English subject prerequisite
To gain entry to most courses, a requirement is to have achieved a certain level in specific Year 12 subjects.
Not all courses have subject prerequisites, so to ensure you are most prepared to submit the best application, it’s recommended to check the institution’s policies and prerequisites for your chosen course.
In addition to, or instead of subject prerequisites, some courses have assumed knowledge and/or recommended study.
If a course has assumed knowledge or recommended study, it means the institution assumes you have subject knowledge or recommends that you study it.
If you do not have the assumed knowledge or recommended study, you can still get into the course, but you might have difficulty with your studies.
English is the most common subject prerequisite. If a course has an English subject prerequisite, you can find it listed in its course entry as ‘English, Literature, English and Literature Extension or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 and 4, C)’. This means you must study one of these Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) General English subjects (or equivalent) and attain a minimum Grade of ‘C ‘or better in Units 3 and 4 (typically studied in Year 12).
How to meet the English subject prerequisite
If you didn’t study a General English subject to Year 12 or haven’t yet achieved a pass in this subject, you can meet this requirement in other ways, depending on the policy of the institution you want to study at.
The institution policy tables below are a guide to meeting the English subject prerequisite for each institution and sometimes for individual courses. This is a summary only. If you believe you meet the English subject prerequisite through something not listed here, you should check with the institution.
English subject prerequisite and English language proficiency
The English subject prerequisite and English language proficiency are different things. The English subject prerequisite is the particular subject you study in Years 11 and 12.
English language proficiency is your ability to speak, write, read, and comprehend English.
Institution policies – 2023/2024 admissions
Note: Where an age requirement is listed you must be this age by a certain date. Refer to the Institution age requirement dates.
Key
- QCAA – Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
- GPA – Grade Point Average
- Passing GPA/Pass – an overall Grade Point Average of 4 or higher (on a 7-point scale where 4 = pass)
- AQF – Australian Qualifications Framework
- TBC – to be confirmed
Australian Catholic University
Program/Qualification | What satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite | |
For Initial Teacher Education courses | For all other courses | |
Senior External Examination |
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Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (CATP) | Language and Learning Skills:
| Language and Learning Skills:
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Australian tertiary study |
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Post-secondary study
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CQUniversity preparatory programs:
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James Cook University – Tertiary Access Course |
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Southern Cross University – Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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University of the Sunshine Coast– Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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Unilearn |
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University of Southern Queensland – Tertiary Preparation Program |
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UQ College |
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Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) |
Age requirement: 21 Note: Not satisfactory for current Year 12s, STAT results are only valid for 2 years. |
Age requirement: 21 Note: Not satisfactory for current Year 12s, STAT results are only valid for 3 years. |
Employment and professional qualifications (where employment and trade qualifications are satisfactory, English must be the mode of communication) |
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Bond University
For all Bachelor of Medical Studies (BMedSt) and the Doctor of Medicine (MD) prerequisite information, visit the Bond University website.
Christian Heritage College
Program/Qualification | What satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite | |
For undergraduate Teacher Education courses | For all other courses | |
Senior External Examination |
| Not applicable (no other CHC courses have English subject prerequisites). |
Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (CATP) |
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Tertiary study where instruction was in English (including Australian Tertiary study and overseas study assessed as comparable). QTAC reserves the right to request confirmation of the language of instruction. |
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Post-secondary study
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CQUniversity Preparatory Programs:
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James Cook University - Tertiary Access Course |
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Southern Cross University -Certificate of Foundation Studies |
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Unilearn |
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University of Southern Queensland - Tertiary Preparation Program |
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University of the Sunshine Coast - Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) |
Age requirement: 17 Note: Not satisfactory for current Year 12s. | |
Employment and professional qualifications (where employment and trade qualifications are satisfactory, English must be the mode of communication) |
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CQUniversity Australia
Program/Qualification | What satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite |
Queensland Senior External Examination |
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Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation | A passing grade in:
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Australian tertiary study |
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Post-secondary study:
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CQUniversity - Skills for Tertiary Education Preparatory Studies (STEPS) | A Passing grade in:
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Griffith University |
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James Cook University - Tertiary Access Course / JCU Prep |
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Southern Cross University - Certificate of Foundation Studies / Preparing for Success Program (PSP). |
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Unilearn | A passing grade in:
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UQ College - Tertiary Preparation Program |
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University of Southern Queensland - Tertiary Preparation Program |
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University of the Sunshine Coast - Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) |
Age requirement: 18 Note: not satisfactory for current Year 12s. |
Employment and Professional Qualifications (where employment and trade qualifications are satisfactory, English must be the mode of communication) |
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Griffith University
Most Griffith undergraduate degrees now require Essential English, which is an Applied subject, to meet the English subject prerequisite. For these programs, the admission requirements will state ‘Any General or Applied English (Units 3 & 4, C)’. Some degrees still require a General English and the admission criteria for these programs will state ‘English, English as an Additional Language, Literature or English & Literature Extension (Units 3 & 4, C)’. These programs include Education, Nursing, Laws (Honours) and some Health programs. Some programs, such as Information Technology, Acting, Music, Musical Theatre and Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art, have English as Assumed Knowledge.
For more information on equivalencies, visit Prerequisites and Assumed Knowledge.
Program/Qualifications | What satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite |
Griffith Bridging English |
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Senior External Examination |
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Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (CATP) |
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Australian tertiary study |
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Post-secondary study:
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Note: Must include appropriate academic content. AQF Certificate III and IV do not satisfy the English subject prerequisite for any course. |
CQUniversity preparatory programs:
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Griffith College - Foundation Program |
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Griffith College Diplomas |
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James Cook University - Tertiary Access Course |
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Southern Cross University |
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James Cook University
Program/Qualification | What satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite |
Senior External Examination |
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Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (CATP) |
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Tertiary study where instruction was in English (including Australian tertiary study and overseas study assessed as comparable) QTAC reserves the right to request confirmation of the language of instruction |
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Post-secondary study:
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CQUniversity preparatory programs:
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James Cook University:
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University of the Sunshine Coast - Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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Unilearn |
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University of Southern Queensland - Tertiary Preparation Program |
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Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) |
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Employment and Professional Qualifications (where employment and trade qualifications are satisfactory, English must be the mode of communication) |
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Queensland University of Technology
Program/Qualification | What satisfies the English Subject Prerequiste | |
For Undergraduate Teacher Education courses | For all other courses | |
Senior External Examination |
| Not applicable (all other QUT programs do not have English subject prerequisites). |
Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (CATP) |
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Tertiary study where instruction was in English (including Australian tertiary study and overseas study assessed as comparable). QTAC reserves the right to request confirmation of the language of instruction. |
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Post-secondary study:
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CQUniversity preparatory programs:
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James Cook University - Tertiary Access Course |
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Open Universities Australia |
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Queensland University of Technology |
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Southern Cross University |
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Unilearn |
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University of Southern Queensland - Tertiary Preparation Program |
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University of the Sunshine Coast - Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) |
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Employment and Professional Qualifications (where employment and trade qualifications are satisfactory, English must be the mode of communication) |
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Southern Cross University
What satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite | |
Southern Cross University courses do not have an English subject prerequisite. | |
The University of Queensland
Program/qualification | What satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite | ||
Senior External Examination |
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Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (CATP) |
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Tertiary study where instruction was in English (including Australian tertiary study and overseas study assessed as comparable) (QTAC reserves the right to request confirmation of the language of instruction) |
Note: applicants whose first language is not English must complete the equivalent of two years full-time degree, AQF associate degree, AQF advanced diploma or AQF diploma study with a passing GPA. (not accepted for B Education programs (including duals) | ||
Post-secondary study:
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CQUniversity Access Programs:
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USC – Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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Unilearn |
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UQ College Tertiary Preparation Program |
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Other Bridging and Preparation Programs | Contact UQ Admissions | ||
Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) |
Age requirement: 18 Note:
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Employment and Professional Qualifications (where employment and trade qualifications are satisfactory, English must be the mode of communication) |
Age requirement: 18 Note:
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University of New England
For Undergraduate Teacher Education courses, contact UNE.
For all other courses - Not applicable. UNE courses do not have an English subject prerequisite.
University of Southern Queensland
Program/Qualification | What satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite | |
For Undergraduate Teacher Education and Laws Programs | For all other programs | |
Senior External Examination |
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Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (CATP) |
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Tertiary study where instruction was in English (including Australian tertiary study and overseas study assessed as comparable). QTAC reserves the right to request confirmation of the language of instruction. |
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Post-secondary study:
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CQUniversity Access Programs:
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James Cook University - Tertiary Access Course |
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Southern Cross University - Preparing for Success | Not satisfactory |
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Unilearn |
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University of Southern Queensland - Tertiary Preparation Program |
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University of the Sunshine Coast - Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) |
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Employment and Professional Qualifications (where employment and trade qualifications are satisfactory, English must be the mode of communication) |
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University of the Sunshine Coast
Program/Qualification | What Satisfies the English Subject Prerequisite | ||
For Undergraduate Teacher Education Programs, Including Dual Programs | For Bachelor of Medical Science (Griffith Md Provisional Entry For School-Leavers) | For all other programs that have an English Subject Prerequisite | |
Senior External Examination |
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Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation (CATP) | Passing grade in one of:
| Passing grade in one of:
| Passing grade in one of:
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Australian tertiary study |
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Overseas tertiary study assessed as comparable to Australian tertiary study where the medium of instruction was English (QTAC reserves the right to request confirmation of the language of instruction) |
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Post-secondary study:
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CQUniversity - Access Programs:
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Federation University |
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James Cook University - Tertiary Access Course |
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Southern Cross University |
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Unilearn |
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UQ College - Tertiary Preparation Program |
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University of Southern Queensland - Tertiary Preparation Program |
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University of the Sunshine Coast - Tertiary Preparation Pathway |
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Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) |
Note: Not satisfactory for current Year 12s. |
Note: Not satisfactory for current Year 12s. |
Note: Not satisfactory for current Year 12s. |
Employment and Professional Qualifications (where employment and trade qualifications are satisfactory, English must be the mode of communication) |
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