The University of Newcastle offers a free Early Entry Program for domestic Year 12 students completing the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) or International Baccalaureate (IB) in 2025. This program allows students to apply for early admission based mostly on their Year 11 results before they sit their HSC exams. Offers are conditional on successful completion of the HSC or IB and are made earlier than the HSC exams to ease student stress. Key details of Newcastle’s Early Entry Program include:
- Eligible students are domestic NSW Year 12 students completing their HSC or IB in 2025.
- Applications can be made online at the University of Newcastle's Early Entry webpage.
- Students can list up to three preferences for degrees, with the highest eligible preference considered.
- Offers are made in two rounds: the main early offer round on September 11, 2025, and a supplementary round on October 2, 2025.
- Students receive one conditional early offer based on their Year 11 results, with a guarantee of a place if they complete Year 12 requirements.
- Applicants get access to mentoring, webinars, exam tips, and free university preparation courses.
- Some competitive programs (like Medicine, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy) are excluded from this early entry route and must be applied to through UAC.
- The program is designed to reduce HSC stress by giving students early certainty about their university place and pathway.
This initiative is praised for providing support and psychological relief to Year 12 students, enabling them to focus better on their final exams with a secure university place already offered.
