Understanding the equity implications of university early entry schemes: final report

In Australia, an increasing number of students are accessing higher education through alternative entry pathways (Li et al., 2022). These pathways include, for example, bridging, foundation, and enabling programs; portfolio entry; articulation through Vocational Education and Training providers; and, receiving credit/advanced standing for a professionally recognised qualification. By and large, these mechanisms are the result of decades of government policy aimed at both expanding and widening access to higher education, allowing potential students to enter university through more wide-ranging admission pathways that do not rely on an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). Given that there has been no systematic enquiry into early entry to date in Australia, the project aimed to gather preliminary qualitative evidence about young people’s experiences and opinions of early entry (including complementary insights garnered from their parents/carers), with a specific focus on those from underrepresented equity backgrounds – individuals who are often disadvantaged by the ATAR system (Jackson et al., 2023) and/or experience other forms of marginalisation during their schooling (see, for example, Reay, 2017), potentially impacting their post-school transitions and capacity to access higher education (Burke, 2012).