University of Melbourne access never better with extra Commonwealth-supported places in 2008
Media Release, Friday 14 September 2007
There will be extra Commonwealth-supported places available in exciting new Melbourne Model undergraduate courses at the University of Melbourne in 2008.
Significantly more places will be available in traditionally popular courses such as Arts and Science, compared to straight degrees in these disciplines in 2007. There will also be new undergraduate places in the Biomedicine and Environments degrees which are being offered by the University for the first time in 2008.
The University expects to fill around 5000 first-year undergraduate places in 2008, up from 4881 in 2007 and maintaining the average number of commencing undergraduates over the past three years. This is despite several undergraduate professional courses such as Law, Architecture and Nursing moving from undergraduate to graduate entry in 2008 when the number of undergraduate courses will drop from 96 to a total of 28, including the six new Melbourne Model degrees.
University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis believes the extra Commonwealth-supported places in courses such as Arts and Science are good news for students considering the University of Melbourne in 2008, including those applying through the University’s Access Melbourne program.
There will be 1250 places in Arts in 2008 (up almost 40 per cent on the straight Arts intake in 2007) and 850 places in Science (up 41 per cent). Extra places will also be available in Music, up 21 per cent.
“With extra places available in popular new Melbourne Model courses and our strong access programs, there has never been a better time to consider a world-class education at the University of Melbourne,” Professor Davis said.
“The University is firmly committed to helping talented students come to Melbourne irrespective of their social or economic circumstances. The Access Melbourne program introduced in 2005 admits around 1000 students each year whose Year 12 performance has been affected by social or economic disadvantage.”
Two hundred of those students receive an Access Melbourne Scholarship – a $4000 up-front HECS payment each year plus a $2000 annual allowance.
The University of Melbourne has been a leader in pioneering access programs for more than 20 years, providing access for students whose Year 12 results have been affected by disadvantage so that they would not have been offered a place in their course of choice at the University.
Access Melbourne helps these talented students to reach their full potential.
Today Professor Davis met with past, present and prospective students who have benefited from the University’s pioneering access and mentoring programs.
They included students and graduates who entered the University through its ground-breaking Access Melbourne program and participants in the inaugural Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program, a landmark initiative set to broaden participation at Melbourne by students from across Victoria.
The group discussed existing and possible future initiatives to expand access and equity under the Melbourne Model. The Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars heard from current students and graduates about the opportunities and challenges of campus life at Melbourne.
Mr Michael Quin, Principal of Caroline Chisholm Catholic College, Braybrook, says many of his students have benefited from University of Melbourne access programs, such as Access Melbourne. “This program ensures a wider selection of students from equity groups who may otherwise not have been able to access degrees at Melbourne.
“Students in Years 10-12 benefit from the mentoring provided by University of Melbourne student Unipals who visit the College through the Melbourne Access Program for Schools (MAP) and teaching staff note that students in this program grow in self-confidence and become more aware of what is available at university.”
Applications for Access Melbourne in 2008 close on 12 October 2007. However, students are advised to lodge their applications through VTAC with their course applications due by 28 September.
Details of Access Melbourne, including application can be found at: www.access.unimelb.edu.au
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