However you get here, creative arts at QUT is waiting for you

The most interesting creative thinkers rarely took the expected route. Here's why that's a good thing.

Jump to:

• If you’re still at school and want a head start
• If you’ve been building your craft outside the classroom
• If you want to build your foundations before stepping up
• If you’ve taken a different path to university
• Pathways available

There's a common myth about getting into a creative arts degree. It goes something like this: you need the right ATAR, the right subjects, the right path through school and if you didn't get those things, the door is closed.

At QUT, that myth doesn't hold up.

The Bachelor of Creative Arts is home to actors, animators, writers, filmmakers, musicians and visual artists who arrived here in all kinds of ways. Some came straight from Year 12 with an ATAR while some came through non-ATAR pathways. Some built skills through TAFE, or another degree, or years of real-world experience. Some are the first in their family to go to university. Some moved countries to get here.

What they all have in common isn't how they got in — it's that they got here, and what they're doing now.

If you’re still at school and want a head start

Your journey to QUT Creative Arts can actually begin before you finish Year 12. If you're studying creative and performing arts subjects at school, those results can work in your favour when it comes to your selection rank under the Year 12 Subject Scheme.

If you want to go further, the START QUT program lets you study real QUT units while you're still in Year 11 or 12, giving you a taste of university-level creative study and the opportunity to earn advanced standing (credit) towards your degree.

There's also an early offer scheme for students with results in general and recognised applied creative subjects, so you could have your place secured well before final results are released. Less waiting, more creating.

If you’ve been building your craft outside the classroom

Creativity doesn't only happen in classrooms. If you've been training in performing arts through non-AQF programs, developing your craft through community theatre, music studios, or independent practice, you may be able to use that experience to apply for entry to QUT Creative Arts without an ATAR.

Equally, if you've completed vocational study or built up years of work experience, those pathways can be recognised as part of your application. Your journey so far isn't a detour. It's evidence of commitment.

A note on the Acting major

Entry into the Acting major within the Bachelor of Creative Arts requires a successful audition, regardless of your entry pathway. All other majors (Animation, Creative Writing, Drama, Film and Screen, Music and Visual Arts) are available through the pathways described on this page. Find out more about the Acting audition process.

If you want to build your foundations before stepping up

For students who aren't quite ready to jump straight into a bachelor degree, the Diploma in Creative Industries/Bachelor in Creative Arts is designed as a genuine stepping stone, not a consolation prize. Students who complete the diploma can enter the Bachelor of Creative Arts with up to one year of advanced standing (credit), meaning you're not starting from scratch. You're already on your way.

The diploma gives you time and space to discover what you're truly passionate about, build your creative confidence, and develop the academic and communication skills you need to thrive at university level.

If you’ve taken a different path to university

Whether you've studied at another university, completed a TAFE qualification, or spent years in the workforce, your experience can count towards entry into the Bachelor of Creative Arts. QUT recognises a wide range of prior study and work experience when assessing your application.

For Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, QUT's Oodgeroo Unit offers a dedicated pathway through the Centralised Assessment and Selection Program (CASP). This program takes a holistic view of your application by considering your life experiences, any previous study, your commitment and your potential to succeed.

Offer guarantee

If you achieve a selection rank of 70 or higher, or have completed an AQF Certificate IV, Diploma or higher, you are guaranteed an offer for the Bachelor of Creative Arts (subject to meeting all other course requirements and including the course in your QTAC preferences). Find out more about the offer guarantee.

Your background doesn’t define your future

The creative industries thrive on diverse perspectives, lived experiences and people who've walked roads less travelled. At QUT, we believe the richness of our creative community comes from the variety of paths that lead here.

So wherever you're starting from (school, TAFE, work, another country, another degree), there's a path into creative arts at QUT. The destination is the same. What you do when you get here is entirely up to you.

Explore pathways into the Bachelor of Creative Arts

• Year 12 Subject Scheme
• Year 12 Early Offer Scheme
• START QUT Program
• Diploma in Creative Industries/Bachelor Creative Arts
• Entry with Performance Qualifications
• Oodgeroo Unit (CASP)
• Upgrade through prior study

Visit qut.edu.au/study to explore all pathways and find the one that’s right for you.

Creative arts at QUT

A Bachelor of Creative Arts degree offers you the ability to curate your career by combining creative disciplines. Become highly skilled across multiple creative fields and collaborate with students and staff across disciplines.

Explore creative arts

Information on this page is correct at the time of publishing. QUT reserves the right to amend any information and to cancel, change, or relocate any course. For the latest information, visit qut.edu.au/study.