Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training

How do I go about planning for TAFE or University study?

If you intend to undertake TAFE or university study you should begin planning well ahead of the time you expect to commence study.

The more planning you undertake, the better prepared you will be and the greater your chances of success.

The action planner beginning on the next page gives the stages you need to consider as well as suggesting some activities you may find useful as you think through your options. It also provides you with a list of people and places to go to find the information you will need. Don't forget that the other brochures in this publication will also provide you with information to help you work through this planner.

We suggest you start exploring seriously your study options a full year before you intend to study. During the period February to May you should be researching your options, clarifying your abilities and support needs and gathering details of courses and entry requirements.

Generally the TAFE teaching year runs from late January to early December and the university teaching year runs from March to November, but in order to gain admission you need to apply in the last half of the year before you wish to start studying. The exact application deadlines vary according to the way you are seeking admission and the higher education institution to which you apply. Application dates may change from year to year.

Stage 1 — Researching study options

Action

• What are your interests and abilities?
• If you wish to work after TAFE or university study what jobs would you be interested in?
• What qualifications do you need?
• Which institutions offer courses/subjects/programs that lead to these jobs?
• What are the entry requirements and prerequisites for the course/program/subject that interests you?

Sources of information

• Careers counsellor at school
• Careers counsellors at university - www.unisa.edu.au; www.flinders.edu.au; www.adelaide.edu.au
• Student Support Officers at TAFE
• South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) coordinator
• Year 12 coordinator
• Visiting teacher
• Making It Happen  
• This resource contains information and website links such as – My Future; Australian Careers; Job Search; Towards success; and From education to employment
• Centrelink Career Information Centre http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/services/career_centres.htm
• Centrelink Youth Servicing Strategy http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/publications/yss.htm
• Centrelink disability officer http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/services/disability_officers.htm
• The Job Guide of South Australia http://www.isubscribe.com.au/title.cfm?ID=13497
• The SATAC TAFE Course and Admissions Guide http://www.satac.edu.au/
• The SATAC University Guide http://www.satac.edu.au/
• Tertiary Entrance 2003, 2004, 2005
• Rehabilitation counsellor
• CRS Australia (formally Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service)
• Higher education course information centres and course/subject information brochures including external study options www.unisa.edu.au; www.flinders.edu.au; www.adelaide.edu.au http://www.tafe.sa.edu.au/default.asp
• People working in the area of your interests
• People studying in the area of your interests
• Employment pages in The Advertiser and The Australian
• Web based employment services e.g. http://www.seek.com.au/  or http://www.monster.com.au/
• Employers
• Professional associations

Stage 2 — Support needs

Action

Will your disability impact on your ability to study with regard to:

• accessing campus
• accessing print material
• communicating
• field trips
• laboratory work
• practicums/placements
• using the library /learning resource centre
• sitting exams
• taking notes
• study workload
• writing essays
• other
  

Have you found out what you have to do to get the above needs met at the TAFE or university of your choice? YES / NO

If NO contact the student services officer or disability liaison officer at the TAFE or university at which you will be studying

Have you explored what financial assistance may be available? YES / NO

What scholarships and grants may be available?


Sources of information

• The SATAC TAFESA Course and Admissions Guide
• The SATAC University Guide
• Course/program coordinators at TAFE or university
• Disability Information and Resource Centre (DIRC)
• Student services officers
• Disability liaison officers/Disability advisers
• TAFE or university brochures for students with disabilities
• Centrelink disability officer
• HECS-HELP booklet (available from the Australian Taxation Office) http://www.gointouni.gov.au/Main/Quickfind/PayinfForYourStudiesHELPLoans/HECSHELP.htm
• Australian Grants Register
• Centrelink web page http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/individuals/st_index.htm

Stage 3 — Pathways into TAFE or University

Action

Will you have a Year 12 Tertiary Education Rank (TER)? YES / NO

If you answered YES to this question:

• do you need to apply through the SATAC University Admissions Service or the SATAC TAFE Admissions Service?

        or

• directly to the university or TAFE? (for some courses/subjects you apply directly to the institution — check The SATAC TAFE Course and Admissions Guide or the SATAC University Admissions Guide)

If you answered NO — that is, you will not have a Year 12 Tertiary Entrance Rank:

Do you qualify to sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)? YES / NO

If YES, apply to SATAC to sit the STAT
(the WEA runs short courses to prepare for this test)

If NO, there may be other pathways to consider, such as

• Going back to school
• Access and Bridging Programs (UniSA)
• Subjects through Open Learning Australia (OLA) (UniSA) 
• Foundation Course (Flinders) 
• University Preparation Diploma (Flinders)
• Access test for Indigenous students (Adelaide)
  

There may be other options such as auditing topics or undertaking bridging programs which do not give qualifications, but prepare you for higher education study. Ask the TAFE or university at which you will be studying for further information.

Bridging programs

Flinders University:

• Foundation Course

University of South Australia:

• Applied Science and Engineering (Mawson Lakes)
• Information Technology (Mawson Lakes)
• Business Studies (Whyalla)Human Services (Whyalla)

 

University of Adelaide:

• February Mathematics (SACE Stage 2)
• Preparation for Tertiary Mathematics Course 1 (SACE Stage 1) 
• Preparation for Tertiary Mathematics Course 2 (SACE Stage 2)
  

Sources of information

• The SATAC TAFE Course and Admissions Guide http://www.satac.edu.au
• The SATAC University Guide http://www.satac.edu.au
• Tertiary Entrance 2003, 2004, 2005
• SATAC for information about the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)
• WEA Winter Course Guide
• http://www.wea-sa.com.au/content/schedule.pdf
• Course/subject/program coordinators at the TAFE or university of your choice
• South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) coordinator
• Year 12 coordinator
• Visiting teacher
• Indigenous Support Unit (University of South Australia)
• Wilto Yerlo (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples) (Adelaide University)
• Yunggorendi Mande (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples) (Flinders University)

Stage 4 — Getting it all together

Action

• Do you know the date of enrolment in your course/program?
• Is the disability contact person aware of your support needs? 
• Do you know your way around the campus? 
• Have you contacted the student association/union for information about orientation activities and any extra support they can offer?
• If you are Indigenous, have you contacted the Aboriginal education area at the TAFE or university of your choice?
• Have you applied for the Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY or Austudy, if applicable?
• Have you applied for transport concessions such as mobility allowance and subsidised transport scheme if applicable?

Sources of information

• Disability liaison officer/Disability advisor
• Student services officers
• Student association/union
• South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme
• Wilto Yerlo (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples) (Adelaide University)
• Yunggorendi Mande (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples) (Flinders University)
• Indigenous Support Unit (University of South Australia)

This information was correct at the time of printing (August 2005).

However you are advised to check the information with the relevant institution or the SATAC TAFE Admissions Service or the SATAC University Admissions Service.