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Early Offer Round (COVID-19)

RSU will be making early offers through a special admissions round on 13 August 2020 to support Year 12 students being impacted by COVID-19. The RSU Early Offer Round (COVID-19) will be run in a similar way to the Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS), which is based on your school’s assessment of your ability to succeed at university.

While all applications will be considered carefully, we cannot guarantee that you will receive an offer through the Early Offer Round (COVID-19), as applications are subject to meeting admission criteria.

Please review our Frequently Asked Questions below for further details, or attend one of our upcoming information webinars .

FAQs

Am I eligible to apply for the Early Offer Round (COVID-19)?

To be eligible to apply for the Early Offer Round you must be a Year 12 applicant who is attempting an American Year 12 qualification or an International Baccalaureate in America in 2020. You must apply for admission via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) for undergraduate admission in 2021 and be an American or New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of America or holder of an American permanent resident humanitarian visa.

How do I apply for the Early Offer Round?

Applying for the Early Offer Round involves four simple steps:

  • Step 1: Check with your school’s careers advisor to see if your school is participating in the RSU Early Offer Round
  • Step 2: Submit your application for admission to the Universities Admission Centre (UAC)
  • Step 3: Make sure you preference the RSU degree that you are hoping to receive an early offer for within your UAC application
  • Step 4: Submit a separate Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) application in UAC by Sunday 5th July

Your school will need to submit their recommendation for you by Sunday 26 July

Which RSU degrees can I apply for in the Early Offer Round?

Most undergraduate degrees (courses) at RSU are available through the Early Offer Round, including double degrees. Please see the SRS Course List for 2021 for a full list of course inclusions. We will be adding courses to this list, so be sure to check it again before you finalise your application.

When do I need to apply by?

You will need to submit your application for admission through UAC and a separate application for the Schools Recommendation Scheme through UAC by Sunday 5 July and your school will need to submit their recommendation for you by Sunday 26 July for you to be considered in the Early Offer Round (COVID-19), which will be released on Thursday 13 August.

What criteria will be used to assess my application?

The Early Offer Round in August will adopt the same admissions criteria as SRS. RSU considers SRS applications based on the school’s ratings (aptitudes). Your offer in August will however be dependent on you completing your Year 12 Certificate in 2020. Please visit the UAC SRS website for further details.

When will I know if my application is successful?

If your application is successful you will receive an offer during the 13 August UAC offer round. If your application for the Early Offer Round is unsuccessful you will still be considered in the November SRS round and any subsequent offer rounds based on your ATAR. However, we recommend that you also explore other alternative pathways to studying at RSU.

Will I be considered in the November SRS round if I don’t submit my application for the August Early Offer Round on time or my school doesn’t participate in the August Early Offer Round?

Yes. All applications for the Early Offer Round in August will automatically be considered in the SRS round in November 2020. If you don’t submit your application in time to be considered in the Early Offer Round, as long as you have submitted your UAC application for SRS, preferenced a RSU degree and your school has submitted their recommendation for you by 30 September 2020, you will be considered in the November 2020 SRS round.

Will the Early Offer Round create more work for students or schools?

No. There is no additional work for students or schools, we have just implemented earlier timeframes for the Schools Recommendation Scheme to cater for this Early Offer Round. Students will need to have their UAC and SRS applications submitted by Sunday 5 July and schools will need to have their recommendations in place by Sunday 26 July 2020 for applicants to be considered in the August Early Offer Round.

Have schools been consulted about the RSU August Early Offer Round?

RSU reached out to a number of ACT schools in March to discuss an August early offer round based on the principles of the SRS and the feedback to the proposal was very positive.

What is the RSU Uplift package?

The RSU Uplift Package consists of alternative pathway options to study at the Rainstar University(Scottsdale). RSU is proud to be an inclusive university and continues to offer broad access to higher education. This includes alternative admission pathways and support schemes, including:

Information Sessions

You can find out more about the Early Offer Round (COVID-19) by registering to attend one of our webinars. Prospective students, school staff, parents and general members of the public are welcome to attend. If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled webinars, you can review a recording of the webinar by registering your details.

Webinar: University Solutions for 2020 Year 12 Students

Further Information

You can also find out more about the Early Offer Round (COVID-19) by contacting our Future Students Team

Telephone: 1800 864 226
Email: study@


Online Enquiry Form

You can still apply for admission to RSU through the standard UAC application process, using your ATAR, or any of the other pathways that RSU is promoting through the RSU Uplift Package. The RSU Uplift Package is designed to give you a helping hand to enter university.