieve an ATAR of 90 or above, or 85 for Indigenous students (after the addition of any Universities Equity Scheme) to be competitive for a place in this course. Ranking for offers of places will be based on an entry score combining ATAR (90%), and Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) - derived score (10%).
All courses in the field of education
Applicants must complete a non-academic assessment to demonstrate their motivation to teach, strong interpersonal and communication skills, willingness to learn, resilience, and strong organisational and planning skills.
Postgraduate
Postgraduate courses range from Graduate Certificates through to Doctorates and can help you take the next step in your career.
Students wishing to undertake a postgraduate course, in most cases, require an undergraduate degree.
In some cases, consideration can be given to non-graduates who have relevant professional experience. Check the admissions requirements for your chosen course on the course detail page of your course.
Additional entry requirements
For some courses, other criteria, such as an interview, curriculum vitae (CV), audition or portfolio submission apply.
If the course you have chosen has additional entry requirements, you will be contacted by our Admissions team.
Quotas
Some courses have a quota and offers for admission into these courses will be based on merit. This means that even though you may meet the minimum admission requirement to the University, your rank may not be competitive enough to receive an offer.
Additional information
Enabling Courses
If you don’t meet the entry requirements for your chosen course, enabling courses are a great way to refresh your skills and build confidence.
To be eligible for an enabling course, you will need to be at least 18 years old and you will need to have satisfactory English literacy and numeracy skills.
You will also be required to complete a short writing task as part of the application process.
Special consideration
Special consideration may be given to applicants who have special circumstances. This can include a long-term medical condition, that may have disadvantaged them in their studies and which they wish to be taken into account in the assessment of their application.
Applicants who seek special consideration as part of the application process will be able to download a confidential questionnaire and information on the supporting documentation required.
Current year 12 students cannot seek special consideration through the SATAC process.
In South Australia and the Northern Territory, year 12 students who have special circumstances should seek consideration from the SACE Board. Information is available from the SACE Board website.
Year 12 students studying elsewhere in Australia (not South Australia or the Northern Territory) who have special circumstances should seek consideration from the board of studies in their state/territory, or directly from their school.
Admissions transparency
The University remains committed to attracting and selecting a diverse range of students who demonstrate the potential to succeed in their chosen course and recognises that a wide range of personal or systemic factors can cause an applicant to face educational disadvantage, including:
- disabilities or medical conditions
- economic disadvantage
- geographic remoteness
- cultural background
- other disruptive factors outside an applicant’s control.
Applicants may not always be able to demonstrate their ability to succeed through prior academic success and so the University has established minimum admission requirements that can be met using a wide range of demonstrated skills and experience. Evidence might include employment, volunteering, community, business, sports, arts achievements, defence activities, leadership roles, and recommendations from high school or community Elders.
The Admissions Policy and associated guidelines ensure that all commencing students have satisfied academic and English language requirements in addition to course-specific entry requirements where applicable. Additionally, the University provides TAFE, enabling and HE pathways, ensuring students enter their field at an appropriate AQF level and scaffold their learning through one or more preparatory courses.
The Learning, Teaching and Assessment sub-committee of the Academic Board monitors the setting of entry requirements and the relative performance of students entering on different bases of admission to ensure quality outcomes.
Not sure if you meet the requirements?
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Pathways to study
Pathways to studyThere are several pathways for admission into CDU, so what’s holding you back? Explore our study pathways and get started sooner rather than later.
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Tertiary Enabling Program (TEP)
Find out moreCDU's free Tertiary Enabling Program (TEP) is an alternative pathway into university. With TEP, you'll have the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to succeed at university.
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English language proficiency
Find moreTo gain entry into Charles Darwin University, all Higher Education applicants must satisfy the English Language Proficiency Requirements for their chosen course of study. All applicants will be required to supply evidence of this at the time of application.
