Pathways to VU

At VU, we believe there’s more than one way to reach your dream qualification. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for your preferred course, or you’re not ready to commit to a full degree program, we’ll work with you to find an alternative pathway to achieve your study goals.

By successfully completing a pathway course, you’ll gain entry into the next level of study. Many pathway courses even allow you to earn credit towards a qualification, helping you fast-track your degree and complete your studies sooner.

At VU, your goals are within reach – no matter where you start.

Arts, community & humanities pathways

Building, engineering & science pathways

Business pathways

Education & early childhood pathways

Health, biomedicine & nursing pathways

IT, cyber security & data science pathways

Law, justice & legal practice pathways

Sport & exercise science pathways

Pathways into VU from our partners

What are pathways?

Pathways at VU - transcript

Level up with VU pathways

Jump into either a higher education degree or a TAFE course. Let us take you on a journey through your possible pathways.

How pathways work

'Pathways' allow you to build on your learning and progress between study levels. They can link courses with similar learning, for example a nursing diploma to a nursing degree. Or they may help you to access tertiary education by teaching you foundational study skills.

Often, pathways connect our TAFE certificates and diplomas to our bachelor degrees. We are one of Australia's only universities to offer both options. Completing a diploma may gain you direct entry into the second semester or second year of the related degree. You'll also be able to list two qualifications on your CV, demonstrating practical skills along with academic knowledge to prospective employers.

Pathways are offered between VU courses and also via external institutes who have partnered with us to create links from their courses to ours.

We have established dozens of pathways in arts, business, education, engineering, health, law, sports and more, creating fantastic opportunities in almost every discipline.

: You can either apply directly for a pathway course, or list it as a lower preference in your application as an alternative way into your preferred course.
Read about the different ways to find your ideal VU study pathway.
Find your dream course
If you have a dream course in mind, start there and work backwards. Find your course page and navigate to 'Entry requirements' to discover the pathway courses that guarantee entry once they are completed. Listing a pathway course as a second preference on your VTAC or direct application provides a different way into your first choice if that application isn't successful.
Find a course
Explore pathways at VU by study area
If you're not sure of the specific course you'd like to study but have an idea of the subjects you like, you can explore all of our pathway options by study area (discipline) at the top of this page. You will find all pathway courses and the number of credits offered, if any.
Consider foundations study
Our fully funded, 13-week Foundations at VU course is a good option if you missed out on entry because your study scores were lower than you needed. It provides guaranteed entry to several bachelor degrees, without credit.
Foundations at VU (domestic)
For international students, a foundation course prepares you for university in Australia by providing an equivalent to the final year of high school study. It provides guaranteed entry into VU undergraduate degrees and higher education diplomas.
International Foundations at VU
: What is credit?
Credit (advanced standing) is the way we acknowledge the study you've already completed. It reduces the number of units you need to study for the qualification that you're progressing into. Many pathway courses offer credit towards a related degree or diploma.
Check the course page, or search by discipline at the top of this page, to see if credit is granted into your higher education course from your current course. If credit is granted, you'll see the number of credit points listed on those pagees.
Generally, a standard full-time study load is as follows:
unit = 12 credit points
semester (half year) = 48 credit points
year = 96 credit points.
A long, complicated unit may offer more credit points, eg 24 points. This will be listed on the course page. If you are studying part-time, or taking extra credits in your summer or winter break, your credit points will be adjusted accordingly.
Specified credit
'Specified credit' aligns to specific units within a course structure. If you are granted specified credit, you are not required to study the units listed in the offer.
Unspecified block credit
Unspecified block credit refers to non-specific study within a course structure, such as electives. If you are granted unspecified block credit, you will receive a credit point value that reduces the total number of credit points you are required to complete in the course.
Some example of pathways that grant unspecified block credit into higher education courses:
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care CHC50113 into the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education
Diploma of Beauty Therapy SHB50115 into the Bachelor of Dermal Sciences.
How credit is processed for pathway courses
If you are eligible, credit will be processed at the same time as we process your offer (see following). To find out what credit has been granted, simply accept your offer and enrol into your higher education course, after which you will receive a notification email outlining credit granted.
Units can be credited if they are part of the course structure for the course you are applying for. Credits relating to prior VU subjects are automatically granted and no further action is required.
Choosing major & minor when granted block credit
If your pathway grants credit allowing you to go straight into second year, and the course has a major or specialisation within second year, you will be asked to select your preference during the pathway conditional offer process. It will be actioned at the same time we process your offer.
: Once you are enrolled in an eligible pathway course, you are on your way to achieving your study goals.
Towards the end of your pathway program, you will receive a conditional offer to progress to further study.
When you have successfully completed your pathway course with passing grades and have met all admissions criteria, we will send you a full offer to enrol.
Pathway conditional offer
A 'pathway conditional offer' is a guaranteed place (in some cases with credit) into higher education courses if you complete the VU course you are enrolled in.
Twice a year (around May and October), we make conditional offers for pathway students to progress to further study at VU. The offer email will be sent to your student account, and will include your pathway options.
Once we confirm that you've successfully completed your current course, and we have validated you have met any additional admissions criteria, we will send you an email with your full offer into your chosen higher education course for the next available course start date (admissions intake).
If relevant to your course, you may be asked to select a major or specialisation during the conditional offer process.
Additional admissions criteria
Some higher education courses have additional admissions criteria that must be met and validated before we can make you an offer into the course.
You will be advised during the pathway conditional offer process if your chosen higher education course has additional admissions criteria. Alternatively, check your course page for any additional admissions criteria.
Some examples of pathways that have higher education courses with additional admissions criteria:
Diploma of Education Studies (EDES) into the Bachelor of Education (P-12)
Diploma of Nursing HLT54115 into the Bachelor of Nursing.
If you don’t meet the required additional admissions criteria, you will not be made a pathway offer for that course. If you were asked to choose a second course preference during the conditional offer process, you will be made an offer for this course instead, if eligible.
If the pathway does not have any additional higher education course options and you would still like to study this course, you will need to apply direct via the course webpage once you have met the required admissions criteria.
: Once you have received your pathway full offer, you will be able to enrol into your higher education course. If you were eligible for credit, it will be processed at the same time as your offer.
Accept your offer
Competitive pathway courses (courses in high demand or courses with placements) will have enrolment deadlines. To secure your place in the higher education course, you must accept your offer and enrol in units by the deadline specified in your full offer email.
If you do not accept your offer and enrol by the deadline, your offer will lapse. Once lapsed, you will be required to re-apply for the pathway higher education course.
If you want to start your course at a later stage, you can defer course commencement for up to 12 months.
Get suppport
Please contact your College course and unit administrator if you need advice or assistance relating to your enrolment, including which units to enrol into.

Foundation courses

Foundation courses prepare you for university if you left school early, didn't get the exam results you wanted, or as an international student you need to get ready for Australian study.

A foundation course might also suit you if you made it to university, but your first few weeks have been tougher than you expected; see transferring between courses.

They offer entry into bachelor degrees and diplomas without credit.

Foundations at VU

International Foundations at VU

Other entry points to VU

If no formal pathway courses are available for your course, you may be able to get credit towards your chosen course for informal learning, work and life experience, or study undertaken elsewhere. For Year 11 and 12 students, we offer peace of mind with a conditional offer before you complete your exams.

Students networking during the conference

Credit (advanced standing) for HE courses

You can apply for credit, also known as 'advanced standing', towards a higher education (HE) diploma, bachelors degree, or postgraduate course for equivalent study, work experience or volunteer activities.

Middle-aged man in professional clothing, holding laptop on campus

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for TAFE

Apply to have credit transferred for units you’ve completed elsewhere, or apply for RPL to have your learning, life, and work experience considered towards your TAFE course.

VU Early Entry

The VU Early Entry program ensures you have a conditional offer to study with us, before your exams. If you don't get the required exam results for your first choice, we'll find you an alternative course at VU.

Student pathway success stories

How Eman’s teaching dreams are becoming a reality

Pathways student

"I first did a diploma, then pathwayed into a bachelor course. So often I've started a new block full of nerves, only to be blown away by the hospitality, respect, and understanding of my teachers. "

Eman's story