Organising and adjusting your VTAC preferences is essential to making the most of your ATAR. But with six different offer rounds between December and February, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed by the Change of Preference process.

Introducing the ultimate offer round guide: your trusted Change of Preference companion, here to help you know what to do – and when – for every offer round.

December offer round

With just one offer round for December, this is your first shot at adjusting your VTAC preferences to boost your chances of securing an offer.

  • Get your results – and relax. You did it! The stress of high school is behind you. Congratulate yourself on a year of hard work and remember: you are more than your ATAR.

  • Evaluate your options. With your Year 12 results finally in hand, it’s time to revisit your preferences and see if anything needs to be tweaked to boost your chances of an offer in this first round, and beyond.

  • Get personalised advice at Change of Preference Expo. You’ll have a small window to adjust your preference list in time for the first offer round. Drop by Swinburne’s Change of Preference Expo to chat to course experts about your options, based on your results. You can even get help changing your preferences right there on the spot.

Come to Swinburne’s Change of Preference Expo for personalised advice.

January offer rounds

Not all courses participate in offer rounds after January, so make your preferences count!

  • Reassess your preferences – and priorities. There’s a slightly longer window between the two January offer rounds. This gives you some much-needed time to consider if your preference list aligns with what you really want to study before Change of Preference closes for January round 2.

  • Have you already received offers? Move these courses to the bottom of your preference list so you can be considered for your other preferences in future offer rounds.

  • Accept any offers you receive. Some courses have earlier acceptance deadlines, so you could miss out on an offer once it lapses – and you may not get that same offer again. Don’t worry, you can always withdraw from any offers you’ve accepted later on.

You could be eligible for a scholarship based on your Year 12 results.

February offer rounds

Whether you haven’t received an offer yet, or already have multiple on the table, the three February offer rounds represent three separate chances to collect an offer.

  • Keep adjusting your preferences. This is your last shot at adjusting your list, so make it count!

  • Trying to decide between offers from different universities? Book a campus tour so you can get a feel for what your future life could be like as a student.

  • Withdraw from any offers you’ve accepted, but no longer want. You may have accepted and even enrolled in multiple offers. After the final February offer round, be sure to withdraw from any offers except for the course you’ve chosen to study.

  • Haven’t received an offer yet? You could still get to your dream course, one way or another. Try adding a pathway course to your preference list, or apply to be assessed for a supplementary offer for any courses with vacancies.

Need some help arranging your preferences?

Come to Change of Preference Expo for expert guidance on making the most of your VTAC preferences, based on your Year 12 results.

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