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Featured · May 12, 2026, 4:30pm AEST · 60 minutes · All

Featured

[Page//Session Date %F j, Y%+0]

4:30pm

60 minutes

All

Choose Your Own Adventure: Uni Without the ATAR

Find out why pathway programs aren’t a backup plan, but a smart starting point for long-term success. Begin university prepared, supported and ready to thrive.

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Get your questions answered

Any uni, any challenge, anonymous and anytime.

For students

Join the CYU Discord

Real-time chat with other students and CYU mods. State channels, study help, ATAR-free pathways, the lot.

For parents

Join the parents Facebook group

Practical advice and shared experience from other parents navigating post-school decisions. No spam, no promotion.

ABOUT THIS SESSION

Don't have the ATAR you were hoping for, or no ATAR at all? This session from Southern Cross University shows you the many pathways into university.

What you'll learn in this session:
• The alternative entry pathways available beyond ATAR-based admission
• How bridging programs, portfolio entry, and recognition for prior learning work
• Real stories of students who found their way to uni through non-traditional routes

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

This session is presented by Sam Clark, the Future Students Officer at Southern Cross University.

Founded in 1994 in the NSW Northern Rivers, Southern Cross University has campuses in Lismore, Coffs Harbour and the Gold Coast, plus metro locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane. They’re best known for pioneering the Southern Cross Model, an active-learning approach where students focus on one or two units at a time, over six-week blocks.

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More about Southern Cross University

QUICK FACTS

LOCATION

FOUNDED

Lismore / Northern Rivers (NSW), Coffs Harbour (NSW, including National Marine Science Centre), Gold Coast (QLD), plus Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.

Since 1994, we’ve created a world-ranked university and one of Australia’s most-applauded university experiences, and that’s just the beginning of our story.

STUDENTS

KNOWN FOR

19,139 (2024)

Marine and environmental science, nursing and allied health, business, education, Indigenous knowledges. Pioneered the Southern Cross Model (active-learning block model).

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Our Partners

Major Presenting Sponsor

The Choosing Your Uni team gratefully acknowledges the support of Southern Cross University, without whom the Virtual Expo would not be possible.

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Our Track Sponsor Partners

Track:
AI and the Future of Learning and Work

Track:
Moving Away for Uni

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Other Sponsors, Presenters and Supporters

Choosing Your Uni is a dynamic web platform designed to assist local and international students in navigating the Australian university selection process.

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