University Preparation Program
UndergraduateTAS-UPP-DEG2025
Start your learning journey with academic skills and confidence
A higher education pathway for anyone needing a strategy for university admission and success. Improve your communication skills, get up to speed with technology, and know what it’s like to be a uni student. Topics include writing, maths, and science.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Applications close
- 13 July 2025
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 1 year full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 8
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
University Preparation Program
About this degree
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Find, evaluate, manage and use information in a range of formats for academic purposes to demonstrate reading, writing, numerical, and other literacies
- Address and solve discipline-related issues and problems through critical thinking
- Identify, evaluate and implement strategies to learn independently and cooperatively
- Communicate ideas in both written and oral forms to an academic audience
The University Preparation Program (UPP) is a free general academic skills-based program. It's designed to develop and consolidate your skills to undertake further study options. We’ll help you adjust to life as a university student so that you feel comfortable with online learning options.
What you'll learn:
- Understand yourself as a university learner through a strength-based approach
- Key skills such as essay writing, referencing, group work and presentations
- Build your numeracy and science skills
- Experience university life and culture
Open to everyone aged 17 and over, the University Preparation Program provides an alternative entry pathway into university. By successfully completing this program, you'll meet the General Entry Requirements (GER) for undergraduate study at the University of Tasmania.
Recommended study pattern
For students undertaking full-time study the following study pattern is recommended.
If students are undertaking part-time study, we recommend that students complete all first year compulsory subjects prior to completing elective subjects to maximise success.
Completion of 8 subjects from the schedule below:
- Five (5) core subjects:
- TAS-UPP010 Learning at University
- TAS-UPP014 Writing in Practice
- TAS-UPP015 Numeracy and Data in Practice
- TAS-UPP016 UPP Project A
- TAS-UPP017 Communication Skills in Practice
- Three (3) Discipline Elective Subjects
- Choose 3 subjects from:
- TAS-XAB021 Academic Writing
- TAS-XAB084 Introductory Scientific Principles
- TAS-XAB090 Bridging Maths
- TAS-XAB091 Academic Numeracy
- TAS-ZAA131 Applied Business Foundations
- TAS-ZAC101 Supporting People and Diversity
- TAS-ZAC102 Foundations of Health and Wellbeing
- TAS-ZAS118 Sustainability
- TAS-ZPP101 Professional Skills in Practice
- Choose 3 subjects from:
To access the course planner, please click on the following link.
Award requirements
Satisfactory completion of 8 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 1-3 years from commencement.
Students do not receive an award after the completion of the University Preparation Program. This is an enabling non-award course to prepare students to undertake further study and meet general entry requirements at the University of Tasmania.
- Five (5) core subjects:
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Transition arrangements are changes that occur when courses are updated or phased out. This happens regularly as part of continuous improvement. It may affect you if you are currently enrolled in this course, or if you plan to use credit from previous study towards it.
2025 Changes
- Revised program structure to comprise 5 core and 3 discipline elective units.
- Removal of core unit, UPP018 UPP Project B, which is to be discontinued.
- Discipline-based electives - Adding five existing OUA subjects (ZAC101, ZAC102, ZAS118, ZAA131, and ZPP101) to provide more options for students.
- New course structure to apply from January 2025.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $0
The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
Wherever you are, the University of Tasmania brings its island campus to you through a growing range of online programs across art and design, business, education, health, science, sustainability, technology, and more. It’s never too late to switch things up. Kickstart that career you’ve been dreaming about, or upskill for the one you’re in. You’ll also become a part of the world's leading university on climate action.
Learn more about UTAS.
Explore UTAS courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 20
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 19
Entry requirements
This program is designed for applicants who do not meet general entry requirements for their chosen degree or who want a more supported or graded introduction to university study. There are no formal entry requirements for the University Preparation Program.
The University of Tasmania grants credit and recognition of prior learning that may include formal and/or informal prior learning. More information is available here.
Career opportunities
The program allows students the opportunity to develop:
• Cognitive skills to critically analyse information
• Skills and knowledge across a variety of different discipline areas
• The capacity to identify and access information, and do research
• Academic literacy, numeracy, and ICT skills
• Communication skills to present clear, coherent ideas and information
• Independent study skills to support success within a university learning environment
The program enables students to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to continue study on a pathway into diploma, associate degree or bachelor level study.
Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
How can I pay for my studies?
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
How do I know if I‘m eligible to apply for a course?
Before starting an enrolment, it's important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you're eligible to apply. If you don't quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Contact us to find out more.
When is my cut-off date for enrolment?
Our close of enrolment times vary. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting Key dates.
Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don't meet the entry requirements for a degree, we'll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to a student advisor and we'll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.