How to accept your offer

Your offer into a course at Murdoch will arrive by snail mail (old fashioned post, you know, with an envelope and a stamp?) so remember to check the letterbox.

The letter will contain some important info such as your student number, which you will need to begin the process of accepting your offer, so hold onto it!

It’s important to be around at this time so you can do this yourself. If you are away you can still accept your offer from anywhere in the world where there is internet.

It’s your future so it’s better that you are in control of what’s happening instead of leaving it to someone else!

To accept, defer or reject your offer go to www.murdoch.edu.au/New-students and use the student number in your letter to get into the system.

From here it will guide you through and you will pretty much be set up to start enrolling in units, signing up for tutes and lectures and planning your timetable! Exciting!!

Not sure you want to accept the Offer?
 
If you have been made an offer but are unsure if it’s what you really want to do, that’s ok!

It can be pretty stressful having to make all these decisions and finishing high school is a time when you come to a major fork in the road.

This can be scary but it is also a brilliant time in your life when you can make choices, take your own path and explore so many possibilities. Yeah, you might start travelling down one road only to find that maybe you want to try another way. No matter. Turn left at the roundabout or cross over the bridge and take yourself on an entirely new journey.

The point is don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because you can turn things around and you will learn by doing, no matter what. If it feels right, if it makes you excited, if you are interested in exploring it and giving it your best shot then go for it!

You can always come and chat to our Student Advisors – they help students all the time figure out their options and sometimes it’s just good to talk it through with someone who knows exactly what you are going through.

If you didn’t get your first preference you can wait for second round offers and then decide what to do - our trusty Student Advisors will still be around for chats ;) or if you need time to figure out if this course, or even if uni is right for you then you can defer your offer.

Didn’t get into uni? There are more ways than you think!

We want you to feel GREAT about your future and not receiving an offer doesn’t mean the end of the road for you and your dream course or career! There really, truly are more ways than one to get into uni, here are some of them:

• Did you know you can do a Murdoch Uni Preparation Course and still be based on our main campus?
• For some media and arts courses you can submit a portfolio instead of needing your ATAR.
• Life experience counts! A TAFE or trade certificate can be used to enter uni.

And there are more! Drop in to our Student Centre, most students find talking to us really helps them know all their options.

Next Steps

• Browse courses by ATAR
• Check key dates for Semester 2, 2014

Understanding the structure of an undergraduate degree

Next Steps

• Browse courses by ATAR
• Check on accepting your offer
• Read how to change your preferences

5 quick study tips for WACE exams

5 quick study tips for WACE exams

Your WACE exams are just around the corner. Although you’ve probably been preparing throughout the whole of Year 12 for this moment there’s still some final study to be done.

We’ve put together 5 quick tips on ‘How to study for your WACE exams’ – which don’t involve cramming the night before – that will help you get the ATAR result you want!

1. Organise your WACE subjects in lists

Preparing for WACE exams should involve planning your study time by your WACE exam timetable, and your subjects and sub-topics that need more time. Here is how we suggest you get organised:

• Write a list of your WACE subjects.
• Break each WACE subject down into the topics that you will need to know for the exam.
• Highlight the topics that you already know and prioritise on studying the ones you don’t.
• Order your subject study order based on your WACE exam timetable.

2. Plan blocks of study time

Now that you have your WACE subjects and topics listed you can put time aside to study each day. One of the most effective ways to plan study time is by arranging your day into ‘blocks’, which allows you to take breaks in between different subjects.

• Book in 6 – 8 study blocks a day.
• Each block should be 50 minutes long with a 10 minute break at the end.
• After 3 blocks in a row you’ll need a longer break - book 45 minutes.
• ‘Mix up’ your subject blocks - moving from one topic to another will stop you from getting bored.

3. Pick or set-up the right study space

Once your plan is in place you’ll need the right space to make studying for your WACE exams easier and more productive. Your perfect study space should have the following:

• A big desk – you’re going to need the space for all your notes and textbooks.
• A comfy chair – you will be sitting for most of your sessions so make sure you’re comfortable!
• Mixed lighting –a mix of natural and artificial light, such as a desk lamp, will take the strain off your eyes and ensure you don’t get headaches.


4. Get social (no, not on Facebook!)

Most tips tell you to keep active but that means more than just taking a walk; stay in touch with friends and family as well! It helps to have people to talk to about WACE stress, any subjects you are not sure about and to give you a real break from studying!

• Go for a 30 minute walk – it will help clear your head and allow you to stretch out after sitting at a desk all day.
• Make plans to see your friends or go out with family in between your study time, treat it as a reward for finishing a topic!
• Study together! Some of your friends will probably be taking the same WACE subjects; use this as a chance to ask about something that you might not understand and offer your assistance if they are struggling with something.

5. Keep a routine

A good routine will help you get the most out of what little time you have left to study so try and stick to it.  It can take a while to set a habit, so persevere!

• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day- this helps regulate how much sleep you get.
• Eat regular meals and snacks - your brain can’t focus properly when you’re hungry.
• Work out when you feel most productive then plan to study at that time every day.

Following these 5 simple WACE exam study tips will put you on the right track towards getting the ATAR score you want.

Need more WACE preparation help?

Read key tips from our WACE preparation seminars.
Check out past WACE exam papers.
Time management tips from our Student Learning Centre

Key Dates for ATAR and TISC

Key Dates for ATAR and TISC

Submitting your university preferences via a TISC application is just the start of the process for applying to university.

We’ve put the key dates and processes together in one handy place to ensure that you’re across how TISC preferences and offers work, from initial TISC applications to WACE exams, ATARs, preference changes and offers.

29 September 2014

This is the closing date for on-time TISC applications. It doesn’t mean you can’t apply through TISC after this date; you will just need to pay a $130 late fee. Read our advice on filling out your TISC application.

3 November 2014

This is the date that the written exams for WACE start. More information about the practical exams can be found here. You can find a timetable of all of the exams here. Don’t forget to read our Blog for study tips on WACE exams.

25 November 2014

This is the final day of written WACE exams. Hooray!

24 December 2014

Murdoch University will break for Christmas holidays at noon, so be sure to speak to our Student Advisors for course advice  before this date.

29 December 2014

WACE 2014 results will be available online. See more information on WACE results here.

The Murdoch Student Centre will open from 8.30am – 4.30pm to offer advice on ATARs and change of TISC preferences. Call us on 1300 MURDOCH or speak to someone in person by visiting the South Street Campus.

31 December 2014

The Murdoch Student Centre will open from 8.30am – 4.30pm to offer advice on ATARs and change of TISC preferences. Call us on 1300 MURDOCH or speak to someone in person by visiting the South Street Campus.

2015

2 January 2015

The Murdoch Student Centre will open from 8.30am – 4.30pm to offer advice on ATARs and change TISC preferences. Call us on 1300 MURDOCH or speak to someone in person by visiting the South Street Campus.

2 January 2015

This is the final date to submit a TISC application and change your preferences for the main round of offers. Subsequent applications will go into processing for second round offers.

16 January 2015

Main round offers will be sent to you by email or post. Be sure you secure a place in your course by accepting your offer here.

If you did not receive a main round offer there is the chance to change your preferences for the second round of offers. We recommend you speak to a Murdoch Student Advisor for advice on second round offers by calling 1300 MURDOCH or visiting the South Street Campus.

23 January 2015

This is the final closing date for TISC applications for Semester 1 2015. To be considered for a second round offer you need to submit an application before this deadline.

3 February 2015

Second round offers will be sent to you by email or post. Be sure you secure a place in your course by accepting your offer here.

If you did not receive a second round we recommend you speak to a Murdoch Student Advisor about alternate pathways into university by calling 1300 MURDOCH or visiting the South Street Campus.

17 February 2015

Semester 1 Orientation week and university life begins. Welcome aboard!

Remember, anyone that wants to start at Murdoch in Semester 1 2015, needs to apply through TISC between August and January, or directly with Murdoch outside of those dates.

Next Steps

• Browse courses by ATAR
• Check on accepting your offer
• Read how to change your preferences

How to Change Your Preferences: A Visual Guide

They say change is a good thing.

Maybe you feel like the courses you put down as your preferences for Uni back in September are not quite right anymore?

A lot of things could have changed since then. 

Maybe you are feeling really confident after sitting your exams and you think that you could aim a little higher?

Or maybe you have discovered another course  that is more ‘you’ and more in line with following what you are interested in.

Or maybe you've had a chance to weigh up all the options available to you and decided "I don't want to do course 'x' anymore, I need to do course 'z' because I think I would LOVE it!"

That’s why you get the chance to change your preferences, once before results come out and then again after first round offers if you want to go in for the second round.

It’s not hard to do, but there are some key dates you should know. That’s why we created this handy diagram, to lay it all out and hopefully make it super straightforward!

You may also be interested in:

Our Guide Tool

Our Course Finder Tool
Browse Courses by ATAR

Words from the wise: Field advice from Murdoch Alumni

Image ↬ Elizabeth Sanchez

As a student it can be hard to visualise the kind of role you are going to have when you finish your degree.  Questions such as where will this lead me, what kind of job can I get, what will I actually be doing, are commonly raging around in most students heads!

We thought that some advice on working out your path from uni to workplace would be useful to current students, so we turned to our Alumni and asked them if they could offer any insights. 

Meet Magdeline Lum, Murdoch Graduate Bsc. Chemistry, Grad Dip Extractive Metallurgy

Magdeline (Mags for short) Lum is a chemist and metallurgist on a mine site, a writer, a blogger, a science communicator, a volunteer and mentor to school students.

Mags is a lot of things.

Mags says, as a student she didn’t think about it until her final year which is when she started to look online and in newspapers to see what kind of work was available, what kind of work someone with a Chemistry degree could get.

While you don’t have to have a concrete plan in place, Mags suggests at least doing some things in your first semester to figure out if it is in fact a direction you want to go in. 

She highly recommends chatting to the employers at career expos and to sign up for vacation programs in your 2nd year over the summer months.

Mags adds that it’s important in particular if you are applying for graduate positions where applications open a lot earlier then uni graduation dates and the process is quite long. 

This leads into her next hot tip, which is useful to keep in mind not just as a new graduate, but all throughout your career:

Mags admits it can be hard to find mentors and she suggests turning to the internet. She suggests searching for people who have done things – more and more people have blogs, or find people through professional associations and networking functions.

Round up

• Go to career expos/fairs/days, here are a few that happen in Perth:
• CareersExpo  
• The National Careers & Employment Expo 
• The Big Meet

• Find mentors via blogs and Twitter is a great place to find people in your industry and area of interest. Also start a professional profile on LinkedIn, join industry groups and find leaders in your field of interest.

• Check out the Murdoch Career Hub

You might also like to read:

Figuring out what you want to be when you grow up

Find what you love and just do it

Be Friends with us on Facebook for advice, tips and updates.

Our Facebook Friends to the Rescue: Advice for New Students

Image ↬ Jen Collins

If you are new to university, there are plenty of peeps around who can help you out, both with the serious business & the social stuff.

Always remember the Student Advisors who you can find in our Student Centre! They are full of advice for you at all stages of your time at uni. When you need to find anything, when you need help changing units, when you think maybe you are in the wrong course and need to find one that is right for you, when you need to know about credits etc they are there to help you!

If you’re finding your course a bit hard or aren’t sure about an assignment, your First Year Advisor will be more than happy to help! Find them on Facebook & they’ll be able to point you in the right direction!

The next piece of good news is (there's no bad news in this post, FYI) that everyone else at uni has either been in your shoes or is sharing the same thoughts and feelings about being a 'newbie.' 

Our current students are full of tips about how to make it work and make life better at uni. We asked our friends on Facebook what advice they would give to new students and this is the excellence they came back with:

1.     “Find some great friends in your units because they will be your support group. They will understand what you as a uni student are going through and help you and they will become your study group.” Breanna

2.     “Do your readings before you go to the lecture or workshop then you actually know what they are going on about.” Kneecar

3.     “Make a study plan and stick to it! And ask questions!”  Billie-Lee

4.     “You are not alone! If you ever struggle, there are heaps of friendly people ready to help. Murdoch has a great support system. Everyone is super friendly.” Jasmina

5.     “There is so much available to you if you get stuck. Help classes, workshops, the student learning centre, your first year advisor, hell even go and see your lecturer or tutor- they will bend over backwards to help you! Just don't forget to have some fun and set aside some me time - because the last thing you want to do is burn out.” Tegan

6.    “ Join a study group, and if u can't find one create one :) It’s much easier when u share the load with study buddies.” Deb

7.    “ Never let procrastination get the better of you! Keep up with the workload and remember everyone else in uni is going through the same thing, YOU CAN DO IT!!!!” Emily

8.    “ Don't blame the teacher... they didn't write the assignment or sit the exam. You only fail yourself. Study!” Christine

9.    “ It's important to have fun as long as you keep up with your studies and never be afraid to ask for help, if you ever feel you need it!” Vanessa

10.   “Relax and enjoy the ride!” Leah

11. “Do and start your assignments as early as possible. Sounds stupid but you will be surprised how much info is in the unit books, google and the question. Plus you will end up having more time when everyone else is stressing out.” Cassidi

12. “If you need help ask. Meet new people because they help you grow and teach you new things. Time management is most important. Have fun relax and try not to stress too much!” Sharnye

13. “Go to your lectures! It definitely pays off!” Jess

14. “Get into a study group!!!” Emma

15. “Ask questions, there's more support than you probably realise and most of all, enjoy it! This could possibly be the best time of your life and it will go very quickly!!” Alexandra

16. “Meet as many people as you can! There will be so many new like-minded people around you.” Kimberley

17. “Surround yourself with others who are serious about achieving good grades and enjoy the learning process.” Deb

18. “Always make sure that amongst the study there is room for fun :o)” Leah

19. “Always do your best, even if you fail. It’s never the end.” Emma

That’s right, it’s never the end! There is always support for you at Murdoch, don’t hesitate to drop by our Facebook page to ask questions either!

Need more help? Check out these links:

Find your First Year Advisor to help with any course related issues.

Get some quick study tips.

See different ways that you can join in on campus. 

Should you consider a Preparation Course?

MUPC stands for ‘Murdoch University Preparation Course’ and is run by The Murdoch Institute of Technology (MIT).  It’s the same as doing a bridging course as it prepares you for uni study and gives you the qualifications you need for entry if you don’t have an ATAR.

Key points you need to know from this video

• Why you should do a MUPC, for example, if you don’t qualify for OnTrack or need to do some prep units to get into your chosen course at Murdoch.
• That you apply to Murdoch uni straight through MUPC when you have finished. 
• That although you don’t get credits towards towards a uni degree for completing a MUPC, it provides great preparation for courses like Law and for completing foundation units that you may have missed in school – such as physics or math.

We also chatted to Games Art and Design student David about how he came to Murdoch Uni through a course at MIT and how he chose his uni course:

“Every single time I told someone I was studying at MIT they would say, oh so you failed year 12 and I would be like no I didn’t fail year 12, this is my year 12. By the end of that time, I was at that level that the uni wanted me at and I was familiar with the campus already.”

Read about how he did it here. 

Is MUPC the right option for you? You can also explore these options for your pathway into uni:

Why we recommend OnTrack to gain entry into Murdoch
The Low Down on sitting the STAT
You don’t have to be a school leaver to use your ATAR
Using previous uni qualifications to apply for a new course
Is TAFE your Ticket into a uni course?
Breaking up with your ATAR and finding a new pathway into uni
The top question we get asked when ATAR results are released

Why we recommend OnTrack to gain entry into Murdoch

Many students are surprised to learn that they are eligible for the Murdoch Uni OnTrack program. In this video, Nazli explains a bit about what OnTrack is and who is eligible and how you should apply. 

The key points from the video to know

• OnTrack is a 14 week free program that once completed will be used to give you entry into Murdoch.

• You can apply if you are:
• A school leaver who experienced disruption during your year 12 exams; this could be something like moving schools, living in a regional area, or receiving poor advice from your school on getting into uni.

• Non-school leavers who are in a difficult situation such as; you have a medical condition or disability, English is your second language, you have been unemployed for a long time.

• The video also discusses TOP (Tertiary Options Project), which is for students who have had something severe happen during their year 12 studies that prevented them from getting the results they needed to get in to uni.

To apply for OnTrack call (08) 9360 2609 or email ontrack@murdoch.edu.au
To apply for TOP call (08) 9360 6084 or email equity@murdoch.edu.au

If you have any questions, or even if you think your situation may not count, contact our Student Centre and chat to someone and you may find that you are eligible for the program. If not, our lovely Student Centre staff can help you find a way of making your goal of studying at uni come true!

Have you considered any of these pathways into uni?

The low down on sitting the STAT
You don’t have to be a school leaver to use your ATAR
Is Tafe your Ticket into a uni course?
Breaking up with your ATAR and finding a new pathway into uni
The top question we get asked when ATAR results are released

Using previous uni qualifications to apply for a new course

In this video our friendly Student Centre advisor Tanya explains how and when you would use your previous uni qualifications to apply for uni at Murdoch.

Key tips from this video about previous uni study

• Once you start uni you are not locked in! You can switch courses and you can change universities to find the course that is right for you.
• We look at your highest level of prior learning, so once you have done at least two units of uni study we no longer consider other qualifications you may have, such as an ATAR score or Tafe. This also means you do not need to sit the STAT test!
• There is no expiry on uni study, we will consider you for entry forever – however it may not be valid to gain credits or Advanced Standing. 
• If you are switching courses or took some time out of uni and now want to come back and do a different course, you can possibly get some credits toward your new degree if it wasn’t too long ago.

How you should go about applying

You apply through TISC to start Semester 1 and apply using our online form if you want to commence in Semester 2 (Mid year start).

Exceptions to the rule

Courses like Law, Chiro, Vet and Psych honours require a certain level of qualifications, so come and chat to us about this or any other queries you may have about how you may qualify for Murdoch.

Read other students stories about changing courses and changing unis

Jack reckons It’s ok, you are allowed to change your mind.

Christian gives his advice On making changes and being a First Year student the second time round.

If you haven’t done any units at uni you may like to consider these other entry pathways

The Low Down on sitting the STAT
You don’t have to be a school leaver to use your ATAR
Breaking up with your ATAR and finding a new pathway into uni
The top question we get asked when ATAR results are released

Is TAFE your Ticket into a uni course?

It’s super straight forward to apply for uni using a TAFE qualification and this video gives you the run down of it all.

A quick recap of the key points in the video

• You need to have at least a certificate IV from TAFE to qualify, certificate III is not enough.
• If you want to apply for Semester 1 you need to put your application in through TISC – even if you are not a Murdoch student!
• If you want to apply to start in Semester 2 (Mid year entry) then you can apply directly with us using our online application form (and don’t forget to attach your academic transcript!).
• If you have completed at least two units of a uni degree this will override your TAFE qualifications so watch our video on applying using previous uni qualifications.

Don’t have a TAFE certificate? Watch our other videos on other entry pathways that might be your ticket in

Breaking up with your ATAR and finding a new pathway into uni
The top question we get asked when ATAR results are released

Can I use my work experience to qualify for uni?

We get a lot of people asking about applying to university using work experience as their admission qualification.

In this video Tanya from our Student Centre explains what this really means. To be honest, it’s a pretty hard way to get in – you need to have heaps of experience to qualify and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

A few key points from the video that you need to know if you are thinking of applying this way:

• You need lots of experience – we’re talking 10 years plus.
• The experience needs to be directly related to the course you are applying for.
• People who have this level of work experience may be better suited to applying for a Postgraduate or Masters degree rather than an Undergraduate degree.

One of these options may be better for you to get into uni, have you considered these other forms of admission?

Breaking up with your ATAR and finding a new pathway into uni
The top question we get asked when ATAR results are released

Be our friend on Facebook for advice, tips and fun stuff!

You don’t have to be a school leaver to use your ATAR

Did you know that the score you got in year 12 for your exams into uni is valid for entry into Murdoch forever?

Amazed? So many people are! They think they have to sit the STAT test because it has been 10 years since they graduated high school. Not so!

Watch this video to find out how easy it is to apply with your ATAR or TEE or TES, or whatever it was called when you went through school!

Key takeouts from the video

Some need-to-knows about applying with your high school qualification:

• You can use your ATAR to start uni Midyear
• If you are applying from August to January you need to go through TISC but outside these times you can apply directly to Murdoch University with our online application form.
• If you have done any further study, such as Tafe or a couple of units at uni, these override your school exams score and we will consider these as your qualifications instead.

Check out if you qualify for entry into Murdoch via these options:

Breaking up with your ATAR and finding a new pathway into uni
The top question we get asked when ATAR results are released

Be our Friend on Facebook for tips, advice and fun stuff!

The low down on sitting the STAT

In this video, the lovely Nazli from our Student Centre gives you what you need to know about sitting the STAT (Special Tertiary Admissions Test). 

The STAT is used to apply for uni when you don't have a year 12 certificate (or other qualifications such as a Tafe certificate IV or Diploma).

Here is a quick recap of the key points from the video:

• You can sit the STAT test if:
• You are over 20 years old. 
• You don’t have any other qualifications or you didn’t finish high school.

• You do NOT need to sit the STAT test if:
• You have a TAFE certificate IV or more. 
• You’ve completed at least two or more units at any uni. 
• You sat your high school exams longer ago than you care to admit. 

• You sit the STAT test by:
• Booking through TISC  (check their site for test dates in Perth - they hold them through May to January each year).

• Don’t worry if you feel like you’ve been out of the system for a while as there are STAT prep courses you can do and plenty of example questions on Google.

• You can also just sit the English component of the STAT test. So if you have a decent ATAR score but you failed English in year 12 you can just do this part of the test and it’s way easier than the Year 12 curriculum exams! (FYI this is only on ONE day in January, so make sure you are around then if you need to sit this).

• If you are applying for Midyear entry (Semester 2) you sit the test through TISC and then apply directly through Murdoch online.

• If you are applying for Semester 1 you apply through TISC – even if you are not a school leaver!

• The STAT test won’t get you directly into some of our courses, such as Vet, Chiro, Law and Psychology Honours.

If you have any more questions and would like to chat to someone like Nazli about getting into Murdoch uni – come visit us in the Student Centre or give us a call!

You may also be interested in these videos and articles:

Breaking up with your ATAR and finding a new pathway into uni

The top question we get asked when ATAR results are released

On making changes and being a First Year student the second time round

When asked why he stuck out three whole years doing a Town Planning degree that he didn’t enjoy, Christian puts the question back to us. Plain and simple, we can all be afraid of change. Admitting we are not happy doing what we are doing and taking the step of altering our direction isn’t easy and Christian admits it was about finally plucking up the courage to say, actually I will decide what I want to do and I want to start writing.

Changing to a degree in English and Philosophy in the middle of the year and at a new uni put Christian in the interesting position of being a First Year student all over again, but this time he wasn’t a School Leaver and having more experience and confidence meant he felt more comfortable in classes.

Recognising that he didn’t want to keep going in the direction he was going was the first step. Realising he would rather study something creative and something that challenged him on “how to think, not what to think” was the deal breaker that lead him to finally make the switch to English.

His advice?

Christian's Pathway