Experience-based entry

If you’re currently in Year 12 and seeking admission to UWA through Experience-based entry, you can apply through TISC. 

Apply through TISC

If you’re a secondary school leaver and feel your ATAR hasn’t quite reflected your capability and your passion for learning, you can apply direct to UWA for Experience-based entry. We’ll use your ATAR Subject scores in combination with your academic achievements and life experiences to assess you for entry. 

Apply through TISC

If you’ve completed General Courses, you can apply direct to UWA for Experience-based entry. We’ll just need you to supply the following documents to support your application, such as:  

• Academic awards and qualifications (AQF Certificates - you do not need to provide WACE and ATAR results)
• Extra-curricular awards or certificates
• Life and sporting achievements
• Work experience (résumé) 
• Education references

Apply through TISC

If you’ve completed a TAFE or Vocational Education Training (VET), you can apply direct to UWA for Experience-based entry. We’ll just need you to supply the following documents to support your application, such as:

• Academic awards and qualifications (AQF Certificates - you do not need to provide WACE and ATAR results)
• Extra-curricular awards or certificates
• Life and sporting achievements
• Work experience (résumé)
• Education references

Apply now

If you’re 20 years of age or older and have little or no previous study experience at tertiary level, you can apply direct to UWA through Experience-based entry using a combination of documents such as:

• Academic awards and qualifications (AQF Certificates, previous secondary school results - you do not need to provide WA school results)
• Extra-curricular awards or certificates
• Life and sporting achievements
• Work experience (résumé) and professional qualifications
• Education references

Apply now

If you’re currently studying at another university and are unable to transfer to UWA using your grades alone, you can apply direct to UWA through Experience-based entry using a combination of documents such as:

• Academic awards and qualifications (AQF Certificates, previous secondary school results - you do not need to provide WA school results)
• Extra-curricular awards or certificates
• Life and sporting achievements
• Work experience (résumé) and professional qualifications
• Education references

Apply now

This program is available to Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens, Australian permanent residents and holders of permanent humanitarian visas.

Students must satisfy UWA's English Language Competency requirements through secondary school, a recognised test of English or completion of a Communications unit at UWA. Students must also satisfy the prerequisite requirements for their chosen course either through secondary school or bridging units completed at UWA.

You can check your eligibility using our eligibility checker.

Documents which may be submitted include evidence of:

• Completed AQF awards (Level II-IV) or an incomplete AQF Diploma
• Completed ATAR and ATAR subjects (completed interstate only. We have access to results completed in WA)
• Completed general subjects (you only need to supply this if you’ve completed your studies interstate. We have access to results completed in WA)
• Completed high school or other awards completed interstate or overseas
• Extra-curricular awards or certificates
• Work experience (resume)
• Life achievements and commitments (including sport, music, volunteering etc.) 
• Education references

UWA’s comprehensive support services for health, wellbeing and academic success to ensure you get the help and support you need to succeed. You'll also have the opportunity to connect with a wide network of peers to support you along the way.

Checking your eligibility is easy! You can check your eligibility using our eligibility checker, where you select the academic and life achievements relevant to you. Based on the items you select; we can predict your eligibility for entry to our comprehensive bachelor's degrees. You can contact our friendly Future Students team on 131 UWA (131 892) or by submitting a question via askUWA. They’ll advise on the entry options available to you.

We recognise that your life experiences, achievements, commitments, and academic qualifications are good preparation for university studies. You may like to highlight your educational achievements e.g., Shark Tank, Cambridge Project, Micro-credentials and Enabling Units, cultural experiences, performance, volunteering, work experience, sporting commitments and awards; be sure to include an up-to-date résumé as part of your application.

To help us assess your strengths and determine your eligibility for your preferred course, we ask that supporting documentation is uploaded for each item in your application and that education references are provided. Education references will be counted only once in determining your eligibility, and multiple references can be included.

If there’s a specific course you’d like to study, you’ll just need to get started in one of our comprehensive bachelor’s degrees before transferring to your preferred degree. Before transferring, you’ll need to meet UWA’s transfer requirements.

Experiences and activities are assessed according to their degree of difficulty or award status. For example, sporting participation is broken down into three categories; elite, sub-elite, and developmental, with each level providing a different number of points towards your total entry score. Other experiences such as volunteering have a single score component.

An education reference can come from a Career Advisor, High School Teacher or Coordinator, Principal, School Staff Member or TAFE/University Academic covering how they know the applicant and why they would recommend them for university entry. This is also an opportunity to highlight any academic achievements the student has made throughout their studies in addition to any community engagement, extracurricular activities, leadership abilities, volunteering, problem-solving skills and team collaboration skills.

The education reference should be no more than two pages and must be on institution letterhead, signed by the reference. Please include:

• Applicant full name
• Applicant school name
• Reference full name
• Reference role
• Reference email address
• Reference contact number

Eligibility through the UWA’s Experience-based entry is determined using a considered point system. You can check to see whether you’d be eligible for entry to our courses before making an application by using our online eligibility checker.

Yes, absolutely. If you apply and don’t meet our eligibility criteria, we’ll get in touch with you to discuss how you can start your UWA journey. At any point, you can always contact our friendly Future Students team.

Yes, only grades of A and B will be used to determine eligibility for this program.

Meet Myles – a passion for sports

Interested in the field of sports management

Qualifications:

• ATAR of 63.50
• Plays football for South Fremantle (Colts)
• Completed one University Enabling unit
• Has been a volunteer at Perth Football Club for one year

Eligible for experience-based entry (satisfied English Language Competency through ATAR English

• UWA course: Bachelor of Science
• Degree-specific major: Sport Science
• Second major: Management

Meet Sarah – a budding politician

Interested in politics and climate change

Qualifications: 

• Completed Certificate IV
• Completed General Subjects (2xA and 2xB)
• Education reference from her teacher

Eligible for experience-based entry (conditional upon satisfying English Language Competency)

• UWA course: Bachelor of Arts
• Degree-specific major: Political Science and International Relations
• Second major: Conservation Biology

Meet Sam – an aspiring sound designer

Interested in creating music

Qualifications:

• Completed General Subjects (2xB and 2xC)
• AMEB Music Exam Level 5
• Completed one year of work experience at Joe’s Record Store
• Education reference from their teacher

Not Eligible for experience-based entry (but received a conditional offer based on a Special Tertiary Admissions Test)

• UWA course: Bachelor of Arts
• Degree-specific major: Electronic Music and Sound Design

You can achieve the ELC requirements for UWA by obtaining a final scaled mark of 50 or more in WACE ATAR English, Literature or EALD, through completion of a recognised test of English or by completing a communications unit at UWA in your first semester.