Homeschool to University in Australia - 9 pathways that are EASIER than school

What’s the bet you have heard this question, more than a few times…

‘But if you homeschool, how will they get into uni?’

Well, you are in the right place! Keep reading and the next time you’re asked… you will be able to reel off the MANY options we have to move from homeschool to university in Australia.

In fact, only 26% of students who started university in 2016 used an ATAR. The other 74% used alternative entry pathways, like those below.

And I’ll let you in on a little secret….

Most of them are BETTER than completing school.

Honestly, the alternative entry pathways are generally:

Easier (because getting a high ATAR isn’t easy)
Faster (it will definitely take less than two years)
More useful (what employment does an ATAR get you? Nothing!)

Remember, universities are businesses. Their aim is bums in seats. And there are so many homeschoolers now that many universities are catering for their entry needs – like Swinburne.

Not to mention mature aged students, international students, and all the rest who don’t have an ATAR. Universities WANT to give them all pathways to entry. It’s good business sense.

The University of Sydney

By the time you finish reading this you won’t be worried about university entry, and you’ll know your child can access any tertiary education they need.

But first up….

Does your child need to go to university?

This should be your first question, because in many cases a degree isn’t required.

In the end – a degree is at least three years of hard work and HECS fees can be massive.

Starting working life with a huge debt isn’t always necessary (or desirable).

When investigating pathways like fashion, farming, and writing, that there are many other equally valid ways to gain experience.

Internships, certificates, online courses, other alternative courses/classes, and plain hard work and practice are all options.

Make sure you investigate thoroughly rather than assuming that university is the best or only pathway.

General University Entry Criteria

Before getting into the specifics, it’s important to know that every university has its own entry criteria, and each degree has its own requirements. You have to meet all the requirements for your desired university and degree before you can enrol. These can include:

Age. Many universities will only enrol students above a certain age, commonly 15 or 16. Some degrees, such as nursing, have a minimum age of 17 to ensure students are mature enough to deal with common but confronting situations, like nudity or death.

Pre-requisites, such as a maths or science subject to ensure foundational knowledge

Some universities have strict, comprehensive criteria, while others are much more relaxed. You’ll find entry requirements vary wildly between universities and degrees, but this gives you much more chance of finding a pathway that suits you.

Won’t the university just tell me their homeschool pathways?

It’s a great idea to call your desired university to ask about entry pathways. Just be aware that the person you speak to might not know them all.

When a mate spoke to one person at a Queensland university was knowledgeable about their certificate to ATAR conversion. Another had never heard of it.

And, sadly, because universities are businesses they may give you a pathway that is more complicated than it has to be.

A friend’s daughter found that many universities tried to push her into their tertiary preparation diploma (adding a year and up to $20,000 in fees without gaining credit toward the degree) or into their diploma of nursing (adding 6-12 months of study and around $12,000 extra in fees).

However, 5 other universities were happy to offer her direct entry to the nursing degree. So off she went, straight into a Bachelor of Nursing at 17.

The University of Adelaide

So take everything with a grain of salt, be prepared to research thoroughly, ask a lot of questions, and ask to speak to someone else if needed.

And always remember that your child is a potential customer – and a rather lucrative one.

OK, let’s get into the specific homeschool to university entry options!

Homeschool to University Pathways in Australia

Certificate/Diploma to University

Gaining a certificate first is one of the BEST ways to get into uni.

Access to certificate courses has grown exponentially, more have moved online, and government funding exists for many, so they’re easily accessible and can be very cheap, or even free.

The work is generally more structured and easier than university work, providing a gentler transition for kids who have never done any formal education.

And they provide a qualification – so while many kids straight out of school are working your usual university part time jobs… if you choose right you’ll have a decent job to get you through university or a gap year.

How does certificate to university work?

You get a certificate III, IV, or a diploma. Certificate II can probably be skipped unless absolutely necesary.

This provides you with a formal, recognised education history.

Some institutions convert a certificate to an ATAR, while others give specific qualifications direct entry in a related degree.

Let’s look at both options.

Converting a certificate to an ATAR

Many universities, especially in Queensland, have a simple conversion system, where a certificate of a certain level equals a specific ATAR. For example, QUT detail their ATAR equivalents here.

Queensland TAFE provides a straightforward table of conversions.

See the PLA version above? Other factors can increase the equivalent ATAR. If you live in a rural or remote area, are the first in your family to complete tertiary education, or you’re Indigenous, it may increase your equivalent ATAR.

Or how about something a little tricker….like entry to a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) at Deakin?

Easy – they’ll consider a related Certificate IV, any diploma, or a related half-completed diploma. Meet one of those and the maths pre-requisite and you’re in!

Direct pathway – certificate to degree

These days this is extremely easy. Many certificates give guaranteed entry into a related degree, so you know when you enrol in the certificate that you’ve got a place at university (assuming, of course, that you pass).

TAFEs and independent providers partner with universities to offer this option, and many universities are now offering certificates with clear pathways.

And the majority give you credit in the degree. So a diploma + degree will usually take the same length of time as the degree.

It’s nearly exactly the same as the degree – but much easier to enter.

Examples

Diploma of Accounting/Bachelor of Finance

Diploma of Graphic Design to Bachelor of Digital Design

TAFENSW has set pathways for multiple degrees

Or how about multiple pathways to lots of health degrees at Victoria University? They are extremely clear about their options – see all the VU pathways here.

Tips for the certificate to university option

The certificate MUST be Australian Qualifications Framework standard. A certificate that is not AQF registered isn’t recognised. Be wary of dodgy institutions that appear to be nationally accredited, but aren’t.

A certificate I or II is essentially useless. It doesn’t provide entry to university or employment. Start with at least a certificate III – you should be able to get direct entry into a certificate III. Push back on anyone who tries to push you into a lower certificate.

TAFE isn’t the only option – and it’s usually the least flexible. Review independent providers before making the final decision. They vary widely in quality and cost, but many are eligible for government subsidies.

Some certificates have entry requirements of their own. You may need to complete a certificate III before entering a higher level. There may be a minimum age. Or they may want academic evidence, which can be as simple as a homemade academic transcript.

If one institution is being difficult (TAFE is notoriously frustrating), simply try another. There are plenty out there.

Real-life examples

Gabrielle completed a certificate III in Medical Administration online with an independent provider at 16. She applied to study a Bachelor of Nursing and was offered a place at five universities.

Liam was accepted into a triple Diploma of Communication/Marketing/Business at QLD TAFE at 16 after being interviewed by the head of department. On completion he was offered a position into the second year of a Bachelor of Business (first year was credited by the diploma) but chose to run his business instead.

Immi completed a Certificate III in Massage at 16, and continued on to a Certificate IV at 19 and a Diploma at 21. She completed some business courses and worked during this time, and is currently 23 and studying a Bachelor of Physiotherapy.

Georgia accessed a free school-based apprenticeship while homeschooling and completed a Certificate III in Sport and Recreation. This, along with a Senior Instructor Certificate in Martial Arts and two personal references gained her entry into a Sunshine Coast University Social Media Undergraduate Certificate, which leads directly into a Bachelor of Social Media and Digital Marketing.

Hannah completed a Certificate III in Visual Arts, which gained her entry to a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Flinders University.

Lydia completed a certificate IV then diploma in Liberal Arts and after a gap year of full-time work is studying a Bachelor of Counselling with Christian Heritage College.

Isaac completed a diploma in Performing Arts with Vision College, and after a gap year of full-time work is now studying a Bachelor of Psychology at SCU.

Benjamin completed a Certificate III in Animal Science and a Certificate III in Captive Animals. He then completed the first year of a Bachelor of Criminology with Open Universities before deciding to become an electrician. He completed an apprenticeship and a Certificate III in Electrotechnology and ran his own business. He then completed a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and is now an electrical engineer.

Elise completed a Certificate III in Make-Up Services and a Certificate III in Beauty Therapy, then a Certificate IV in Event Management. She then completed a Diploma in Ministry and used this to gain access to a Masters in Ancient History/Theology. She currently works as a university/college lecturer in Theology/Ancient History at age 23.

Jade completed a Certificate III and Certificate IV in Personal Training to gain access to a Bachelor of Health Science. After completing a Master of Teaching he is now a physical education teacher at age 21.

Holli and Asha partially completed a Certificate IV in Ageing Support. They were accepted into a Bachelor of Natural Environment and Wilderness at 17.

Open Universities for Homeschoolers

How about we just enrol in official university subjects with no educational history or pre-requisites, from as young as 13, without jumping through unnecessary hoops?

I’m not dreaming… This is actually happening.

Open Universities Australia (OUA) offers single subjects and full degrees from many Australian universities. Most have no entry requirements. Many are available from the age of 13 (check out age requirements here), and most are fully online.

You can use the subjects you complete to gain direct entry into the associated degree, or to provide an official academic transcript for entry into a degree at another university. Many universities will accept the results of 2-4 subjects as entry to their degrees.

Higher marks generally mean you need to complete fewer subjects before transferring.

OUA also offers enabling courses if you feel like you need a bit of preparation before launching into a university subject. Many of these enabling subjects are free.

The subjects can be quite expensive, but most Australian citizens qualify for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.

Real-life examples

Tom completed the Uni Ready program through OUA/Curtin University. At 16 he completed an OUA/UNE Law Studies bridging subject. He has been accepted into a Bachelor of Laws at the University of New England. He will study via OUA until he is 17, then can be directly enrolled with UNE.

Elouise started at 15. She completed 3 subjects through OUA and two subjects through Central Queensland University’s SUN program. She was then accepted into a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science at Griffith University.

Stassi completed the first four subjects of a Bachelor of Arts (Librarianship and Corporate Information Management) via OUA to qualify for admission into the degree. All subjects were credited to the degree. She began at 16.

Harley completed 4 subjects with OUA at 16 and gained entry into a Bachelor of Education (Secondary), Majors in Chemistry and Mathematics with USQ.

May started studying through Open Universities at 12. After completing 4 units she was unable to enter her preferred science or medical degrees due to age, so entered a BA (Communications) degree and completed the diploma level at 15. She now has a guaranteed place in BA (Psychology) at Swinburne.

Bridging and Preparation Courses

Many universities offer bridging or preparation courses. They’re typically created for mature-aged students returning to study, who may not have finished school or done any academic study for years.

They include subjects designed to get you ready for university study – typically academic writing, maths, science, and study skills. And some include elective subjects from your intended degree, which you’ll get credit for you when finish and enrol in the degree.

Best of all, most offer guaranteed entry to multiple degrees upon finishing the program, and they’re free – they’re fully government-funded.

Enrolling in a bridging course

Best of all, most offer guaranteed entry to multiple degrees upon finishing the program, and they’re free – they’re fully government-funded.