• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Principles
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Admission Requirements
• English Language Proficiency Requirements
• Entry Requirements and Admission Categories
• Minimum Age Requirement
• Section 5 - Admission Offers
• Section 6 - Refusal of Admission
• Section 7 - Deferment of Admission
• Section 8 - Right of Appeal
• Section 9 - Quality Assurance
• Section 10 - Definitions
• Section 11 - Responsibility and Accountability
• Section 12 - Supporting Documents and Templates

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) The purpose of this Selection and Admission Policy is to specify requirements for the selection and admission of students to Melbourne Polytechnic higher education courses. 

Section 2 - Principles

(2) The policy aims to ensure applicants

1. are selected in a fair, consistent, transparent and timely manner; and
2. have the background and abilities to have a reasonable expectation of success in their chosen course of study.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This policy applies to

1. prospective students of Melbourne Polytechnic higher education courses;
2. students at Melbourne Polytechnic who wish to transfer to a higher education course;
3. staff involved in the selection and admission of students to higher education courses; and
4. agents and partners of Melbourne Polytechnic.

Section 4 - Admission Requirements

English Language Proficiency Requirements

(4) All domestic and overseas student visa holders and other temporary residents must meet the published minimum English language proficiency requirements applicable to the course to be eligible for admission.

Entry Requirements and Admission Categories

(5) To be selected for entry to a Melbourne Polytechnic higher education course, applicants must satisfy any course entry or selection requirements (e.g. pre-requisites or equivalents, portfolio, audition, interview, written task, any State or Commonwealth legal requirements such as a Working with Children Check, etc) and fulfil one of the admission categories below.

Applicants with higher education study

(6) Completed a bridging or enabling course at an Australian higher education provider or a pathways program at Melbourne Polytechnic or equivalent;

(7) Completed at least one semester of full-time study within an AQF Higher Education Diploma, Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree or higher qualification either on an award or non-award basis or equivalent;

(8) Completed an AQF Bachelor’s Degree or higher-level qualification, or equivalent overseas
tertiary qualification for postgraduate study.

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

(9) Completed an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma or equivalent.

Applicants with work and life experience

(10) An applicant who can demonstrate non-academic skills transferable to tertiary study and capacity for higher education studies at the undergraduate level through

1. a Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT);
2. successful completion of two subjects within an AQF Higher Education Diploma, Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree or higher qualification either on an award or non-award basis, or
3. be eligible to be considered based on informal or non-formal learning (Recognition of Prior Learning – RPL);
4. be eligible to be considered based on completion of a lower level qualification and substantial relevant professional experience, or a combination of informal learning and non-formal learning including substantial relevant professional experience.

Applicants with recent secondary education (within the past two years)

(11) Completed a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or equivalent;

(12) Completed an overseas secondary or tertiary qualification deemed to be equivalent to VCE or equivalent.

Minimum Age Requirement

(13) Applicants must be turning 18 years of age in the year of entry to the course, or

(14) Applicants under 17 years must have the prior written approval from the Executive Director Programs and Educational Leadership in consultation with the relevant Head of School.

(15) Applicants below the age of 16 years will not be accepted.

Section 5 - Admission Offers

(16) Offers of admission to Melbourne Polytechnic courses may only be made in writing by:

1. a delegated officer authorised by Melbourne Polytechnic; or
2. the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) acting on behalf of Melbourne Polytechnic.

(17) Where the number of places in a program is limited by a quota (e.g. for Commonwealth Supported places or where specialist facilities are limited), places will be offered in order of the merit of applicants.

(18) Melbourne Polytechnic reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission and/or cancel the enrolment of a student where such an offer was made based on incomplete, inaccurate, fraudulent or misleading information supplied by the application or a certifying authority.

(19) Melbourne Polytechnic reserves the right to cancel a course that is not viable, and to cancel any offers of admission to the course that have been made. If this occurs Melbourne Polytechnic will adhere to provider default obligations (ESOS Act).

Section 6 - Refusal of Admission

(20) Admission may be refused to an applicant who would otherwise be eligible for admission, in the following circumstances:

1. due to an applicant’s inability to satisfy the inherent requirements of a course;
2. where an applicant has outstanding fees owing to Melbourne Polytechnic;
3. where an applicant has been expelled or excluded from Melbourne Polytechnic or from another tertiary education institution for reasons of unsatisfactory academic progress, for reasons of health or for reasons of discipline, or for any combination of these reasons; or
4. where an international applicant does not meet the Department of Home Affairs criterion for a genuine temporary entrant.

Section 7 - Deferment of Admission

(21) A student offered a place at Melbourne Polytechnic may defer the commencement of studies for a maximum period of 12 months.  Deferment applications must be made before commencement of the semester. Following a deferment, a student will be enrolled into the most recently accredited version of the course.

Section 8 - Right of Appeal

(22) An applicant not selected for admission to a course may have the right of appeal as specified in the Admissions Procedures. 

Section 9 - Quality Assurance

(23) A report is to be presented to the Higher Education Academic Board (HEAB) annually on participation, progress and completion by student cohorts to inform admission standards.

Section 10 - Definitions

(24) For this policy the following definitions apply:

1. Admission: Process by which Melbourne Polytechnic formally makes an offer to an applicant to enrol in a Melbourne Polytechnic course of study
2. Admission pathway: Any one of the options available to a prospective higher education student that will enable them to meet the entry requirements of their chosen courses.
3. Agent: A person or organisation (in or outside Australia) who recruits overseas students and refers them to education providers. In doing so, the education agent may provide education counselling to overseas students as well as marketing and promotion services to education providers.
4. Applicant background: The following grouping of applicants is used to help prospective students find the admission information most relevant to their circumstances and align to entry requirements.
   1. Higher education study: Applicants whose highest level of study enrolment since leaving secondary education is a higher education course, whether at a university or non-university provider.
   2. Vocational education and training (VET) study: Applicants whose highest level of study enrolment since leaving secondary education is a VET course.
   3. Work and life experience (includes less recent secondary results): Applicants who left secondary education more than two years previously and have not undertaken VET or higher education study since then.
   4. Recent secondary education: Applicants whose admission is based mostly on secondary education undertaken at school, TAFE or other VET or higher education provider (Australian or overseas equivalent) that was completed (or will be) in the current year or within the previous two years.
5. Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF): Nationally consistent set of qualifications for all post-secondary education and training in Australia
6. Bridging course: A course designed to cover subject knowledge, which assists students to gain knowledge in specialist areas that are a core component of the course. If a course requires a prerequisite in an area that students have not studied or worked with before, a bridging course will help students to bridge the gap in that knowledge and gain admission.
7. Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP): A higher education place for which the Commonwealth makes a contribution towards the cost of the student's education
8. Course: A program of study which leads to the granting of a higher education award.
9. Deferment: Process by which an applicant admitted to a course can suspend commencement of studies
10. Delegated officer:  A person authorised by Melbourne Polytechnic to make offers of admission
11. Direct application to provider: Application made directly to a higher education provider rather than through a tertiary admission centre.
12. Domestic Applicant: An Australian Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident, Permanent Humanitarian Visa Holder, or New Zealand Citizen
13. Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000: Federal Government Act which regulates the provision of education and training services to international students
14. Enabling Course: A course designed to provide students with skills needed for success in further study, to assist in the transition to tertiary education – for example study techniques or English language skills. Successful completion helps prepare a person to be admitted to a course that leads to a higher education award.
15. Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021:  A set of standards which are the basis for the regulation of higher education providers and courses by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
16. International Applicant: Students who are not a permanent Australian resident or do not hold Australian or New Zealand citizenship or a holder of a permanent visa other than a permanent humanitarian visa must apply via the International Office and will be charged International Student fees.
17. In writing: Communication via letter or email
18. National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR): Office that provides advice, assistance and information on international qualifications for entry to study in Australia
19. Offer: A formal invitation to prospective students to commence study at Melbourne Polytechnic.
20. Offer round/s: Refers to the series of dates on which offers of higher education places are issued to applicants throughout the year, whether through a tertiary admission centre or directly by a higher education provider.
21. Overseas students: Refers to student visa holders and other temporary residents.
22. Partner: An organisation with which Melbourne Polytechnic has an agreement to deliver courses on behalf of Melbourne Polytechnic
23. Pre-requisite: A requirement that must be completed to be eligible for admission to a course
24. Selection: Process by which a Selection Officer / Committee compares an applicant’s pre entry credentials with the entry requirements of the course for the purpose of assessing the adequacy of the pre entry credentials and, where required, ranking the applicant in comparison to other applicants.
25. Selection Officer: An appointed officer authorised by Melbourne Polytechnic located in a School or the International Office to select and admit applicants who satisfy the admission requirement.
26. Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA):   The regulatory standards agency for higher education in Australia
27. Undergraduate course: A course of study at diploma, associate degree or bachelor degree level (AQF level 5, 6 or 7)

Section 11 - Responsibility and Accountability

Section 12 - Supporting Documents and Templates

(25) Selection and Admission (HE) Procedure

(26) Deferral Application (HE) Form

(27) International Student Admissions Procedure

(28) International Student Application Assessment Checklist

(29) International Students Deferral Suspension Cancellation of Enrolment Procedure

(30) International Students Deferral or Leave of Absence Application Form

(31) Australian Qualifications Framework

(32) Higher Education Standards Framework

(33) Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)

(34) Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Framework

(35) National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018

(36) Department of Home Affairs Ministerial Directive 69 “Assessing the Genuine Temporary Entrant Criterion for Student Visa”

(37) National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR)/ Country Education Profiles issued by Australian Education International.