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Victorian College of the Arts

DOMESTIC STUDENTS

For admissions purposes, applicants holding one of the following are considered to be domestic (local) students:

• Australian Citizenship
• New Zealand Citizenship
• Australian Permanent Residency
• Australian Permanent Humanitarian Visa
• International applicants currently studying the VCE, or another Year 12 program in Australia, or the IB at an Australian secondary school

 Applicants who do not fall under one of these categories are considered to be international students.

Australian citizens or permanent residents who are currently studying overseas should refer to the entry standards for international students as a guide.

Current University of Melbourne students wishing to transfer to this course must apply through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre.

ENTRY STANDARDS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Students applying to the University of Melbourne must satisfy the entry requirements for the course.

To be eligible for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree applicants must have:

• Successfully completed the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or an equivalent qualification to the VCE

• Achieved a study score of at least 25 in English, English Language or English Literature, or a study score of at least 30 in Units 3 and 4 VCE ESL

Applicants must provide certified copies of secondary and/or any post secondary studies (University or TAFE studies with their supporting documentation.

Visit the University's Future Students website for more information on guaranteed and indicative entry standards.

ENTRY PATHWAYS

Mature age applicants

The Faculty welcomes and encourages applications from mature aged students. We recognise that not everybody who starts university comes straight from completing an Australian Year 12 qualification.

There are a number of ways to become eligible to enter a University of Melbourne degree.  Visit the University’s web site for further information.

Download the Faculty’s Mature Age Entry Pathway Flowchart (pdf file, 339kb)

Non-school leaver entry pathway

Applicants, who do not have any recent qualifications to use as a basis for their application so are not able to meet the standard entry requirements, may be eligible using the University’s non-school leaver entry pathway. To be eligible for this pathway, applicants must:

• be aged 23 years or older at 30 September, in the year of application for semester 1 intake, or as at 30 June in the year of application for semester 2 intake
• be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident , or holder of a permanent humanitarian visa
• have no qualifications from the past seven years which could be used as a basis for your application
• meet course prerequisites and satisfy any other extra requirements
• demonstrate your likelihood to succeed in tertiary study by achieving competitive results in a specified aptitude test, or through the University’s Community Access Program

Visit theUniversity’s web site for further information.

Non-Year 12 applicants

Applicants not applying directly after completing a Year 12 qualification and with many different academic backgrounds fit into this category. For example, you might be studying an overseas qualification or you might be part-way through another tertiary qualification.

Visit the University’s web site to learn more about being a non-Year 12 applicant.

Special Tertiary Admissions Test

The Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is for applicants who do not have a recent Year 12 certificate, and is one form of assessment which can be used to demonstrate an applicant’s likelihood to succeed in a course under the non-school leaver entry pathway.

Applicants can register for STAT when submitting their VTAC application by completing the STAT section of the VTAC Online Application. Applicants are required to take both the Multiple Choice sections and the Written English section of the STAT.

Visit the University’s web site for further information.

Scholastic Aptitude Test

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is another form of assessment which can be used to demonstrate your likelihood to succeed in a course under the non-school leaver entry pathway.

The SAT includes three sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing, with a specific number of questions related to content. Applicants are required to complete all three sections.
Visit the University’s web site for further information.

COMMONWEALTH SUPPORTED PLACES

All commencing domestic undergraduate students at the University of Melbourne will be enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). A CSP is a higher education place for which the Australian Government provides funding towards the cost of a student’s education. Students only pay a proportion of the cost of their fees through a student contribution. Eligible students may also be able to use a government loan called HECS-HELP to help pay their remaining student contribution. HECS-HELP lets a student borrow the amount of their student contribution and then pay the loan back once they are in the workforce and earning more than a specified amount. 

COURSE INFORMATION

Before applying for this degree, applicants are advised to read the handbook entry for information on the course overview, objectives, structure, subjects and entry requirements.

ACCESS MELBOURNE

Access Melbourne is the University of Melbourne's combined Special Entry and Access scholarships scheme for students from educationally, financially or socially disadvantaged backgrounds. To be eligible for both selection and scholarship through this scheme applicants must submit an application through VTAC.

ADVANCED STANDING AND CREDIT

Applicants who believe they are eligible for advanced standing can apply to have their subjects assessed once they have accepted an offer of a place in the degree. Advanced standing forms can be downloaded from the Student Centre Forms and Coversheets page.

Consult the University's Credit, Advanced Standing and Accelerated Entry Policy if you are unsure.

INDIGENOUS APPLICANTS

The Faculty is committed to social inclusion, equity and improved access of all our programs for indigenous students.  The Faculty’s Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts identifies, recruits and supports potential and practicing Indigenous artists to study and refine their skills at the Victorian College of the Arts and the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. For further information please contact the Wilin Centre at:  wilin-centre@unimelb.edu.au

Submit the following by the closing date:
Late applications will not be accepted

STEP 1 – Ensure the University’s English Language and Entry Requirements are met

Applicants must meet the English language requirements and specific entry requirements of the University to be eligible for a place in this course. Undergraduate students can satisfy the English language requirements in a number of ways. Please read the options carefully on the University’s web site.  Applicants who are unsure, or believe they may not meet the University’s eligibility requirements are strongly advised to contact the Faculty by email at vcamcm-app@unimelb.edu.au for guidance and advice concerning options available to meet the eligibility criteria.

STEP 2 – Apply through VTAC

Applicants must submit an application through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC).

This includes domestic students:

• studying overseas
• wanting to transfer to this degree from another institution
• enrolled in another degree at the University of Melbourne and wanting to transfer to this degree

Applicants must:

• register for a VTAC ID number and PIN
• login to their VTAC User Account to access the VTAC course application form
• submit a VTAC course application

Applicants studying overseas must submit their final results to VTAC, not the University of Melbourne. Selection is based on original or certified copies of final academic results. Dates and further information concerning the VTAC application process are found on the VTAC web site and the VTAC Guide. The VTAC Guide is sold in major newsagencies from late July throughout Australia.

STEP 3 – Submit the Supplementary Application Form and Payment of Administration Fee

Applicants must submit the Supplementary Application Form. This form is only available to applicants via the link included in the VTAC application acknowledgment or in the VTAC user account messages on the VTAC website. Applications will not be considered without this completed form. When completing this form, applicants will be directed to PayPal to make the additional audition/interview fee payment of AU$65. Applicants must retain this receipt number for their records. 
When completing the online supplementary application form applicants must have at hand:

• Applicant VTAC ID number
• Passport photo of applicant (head and shoulders only)
• PayPal details on hand

Under certain circumstances applicants may apply for a refund or waiver of the AU$65 administration fee.
Download the Procedure for Refund or Waiver of Administration Fee (pdf file, 563kb)
Download the Refund or Waiver Application Form (pdf file, 530kb)

After the closing date:

STEP 4 – Selection Test

The Selection Tests are assessed as the means of short listing applicants. The aim of the test is to assess the applicant’s creative potential and ability to think clearly and originally in both words and images.
The Selection Test will be available here from Monday 2 September 2013. To be considered for an interview, applicants must submit the Selection Test by no later than 5pm 7 October 2013.
Preparation guide to applicants: It is advisable to schedule at least two (2) weeks to complete this task and during this time you should allow up to four (4) full days to undertake the test.

Applicants must submit:
Part A: Test - in response to the topics available from Monday 2 September 2013:

• A response to Test 1, a visual sequence comprising 9 images.
• A response to Test 2, a story outline for a short film. Please provide four (4) copies.

Part B: Statement - not more than one page on each of the following:

• Your reasons for wishing to undertake the course
• A resume of related experience and creative output
• Two ideas for proposed short films you envisage making

 Submit the Selection Test and all required components by 5pm (EST) 7 October 2013 to: Admissions, Student Centre, Faculty of VCA and MCM, The University of Melbourne, 234 St Kilda Road, Southbank, Victoria Australia 3006 

STEP 5 - Interview

Interviews will be held in mid-late November in Melbourne. Short listed applicants, selected for an interview, will be notified by email. Applicants should ensure their emails are checked regularly (including junk mail) for interview details It is the applicant’s responsibility to advise the Faculty of any contact detail changes - email any changes to vcamcm-app@unimelb.edu.au.  Short listed applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the interview in person, however, applicants unable to attend for legitimate reasons only, must email vcamcm-app@unimelb.edu.au and further details will be emailed to the applicant. Once this advice has been received to the Faculty, the applicant will not be given an opportunity to attend the interview in person.

Selection Outcome

Short listed applicants will receive an advisory letter in December 2013 before the VTAC change of preference date. Students who are successful in gaining an offer of a place at the VCA School of Film and Television are required, as Condition of Entry, to have a current and valid Australian Level 2 Applied First Aid certificate prior to beginning the course.  Suggested suppliers can be found on The University of Melbourne website. A further Condition of Entry for successful students is the payment of a $1000 bond, refundable upon completion of the course. The bond ensures a reasonable duty of care is afforded the VCA School of Film and Television's equipment by students.  The total of $1000 is to be maintained by students throughout the duration of their enrolment.