University Entrance
Admission into university is competitive with most courses having more applicants than places. There are four steps to gaining entry to University:
- Satisfy the Diploma requirements
- Achieve competence in English
- Meet prerequisites for chosen courses
- There are now Direct Pathways to university courses. Universities have identified specific Diploma scores for direct entry to courses. These specific entry points are available on the IB Diploma Home Page via the Scotch Library website.
1. Competence in English (subject to confirmation)
- A mark of at least a Grade 4 in Group 1 Language A (Literature or Language and Literature).
- If a student has earned a good Diploma score and an equivalent ATAR above a prescribed minimum score but has not acquired the minimum grade to satisfy literacy (Grade 4), the student must apply to individual universities to sit the STAT to demonstrate their competence in English.
2. Pre-requisite and Preferred Subjects
- An IB result of at least a Grade 4 in a particular subject in the Diploma.
- See university information booklets for courses that have specified prerequisites or preferred subjects.
3. Diploma Points and the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
Students can earn a maximum of a Grade 7 for each subject. Thus a Grade 7 in six subjects results in the allocation of 42 points. A maximum of 3 bonus points can be earned from excellent results in the Extended Essay and the Theory of Knowledge essay. This allows a student to earn a perfect score of 45 Diploma points, which is used by universities for direct entry to specific courses.
4. University Recognition
All Western Australian universities recognise the Diploma Programme. To be eligible for entry into courses at The University of Western Australia, Curtin and Murdoch, students must earn points stipulated by these universities for direct entry to their specific degrees.
Unacceptable Subject Combinations
- Diploma students are not permitted to study the same subject at an HL and SL.
- Students are not permitted to study two subjects from Group 6 without special permission from the IBO.
Note: The DP Coordinator can apply for a Non-Regular Diploma on behalf of a student if there are specific reasons for an unusual combination of subjects. This will have to be approved by the IBO.
Entry Requirements for Medicine and Dentistry
Curtin University offers an undergraduate Medicine degree which will require a suitable UMAT score, an interview and a sufficiently high IB points.
UWA will offer a limited number of assured entry places to students who achieve 41 points or higher, a suitable UMAT score and a successful interview. For the majority of students there will be no direct entry to undergraduate medicine or dentistry in 2019 and in the future at UWA. Students aiming for entry to medicine or dentistry will complete a Bachelor degree and then compete for a place in a new four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) course or a four-year Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDMD) course. Students will be required to sit the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT), obtain a minimum GPA of 5.5 in their undergraduate degree which is approximately equivalent to a weighted average of 65% and attend a structured interview. Final offers are based on all three components.
Students seeking a placement in undergraduate Medicine at an interstate university will still be required to sit the UMAT.
Entry to the University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame selects students on the basis of a broad range of information provided by the student, the student’s school and others in a position to provide supporting evidence.
This process is designed to ensure that the university selects students who demonstrate:
- Adequate ability, preparation and potential to succeed in university studies.
- The motivation to complete such a course.
- Personal qualities that will enhance the university community.
Students need to provide a completed application form, results of Year 11 and Semester 1 Year 12 studies and personal references. An interview with university staff generally occurs as well. In most instances, a student will have successfully undertaken a tertiary entrance course, although the university does not insist on particular subject combinations. It seeks evidence only that a student has an appropriately rigorous academic preparation for university.