Early Offer program

A male and female student in discussion with a female tutor, in front of a laptop screen
stairs

Early Offer program

At RMIT, your life experiences and skills count towards your course. Early Offer applications will reopen in 2024.

Use your experience to secure an early spot in your dream course at RMIT 

Early Offer allows your hobbies, weekend projects and passions to be considered alongside your ATAR. Through RMIT’s Early Offer program, your life experience outside the classroom can count towards your dream associate or bachelor’s degree, allowing you to be accepted on a lower ATAR and taking some of the pressure off your final year at high school. 

It’s part of RMIT's commitment to diversity and equitable learning, and it means you’ll get your conditional uni offer before your final exams.

3 students walking outside RMIT Bundoora campus

Make more of what’s next

At RMIT we know you’re made of more than a number. The sort of life-skills and experiences that often don’t come with a score card. But can count towards landing you early entry to RMIT. Make more of what’s next. Explore Early Offer at RMIT.

Key dates and eligibility for courses commencing in 2024

Browse Early Offer courses and learn how to apply with our easy guide below

Apply during the key application period (to reopen in 2024)

Add your Early Offer course to your VTAC preferences

Successful applicants will receive a conditional Early Offer!

Eligibility

To apply for RMIT’s Early Offer program, you must:

  • Be a current Australian Year 12 or IB (or equivalent student) 
  • Be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident of Australia or New Zealand Citizen.
  • Apply through VTAC

Your step-by-step guide to an Early Offer application

  • Eligibility:
    Check your eligibility (above) before you make an Early Offer application. 
  • Course options:
    Refer to the list of available RMIT courses below to ensure your preferred course is available. You can only apply for ONE course via the Early Offer Program.

  • Categories:
    Select TWO categories and provide 200 word responses that fulfill as many of the chosen category's criteria as possible. You will also need to provide credible supporting evidence where necessary. 
  • Preparing for your application:
    You will need to complete and submit your application in one go. Make sure you have all your supporting documentation ready to upload.
    Please note: You can only submit ONE Early Offer Application.
    Tip: You will need to complete and submit your application in one go. Consider using an MS Word document (or similar) with your prepopulated answers then copy and paste across to this application.
  • Ready to apply:
    Read through the website so you are fully prepared to apply. Apply and submit your application before the 17 September 2023 closing date.
  • Acknowledgement of submission:
    You will receive an email to confirm your application has been submitted. If you don’t receive this confirmation email, please contact earlyoffer@rmit.edu.au.

How to fill out your application

To submit a successful Early Offer application, you need to be able to summarise your experiences outside the classroom and align them to two of the below categories. 

Getting started

You will need to select any TWO categories where you can demonstrate experience for each example. 

Note: Refer to ‘Questions to prepare for’ tab, for a list of categories.

When completing the application form, consider your life experiences and activities for your responses. This cannot include school projects or anything that will contribute to your ATAR. 

Make sure you attach supporting documents related to your category. Evidence documents can be personal, paid or volunteering references.

Evidence provided must be sufficient for us to verify your claims. For example, any references should include referee's position, relationship with you, your experience and duration and their contact details.

Please note: Copies of emails without relevant contact details, resumes, images or text messages are not verifiable, so do not include these are part of your application. 

Please refer to FAQs for more details.

Use the STAR Method

The STAR method is a structured approach commonly used to answer behavioural questions. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

You must use the STAR method to ensure you provide comprehensive responses that demonstrate your experience clearly and concisely.

Here's a breakdown of each element: 

Situation: Begin by setting the context for your answer. Describe the situation you were in, such as a project you were working on, a problem you needed to solve, or a challenge you faced. 

Task: Next, describe the task or objective you were trying to accomplish in that situation. This is where you explain what you were trying to achieve and why it was important. 

Action: Here, you should explain the specific actions you took to address the situation and accomplish the task. This is where you highlight your skills, experience, and approach to problem-solving. 

Result: Finally, describe the outcome of your actions. What was the result of your efforts? Were you successful in achieving the task or objective? What did you learn from the experience? 

Remember to use specific examples and measurable results whenever possible to demonstrate the impact of your actions.

Using the STAR method with a lot of detail for each element will help you provide a comprehensive application for the Early Offer program.

You will be required to respond to a number of questions in order to submit your application.

As the application form can not be saved halfway through, we recommend you prepare your responses in an MS Word document (or similar) initially, then copy across to your online application form.

Questions will cover:

  1. Personal details: Full name, address, mobile number, date of birth, email.
  2. Categories: Select which two.
    Note: For Analytical and Critical Thinking; and Leadership, you will need to provide evidence which clearly demonstrates at least 2 months of experience and list your experience duration in your submission.
  3. Criteria: Respond to as many criteria as you can in the table under your preferred categories and prepare a 200 word statement using the STAR method format for your responses.
  4. Supporting documentation: Have these ready to upload and ensure they provide evidence of your experiences for each category. Evidence provided must be sufficient for us to verify, so ensure you have relevant contact details where applicable. Please do not include emails without relevant contact details, resumes, images, or text messages.

Please select two of the categories below to prepare answers for:

  • Please outline in your responses how your experiences match as many criteria as possible in each of the two categories that you choose. 
  • You don’t need to address every criterion; however, the more criteria you address, the stronger your application will be.
  • You MUST answer using the STAR method as outlined above.
  • You will also need to attach supporting documents as evidence specific to your responses, answers without evidence will not receive a score.
  • Remember, your answer should refer to experiences outside of your VCE studies that do not contribute to your ATAR.

You can consider this category if you can you provide evidence of at least 2 months experience of Analytical and Critical Thinking.

Tell us about how you're able to identify strengths and weaknesses, analyse information to find solutions, or apply analytical reasoning to solve tricky problems.  

Summarise a situation, task, action and outcome in a 200 word statement for each criteria, and address as many as you can:

Criteria Required response STAR answer format

1. Problem solving

You solve complex problems using creative and innovative methods drawing on diverse perspectives.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

2. Analytical reasoning

You critically evaluate information to accomplish a specific purpose

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

3. Critical thinking

You have incisively analysed the situation by examining it from multiple perspectives to identify its strengths and weakness.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

4. Analysing information

You use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

You can consider this category if you can you provide evidence of at least 2 months Leadership experience.

Whether you’ve managed groups, coached a team or planned and coordinated events, your leadership experience counts towards your Early Offer program application. 

Summarise a situation, task, action and outcome in a 200 word statement for each criteria, and address as many as you can:

Criteria Required response STAR answer format

1. Coaching

You are able to lead and provide support to others while ensuring they are well trained, skilled and prepared.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

2. Project Managements

You are able to plan, manage and execute a project efficiently.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

3. Delegating with respect

You demonstrate positive relationships where you are able to appropriately delegate tasks and instructions.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

4. Managing conflict

You are able to successfully defuse/address conflict and provide a fair resolution.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

Your attention to detail, experience working with people from different backgrounds and ability to lead conversations and negotiations are great examples to discuss. We want to hear about specific instances in which you motivated and worked with others, built relationships, delegated tasks respectfully or adapted as a team member.

Summarise a situation, task, action and outcome in a 200 word statement for each criteria, and address as many as you can:

Criteria Required response STAR answer format

1. Demonstration

You have effectively completed tasks that require a high level of communication, whether written or verbal.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

2. Relationship building

You are able to work with a diverse group of people/persons to build effective and positive relationships.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

3. Negotiating

You were able to reach an agreement while avoiding dispute, effectively achieving a good outcome.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

4. Listening

You are able to actively listen, synthesise and act/respond effectively in order to build relationships.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

Show us how you’ve got the imaginative and creative touch, discuss your curiosity for learning in new and different situations, or explain your experience in being entrepreneurial.

Summarise a situation, task, action and outcome in a 200 word statement for each criteria, and address as many as you can:

Criteria Required response STAR answer format

1. Creativity

You use your imagination to generate original ideas to create something.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

2. Design thinking

You are able to observe, with empathy, how people interact with their environments, and employ an iterative, hands-on approach to creating innovative solutions.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

3. Innovative thinking

You can come up with new ideas and novel approaches to problems, drawing on diverse views and perspectives.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

4. Entrepreneurial

You can transform the world by solving big problems or take on financial risk in the hope of profit.

Outline how you meet this criteria (max 200 words).

  • Situation:
  • Task:
  • Action:
  • Response:

Supporting documents

You will be required to upload supporting documents to provided evidence of your experience related to your two chosen categories.

  • Evidence documents can be personal, paid or volunteering references. You can use hyperlinks to websites, apps, videos or blogs you have created or written.
  • Please ensure we are able to easily verify that you created the content, such as making sure your name is displayed on the webpage or video. 
  • Evidence provided must be sufficient for us to verify your claims, therefore, copies of text messages or emails for example are not verifiable.

Tips:

  • Ensure you attach supporting documents that evidence your experiences for each category.
  • When providing a written reference, please provide a letter from a relevant referee to verify the statements on your application. Letters should identify you by your full name, confirm your experience and duration, and show the referee's position, relationship with you, and contact details. Contact details of referees alone will not be accepted. You must obtain and upload these reference letters directly. However, we contact your referees to verify the letters.  
  • Evidence provided must be sufficient for us to verify your claims, therefore, copies of text messages or emails for example are not verifiable.
  • Remember to spell check your responses before copying/pasting them into the application form.

If you're unsure you can always contact us at earlyoffer@rmit.edu.au.

  • Selection:
    After the closing date, RMIT’s Admission team will review all applications along with relevant supporting documentation.
  • Application outcome:
    All applicants will be notified of their outcome by 28 September 2023.
  • Received an Early Conditional Offer?
    If your Early Offer application is successful, please note the Early Offer is not an official VTAC offer. To receive a full offer from RMIT your Early Offer course must be in the highest eligible preference in your VTAC application and met all selection requirements.

Browse our 2023 Early Offer courses

The Early Offer program will reopen in 2024, but in the meantime, discover what was on offer in 2023.

RMIT Course Early Offer ATAR VTAC ID
Bachelor of Accounting Early Offer ATAR 65 3200311381
Bachelor of Arts (Music Industry) Early Offer ATAR 65 3200333181
Bachelor of Aviation (Pilot Training) Early Offer ATAR 65 3200532931
Bachelor of Biomedical Science Early Offer ATAR 65 3200231031
Bachelor of Business Early Offer ATAR 65 3200311191
Bachelor of Business Professional Practice Early Offer ATAR 75 3200311201
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Early Offer ATAR 70 3200310711
Bachelor of Environment and Society Early Offer ATAR 65 3200332001
Bachelor of Information Technology Early Offer ATAR 65 3200333331
Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine (Honours) Early Offer ATAR 70 3200211271
Bachelor of Laws Early Offer ATAR 83 3200333411
Bachelor of Legal and Dispute Studies Early Offer ATAR 65 3200333471
Bachelor of Science Early Offer ATAR 65 3200311261

RMIT Course Early Offer ATAR VTAC ID
Associate Degree in Applied Science Early Offer ATAR 40 3200332061
Associate Degree in Business Early Offer ATAR 40 3200332171
Associate Degree in Digital Technologies (Advanced Manufacturing) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200311181
Associate Degree in Fashion and Textiles Merchandising Early Offer ATAR 40 3200133061
Associate Degree in Engineering Technology Early Offer ATAR 40 3200333661
Associate Degree in Health Sciences Early Offer ATAR 40 3200333641
Associate Degree in Information Technology Early Offer ATAR 40 3200332401
Associate Degree in Legal Practice (Paralegal) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200332981

Guaranteed Pathways gives you the option to preference pathway packages when you apply to RMIT. This means you will be able to secure your place in your dream course by completing your vocational studies (otherwise known as TAFE) first and graduate with two internationally-recognised RMIT qualifications.

RMIT Course Early Offer ATAR VTAC ID
Associate Degree in Business / Bachelor of Business (Guaranteed Pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200331421
Associate Degree in Engineering Technology (Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics Major) / Engineering (Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics) (Honours) (Guaranteed pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 320033262
Associate Degree in Engineering Technology (Aerospace Major) / Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace Engineering) (Honours) (Guaranteed pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200332421
Associate Degree in Engineering Technology (Civil Major) / Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Infrastructure) (Honours)  (Guaranteed pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200332431
Associate Degree in Engineering Technology (Electrical and Electronics Major) / Bachelor of Engineering (Electronic and Computer Systems Engineering) (Honours) (Guaranteed pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200311141
Associate Degree in Engineering Technology (Electrical and Electronics Major) / Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering) (Honours) (Guaranteed pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200311151
Associate Degree in Engineering Technology (Mechanical Major) / Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) (Honours) (Guaranteed pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200331051
Associate Degree in Information Technology / Bachelor of Information Technology (Guaranteed pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200332071
Associate Degree in Legal Practice (Paralegal) (Associate Degree) / Legal and Dispute Studies (Guaranteed pathway) Early Offer ATAR 40 3200332371

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Early Offer ATAR is a set ATAR, so you don’t need to worry about what the entry score is. If you meet the Early Offer ATAR and the course prerequisites, you will be eligible for an offer.   

Refer to the above course list to explore the RMIT courses that are accepting Early Offers, including the ATAR you’ll need.   

The selection rank is your ATAR plus any adjustments. 

The published entry score for a course is determined by the lowest selection rank where an offer was made. 

The Early Offer ATAR applies to successful applicants of the Early Offer program. This is a set ATAR that is lower than the Guaranteed ATAR.   

The Guaranteed ATAR is a set ATAR listed for several courses (regardless of what the entry score is) this and is applicable to all applicants.  

You can commence your Early Offer application by clicking the Apply button on this page. Please be aware that you cannot save your application and return to it later, so we suggest writing out your answers in a separate document before commencing to ensure you are happy with your responses.

You also need to complete a VTAC application and list the RMIT course as a preference to be eligible for a full offer through VTAC.

You can only apply for one course through RMIT’s Early Offer program.

No, you are required to use experience from extracurricular activities that do not count towards your ATAR. 

Your interests, hobbies and talents are what make you – not just your ATAR.  

That’s why at RMIT, we recognise the value of extracurricular activities, including work experience, volunteering, involvement in youth clubs or committees, leadership positions at high school, participation in hackathons, team sports or local theatre productions, organising community events, building your own app or website, diverse life circumstances and more.

If you aren’t sure what can count towards your application, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

You can use hyperlinks to websites, apps, videos or blogs you have created or written. Please ensure we are able to easily verify that you created the content, such as making sure your name is displayed on the webpage or video.  

Tips:

Ensure you attach supporting documents that evidence your experiences for each category.

When providing a written reference, please provide a letter from a relevant referee to verify the statements on your application. Letters should identify you by your full name, confirm your experience and duration, and show the referee's position, relationship with you, and contact details. Contact details of referees alone will not be accepted. You must obtain and upload these reference letters directly. However, we contact your referees to verify the letters.  

Evidence provided must be sufficient for us to verify your claims, therefore, copies of emails without relevant contact details, resumes, images, or text messages are not verifiable, so please do not include these are part of your application.

If you're unsure you can always contact us at earlyoffer@rmit.edu.au.

To assist you with your application, here are types of experience you may wish to reference:

  • Work experience (e.g. your part-time job, working in your family business or work experiences)
  • Bootcamps or hackathons
  • Hobbies (e.g. your involvement in a gaming community or social media influencing)
  • Youth clubs
  • Youth committees (e.g. Freeza music, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, etc.)
  • Volunteering of any kind (e.g. tutoring students or volunteering at community facilities)
  • Participating in community events or running market stalls and fundraising activities (e.g. run days at school and fundraising for specific charities)
  • Tutoring
  • Clubs, societies or groups (e.g. your sports club, social activities, or environment groups)
  • Coaching or umpiring sports teams
  • Team hobbies
  • Additional roles at school (e.g. your role as a mentor, class representative or school captain)
  • Diverse life circumstances, such as primary or secondary caring responsibilities, or care in the community
  • Local productions (e.g. theatre or environmental events)
  • Creating your own app or website
  • Making a short film or music production
  • Overcoming personal challenges
  • Participating in social activities representing minority groups (e.g. Pride festivals)
  • Providing support for family or community members, such as being an interpreter for parents at appointments, home schooling support for siblings or supporting family decisions
  • Living and learning in other countries
  • Additional language skills

You must address as many of the criteria as you can under two categories and summarise your skills and experience in each with separate 200-word statements. Here are some tips and tricks to make your Early Offer application count: 

  • Write a statement of up to 200 words against each criterion that you have relevant example/s for under two categories. In your answers, outline a situation, task and action where you demonstrated the criteria and the result (using the STAR method). You will also need to attach evidence to support your responses. Draw upon specific examples of your skills. For example, rather than stating that you’re the captain of a sports team, explain a time you diffused conflict in your team or helped train a new team member. 
  • You don’t need to address every criterion, only those you can provide a suitable answer to. You can fill in one to four criteria under each of the two categories and still be considered for entry; however, the more criteria you address, the stronger your application will be.   
  • Collect different types of evidence of your experience for each criterion. This could include (but is not limited to) a reference letter from your boss or mentor, a course completion certificate, or customer feedback. 
  • The categories “Analytical and Critical Thinking” and “Leadership” require you to demonstrate experience of more than 2 months’ duration. If you are unable to provide suitable evidence, you could consider another category.

To submit a successful application, you need to: 

  • Summarise a situation, task, action, and result (STAR method) for as many criteria as you can in separate 200 words statements that align with your two chosen categories. Please ensure that you clearly articulate each part of the STAR method, as responses that don’t address each part will not receive a score.  
  • Provide evidence of your experience in your application (such as a completion certificate, reference letter, or link to something you’ve created). 
  • Ensure your experience is not part of your VCE studies that contribute to your ATAR. 

Congratulations! To be eligible to receive your official offer through VTAC, make sure you have paid your VTAC course fees and have the course listed on your preference list.   

You are eligible to receive one offer per round in VTAC. The official VTAC offer that you receive will be for the course listed highest on your list of preferences where you have met all selection requirements. Your preferences should be ordered by which course you want to do the most, to the course you want to do the least.

Yes, successful applicants still need to complete their VCE exams.   

Your Early Offer is conditional, meaning you still need to meet the Early Offer ATAR and prerequisites in order to study your course.  

You may still be eligible to receive an offer for this course through the regular selection process.  

This is because the Early Offer ATAR refers to your 'raw' ATAR score (i.e. the ATAR you receive from VTAC, which is before adjustment factors are applied). 

For example, if you receive an Early Offer for the Bachelor of Business, and receive an ATAR of 60, while you would not meet the conditions of your Early Offer course, you may be eligible for adjustment factors (such as SEAS and subject adjustments). Therefore, you may still receive an offer for the course through the regular selection process.  

At RMIT, we have a range of ways you can enter your dream course. These are known as pathway options. We have pathways available for most of our courses, which step you through a diploma or associate degree first, and then on to the bachelor course. Our pathways can be added to your VTAC preference list. 

For additional information and support, please contact earlyoffer@rmit.edu.au

Tanya Setyawan - RMIT Bachelor of Communications student, smiling, sitting at a table holding a mobile phone

Receiving your official offer through VTAC

You will be guaranteed an offer if you meet the Early Offer ATAR and all course prerequisites. The VTAC offer that you receive will be for the course listed highest on your list of preferences where you have met all selection requirements.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

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.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

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.