Make RMIT your first preference and own what’s next.
Make RMIT your first preference and own what’s next.
Plug in your ATAR and explore what a future at RMIT could look like .
Didn’t get the ATAR you needed? Study a certificate or diploma first to get into your dream degree.
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.
During specified periods you will be able to add, remove or reorder your course preferences in your course application. After each of these specified periods is an offer round, during which VTAC notifies you of the highest offer on your preference list.
Between offer rounds, you may want to change your preferences if you have changed your mind about which course you most want to study, if a new course has become available and you would like to add it to your preference list, or if a course you had applied for has been cancelled and you want to replace it in your preference list.
For more information on offer round dates, check the VTAC dates and fees page.
We understand that choosing your course preferences can be a little daunting, so we’re here to help.
You can visit or call Study@RMIT any weekday from 9am-5pm for free advice and support.
You will need to log in to your VTAC Online Application using your VTAC ID and PIN. Full instructions are provided once you're logged in.
Remember: You don’t have to change all your preferences. You can simply add, subtract or rearrange whichever courses you would like to. This may only be one course, or it may be all courses on your list.
You may be eligible for special consideration at RMIT if you have applied for SEAS (Special Entry Access Scheme) through VTAC. If you have submitted an application for SEAS you may be eligible for adjustments to your ATAR..RMIT’s Schools Network Access Program (SNAP)
The SNAP access scheme provides priority entry to RMIT courses for students from designated Victorian secondary schools.
Eligible SNAP students that have an ATAR within 20 points of the lowest selection rank (including adjustments) for their preferred courses can receive an equity adjustment. Depending on their initial ATAR and the competitiveness of the course, this may deem some applicants eligible for an offer.
VTAC’s Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS)
SEAS allows us to consider disadvantages and circumstances that may have impacted your academic performance.
Eligible applicants can receive an adjustment to the calculation of their selection rank, which can increase the chances of receiving an offer.
For courses that select primarily on ATAR, any adjustments you are eligible to receive are used in combination with your ATAR to calculate your selection rank.
For courses that select on Range of Criteria, where selection is based on your performance in selection tasks such as interviews or folio presentations, you will receive an equivalent level of adjustment (SEAS and/or SNAP) to your results in these selection tasks.
Other ways to access RMIT
From pathways to regional adjustments, there are many alternative ways to gain entry to a course at RMIT.
Great question.
Your best option will be to look at what pathways are available to get into your desired higher education course.
By studying a certificate or diploma first, you can pave your path into your dream degree without an ATAR requirement. Just add the vocational course to your VTAC preferences like any other course.
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.
The published ATAR is a reflection of last year’s intake and can only be used as a guide when choosing your courses, as 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 maximise your chances of receiving an offer.
Before each offer round, there is a temporary locked period when universities and TAFEs select successful applicants. After each offer round, Change of Preference will reopen until the next lock period.
If you have not paid your processing fees in full, your application and any changes to your preference list will not be considered for selection by the universities or TAFEs on your list.
For further information, please check VTAC dates or 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 a course offer. We recommend that you only add and reorder 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.
The pathway options change per course.
Use our Pathways Finder tool or the RMIT pathways page to explore how you could study a diploma, certificate or associate degree as a gateway into your dream degree.
If you still need more guidance, call or live chat one of our helpful team.
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 the Admissions subheading, 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 also be stated on the RMIT course page under Admissions, or on the VTAC website.
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 essential requirements and admission criteria of your course on the VTAC website to find out what criteria a Selection Officer will be using when making selections.
There are multiple rounds of offers: the first is in December after you have received your ATAR result. If you didn’t get the offer you want, a second round of offers will be released in January and some final subsequent offer rounds throughout February.
Check the VTAC website if you are an international student, non-Year 12 applicant or are searching for dates on further offer rounds.
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.
To be considered for a first round offer, you will need to pay your fees ahead of December.
You will only be considered for an offer for the release after your fees have been paid.
If you miss the first round of Change of Preference, your unchanged preference list will be processed and forwarded to the universities or TAFEs for consideration in the second round.
To apply for a course that is not on your final preference list, you will get a chance to change your after each subsequent offer round. Please visit the VTAC website for all round 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 in subsequent offer rounds.
When the first round of the Change of Preference period has closed, VTAC will contact all the relevant universities or TAFEs 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
After this, if you are a domestic or international student, you will receive notice of your application status with the opportunity to further change preferences in subsequent rounds.
If you're an international student and you’d like to be considered in the first round of offers, ensure you have paid the VTAC fee and selected your preferences prior to December.
Follow this step-by-step guide on how to apply to RMIT if you're an international student.
You can also visit the VTAC website for a full list of important dates for change of preference.
Unfortunately, we cannot tell you whether you will definitely get into a specific course or not. However, if you have completed the required prerequisites and selection tasks, you will be considered.
You will find out whether you are in when offers come out.
Remember: published ATARs reflect last year's intake, and can be used as a guide only.
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.
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Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation 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 - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation 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.
