Admission Policy

Latest Amendment:/Approval Date: April 2024

1. Purpose

1.1 This policy details the admission requirements for Campion College courses of study for all domestic and international students.

2. Scope

2.1 This policy applies to all courses of study at Campion College

3. Principles

3.1 Campion College is committed to allowing entry to applicants who demonstrate the capacity and willingness to succeed in a course. This means that the minimum ATAR (or equivalent) score is not the sole measure for admission into a Campion course.

4. Policy

4.1 Admissions Criteria

Applicants are considered on the basis of one or more of the following:

• minimum entry requirements for individual courses;
• academic merit;
• special provisions e.g. residency requirements and interview;
• special consideration of educational disadvantage;
• alternative entry;
• general course entry standards applying to the different levels of award courses (eg Diploma, Bachelor, Honours, Graduate Certificate degrees, etc.) as determined by the Academic Board.

4.2 Minimum Entry Requirements

4.2.1 For admission to an approved program of study offered by the College, a candidate must be at least 17 years of age on January 1 in the year he or she enrols, or, if younger, have special approval to enrol from the Dean of Studies. Admission to the Diploma of Classical Languages and the Bachelor of Arts is based on a combination of the following:

• a ranking based on prior educational studies;
• assessment of a supporting statement; and
• performance at a (face-to-face, video or phone) interview (the criteria for the supporting statement and interview are contained in Appendix A) .

Admission is based upon an applicant’s performance across all three requirements. Attainment of minimum standards will not guarantee an offer of admission to the degree.

4.2.2 For domestic students, the normal minimum qualification standards for entry to, the Diploma of Classical Languages, and the Bachelor of Arts include:

• Successful completion of an Australian Year 12 qualification such as the NSW Higher School Certificate with an ATAR of at least 70; or
• Successful completion of a two units of study in a degree course from an Australian university; or
• Successful completion of a Certificate IV from Augustine Academy; or
• A university preparatory course; or
• An alternative preparatory/bridging course approved by the Academic Board.

In the case of bridging courses, the Dean of Studies may request that a school-leaving applicant also complete a minimum level of schooling. Bridging courses may not necessarily be considered for admission if used in lieu of secondary qualification.

4.2.3 For international students, the minimum qualification standards for entry to the Diploma of Classical Languages, and the Bachelor of Arts include:

• Certain overseas senior secondary qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate, GCE A Levels, or the New Zealand Bursary; or
• One or more full-time years of study in a degree course from an overseas university in one of the following countries: American Samoa, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Canada (excluding Quebec), Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), United States of America, Zambia, Zimbabwe; or
• One or more full-time years of study in a degree course from an overseas university in a country not listed above, provided the minimum requirements for English-language proficiency are met (See 4.3).

All qualifications under 4.2.3 must have been completed within the five years prior to enrolment at Campion.

4.2.4 Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Religious Education (Primary) and the Graduate Certificate in Religious Education (Secondary) takes the form of:

• an undergraduate degree (minimum AQF Level 7) from a recognized institution; (students already qualified to teach religion in Catholic schools must also have an undergraduate degree in education or teaching from an accredited institution) ; or
• the ability to demonstrate sufficient professional or life experience in areas related to the specialisation of the qualification.

4.2.5 Admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts (Honours) will be based on the following process and criteria: Prior to submitting an application, prospective students are encouraged to contact the Honours Coordinator or Dean of Studies to discuss the field of the proposed Honours thesis and an appropriate academic supervisor.

4.2.6 Entry into the Honours program is determined by a recommendation from the Honours Coordinator, following the student’s application to the College for admission to the Honours year. To qualify for admission to a course leading to an Honours degree a person shall have:

• satisfactorily completed a 500-1000 word statement of intent describing an indicative research project. The statement should focus on the significance, aims, conceptual framework and/or methodology to be employed in the study. The statement should also address any ethical issues involved in the proposed research and include a relevant bibliography (not included in the word count).

AND

• qualified for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts at Campion with an average of at least 70% (high Credit), and a Major in the field in which the Honours thesis will be undertaken (History, Philosophy, Literature, Theology). Discretion may be applied by the Dean of Studies for students with an average mark bordering on 70% or who have not completed a relevant Major.

OR

• qualified at another tertiary institution for the award of a bachelor degree containing a coherent study equivalent to the Campion BA, with a weighted average mark of at least 70% (high Credit), and a Major in the field in which the Honours thesis will be undertaken (History, Philosophy, Literature, Theology). Discretion may be applied by the Dean of Studies for students with an average mark bordering on 70% or who have not completed a relevant Major.

4.3 English proficiency

4.3.1 Entry to all Campion courses assumes proficiency in English. Applicants who have completed an educational qualification in a language other than English have to provide proof of proficiency in English through one of the following:

• Satisfactory completion of secondary schooling in Australia;
• Completion of an appropriate level VET course in Australia;
• Successful completion of a recognised English Language Bridging program;
• Successful completion of studies equivalent to secondary school or higher outside Australia where English was the medium of instruction;
• A test result at an appropriate level of achievement from a recognised English language test such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or CULT.

4.3.2 The approved minimum English standards are:

• IELTS (Academic) – 6.5 or more overall with a minimum result of 6.0 in each band of Reading, Speaking, Listening, and Writing;
• TOEFL iBT (at a Test Centre or Home Edition or Paper Edition) – 85 or more overall with a minimum result of 17 in Reading, Speaking, and Listening, and 19 in Writing.
• Pearsons Test of English (Academic) – 61 or more overall and a minimum result of 54 in each band of Speaking and Writing, Reading, and Listening.

4.4 Educational Access Scheme (EAS)

4.4.1 Applicants who feel that their educational achievements have been adversely affected by ill-health or other circumstances can specify these circumstances on their application, where such disadvantage was not previously compensated for by an education provider or certifying institution. Requests for special consideration and any supporting documentation will be considered during the admission process.

4.5 Alternative entry

4.5.1 Campion College is committed to providing access to higher education to the broadest range of people possible. In particular, Campion College realises that there are many people in the community who would be highly successful students but who lack formal qualifications required for normal entry. Consequently, Campion offers alternative entry for domestic applicants where admission is on the basis of skills gained through life and work experience.

4.5.2 Applicants for undergraduate courses who have not completed any formal Year 12 leaving qualifications (e.g. HSC, IB) will be encouraged to undertake one of the following options:

• Tertiary Preparation Certificate IV through Augustine Academy;
• the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) to assess the level of academic skills that they have developed through life and work experience.;
• the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) also to assess the level of academic skills that they have developed through life and work experience.

The results of these will be used in conjunction with outcomes from the personal statement and the interviews as with other applicants.

4.6 Early entry

4.6.1 Domestic school-leavers may receive an offer to a Campion undergraduate course before results from the HSC or equivalent are released. Assessment of applicants for early entry is based upon results for humanities-based subjects up to but not including the final examination results; a a character reference or nominated referee; a written statement and an interview.

4.7 Provisional entry

4.7.1 Applicants who fall below the requirements for normal entry to an undergraduate course may be offered provisional entry, provided they satisfy the criteria for the admissions interview and written statements. The minimum ATAR (or equivalent) acceptable for provisional entry will be at a level that would have gained entry to a Bachelor of Arts listed in the NSW/ACT UAC Guide for the previous year.

Under Provisional Enrolment status students must:

• for their first semester, enrol in one or two of the units listed for the standard first year program of the Bachelor of Arts. Applicants may be permitted to enrol in three units in exceptional circumstances where academic potential is demonstrated, at the discretion of the Dean of Studies.
• Enrol in the accredited above-load elective unit, STU101 Study Skills (6 credit points) where they will receive intensive assistance to optimise future study success.
• Attend sessions with the Study Skills Advisor and regularly meet with the lecturers of the units in which the student is enrolled.

4.7.2 Students who receive a Pass or higher in all three units in the first semester of Provisional Enrolment will have the conditions of their provisional enrolment removed and may be permitted to enrol in the course full-time.

4.7.3 A student will not be allowed to progress, if he/she should fail to fulfil any of the conditions of Provisional Enrolment. Credit points earned under Provisional Enrolment contribute towards the degree. The duration of Provisional Enrolment is one semester.

4.8 Offers of admission

4.8.1 An offer of admission to a commencing student specifies the particular course and if the offer is for Provisional Entry or under the Educational Access Scheme.

4.9. Deferral of Admission

4.9.1 Deferral relates to postponing acceptance of an offer of a place in a Campion College course before the course has commenced. This option must be clearly indicated on a submitted Variation of Enrolment form or in writing to the Dean of Studies. Deferral may remain in force for a maximum of one year, after which time either the student shall enrol or the offer will be withdrawn.

4.9.2 International students shall be advised that deferral of their enrolment may affect their visa.

4.10 Orientation Programs

4.10.1 In order to facilitate their transition into selected courses of study, new students have an obligation to attend the orientation programs offered before the commencement of semester.

4.11 Non-award studies

4.11.1 Applications may be made to Campion College for admission as a non-award student in order to undertake certain units of study from an award course without enrolling in the course itself. Non-award students receive normal instruction, assessment and examination results in such units of study but are not admitted to undertake a complete award course.

4.11.2 Non-award students are required to make application for each teaching period in which they wish to study. Applicants are responsible for obtaining information on unit availability, assumed knowledge requirements and timetables.

4.11.3 An application for admission as a non-award student may be rejected if the applicant does not have an educational background (including English proficiency) appropriate to the unit/s applied for, or if there are insufficient places remaining in the class.

4.12. Refusal of admission

4.12.1 Campion College will refuse admission to applicants for award and non-award studies who have been suspended or excluded from a higher education institution for non-academic reasons (discipline or misconduct) while the suspension or exclusion remains in force.

4.12.2 Students who have been suspended or excluded from a course at Campion College or any other higher education institution as a result of unsatisfactory academic performance will not be considered for admission to a “like” Campion College course or study program unless:

• at least six months have elapsed from the date of exclusion; and
• the application is accompanied by an appropriate written statement to be reviewed as part of the admission decision.

4.12.3 If the exclusion relates to a “non-like” course, exclusion is not a factor in the admission decision.

4.12.4 A Campion College course is regarded as “like” if it is in the same discipline or study area or is similar to the course or study program from which the student has been excluded.

4.13 Readmission

4.13.1 Students who wish to re-enter a course after a period of absence and who are not returning from leave of absence or the expiry of a period of exclusion must apply for readmission. Readmission is subject to a place being available.

4.13.2 Depending on the length of the absence and on changes to course content and structure during the intervening period, the student will not necessarily retain credit for all units of study completed prior to the absence. The Dean of Studies may require the student to repeat units that have been passed previously or to undertake additional units in order to satisfy the current course requirements.

5. Procedure

5.1 Application process:

a) An applicant must first submit the online CCA Application Form indicating the specific course to be considered a prospective student.

b) An interview will be arranged with a member of faculty who will use the interview assessment sheet (Appendix A) to assess the applicant’s merits for admission and to make a recommendation to the Dean of Studies.

c) In deciding whether or not to admit a student, the Dean of Studies will take into account satisfactory fulfilment of academic admissions requirements for the course of study, the faculty member’s assessment of the candidate’s performance at interview, and the faculty member’s assessment of the candidate’s written statement.

d) When an applicant has successfully met the admissions criteria, the Dean of Studies authorises that the applicant be sent a ‘Letter of Offer’.

e) In cases where the applicant is not given the offer of a place, the Dean of Studies and/or the Admissions Officer will inform the applicant in writing of the reasons why and the alternatives that may be offered.

f) If an applicant accepts the ‘Letter of Offer’, they are then requested to complete the online CCA Enrolment Form.

5.2 Conditional offers

5.2.1 In cases where the applicant is given the offer of a place with conditions, the Dean of Studies will inform the applicant in writing of those conditions.

5.3. Appeals

5.3.1 Applicants who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their admission application may follow the normal grievance procedures to appeal against decisions.

6. Roles and Responsibilities

6.1 It is the responsibility of the Dean of Studies, with the assistance of the Admissions Officer, to monitor the implementation of this policy, to review its effectiveness, and to report to the Teaching & Learning Committee.

6.2 It is the responsibility of the Admissions Officer to maintain all records of applicants undergoing the admissions process.

6.3. All academic staff are required to assist with interviews and assessment of applicants’ written statements.

Appendices

Appendix A: Applicant Assessment Sheet