Glossary

Advanced Standing
Credit granted for recognised study at a TAFE or other university, which allows you to enter your university course at an advanced level.
Apply
When you apply to a university course, you're asking them to consider giving you a place in that course. Entry to university is competitive, so you may or may not be offered a place. If you are offered a place, you formalise your acceptance when you enrol.
Articulation
A particular type of pathway to university, giving you admission via a post-secondary course at a TAFE or other institution that has an agreement with your chosen university.
Clearly-in ATAR
The ATAR that guarantees a place in a specific university course, provided you also have the prerequisites.
Credit points
Each university subject is worth a certain number of credit points (usually 15 or 20 credit points), and each university course requires you to complete a prescribed number of credit points.
Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
A university place for which the Commonwealth Government pays most of the cost of tuition, and the student pays the balance. CSPs are only available to Australian citizens and permanent residents, and New Zealand citizens.
Electives
Subjects you can choose to do outside compulsory and major university subjects. Some courses have room for several electives, while others have only compulsory subjects.
Enrol
Enrolling at university means you're officially, legally taking up the place you've been offered. This gives you all the rights (and responsibilities!) that go with being a university student.
Faculty
An organisational unit responsible for administering a set of courses (grouped around specific subject areas, or disciplines). La Trobe has five faculties: Education; Health Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; Business, Economics and Law; and Science, Technology and Engineering.
Honours
An additional year (or more) of study that adds a higher qualification to a Bachelor degree. Students usually do Honours to give them the qualifications they need to apply to a postgraduate research degree.
ITAS
Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme – funded by the Commonwealth Government and delivered by Australian universities.
Major
A sequence of related subjects taken over the duration of an undergraduate course. You usually do one major subject each semester.
Mature-Age Entry
The term mature-age refers to people who are no longer at school, are in (or have finished) TAFE, or who are looking to transfer from another University course. Mature-age entry is a term used to describe anyone not currently studying Year 12, regardless of your age.

The ‘Mature-Age Special Entry scheme’ refers to a specific entry scheme for applicants who haven't completed Year 12 or equivalent studies and are 21 year or older.

Non-Year 12
Non-Year 12 applicants are people not currently studying Year 12. This term is applied regardless of age.
Pathways
The sequence of studies you choose to get a qualification and ultimately a career. There are a variety of pathways through which you can enter university.
Postgraduate
The second level of study at university, highly specialised and usually leading to a Master’s or doctoral qualification.
Prerequisites
The subjects you must have completed at school in order to be eligible for a place in a specific university course.
Special Entry Access Schemes (SEAS)
The VTAC umbrella program for all Special Entry schemes conducted by participating tertiary institutions in Victoria. La Trobe has nine SEAS categories.
Undergraduate
The first level of study at university – this usually refers to a three-year Bachelor’s degree. It may or may not include an Honours year.
University Admissions Centre (UAC)
The NSW counterpart to VTAC. Applicants to La Trobe's Albury-Wodonga and Mildura campuses can apply either though VTAC or UAC.
Unit
Another name for a subject. Subjects are called units at many Australian universities.
Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)
A government body that administers most applications to undergraduate courses in Victorian universities.