Change of Preference

SKIP TO CONTENT
Search
Logo
RMIT Australia
Students
Alumni & Giving
Staff
Library
RMIT Online

Change of Preference

During December you have the chance to change your preferences through VTAC and secure your dream course.

Change of Preference

During December you have the chance to change your preferences through VTAC and secure your dream course.

Change of preference

Phone with ATAR finder on screen

Wondering where your ATAR can take you?

You can use last year's ATARs as a guide to see what courses you might be eligible for. Enter your ATAR in our ATAR course calculator to create a shortlist of your options at RMIT.

What would you like to study?

Animated student chasing qualification through the air
Didn't get the ATAR you needed?

Study pathways provide opportunities for you to transfer between RMIT courses. There's often more than one path to the degree you want, so don’t worry if you don’t meet all the entry criteria at first.

Two student sharing a laptop

Change your preferences through VTAC

Change your preferences via VTAC or read on for more information about the Change of Preference period and the most common questions we're asked by Year 12 students each year.

RMIT City campus tour

Book a tour

During Change of Preference join us for a tour of RMIT's City Campus. Check out first hand where you could be studying in 2020 and take the opportunity to ask any last minute questions you have before finalising your preferences.

Here are some things you should know

Based on thousands of conversations with Year 12 students, we've collected answers to the most common questions we're asked each year during the Change of Preference period and listed them below.

Expand all sections

The December round simply adds another opportunity for you to receive an offer and will not affect your eligibility in later rounds.

It also allows you to finalise your preferences as soon as your ATAR is released to ensure you maximises your chances of securing the course you want.  

Thursday 12 December 2019 7am VCE Results and ATAR released to students
Saturday 14 December 2019 4pm Change of preference closes for year 12 VCE and QCE applicants for the December offer round
Wednesday 18 December 2019

2pm December offers released to applicants

4pm Change of preference reopens for domestic year 12 VCE and QCE applicants for the January offer round
Friday 20 December 2019 4pm Change of preference closes for January round (until short early January window)

You will need to log in to your VTAC Online Application using your application number and PIN. Full instructions are provided once logged in.

Note: You don’t have to change all of your preferences. You can simply add, subtract or re-arrange whichever courses you would like to. This may only be one course, or it may be all courses on your list.

There are a variety of options for you at RMIT, including:

Pathways through Certificate and Diploma programs

Vocational Education courses are Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas, these can be added to your VTAC preferences to be used as pathways into higher qualification courses.

Pathways finder

Apply directly to RMIT

We also have certificate courses that you can apply for directly to RMIT. Direct application programs are mostly certificates I, II and III. Please visit Study with us to find out if you can apply directly to the certificate program you’re interested in.

Traineeships and Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships and traineeships are a good way to study while you work. RMIT has a broad range of apprenticeships and traineeships on offer. 

Explore apprenticeships and traineeships

Single courses (subjects)

Single courses (subjects) are a great introduction to a field of study. If you plan to apply for full time courses in the future, you may be able to receive credits for your single courses. 
More information about RMIT short and single courses

The ATAR depends on how many students apply for a course, how many places are offered, and the ATARs of these students. If there is high demand for a course in a given year, this will increase the ATAR for that year. If the demand drops off the next year, it will decrease.

It is impossible to predict whether ATARs will go up or down from year to year. We suggest that if you wish to do a certain course, keep it on your preference list and make good use of your other preferences in order to maximize your chances of receiving an offer.

If you have not paid your processing fees in full you will be denied the option of changing your preferences. Your original list of preferences will be processed and considered for selection.

You cannot attempt to make changes outside the specific Change of Preference period.

For further information please contact VTAC (1300 364 133).

No, if you are happy and confident with the original list of courses that you selected through VTAC, then you do not have to make any changes to your preference list.

If you have met the prerequisites and selection requirements you may add that course to your list of preferences. It is important to note that if you have not met the prerequisites and selection requirements you will not be considered for selection into the course. We recommend that you only add and re-order your preferences of courses for which you are eligible.

VTAC provides prompts to applicants ensuring that they check their details carefully. For example, if you apply for a course that requires you to have submitted an extra requirement, such as a folio, VTAC will ask you whether you have done this. Please refer to the VTAC website to ensure you have completed any necessary extra requirements.

  • Please refer to the RMIT Pathways page to find the possible pathways that students can undertake. These may include Certificates, Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas and Associate Degrees.
  • If you still need more guidance please call Info Corner on 03 9925 2260.

Each course at RMIT has a Selection Officer. It is this person's job to select students based on the prerequisites and selection requirements outlined in VTAC. This may include ATAR, folio, interview, selection tasks, personal statements or supplementary forms.

You can check the Selection Mode section of the specific course entry on the VTAC website to find out what criteria a Selection Officer will be using when making selections.

  • Published ATARs reflect last year's intake, and can be used as a guide only.
  • Clearly-in ATAR’s may change each year, either up or down due to a number of factors.
  • Unfortunately, we cannot tell you whether you will definitely get into this course or not. However, if you have completed the required pre-requisites and selection tasks you will be considered.

Prerequisites refer to studies you must have completed to be eligible for a course. This information can be found on an RMIT course page under Entry Requirements or on the VTAC website.

For some courses you need to complete selection tasks as part of your application. In the VTAC guide, these are referred to as selection requirements.

Selection tasks might include:

  • attending an interview
  • submitting a folio
  • completing a supplementary information form or pre-selection kit.

If a course requires you to complete a selection task, this will be stated under the heading Entry requirements in the course summary in Study with us, or in the VTAC website.

December round domestic offers are emailed to applicants on Wednesday, 18 December, offers will be available on VTAC by 2pm and if successful you’ll be emailed after this time. 

You can choose to wait to see if an offer is made in subsequent offer rounds or change your preferences by adding or removing courses.

You can change your preferences from 18-20 December to be considered for a January round offer.  Visit the VTAC website for further date information. 

Regarding VTAC fees, you do not have to pay the fee straight away, but if you do not pay by the deadline (see Dates and fees) your application will not be considered.

If you miss the Change of Preference period, your unchanged preference list will be processed and forwarded to the institutions for consideration in round 1.

Note: To apply for a course that is not on your final preference list, you will get a chance to change your preferences during round 2. Please visit the VTAC website for dates.

If you receive an offer for your first preference – congratulations! If you leave your preferences as is, you won’t receive any further offers.

However, if for some reason you change your mind, and change your course preferences, you may be eligible for further offers.

When the Change of Preference period has closed, VTAC will contact all of the relevant institutions on your final preference list with the following information:

  • Your application details
  • Your Year 12 study scores and ATAR (if applicable)
  • Details of any other/additional studies (if any claimed)
  • Your SEAS/special circumstances application, if lodged

If you're an international student Change of Preference closes at 4pm on Saturday 14 December. Follow this step-by-step guide on how to apply to RMIT if you're an international student.

Information for international students

Understanding pathways

Pathways provide opportunities for you to transfer between RMIT courses. There's often more than one path to the degree you want, so don’t worry if you don’t meet all the entry criteria at first.

Associate degrees at RMIT

An Associate Degree is two years packed with practical knowledge and theory. It's a stand-alone qualification that can help fast-track you into a Bachelor Degree or the workforce.

Uni life – Learn the lingo

Starting out at university can feel like speaking a foreign language – like, is it vocational education, or TAFE? We'll help you become fluent in no time!

Learn the terms

Connect with us

Be part of the conversation and keep in touch with us to find out about study options, campus life and upcoming events on our social media channels.

Flag Image One Flag Image Two

Acknowledgement of country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

More information
Study with Us
Life at RMIT
Research
For business
About