The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is Australia’s number-one young university. In fact, it’s been ranked among the 140 best in the world. It’s hardly surprising that UTS graduates are in high demand by employers worldwide, and that many students are eager to gain admission. Competition for places can place extra pressure on students to achieve excellent high school results so they can enter their desired degree program.
In Australia, the ATAR, or Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank, is often seen as the only way for students to gain entry to university. However, this is far from true, and it’s important to remember that only one in four Australian undergraduate students are admitted to courses based on their ATAR. Students in Nepal may also experience pressure in their final years of high school and wonder how they can get to the university they want to attend.
The good news is that there are other pathways to university and many students succeed, no matter their starting point – there is a way for students go on to study the university course they want in Australia and fulfil their career aspirations. And there is an obvious option that connects directly to a UTS degree.
The UTS Insearch pathway
The pathway provider to UTS is UTS Insearch. It was established in 1976 and supports students to achieve their academic and career goals, and today transforms the lives of over 5000 students every year.
Students can study UTS Insearch’s Academic English curriculum in Nepal with Neo Lingua International Career Centre andapply for entry to a UTS Insearch diploma in Sydney, which gives them credit to their UTS degree. These options can mean there is a lot less stress for students, because they have great options to gain entry to study their degree from a high-ranking university such as UTS.
A different approach
Students starting at UTS Insearch in Sydney benefit from a unique combination of ongoing academic support, small class sizes, and practical learning. The program is designed to help them not only earn a place in the UTS, but to thrive there.
UTS Insearch Dean of Studies, Tim Laurence says the difference with learning at a higher education institution like UTS Insearch, rather than diving into first-year university directly, is the personalised attention students can receive.
Many of the lecturers are from industry, some are from UTS, and of course, all are hired for their teaching and communication skills. “We offer smaller tutorials with about 20 students in each, and the maximum number of students in a lecture is 80,” Mr Laurence says. Students also have a study success adviser, so the whole program is very student-focused.
From diploma to degree
Sajiya Sherchan, originally from Nepal is one student who took advantage of the opportunities offered by UTS Insearch. Her high school in Pokhara worked with a Nepalese curriculum until Year 10, then switched to the British A-Levels system for Year 11 and 12. She says, “I did not do well in my A levels and was quite disappointed in myself. I decided to come to Australia, and for me UTS Insearch was a place of hope, encouragement, development, achievement and gratitude.”
“I would like to join Medecins Sans Frontiers and travel the world, providing medical care in disaster zones. I would also like to work in Nepal as a doctor.”
Part of the UTS family
UTS Insearch offers diplomas in Business, Communication, Design and Architecture, Engineering, Information Technology and Science. Many of these will take successful students straight into the second year of a corresponding UTS degree.This is because the diploma courses are designed in collaboration with UTS, so the educational outcomes for diploma students are the same as for first-year students studying a UTS undergraduate degree. In other words, UTS Insearch students experience the standards of a world-class university from day one of their studies. They also enjoy the new facilities of UTS, such as the state-of-the-art library, 24-hour computer labs, and hundreds of friendly student clubs and associations.
The UTS Insearch advantage
Students who have prepared for their studies with a diploma from UTS Insearch may find they can bring a little something extra to their degree. This is because their diploma is helping them in developing life-long learning skills, making them ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead – not just at university, but well into their future.
Rohit Mahajan from Jawalakhel, always wanted to study abroad. He came to Sydney to complete a Diploma of IT course at UTS Insearch before entering the Bachelor of Science (IT) program at UTS. He says, “UTS Insearch was the best thing to ever happen to me.”
In his second year at UTS, Rohit took part in the UTS Accomplish Award, a program that helps winners develop their employability with networking, interview practice, and skills workshops.The highlight of his efforts was winning the UTS Insearch Pathways Scholarship, which covered half the balance of his tuition fees.
ABOUT UTS and UTS Insearch:
The University of Technology Sydney is Australia’s number 1 young university – a dynamic and innovative university based in the heart of Sydney.
Many students choose to go to the University of Technology Sydney by enrolling in UTS Insearch where they develop the knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in their university study and beyond.
Students can select from a range of academic programs at UTS Insearch, and then fast-track into their second year of study at UTS, depending on their grades and course chosen.
