05 Dec 2018
Media releases
University preference statistics for 2019 admissions
UAC (The Universities Admissions Centre) has released its university preference statistics for 2019 – a snapshot of applicants’ preferences for study at university in 2019.
When applying for university, applicants are advised to list their preferences in the order they would most like to receive an offer with the course they would most like to do first, followed by the course they would like to do second, and so on. An applicant’s preferences are considered in the order in which they are listed.
The following table shows applicants’ first preferences as at 30 November 2018, however, applicants can change their preferences as often as they wish – and often do – so these numbers change daily.
It is important to note that first preference statistics should be used with caution as an indicator of demand for a particular institution or perceived variations in the quality of institutions.
Year 12 applicants tend to include more preferences than other applicants, with many listing the maximum five preferences. In many cases the courses they include as their first and second preferences are ‘wishes’ – courses they would really like to receive an offer for but which, in previous years, had a selection rank higher than the rank they expect to achieve.
Non-Year 12 applicants tend to list fewer than five preferences, often including only two or three preferences in their application. They appear to have more focus, most likely because they have other factors to take into account when selecting their courses – work, family and/or time commitments.
All applicants can change their preferences at any time but most preference changes happen after the release of the ATAR. This year, NSW HSC students receive their ATARs on Friday 14 December. Based on figures from previous years, UAC expects about 20,000 of these students to change their preferences after receiving their ATAR with a realistic appraisal of courses to which they may qualify for admission.
You can download preference statistics for 2019 admissions here.
For further information about these statistics, call individual institutions on the numbers given below.
| University | Contact |
|---|---|
| Australian Catholic University | Jen Rosenberg, National Media Manager (02) 9739 2513, 0407 845 634 jen.rosenberg@acu.edu.au |
| Australian National University | Jo Meehan, Manager, ANU Media (02) 6125 7988, 0436 605 635 jo.meehan@anu.edu.au |
| >Charles Sturt University | Jessica Mansour-Nahra, Manager, Media (02) 6338 6667, 0447 737 948 news@csu.edu.au |
| Macquarie University | Emma Casey, Issues and Media Manager (02) 9850 1039, 0401 494 436 emma.casey@mq.edu.au |
| Southern Cross University | Sharlene King, Media Officer (02) 6620 3508 sharlene.king@scu.edu.au |
| University of Canberra | Tara Corcoran, Communications Officer 0408 826 362 tara.corcoran@canberra.edu.au |
| University of New England | Media unit (02) 6773 2551 media@une.edu.au |
| University of Newcastle | Sheena Martin, Communications Manager (02) 4921 8714 sheena.martin@newcastle.edu.au |
| University of Sydney | Kirsten Andrews, Director of Media and Government Relations (02) 9351, 4312, 0403 067 342 kirsten.andrews@sydney.edu.au Verity Leatherdale, Faculty Media and PR (02) 9114 0748, 0413 777 404 verity.leatherdale@sydney.edu.au |
| University of Technology Sydney | Terry Clinton, Media & PR Officer (02) 9514 1623, 0419 293 261 newsroom@uts.edu.au |
| University of Wollongong | Andrew Herring, Media and Corporate Communications Manager (02) 4221 5501, 0409 787 446 herring@uow.edu.au |
| UNSW Australia | Liza Cassidy, Manager External Relations (02) 9385 3249, 0429 390 737 l.cassidy@unsw.edu.au |
| Western Sydney University | Amanda Whibley, Manager Media and Public Relations (02) 9678 7084, 0418 438 399 a.whibley@westernsydney.edu.au |
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For further information (media only) email media@uac.edu.au or contact:
Diane Jardine, Communications Officer, UAC on (02) 9752 0775 or
Kim Paino, General Manager, Marketing and Engagement, UAC
on (02) 9752 0760 or 0409 155 112.
