View Current

Advanced Standing Application Guidelines

This is not a current document. It has been repealed and is no longer in force.

Section 1 - Guidelines

What is Advanced Standing?

(1) Advanced standing is the recognition of prior studies taken at other institutions that have equivalence to similar studies at UNE. This means that once advanced standing is given, you are not required to study those UNE units. Advanced standing may also be called Recognition of Prior Learning or Credit Transfer.

(2) Recognition of Current Competency is different and is a process of assessing competency rather than knowledge. It can be applied to some specialist professional courses that use Competency Based Assessment Techniques; however, it cannot be normally proven except by a physical demonstration.

(3) Few courses accept applications for advanced standing on the basis of work experience or professional experience. Additionally, when permissible within degree rules, applications require proof of achievement of the same learning outcomes equivalent to that of a UNE student. The application documentation (typically a portfolio of work) is extensive.

Assessment of Advanced Standing

(4) The assessment standard for advanced standing is:

  1. equivalency in level, content and rigour (the units are as demanding as UNE units);
  2. previous studies must be less than 10 years old (there are a few exceptions to this, such as mathematics): and
  3. previous studies are equivalent to UNE units and are approved for your UNE degree.

Assessment Process

(5) Applications for advanced standing are referred to the academic staff in the disciplines closest to the area of previous studies.

(6) It is normal to sift the information sent to the academic staff to remove units that have no UNE equivalent or are obviously not allowable in the part UNE degree. For example, a completed TAFE course in photography would not be relevant for enrolment in a BSc degree because UNE does not teach photography nor is it part of the BSc. Such an application will not be processed.

Enrolment While Waiting for Your Assessment

(7) If your enrolment is dependent upon your advanced standing (seeking enrolment in higher level French after completing first year French elsewhere, for example) then your enrolment form should be completed as if you will obtain your advanced standing but list alternative units on the registration form in case the advanced standing you expected is not granted.

UNE Policy and Appeals Against Assessment

(8) Please refer to our website: www.une.edu.au/rmo/policies/acad/advstanding.pdf

Types of Advanced Standing

(9) Advanced standing awards are of two basic types:

  1. Specified Advanced Standing Units which have a direct equivalence to UNE units. This advanced standing will be described in UNE unit terms (for example, "granted advanced standing for AFM322").
  2. Unspecified Advanced Standing Units which are similar to UNE units in level and rigour but there is no direct equivalent at UNE. This advanced standing will be described in UNE degree terms (for example, "granted 12cp unspecified advanced standing in Group 2").

(10) Unspecified advanced standing cannot be given in some courses, especially those with professional accreditation requirements.

Maximum Amount of Advanced Standing

(11) The degree rules for your course, as well as UNE policy, will determine the maximum amount of advanced standing that you can receive. Your actual grant may be lower than the maximum if this is required to give space in your course to complete major and/or prerequisite requirements.

Advanced Standing and Periods of Candidature

(12) Where a maximum period of candidature is specified for your course, this is reduced in proportion to your grant of advanced standing. For example, if you are studying part-time in a 10 years maximum part-time candidature course, a 72 credit points (50%) award of advanced standing will result in the maximum part-time period being reduced to 5 years.

(13) Additionally, some full-time students will still take 3 years to complete a 3 year degree (or whatever the normal course's length). This is because the advance standing may be unspecified and you are still required to progress through prerequisites etc and this will take a three-year cycle to complete. You cannot always assume that your advanced standing will reduce your enrolled time in the degree. This may have an effect upon CentreLink benefits.

Specific Degree Policies

(14) Some degrees have specific policies about what you must do to complete your degree after the award of advanced standing (such as a minimum number of final year units). It is your responsibility to be aware of these policies.

Articulated Courses (Transfer Agreements)

(15) Some degrees are specifically designed for a graduate of specific programs. In these cases the advanced standing is automatic and unit information is not required. However, the automatic advanced standing is based upon the completed program. Incomplete programs are assessed unit-by-unit for which unit information is required. For some courses, no admission is possible unless the specific program has been completed.

Advanced Standing Processing and High-Demand Courses

(16) In some high-demand courses (typically some teacher education programs and law degrees), advanced standing processing will not start until you have been accepted for enrolment (which is the second stage after admission). Because the decision on your acceptance is after the application date, it is critical that your papers are complete - delays in obtaining unit descriptions from you may mean we cannot process your advanced standing to advise you before your enrolment starts.

Application Deadlines and Priorities

(17) Complete applications for Advanced Standing that are received prior to 30th November will receive priority where the application relates to enrolment for Teaching Period 1. Those received after 30th November will be processed as soon as possible.

(18) In terms of applications for Advanced Standing where you are planning to enrol in Teaching Period 2, complete applications for Advanced Standing received prior to 30th May will receive priority. All other applications will be processed as soon as possible.

On Campus Full Time International Students and Advanced Standing

(19) If you apply for Advanced Standing, depending on the outcome of the application, the normal duration of your course may be reduced. If you are an on-campus international student applying for Advanced Standing, depending on when you submit your application, you may be advised of the outcome either before or after your Student Visa for study in Australia is granted.

(20) If you are advised of the outcome prior to your visa being granted, the change in your course duration will be reflected on your Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) and the length of your student visa will be reduced accordingly. If you are advised of the outcome after the granting of your visa (i.e. either before or after your arrival on-campus) UNE will advise the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) of your new course duration and expected completion date.

(21) Please note that if you are granted Advanced Standing, regardless of when it is granted, you will be asked to indicate your acceptance of the recorded credits received.

(22) Full time international students studying at UNE (irrespective of location) are required to maintain a full-time load even where advanced standing is granted.

Documentation Requirements for a Complete Application

(23) You must provide:

  1. A certified copy of your academic transcript (WARNING: legal action may be sought for forged or "doctored" academic transcripts);
  2. The unit descriptions of the units for which you are applying for advanced standing (typically taken from appropriate handbooks, calendars, websites etc) so that the academic staff have enough data to make a comparison.