Steps to uni for postgraduate applicants
Applications for courses starting in late 2026 and early 2027 open on Wed 2 Sep 2026.
Take the next step in your career or immerse yourself in your passions with postgraduate study. Through UAC, you can compare and apply for a wide range of flexible postgraduate coursework programs offered by leading Australian universities and colleges.
To get started on your journey towards postgraduate study, follow these course search steps:
- Select the discipline that interests you and scroll through the available courses.
- Select up to five courses to compare by clicking on the plus sign (+) next to the course title.
- Click on the teal 'Compare courses' button at the top of the page to review your options.
Master degrees
Master degrees are specialised professional qualifications that can take your career to the next level. These master degrees are usually two-thirds coursework and take two years of full-time study to complete.
Graduate diplomas
Graduate diplomas help you apply specialist skills in half the time of a master degree. Upskill, change your career or gain a pathway to a master degree. These take one year to gain a professional qualification.
Graduate certificates
Graduate certificates are usually only six months long and offer the opportunity to upskill to support your career or get a taste of something completely new.
Admission criteria
Most institutions require you to have completed a relevant undergraduate degree or diploma to be eligible for admission to a postgraduate course. You may also require professional work experience.
When you apply through UAC, we assess your tertiary qualifications using procedures and guidelines agreed to by our participating institutions. Only courses accredited under the Australian Qualifications Framework, or by the relevant state/territory accreditation authority, will be taken into account.
There are also some qualifications that UAC does not assess, such as:
- Australian Qualifications Framework Certificates I and II
- Statements of Attainment
- TAFE Statements
- courses delivered by Australian private providers that are not accredited
- short courses run by a university (eg Project Management Essentials)
- other short courses such as first aid certificates.
Please note: each institution sets its own admission criteria, so be sure to read the individual institution entry requirements for details.
Applying through UAC
You are eligible to apply through UAC for postgraduate courses listed in the course search if you are:
- an Australian citizen
- a New Zealand citizen
- a permanent resident of Australia.
All international fee-paying applicants must apply directly to the participating institutions, not through UAC.
UAC does not process deferments for postgraduate courses. You will need to contact the relevant institution directly for deferments and research programs.
- First create your account with an email address and password.
- Verify your email address then log in to your account and start your application.
- Select your citizenship.
- Enter your personal details, including:
- your name (the name on your application must match the name on your official ID, otherwise you’ll have problems when you enrol)
- your Unique Student Identifier (USI) (a government-issued student reference number that you need to enrol at an institution and get HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP – apply for a USI or check if you already have one).
- Enter/check details of your studies and qualifications (including completed secondary studies and complete or incomplete certificate, diploma and degree studies).
- Select up to six course preferences. You can add, delete or change the order of your courses as many times as you like by logging in to your application. Change preferences before the course closing dates listed in the course search.
- Accept the applicant declaration.
- Pay for your application with a credit card (Mastercard or Visa) or PayPal account. Your application is not complete until you have paid.
- Check your email regularly for updates on your application.
How offers work
Offers are made progressively throughout the admissions period, via email. If your application is successful, you'll receive an offer notification from UAC. The institution making the offer will send you information about acceptance and enrolment dates and procedures.