University of Newcastle Offers Early Entry and Additional Support to Students Ahead of HSC Exams
The program, introduced for the first time this year, allows Year 12 students from NSW and the ACT who are completing the Higher School Certificate or International Baccalaureate to receive an offer to the University, based on their Year 11 results and contingent on their completion of the HSC.
Locally, more than 1,400 students from the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens area, 600 from the Upper and Lower Hunter and 800 students from the Central Coast received an early offer.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alex Zelinsky explained the University had developed a sector-leading package for students through its Early Entry program.
“Around half of our first-year students come to university directly from high school. We know the HSC can be a really challenging time for some students and we want to ensure they feel supported and can focus on achieving the best possible result in the HSC,” Professor Zelinsky said.
“We worked closely with teachers when we were developing our program to create a sector-leading package for students so that when they applied for early entry, they were able to access support like student mentors, HSC tips and webinars, past exams papers and invitations to VIP University of Newcastle events to help them feel supported during Year 12.
“In the lead up to the HSC, we made more than 1,100 phone calls to students and more than 2,100 students attended University of Newcastle sponsored HSC study support sessions.
“For a student who is maybe feeling stressed or overwhelmed by the HSC, this support can be invaluable in giving them the confidence and motivation to succeed during their exams.
“We wish everyone who is about to complete their HSC the best of luck during these final weeks before exams begin on 11 October.”
The most popular Early Entry programs included Bachelor of Laws Combined, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Biomedical Science.
Students who receive an Early Entry offer and are moving more than 50km from home to study will also be offered a place in the University’s on-campus accommodation.
The Early Entry program converts a student’s Year 11 results to a selection rank. Students then receive an offer if this rank is the same or higher than the degree’s threshold rank. Offers must be accepted within seven days and students must also complete the HSC to be eligible to receive an offer.
Students who applied for Early Entry but didn’t secure a place in a degree program will be offered a place in the University’s pathway program. Students can also gain entry to University through the UAC offers, which are released in December and are based on their ATAR.