STEPS TO UNI FOR YEAR 10 STUDENTS - A YEAR OF DECISIONS

Sep 5, 2026

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Booklet guidance for Year 10 students planning HSC study for Years 11 and 12 with a focus on making informed course choices for university entry. Explains how UAC lists 2023 degrees and diplomas, and clarifies key concepts including HSC course pathways, prerequisites, assumed knowledge, recommended studies, and additional selection criteria. Provides worksheets and decision steps covering exploration, brainstorming prompts, and strategies for matching HSC subjects to university options, including how selection ranks relate to the ATAR.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages132

Reading Time5 h 33 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

About UAC

UAC jargon

The HSC and the ATAR

Applying to uni

Frequently asked questions

Step 1: Consider

Who inspires you

What do you like to do

What are you good at

Who can you talk to

Brainstorming

Worksheets

Step 2: Explore

What are my options?

Step 3: Decide

HSC subjects and courses

Choosing courses

Top tips for choosing HSC courses

Prerequisites

Additional selection criteria

Assumed knowledge

Recommended studies

Institutions

University list

Uni Open Days

STEPS TO UNI FOR YEAR 10 STUDENTS CONTENTS PART 1: YEAR 10 – A YEAR OF DECISIONS PART 2: INSTITUTION CRITERIA Introduction 02 About UAC 02 UAC jargon 03 THE HSC AND THE ATAR 05 The NSW HSC 06 The ATAR 07 Applying to uni 12 Frequently asked questions 15 STEP 1: CONSIDER 19 Who inspires you? 20 What do you like to do? 22 What are you good at? 22 Who can you talk to? 22 Brainstorming 22 Worksheet 1 24 Worksheet 2 25 STEP 2: EXPLORE 26 What are my options? 27 STEP 3: DECIDE 36 HSC subjects and courses 37 Choosing courses 39 Top tips for choosing HSC courses 42 HSC Board Developed courses to be examined in 2022 44 Board Endorsed courses (Content Endorsed courses) 45 Prerequisites 47 Additional selection criteria 48 Assumed knowledge 48 Recommended studies 48 INSTITUTIONS 49 Australian Catholic University 49 Australian College of Applied Psychology 52 Australian National University 53 Charles Darwin University 57 Charles Sturt University 59 CQUniversity 62 Griffith University 65 International College of Management, Sydney 69 La Trobe University 70 Macleay College 72 Macquarie University 73 MIT Sydney 77 National Art School 78 SAE Creative Media Institute 80 SIBT 82 Southern Cross University 83 Torrens University Australia 86 University of Canberra 89 University of New England 94 University of Newcastle 97 University of Sydney 102 University of Technology Sydney 106 University of Wollongong 111 UNSW Sydney 115 Western Sydney University 121 UNI OPEN DAYS Experience life on campus, talk to faculty staff and meet current students at a uni open day. Or take advantage of an expanding schedule of online tours and information sessions . Find all the details for 2020 at [uac.edu.au/open-days](uac.edu.au/open-days) . PART 1: YEAR 10 – A YEAR OF DECISIONS This booklet is for Year 10 students choosing their courses for Years 11 and 12. Its aim is to help you think about the next two years and make the best decision for successful study in senior school and beyond. PART 1: YEAR 10 – A YEAR OF DECiSiONS | 01 STEPS TO UNI FOR YEAR 10 STUDENTS INTRODUCTION In Year 10 you will choose the HSC courses that you will study for the next two years. Although there are many pathways to uni or college, choosing the right courses for your HSC can make it easier to get into university and succeed in your studies. In this booklet, the universities and colleges that make offers through UAC have listed the courses they plan to offer in 2023; that is, the degrees and diplomas you’ll be able to study when you leave school. For each course they have also set out, where applicable, details of: − areas of study − prerequisites − assumed knowledge − recommended studies − additional selection criteria. It’s particularly important to consider university prerequisites and assumed knowledge when choosing your HSC courses. Prerequisites are HSC courses you need to have completed in order to be offered a place ina university course (course prerequisites) or a subject within that course (subject prerequisites) . Some institutions assume you have knowledge of specific NSW HSC courses or equivalent when you start your university course. If you haven’t studied the HSC course you can still be selected for the course, but you may have some difficulty coping with your studies. Most institutions offer bridging courses if you have not studied the HSC courses listed as assumed knowledge, but bridging courses are not equivalent to the two-year HSC course and may add significantly to your workload. This booklet also provides: − general information about HSC courses, how the ATAR is calculated and used for university entry, and why your selection rank for a course might be higher than your ATAR − worksheets to guide you through the steps involved in choosing your courses for Years 11 and 12. If you’re not sure about the

FAQs

What is the purpose of this booklet for Year 10 students?

It helps Year 10 students choose HSC courses for Years 11 and 12, think through the next two years, and make decisions that support successful senior school study and later pathways.

How do UAC and the ATAR relate to university entry?

UAC receives and processes applications and calculates and provides the ATAR for NSW HSC students. The booklet also explains how selection rank for a course might be higher than an ATAR due to factors like adjustment factors.

What are prerequisites and assumed knowledge when choosing HSC courses?

Prerequisites are HSC courses or subjects you must have completed to be offered a place. Assumed knowledge refers to specific HSC knowledge universities expect when you start; lacking it may make studies harder even if selection is still possible.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Himbo