In your final year of school? Congrats, it's the culmination of many years of life and learning experiences. It's huge. Around mid-year, you likely applied to uni through your state or territory's tertiary admissions centre. Did you know that when you submit an application, you can then update or change your course preferences at different times? This is what we call 'change of preference'.
So if you change your mind, change of preference allows you to add, remove or re-order courses on your preference list. Every year, thousands of Year 12s log in to their state or territory’s tertiary admissions centre to change preferences. Sometimes multiple times.
You might want to change your preferences because your ATAR was lower or higher than expected, or you might have had a change of heart. The last chance to update your course preference starts when you get your Year 12 results – right before we start to make the main university offers in December.
If you're a Victorian resident, dates can be found on the VTAC website. For the main university offer round in December 2023 – change your preferences by 14 December (closes 4pm). You can also change your preferences during the January and February offer rounds, too. Not a Victorian resident? Your state or territory’s tertiary admissions centre will have info on how to apply and application closing dates. You can also check out our key dates for all the information you need.
If you’re a current Year 12 student, you can submit your application to VTAC in seven easy steps. Remember that every state and territory is different, so familiarise yourself with all the acronyms, like SEAS (special entry access scheme), by checking out your local admission centre or VTAC resources.
Login to your your VTAC account or local admission centre account and open the course applications section.
Remember, VTAC will offer you a place in the highest preference you’re eligible for. So, while it’s important to include courses you think you’ll get into, your top preferences should be the courses you want to get into – shoot for the stars!
Not in Year 12? Find out how to apply directly with Deakin.
Discover why 60,000+ students choose to study at Deakin. From in-person campus tours and open days to unparalleled one-on-one support via our prospective student enquiry centre, you have year-round opportunities to connect with Deakin and experience all that we have to offer.
Order is important. You only receive one offer per round for the highest preference you are eligible for – so list courses in the order you want to study them, not the order in which you think you’ll get in. Remember, if you don’t get the offer you want in the first round, we recommend you accept your first offer, but try again for your preferred course during the second round.
Many Year 12s browse courses filtered by ATAR to help them confirm preferences and make an informed decision about their future.
Our handy tools make it easy to take charge of your future. Use our ATAR calculator to estimate your ATAR, or estimate your scaled and raw study scores using our VCE study score calculator.
If you didn't get an offer to Deakin, you can still change your course preferences between offer rounds, as many times as you like. There is a pathway to Deakin!
If you didn’t get the ATAR you hoped for, there are a range of pathways to your ultimate course. Many students use alternate pathways to uni, like bridging courses and associate degrees. Or you could study the same course, but at a different campus.
You can change your preferences as often as you like. Even if you accept your first offer you can still change it later to a course you’ve listed higher in your preferences.
Need help navigating the transition from student to graduate to employee? We can help you power your career by finding the job or industry that suits you best. Browse our career stories for motivation and inspiration.
Our friendly student advisers are available to speak to you one-on-one about your study options. Take advantage of personalised discussions with Deakin experts and get all the information you need about courses, pathways, scholarships and the VTAC process.
It's only natural to have lots of questions as you prepare for uni. Our Deakin experts have heaps of course advice and guidance through enrolment, but your parent or caregiver might have some great advice too. They survived VCE!
When you preference Deakin you have access to a bunch of fantastic scholarships. Our scholarships recognise your achievements in and outside the classroom, and provide a financial boost throughout your journey at university.
Arm yourself with the right information to refine your list of preferred courses.
Selecting your uni course preferences doesn't have to be daunting. Here are some useful tips to help you create your perfect preference list.
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions our awesome future student advisers get about applying to Deakin.
Change of Preference (COP) is a stage in the VTAC application process relating to the input of course preferences. You can include up to eight course options on your preference list. During COP periods, you can change the order of your preferences, as well as add or remove courses.
COP opens on 11 December and closes 13 December 2023 at 4pm, two days after ATAR release. COP reopens on 21 December 2023 at 2pm after first round January offers are made. COP closes again on 22 December 2023 at 4pm and reopens on 12 January 2024, after second round January offers are made. Final close is 14 February 2024.
Preferencing a course is when a Year 12 student ranks up to eight courses they'd most like to study in order of preference in VTAC's application system. Once preferences are in, they may receive an offer for their highest eligible course based on the entry requirements.
Yes, you can! Just be sure to check the prerequisites and extra requirements for any new courses you're interested in before you add them to your preferences.
The VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority) sends each student's raw score per subject to VTAC where they're converted into scaled study scores. The scaled study scores are then used to calculate the student's ATAR. Raw scores are used in conjunction with prerequisites.
We recommend you accept each offer as you receive them. You’ll still be eligible to receive additional offers in other rounds for any higher-preferred courses in your preference list, regardless if you’ve previously accepted, declined or deferred an offer.
Current Year 12 students must apply through VTAC. Applications open on 31 July. When you apply, you can list up to eight courses, in order of preference, within the VTAC application system. Once ATARs are released, applications will be assessed and offers will be sent out in the December, January and February 2024 rounds.
Need help with your VTAC application? Refer to VTAC for additional support. For technical assistance, visit VTAC Technical Help.
Yes, regardless of your ATAR, if you don't meet the course requirements as listed on VTAC then you aren't eligible to receive an offer for that course. Why not think outside the box and use our pathway finder to explore what other options may be available to you.
Yes, you can change your preferences after receiving an offer. You're also still eligible to receive an offer for any courses listed above your current offer, i.e. if you receive an offer for your third preference, you may still receive an offer for your first and second preferred courses.
You can change your preferences as many times as you like within the COP timeframes. Find out more about VTAC key dates
Yes, whether you're applying through VTAC or directly to Deakin, you may still be considered for your first or higher-preferred courses regardless of whether you've accepted, declined or deferred an offer for a lower preferred course.
The November offer round is for non-Year 12 students who have applied through VTAC within the timely offer period and meet the relevant eligibility criteria. The January and February offer rounds are for current Year 12 and IB students in all states.
You can receive one offer per round. Any offers you receive will be for the highest eligible course on your preference list, assuming you've met all criteria for each course listed.
Yes, you can still receive additional offers in later rounds even if you've previously accepted, declined or deferred an offer in January. However, if you receive an offer for your first preference and don't adjust your course preference list before the next round, you will not receive any further offers.
Get in touch with our Prospective Student Enquiry Centre. Call the team on 1800 693 888 between 9am–5pm, Monday–Friday, or discuss your options via live chat 8am–7pm, Monday–Thursday and 9am–5pm on Fridays.
Deakin courses that won't be making any further offers in later rounds will be indicated against your preferences in VTAC.
No – entry requirements, including folio submissions and interviews, remain the same when applying through VTAC, regardless of the offer round.
Deferral means to put off accepting an offer for up to two years. If you intend to start studying in the next intake you should accept, as you can still receive additional offers in later rounds even if you've previously accepted, declined or deferred an offer.
The lowest selection rank is the adjusted value – ATAR plus additional points (if eligible) – you would have needed to get into a course the previous year. If you achieve this rank you're likely to get in, unless it's since increased or entry requirements also include other criteria, e.g. a folio.
The selection rank published on the course page will vary each year depending on a number of factors, including demand. It should be used as a guide only.
Yes, we offer many different pathways into Deakin and a number of these are guaranteed. Use our handy pathway finder to explore the different options that may be available to you.
Applying for special consideration is simple, and in some cases, you won't need to provide any details outside of your course application. The process is different for each VTAC category, or Deakin's programs, so please visit the relevant special consideration page for step-by-step instructions on how to apply.
VTAC's Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) is for those who may not have been able to reach their full potential for study due to a range of challenging factors. SEAS enables institutions to consider the circumstances you've experienced and their impact on your studies when making selection decisions.
The Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) adds points to your aggregate to reflect the level you may have achieved if your circumstances had been different. This can increase your chance of receiving an offer but does not guarantee it. Deakin will give a maximum of 15 aggregate points per applicant.
No, adjustments or bonus points are added to your aggregate score, not your ATAR. Your total aggregate score is then converted into your ATAR.
Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. For more information, visit our list of sources.
We're ready to help you make an informed choice. Our friendly Deakin experts are available to speak to you one-on-one about your preferences and how we can help you start your study journey at Deakin.
Domestic students
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International students
+61 3 9918 9188
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