START QUT

Student type:

• Secondary school students

Eligibility:

• Academic performance
• Studying Year 11 or 12

Study type:

• Undergraduate

Faculty/area:

• Business
• Creative Industries
• Education
• Health
• Law
• Science and Engineering

Open date: 1 May 2012

Closing date: 1 June 2012

You must:

• be an Australian or international Year 12 student undertaking one of:
  • Queensland Certificate of Education
  • NSW High School Certificate
  • International Baccalaureate
  • Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) program or equivalent
• have a minimum of a B minus in English or English for ESL Learners
• have a B grade average or above across your school subjects
• be able to attend classes at a QUT campus: Kelvin Grove, Gardens Point or Caboolture (you can study some Justice units externally)
• be able to take on university level study on top of your Year 12 workload
• have a strong interest in the subject matter of the units you want to study, and
  
• have the support of your school and parents/guardians.

If you don't meet these entry requirements please do not submit an application, as your priority should be achieving your best results in your school studies.

Please note that the eligibility requirements for participation in 2013 are currently under review. The updated requirements will be available on this site in June 2012.

You'll receive:

• the opportunity to study one or two university units, one each semester, in the same classes as current QUT students, while you're completing Year 12
• a scholarship to cover your unit fees.

If you pass both your units and finish Year 12, you'll receive:

• guaranteed entry to selected QUT courses if you apply to start university straight after Year 12
• credit for these units towards a related bachelor degree at QUT
• one bonus point added to your OP or rank through our Entry bonus scheme
• up to four credit points towards your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) if applicable.

Please note that the benefits offered for participation in 2013 are currently under review. The updated benefits will be available on this site in June 2012.

Applications for Year 12 students wanting to participate in Semester 2, 2012 are now open and will close on 1 June 2012.

Applications for students undertaking Year 12 in 2013 will open in Term 3 and close on 31 October 2012.

Step 1

Get permission from your parents or guardians, and your school principal.

Read the conditions to find out what will be expected of you, your parents or guardians, and your school.

Step 2

Choose your units from the list of START QUT units (PDF file, 98.31 KB).

Read the unit outline and make sure you think about:

• What campus the classes are held at, and how long it will take you to get to the campus.
• What the unit's about and whether you will enjoy it.
• How many hours you'll need to spend in classes each week (contact hours), and how much additional time you might need for study and working on assessment. Some science, dance and engineering subjects have 4 or more contact hours a week.
• What types of assessment you'll have to do and how they're likely to affect your workload.
• The timetable for the unit. Make sure it suits your school timetable. If the timetable isn't available, you should still submit your application on time. You'll be given the option to change units if the timetable does not suit your school timetable.

See our Academic Calendar to find out the dates of the university semester.

If you're enrolled in the Accounting in High Schools program, you must study BSB110 Accounting in first semester. If you pass, this will count towards START QUT, and you can then study another START QUT unit in Semester 2. You do not need to fill out a new application form.

Step 3

Complete the START QUT expression of interest form (PDF file, 202.19 KB).

Your application must include:

• Your Learning Unique Identifier (LUI). We won't accept your application without it. Your school will be able to put this on your application for you.
• A copy of your semester 1, Year 11 results. Your school guidance officer should attach these to your expression of interest form for you.
• A personal statement and supporting documents.
• The signatures of your parents or guardians and school principal.

International students

If you're an international student, you must also include copies of your current visa.

Paper visas must include the visa page and the photo page of your passport, copies of electronic visas must include the header of the email.

Step 4

Give your completed form, with all attached documents, to your school guidance officer or START QUT contact. They'll make sure all the information is correct, before submitting it in person at the Student Centre at any campus, or by mail to the address on the top of the application form. Applications will close on 1 June 2012.You can't submit applications by fax or email.

We don't accept late applications.

After you submit your application

We may email a request for further information or supporting documents. Make sure you get this back on time, or your application may be rejected.

We send all request and offers to the email address listed on your application. So you don't miss anything, add the email addresses noreply.admissions@qut.edu.au and startapps@qut.edu.au to your safe list, and remember to check your junk inbox.

Once we process your application, we email you a letter offering you a place in START QUT. The letter will:

• tell you how to accept your offer
• tell you how to get started at QUT
• give you details of the START QUT orientation sessions. All students are expected to attend orientation.

While you're studying at QUT

If you start to find it difficult to handle Year 12 and START QUT, then you can withdraw from your studies at university.

Remember to ask for help early so you don't miss the withdrawal date, or you could have a fail grade recorded on your QCE.

If you fail your unit in semester 1 then you will not be able to study in semester 2, as you are best to concentrate on your Year 12 studies.

Applying for your course after you finish Year 12

When you pass two units through START QUT and finish Year 12, you are eligible for the START QUT guarantee. This means you are guaranteed entry into certain courses.

START QUT units and guarantee courses (PDF file, 98.31 KB)

You still need to make an application through QTAC in Year 12. You may  defer your QTAC offer, as long as deferring is an option for your course.

When you apply to QTAC, indicate on your application that you participated in START QUT. This ensures your eligiblity for the START QUT guarantee and entry bonus. You'll get your course offer in the major QTAC offer round in January. You'll receive more information about this once you're in the program.

If you're an international student, you are eligible for guaranteed entry, as long as you meet the subject prerequisites for the course.

If you're applying for a course that isn't part of the START QUT guarantee, you'll still need to meet the entry requirements for that course.

When you get credit for START QUT units towards your QUT degree, your START QUT grades count towards your grade point average (GPA). Any fail or withdrawn-failure grades will remain on your academic record. You can't get credit for failed subjects.

Students

As a START QUT student you are expected to:

• attend your START QUT orientation session in mid January
• adhere to the rules and policies of QUT, as outlined in the QUT Student Code of Conduct
  
• attend your classes (you may be marked on attendance and participation)
• complete all your assessment on time
• contribute to group work assignments and presentations
• attend all exams
• check your QUT email account, QUT Virtual and QUT Blackboard sites regularly (at least twice a week)
• cover any extra costs related to your study, including travel, textbooks, stationery, photocopying and other materials
• meet with your high school START QUT contact or guidance officer regularly to discuss your progress
• speak to your tutor or lecturer if you're having difficulty with your study and follow the correct withdrawal procedure if you wish to withdraw from the program. If you don't, you will receive a fail grade on your QCE and academic record
• complete your year 12 studies to the best of your abilities, with high school remaining your priority over university work. If you fail to maintain your attendance and grades during year 12, your high school can withdraw their support and you will be not be allowed to continue in the START QUT program. We will also report your START QUT grades to your school contact.
  

Schools

You agree to:

• nominate students who have the ability, motivation and basic knowledge to successfully undertake the program and who met the entry requirements
• reject any student's application where you feel the student will be better off concentrating on their year 12 studies and/or they do not meet the eligibility criteria
• provide appropriate support to the student, including counselling and academic support
• nominate a START QUT contact or mentor who will:
  • provide care and support for the students enrolled in the program
  • meet with students regularly to monitor their progress
  • identify any problems and report them to QUT
  • attend the appropriate session of the START QUT student orientation day
• notify the School Liaison Officer at QUT in writing of any student withdrawal
• work with students who fail or withdraw from a START QUT unit to ensure they are able to make up any lost credits for the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) if required.
  

You will receive advice outlining the students who have been accepted into the program in the second week of the university semester.

Parents and guardians

You agree to:

• support the student in their involvement in the program
• raise any concerns over the student's progress with their school's START QUT coordinator/guidance officer.

More information for parents about guiding your son or daughter through to university

QUT

QUT agrees to:

• cover the costs of the student's tuition fees
• offer guaranteed entry to the selected QUT degree programs upon successful completion of two START QUT courses where the student has successfully completed one of:
  • Queensland Overall Position (OP)
  • Queensland Certificate of Education
  • NSW High School Certificate
  • International Baccalaureate
  • Accelerated Christian Education (or equivalent)
• provide the student with the rights, privileges and responsibilities granted to other University students as outlined in the QUT Student Charter
• grant credit for a successfully completed unit if the student subsequently enrols in a related QUT degree
• issue students with a grade at the end of semester which will become part of their official academic record at QUT. This grade will be reported to the student's school and the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) to be recorded on the student's Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE).

The Student Recruitment team agrees to:

• act as a point of call for START QUT contacts and guidance officers, other school contacts, students or parentswho have questions about areas of study or course content
• inform schools of the list of accepted students so that schools can confirm their enrolment
• provide feedback to the school about student progress and results.

If you're a high-achieving student, you can try out uni while you're in Year 12, by applying to study university units through START QUT.

You can study two units, one in Semester 1 and Semester 2, or start mid-year and study one unit.

If you successfully complete two units and Year 12, you'll be guaranteed entry into certain courses at QUT.

Contact us if you have questions about START QUT.