This combination is recommended to those students who are likely to follow a vocational pathway post-secondary school or they have a strong interest in one subject that is offered as a minimum entry course at Edith Cowan or Curtin university. These students are likely to be successful studying at a university level because they are passionate about their chosen discipline but have not chosen the ATAR pathway because they may not be as interested in multiple learning areas.

The pathway is also appropriate for those students looking to obtain a degree but initially require more support than a university would provide and will therefore enter TAFE for their first year of study.  TAFE offers a number of pathways that, after one year of successful study, may take them into second year at Curtin University.

Finally,  students may also choose this pathway because they find examinations and  assessments that ask them to recall information taught over a long period of time does not suit their learning style.  This pathway minimises the number of examinations taken, therefore allowing them the study time to make sure they can get all their courses to a minimum C grade, improving their final transcript and ensuring graduation requirements are met.

It is recommended that the ATAR courses selected be courses where the student was successful in Year 10 course work and examinations. This will give them the best chance of obtaining a C grade or higher. C grades in ATAR courses and successfully completed Certificate courses, add a greater number of points to a TAFE or university application. This can give a student a competitive advantage when applying for a course that is in high demand, such as, a Diploma of Engineering.

Please note that students studying this pathway must enrol in the Certificate IV in Business in Year 12 if they want the option of applying directly to university. The successful completion of a Certificate IV in Business and either a scaled score of above 50% in English ATAR or a relevant English qualification (see information below) will credit students with the minimum entry requirements into Edith Cowan University, Curtin University and TAFE. It will also allow entry into 6 month preparation courses at Murdoch University and Notre Dame University.

A student looking to obtain a Commerce degree post-secondary schooling, may also enter TAFE for one year to study the Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Business and transfer directly into second year of a Commerce degree at Curtin University.  This combination would complement this pathway.

Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

Specific University Information for Students Completing a Certificate IV

Students can meet the minimum university entrance requirement if they do not complete English ATAR but have the following:

Curtin University
Certificate IV, a C grade in English General and successful completion of the STAT.

Edith Cowan University
Certificate IV, an A grade in General English and a submission of a portfolio.

Notre Dame
Certificate IV, a C grade in English General and successful completion of the written English section of the STAT only. The applicant must receive a written permission letter from the university to sit the STAT.

Murdoch
Certificate IV and a B grade in General English. If the applicant wishes to study Nursing, Teaching, Veterinary Science, Psychology, Law and Criminology they will also need to complete the STAT and obtain the minimum score specified by the course entry requirements.