Q. Can I get into university with the Diploma?
However, this is a competitive process, you are going up against students with an ATAR, and other VET students. Universities use their own criteria for how they award points to each application, and you should become familiar with the scoring system for the university that you apply to and create an application to suit. Likewise, universities can update their scoring system at any time, so make sure your information is up to date. There are always limited places, so you need to make sure your application stands out.
There are also published admission precedents at:
The Diploma is most certainly a pathway to university, but there are no guarantees you will be able to get into any university at any time. For students without an ATAR who wish to gain a Bachelor’s, we offer an opportunity to apply to a university that they would not otherwise have. Many students have been successful in the past (some of them are now working for us as Trainers).
Q. Have APC students been enrolled in university before?
A. Yes, many (and we know this because we track it). In our last alumni survey, we found that about half of our students pursued further study and that 10 different universities had accepted our students.
Q. Why do they teach things differently at University X than what I learned at APC?
A. There are two main reasons this happens. • Firstly, every university creates their own syllabus, which is designed to meet their unique needs and those of their students. For example, each ambulance service in Australia utilises their own set of CPGs (clinical practice guidelines), and so universities in NSW tend to teach Ambulance NSW guidelines, rather than Ambulance Victoria or QLD Ambulance, and vice versa. You will learn essentially the same things, but there will be some variations. • Secondly, the APC Diploma is designed to meet a Diploma level education, which is lower than a Bachelor level. You will certainly learn more knowledge and skills at the Bachelor level, and therefore you will need different learning materials.
Q. Can I get RPL when I am enrolling into university?
A. Sometimes yes. As you will see from the above two admission precedents some universities offer RPL. Likewise, our students have told us they generally get credit for 3 units. However, RPL is not solely based on your Diploma, some students have completed other units at university or externally, or have career experience. This is a very individual process so you can’t compare yourself to others. You are unlikely to get RPL for anything clinically related, and this is because you have only studied at a Diploma level, and the Bachelor level is higher.
Q. I applied to University X and didn’t get in, why not?
A. Not all universities allow VET entry, and some have higher requirements for the Bachelor of Paramedicine than a Diploma alone. You need to check with the university you intend to apply for and see if you can earn more points for your application. Likewise, applying to a university is a competitive process. If there are 50 spaces for VET students, you might be going up against hundreds. Again, make sure you maximise your points (speak to the university you are applying to).
Q. Is the Diploma nationally recognised?
A. Yes, most certainly (
https://training.gov.au/Training/Details/HLT51020) Q. Does NSW Ambulance accept the Diploma? A. Yes, they offer a Vocational Entry Pathway from time to time (we have had several APC students accepted to this), however, this is not a permanently open position. You need to monitor the NSW Ambulance recruitment webpage to apply for this.