Enrolling in first-year subjects with prerequisites

Learn which high school or other qualifications can be approved as prerequisite study.

For first-year subjects with a VCE Year 12 (or equivalent qualification) prerequisite, your study plan will usually recognise that you meet the requirement and allow you to enrol.

Submit a requisite waiver if the system does not recognise your completed study as meeting the prerequisite.

Recognised studies

We recognise a range of Australian and international secondary school qualifications as equivalent to the VCE. In most cases, the enrolment system automatically accepts these as suitable prerequisite study, enabling you to enrol in first-year subjects.

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the qualification awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies (Year 11 and 12 or equivalent) in the Australian state of Victoria.

Year 12 (or equivalent) studies completed outside Victoria, Australia

The following certifications are recognised as VCE equivalent:

  • ACT: Year 12 Certificate
  • NSW: Higher School Certificate (HSC)
  • NT/SA: South Australia Certificate of Education (SACE)
  • QLD: Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)
  • SA: South Australia Matriculation (SAM)
  • TAS: Tasmania Certificate of Education (TCE)
  • WA: Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
  • International Baccalaureate (IB)
  • Trinity College Foundation Studies
  • GCE A-Levels CIE (Cambridge)
  • Advanced Placement (AP subjects)
  • University of NSW Foundation Program
  • India CBSE XII

Learn more about recognised VCE-equivalent qualifications for undergraduate applications.

Get other studies recognised

Your course admission may have been based on other secondary or tertiary studies than those listed above. Your VCE-equivalent studies may not be automatically recognised in the system when you try to enrol in Level 1 (first year) subjects.

If the study plan in my.unimelb does not recognise your prior studies as meeting prerequisites for a particular subject, you can use the Enrolment Assistance Form to request assistance.

  1. Log in to the Enrolment Assistance Form
  2. Select the Requisite Waiver option
  3. Upload the transcript from your prior studies

Enrolment Assistance Forms: Average processing time is five working days.
We are currently assessing forms submitted on 26 June 2026 (updated 3 July 2026).
Be aware of your subject key dates and allow sufficient time for your form to be processed.

First-year subject prerequisites

This list of Level 1 (first year) subjects contains information on the approved studies that can satisfy their prerequisites. If your completed qualification is not listed, please follow the process above for assistance.

  • Students who have not completed Chemistry should enrol in CHEM10007 Fundamentals of Chemistry or see options for how to satisfy subject prerequisites.

    See below a full list of approved qualifications for entry to CHEM10003. This table is best viewed on a desktop device.

    Examining body/Qualification

    Subject name

    Required score

    Alberta High School Diploma Chemistry 30 >=50

    GCE A-Levels:
    - AQA
    - CIE Cambridge
    - Edexcel/Pearson (inc International A-Levels)
    - OCR

    		 Chemistry >=D
    British Columbia Certification of Graduation – HS Diploma Chemistry 12 >=50
    India CBSE XII – All Senior School Certificate (AISSC) Chemistry >=50
    CISCE Indian School Certificate (ISC) Chemistry >=50

    Indian State Board Examinations:
    - Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC)
    - Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher  Secondary Education Higher Secondary School Certificate
    - Karnataka Pre-University Certificate

    		 Chemistry >=50
    International Baccalaureate - IB Diploma

    Chemistry SL

    		 >=4
    International Baccalaureate - IB Diploma

    Chemistry HL

    		 >=3
    Malaysia Higher School Certificate (STPM)

    Chemistry

    		 >=C
    Malaysia Ministry of Education - Matriculation (Bahagian Matrikulasi)

    Chemistry 1 & 2 (SK015 + SK025),

    Engineering Chemistry 1 & 2 (EC015 + EC025)

    		 >=2
    Malaysian Taylors University – Foundation in Science Chemistry I (CHM30105) and Chemistry II(CHM30205) >=50
    Monash University Foundation Year (MUFY) Chemistry 1
    Chemistry 2     		>=50
    National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)

    Level 3: Chemistry

    		 >=55
    Ontario (Canada) Secondary School Diploma/Canadian Pre-University Program Chemistry (SCH4U) >=50
    Trinity College Foundation Studies Chemistry >=50
    United Chinese School Committee's Association of Malaysia - Malaysian UEC UECChem >=B5
    US High School Diploma AP College Board APChemistry >=3
    Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program - WA Uni Fnd Prog (WAUFP) Chemistry ATAR >=49

  • See First-year Mathematics and Statistics for information on the first-year mathematics pathways and common prerequisite qualifications for:

    • MAST10005 Calculus 1
    • MAST10006 Calculus 2
    • MAST10007 Linear Algebra
    • MAST10010 Data Analysis
    • MAST10012 Introduction to Mathematics
    • MAST10008 Accelerated Mathematics 1
    • MAST10009 Accelerated Mathematics 2

    Please note: students who have not completed VCE Specialist Mathematics 3/4 or equivalent are recommended to enrol in Calculus 1.

  • See below a full list of approved qualifications for entry to PHYC10001 and PHYC10003. This table is best viewed on a desktop device.

    International Baccalaureate HL/SL Trinity College Foundation Studies GCE A Level
    PHYC10001
    Physics 1: Advanced     		Physics:  5HL/6SL
    Mathematics: 5HL     		Physics & Mathematics: 85 Physics: A
    Mathematics: B
    PHYC10003
    Physics 1     		Physics: 3HL/4SL
    Mathematics: 3HL/4SL     		Physics & Mathematics: 50 Physics & Mathematics: D
    Foundations of Physics None* None* None*

    *High Achieving students who have undertaken Physics at Year 12 level are not eligible to enrol in Foundations of  Physics.

    Students who completed high school studies other than VCE or a qualification listed above should email dfys@physics.unimelb.edu.au for approval to enrol. Students should attach evidence of relevant high school studies in the email.

    If approved to take the subject, students should then submit an Enrolment Assistance Form and attach the email approval saved as a PDF.

  • There are Maths prerequisites for Economics & Finance first year subjects such as:

    • ECON10003 Introductory Macroeconomics
    • ECON10004 Introductory Microeconomics
    • FNCE10002 Principles of Finance

    For information on the first-year mathematics pathways and common prerequisite qualifications, please see First-year Mathematics and Statistics or see options for how to satisfy subject prerequisites.

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