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Special Entry (or Mature Age)

There are many reasons people decide not to go to university straight after high school. If you’re over 21 and don’t have a Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER), or didn’t achieve a high enough TER at secondary school to enter your program of choice, you’ll need to sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT).

The University of Adelaide's Centre for Professional and Continuing Education provides a series of three-hour workshops that provide guidance and practice in completing the STAT.

There are also tertiary preparation programs, and bridging courses to prepare students who don’t meet the program pre-requisites or assumed knowledge, such as Year 12 Maths and Chemistry.

Going to uni should be an exciting experience, as most mature age students choose programs that are relevant to their working life or personal passions. But returning to study can make it difficult to maintain a balance between work, study, home and your social life. Facilities such as childcare services and fitness centre on campus are aimed at making the balancing act a little easier.