Aboriginal Pathway
Degree Level Non Standard
Year 2024
This degree is only available to Australian students
You're considered an Australian student if you are any of the following:
- Australian or New Zealand Citizen
- Australian Permanent Resident (including Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders)
Entry Scores
2024 Guaranteed Entry
TAFE/RTO: N/A
View Guaranteed Entry Info
2023 Cut-Offs
View full entry requirements
-
View full entry requirements Hide full entry requirements
Entry requirements
To be eligible for entry into the program, students must identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Applicants who have not completed SACE or equivalent must be 17 years of age or over before January 1st of the year of intended enrolment.
Essential requirements for admission
Prerequisites
NoneAssumed Knowledge
None
Courses will be taught in one of five locations: Ceduna, City West, Mount Gambier, Port Lincoln, and Whyalla. The program is taught over 1.5 years in a combination of intensive mode and weekly workshops.
Degree overview
- Great start to university life, preparing you for further studies in the discipline you’re interested in, with the added bonus of being fee-free1.
- Open to all people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
- Taught in five locations – Metropolitan Adelaide (City West campus), Ceduna, Mount Gambier, Port Lincoln and Whyalla.
- Designed for people who don’t meet entry requirements for their desired degree, including school leavers without an ATAR
- Satisfies eligibility requirements for Centrelink benefits to assist you while studying.
- Receive support from enrolment through to program completion with enrolment help sessions, mentoring, small class sizes and access to peer-assisted study sessions.
1You will not be charged course fees, but you may have to pay Student Amenities Fees as determined by the Australian Government.
Snapshot
The Aboriginal Pathway program is a free1, one and a half year program to prepare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students for university study. It is open to all people who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and can lead to entry into a university degree at UniSA.
It is taught at five locations: Metropolitan Adelaide (City West campus), Ceduna, Mount Gambier, Port Lincoln and Whyalla. You will study on campus for the intensive sessions. While studying on campus, you will have face-to-face teaching and support. When you successfully complete this program, you can use your competitive grade point average (GPA) to apply for any UniSA degree.
1 You will not be charged course fees, but you may have to pay Student Amenities Fees as determined by the Australian Government.
You’ll build your academic and professional skills throughout the program, including:Study hours
Your study schedule will be divided into the time you spend attending classes and watching lectures as well as independent study, including your personal research and assignment work. Generally, full-time study is equivalent to 40 hours per week.
The Aboriginal Pathway program has a combination of 8-week and 13-week courses. The 8-week courses have an intensive delivery of classes one day a week between 9:00am–5:00pm. The 13-week courses follow the standard university schedule of a weekly one-hour lecture and a two-hour tutorial.
Assessment
Your assessments may include:
- research papers
- assignments
- group assignments
- reflective journals
- presentations
- continuous assessment
- in-class participation and attendance, including a Land Management excursion
Global opportunities
Enrich your studies and your life – make overseas study part of your qualification. You may have the option to undertake an exchange, short-term program or study tour overseas while you study. We have links with universities worldwide, as well as a range of travel grants available to make going overseas much more accessible.
You can choose short-term or semester-long study from a range of universities and countries depending on your area of study and cultural interests.
Take a look at the global opportunities available.
Why Aboriginal Pathway
Our programs prepare you for university study by building your academic and professional skills. You will experience life as a UniSA student, and have access to the full range of support services that the University provides. By successfully completing the Aboriginal Pathway program you will have the opportunity to transfer into a UniSA undergraduate degree.
Online study
With interactive online course materials and a 24/7 digital environment, you can also:
- access your lectures online, plus study and course resources
- submit your assignments and get feedback
- use forums and discussion boards for team work and communication.
Pathways into university study in Mount Gambier
Scholarships
Every year, over 2,500 UniSA students are supported in their studies through scholarships and grants worth millions of dollars. Check out the scholarships below. One of them may be perfect for you. Visit our scholarships page for more.
UniSA Excellence Scholarships
$5,000 scholarship for South Australian students with an ATAR of 99 who enrol to study a UniSA undergraduate degree.
UniSA Outstanding Achievement Scholarship
Up to $10,000 per annum (full time) for South Australian students who obtain an ATAR of 99.95 or IB equivalent and enrol to study at UniSA.
Your study experience and support
Our campuses have advanced facilities including modern lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and areas that simulate real work environments. The Aboriginal Pathway program incorporates both face-to-face classes and online engagement. You’ll discover that your journey at UniSA is also about social experiences, healthy living and getting involved. If you are attending a campus, there are campus sport activities to keep you active, and if you’re keen to explore the social side of university life, there may be movie screenings, cooking demonstrations, parties and more. Depending on your campus, you may also find student gyms, pools, tech zones and chill-out spaces. Check with your Campus Central to see what is available in your region.
Student services
You will have full access to our student support services to help you settle in to university life before you begin studying a bachelor degree. We want you to be successful, and if you need help you’ll have it. We provide a full range of support services, including:
- academic counselling
- personal counselling
- Wirringka Student Services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- access and inclusion services
- social support services, including family support and nearby childcare
- library services
- common rooms
- prayer rooms
- security officers
- wellbeing resources and advice
- scholarship opportunities
- accommodation
- community health clinics
- services offered through our student association, USASA.
24/7 digital environment
Our learnonline facilities include a personal learning environment with virtual classrooms, lecture recordings, emails, learning support, administration, library access and results. The environment is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can tailor your learning to your life. We are continually investing in innovative digital technologies for a high-quality student learning experience.
Your program director
I am passionate about teaching, empowerment, and social justice. It is a privilege to help students follow their goals and guide them in becoming stronger communicators, critical thinkers, and enthusiastic lifelong learners. My research is focussed on enabling education, social sciences, popular culture, and youth culture.
-
How do I apply?
There are a number of ways to apply to study UniSA's undergraduate and postgraduate coursework degrees.
Applications for admission into the University of South Australia’s undergraduate and most postgraduate degrees are made via the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). Visit satac.edu.au and follow the links.
For the MBA degrees please apply through the UniSA MBA Application Portal. Applications for a small number of degrees are submitted direct to UniSA through our Apply Online portal. It will be noted on the degree page if you need to apply via Apply Online.
Postgraduate study by research
For information on applying to do postgraduate study by research, including Master of Research, PhDs or Doctorates, please visit unisa.edu.au/resdegrees. -
Is there a closing date for applications?
Undergraduate
Yes. The deadline to apply to study a degree at UniSA for semester one (commencing late February) and be given equal consideration is in early December. While you may be able to apply after this date, you are not guaranteed to be considered equally with other applicants and your application may not be assessed in time for the main round of offers (mid January). Some degrees will not make any offers after the main offer round. Please click here find all of the key dates for applications here.Postgraduate
Most postgraduate degrees do not have a closing date for applications. However, there are exceptions, so it is best to check – either on the SATAC website, Apply Online or the degree homepage. Postgraduate offers are normally ‘rolling’, meaning they may be sent out at any time up until the program starts. This also means that applications may close at any time without warning, if the quota is filled earlier. For this reason, postgraduate applications should be submitted without delay. For more information, please contact our Future Student Enquiries team on (08) 8302 2376 or via the online enquiry form. -
What credit can I receive for previous studies?
Credit transfer or advanced standing
You may be eligible to receive a credit transfer or advanced standing for your chosen UniSA degree based on your previous studies, if they are in a related area at an equivalent or higher level. Receiving a credit transfer will reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and may also reduce the overall duration of your degree.
Recognised prior learning
If you have related industry experience, you may also be eligible to receive recognised prior learning for this experience. Receiving recognised prior learning will normally reduce the number of courses you undertake within the degree, and can reduce the duration of the degree.
How do I get credit?
Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Program Director who will discuss your prior learning and experience with you to ascertain what credit you may be eligible for.
Many of our credit transfer arrangements are listed on our online Credit Assessor.
-
Can I speak to someone regarding my study options?
UniSA welcomes the opportunity to speak with you regarding your study options. Our staff are able to talk to you about degree information, career outcomes and pathways, entry requirements, applications, and student life, so that you are able to make the best study decision for your future.
Click here to book a 1:1 appointment with one of our enquiries team.
If you are interested in studying an MBA please contact admissions@unisa.edu.au and our Future Student Enquiries team will contact you regarding your enquiry.
Alternatively, you can complete a MyCareerMatch career profile. MyCareerMatch is an online career profiling tool that you can use free-of-charge through UniSA. MyCareerMatch specialises in career profiles and provides you with a personalised career report outlining information about your personality style and a list of career options, which are complementary to your natural strengths and talents.
We have many events throughout the year where you can speak with a lecturer or tutor about your degrees of interest. You can find out what is happening at UniSA by visiting our events page or by signing up to our mailing list, so you're the first to know about careers events, information sessions, degree requirements, scholarships and more!
There are also many career counsellors external to the University that you can discuss your career options with. If you are unsure where to start your search, you can contact the Government's Work Ready team (formally Skills for All). Visit skills.sa.gov.au or call 1800 506 266.
You may also find Job Outlook a helpful resource in your decision-making.
-
Where can I get further information?
It can be difficult to decide what degree you would like to do and where. You might find information from government organisations will help to weigh up your degree and provider options.
Find a course or a provider
TEQSA is a regulatory body for higher education providers. Use the TEQSA national register of higher education providers to search for a course or a provider. Compare courses and providers for undergraduates and postgraduates using the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) online comparison tool.
More information on university admission
Visit the SATAC website to find out important news, events and information on applying to university in South Australia. Visit Study with Us to find out everything you need to know about studying at UniSA, admissions and the application process.
Questions about your application
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application you should contact the Future Students Enquiries team in the first instance.
What others are saying
The Aboriginal Pathway is probably the best designed program for myself, being a mum. The support services have been amazing and probably what got me through. They believed in me and made realise, ‘You can do this!’
Hayley Sumner
Aboriginal Pathway
