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Education pathways
Students come to CQ TAFE from many different starting points with a view to fulfilling their career or personal goals. Whether you're seeking a skills upgrade, employment or entry to University, there are many ways to get there.
CQ TAFE offers direct pathways for students to:
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Return to study after a long absence from education or training with a range of programs designed to give you the skills to complete our short courses, certificate or diploma programs.
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Step into higher education. If you haven't had the opportunity to enter university directly, CQ TAFE can help put you on your pathway to university. Our certificate and diploma programs can help you improve your Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) and lead to a direct pathway to university study. Based on arrangements with participating universities, TAFE qualifications can provide opportunities to seek credit transfer to fast-track your degree!
Education pathways
As a TAFE graduate, you can articulate to university and in some cases obtain credit transfer to reduce the time it takes to complete your degree.
TAFE has credit transfer arrangements with:
- Griffith University
- Queensland University of Technology
- Australian Catholic University
- University of Southern Queensland
- CQUniversity Australia
- James Cook University
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- University of Queensland
- Bond University
- Southern Cross University
For more information, refer to TAFE and university pathways. Prior to enrolling, you should always contact both the relevant TAFE institute and the relevant university for correct and up-to-date information, and to find out the necessary application procedures.
Here are some scenarios of how TAFE's learning pathways can meet your needs and give you greater possibilities.
| Starting point | Example of leaning pathways |
|---|---|
| TAFE | You're enrolled in a Certificate at TAFE and work part-time at a fast food chain. Your dream job is to work at a five-star resort but you don't yet have the skills required. To make your dream a reality, your TAFE teacher advises you to enrol in the Diploma of Hospitality and receive credit for the study you've already done in the Certificate. |
| Work | You've been working as a receptionist for the last five years and need a challenge. While still working full-time, you enrol in a flexible course at TAFE and get your Certificate in Real Estate in six months. You are well on the way to your new career. |
| Year 10 | You get an apprenticeship as a chef at a local restaurant and sign a training agreement with your new boss. You work full-time and attend TAFE for scheduled block release training. When you graduate, you go on a working holiday (as your qualification is recognised across Australia) to build up experience and progress towards opening your own restaurant. |
| Year 12 | You complete your Senior Certificate but don't get the Overall Position you need to enter university. You decide to enrol in a full-time Diploma of Information Technology at your local TAFE. You complete your TAFE Diploma in 18 months, receive credit and improve your QTAC selection rank enough to enrol in a Bachelor of Information Technology degree. |
| University | You graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science degree and have been working for five years. You want to upgrade your skills but don't want to commit to another three-year degree. You decide to enrol in a Renewable Energy Technologies course. You complete this short course in one year and are promoted to a better position. |
Tertiary entrance in Queensland
Entrance to most Diploma level and Bachelor Degree level courses at Queensland TAFE Institutes, Universities and some private providers are through application to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
QTAC manages offers to courses on behalf of the member Institutions at both the main admissions period in January and February of each year as well as a smaller admissions period in June of each year.
Entry to most courses (except where through audition, portfolio or interview) is merit based and influenced heavily by course quotas and demand for places in each course.
QTAC uses a ranking system to manage offers of places.
For many year 12 leavers, an Overall Position (OP) is awarded on completion of the prescribed number and type of subjects in senior high school as well as having sat the Queensland Core Skills (QCS) Test.
OP Scores range from 1 (highest) to 25 (lowest).
For anyone else wanting to apply for a position in a course through QTAC (including Year 12 leavers who do not qualify for an OP), their application is assessed and they are allocated a Selection Rank. Selection Ranks are allocated taking into account information such as educational history, trade or traineeship studies, other professional qualifications, and possible educational disadvantage.
Personal competencies and employment experience can also be assessed at additional cost. Also at additional cost, applicants may sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT), a 2 hour multiple choice test conducted at various times and places around Queensland.
The STAT is designed to test a range of abilities commonly considered important for successful tertiary study. Results on the STAT are only used by QTAC if they improve your Selection Rank.
Selection Ranks range from 99 (highest) to 1 (lowest).
Note also, that many courses at universities have prerequisite requirements for entry. Check with each institution regarding any prerequisite requirements for their courses.
