ANU will be one of the first Australian universities to receive international students since Australia shut its borders months ago. Photo: ANU.
The Australian National University (ANU) has offered early enrolment to more than 4700 students for 2021 – a 70 per cent increase from the same time last year – as it moves to take Year 11 results into consideration due to COVID-19.
Almost 7000 applications were made for early admission this year, an increase from 4000 the year before, as students look for certainty ahead of the effects a capricious pandemic could have on their results.
The announcement comes a week after Victorian Year 12 students were told they would have the impacts of COVID-19 individually assessed in relation to their results.
There have also been strong increases in applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students as well as disadvantaged students, ANU Chancellor Julie Bishop said.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applications more than doubled, from 37 last year to 75 this year, while applications from schools in disadvantaged areas jumped to 71 from 47 during the same period.
“ANU aspires to be a truly national university that reflects the diversity and range of experiences across Australia,” she said.
“It is vital all our students learn from these differences. It makes our lecture theatre, campus and living spaces richer, and opens young minds to a diversity of important perspectives and viewpoints.”
Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt said the university was able to reliably predict Year 12 results based on a student’s Year 11 studies, although students will still need to complete Year 12 for the entry to be honoured.
Chancellor Julie Bishop and Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt have welcomed the increase in preadmission applications. Photo: Lannon Harley via ANU.
All domestic undergraduate first-year students will also be guaranteed a place in university accommodation at ANU, and eligible students will receive scholarships, Professor Schmidt said.
“The success of this new approach over the past year means we are well placed to offer thousands of talented school-leavers across Australia the chance to study with us here in Canberra,” he said.
“This is particularly important as they are dealing with the stress of finishing their studies during a global pandemic. But it has never been tougher than in 2020, with thousands of students across the country facing significant hurdles to complete Year 12.”
ANU will be hosting a virtual open week this year from 22 to 28 August.
For more information about the university, enrollments and courses, visit the ANU.
Loading ...
