You know you like maths, or building things, or solving problems that actually matter. You’ve picked your subjects in high school. Engineering feels like the obvious next step and you’re feeling confident about your path. But the entry requirements for your dream course could feel a little daunting. Engineering courses can have high selection ranks, as they’re often popular, and perhaps the entry scores seem higher than what you’re expecting.
If you’re really determined then now’s the time to knuckle down to some serious studying but remember, the courses that you’ve look at so far – they’re not the only door into an engineering career. In this article we’ll take a quick look at back-up options and Plan B’s that could still get you into engineering.
Why study engineering?
Engineering isn’t one thing. It’s dozens of different careers hiding under one name.
- You could design bridges that thousands of people cross every day.
- You could build the batteries that power electric cars.
- You could work on robots, water systems, aircraft, or even roller coasters.
- Engineers are needed almost everywhere, in most industries, so jobs tend to be easier to find than in a lot of other fields.
- Pay is often above average too, especially once you’ve got a few years of experience behind you.
If you like working out how things fit together, and you don’t mind a bit of maths along the way, engineering gives you a lot of options.
Understanding ATAR and NCEA entry scores
If you’re in Australia applying for university here, your selection rank is calculated from your ATAR. If you’re in New Zealand, it’s calculated from your NCEA results. Both work a bit differently, so it helps to know what you’re actually looking at.
ATAR (Australia): engineering courses usually sit somewhere between an ATAR of about 75 and 95, although there are engineering degrees who offered places to students with ATARs of 58.00 – so it can pay to research all your options. A maths subject is typically required, and physics is generally expected too, especially for mechanical, electrical or aerospace streams.
NCEA (New Zealand): you’ll need University Entrance, and most engineering degrees ask for at least 14 credits at NCEA Level 3 in both calculus and physics. While a higher rank score doesn’t guarantee a place, it could make your application stronger, especially for competitive courses including some engineering programs.
In either country, the entry requirements aren’t fixed forever. They’ll vary depending on how many students apply each year as well as how many places are available, so again it’s worth checking your options and keep the information updated.
Give your entry scores a little push
Before you write off any course completely, even if the entry score is very high, check what else could help your application.
Lots of universities offer adjustment factors or equity schemes. These could lower the score you need slightly if your school results, background, or personal circumstances suggest you haven’t had the easiest run; or give your selection rank a little boost that gets you over the line. It’s always worth checking whether you qualify, if you’re eligible it would be a shame to miss out. Contact the future students team or faculty directly if you’re not sure about anything or can’t find the most up to date information.
Look at courses close to your dream degree
If your Year 12 results really don’t seem like they’ll stack up, take a look sideways instead of giving up.
For example, if a software, aerospace or biomedical engineering course is your first choice but the entry score feels out of reach, add it to your preferences then look at some alternatives – just in case. A few other routes lead to a similar place:
- A related degree with a lower cut-off, like computer science, mechatronics, or general engineering, can often be transferred across once you’ve built up strong results in your first year.
- A diploma pathway is not just a fallback option. Completing a one or two-year diploma before moving straight into the second year of the full degree could be a pathway worth exploring and you’d still be learning all the right things (and maybe earning credits towards future units).
- A bridging or foundation year is built for students who are talented but haven’t quite hit the score yet, and it leads straight into the full degree.
- A different specialisation within engineering, such as mechanical or electrical, can share a lot of first-year content with software or aerospace streams, giving you the option to move across once you’re enrolled, or pursue a postgraduate qualification down the track.
- Look at vocational pathways where you’ll be learning on the job and can upskill later with some work experience already under your belt.
None of these options are second-best. Plenty of engineers started out on one of these routes and ended up doing exactly the same job as someone who went straight into an engineering degree with top marks.
An easy way to start comparing all engineering degrees (and pathways) in Australia is on Course Seeker or Study New Zealand if you’re looking for study options in New Zealand.
Your path in doesn’t have to be straight
Results day doesn’t have to be the moment your engineering ambitions are decided forever. If your score doesn’t match up to your first preference, you can change your preferences then wait and see if you get an offer in future rounds. You could also look at other routes like bridging courses, diplomas, and related degrees that are perfect for exactly for this situation.
If you want to find out more about how alternative routes actually work, head over to our pathways page or even see what apprenticeships and traineeships have to offer. Whether you’re still choosing subjects or waiting on results or offers, there’s no harm in exploring all of your options and having a back up in mind.
