How to Apply to Engineering at Victoria University: Three Four-Year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Degrees in Melbourne, No ATAR Required for Australian Applicants, a 30% First-Year Fee Scholarship for New International Students Who Meet Entry Requirements, and Entry and Prerequisite Requirements for Australian, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Victoria University (VU) is in Melbourne and teaches its engineering degrees mainly at the Footscray Park campus; the course pages place them in the College of Sport, Health and Engineering. This site has no earlier VU article. Here is what you need to know for 2027 entry, based on VU’s official information, for Australian applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. VU publishes separate domestic and international versions of each course page, with different entry conditions and fees, so check the right version.

1. Engineering degrees and majors

• The engineering, science and built environment study-area page lists three undergraduate engineering degrees, all four years full time, embedded honours degrees, taught in person at Footscray Park:
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil Engineering): course code NHEC, CRICOS code 084873M;
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Electrical and Electronic Engineering): course code NHEE, CRICOS code 084874K; you can specialise in telecommunications, power systems or embedded systems;
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical Engineering): course code NHEM, CRICOS code 084875J.
  The course pages do not list chemical, aerospace, biomedical or materials streams.
• Accreditation: all three course pages say the program is accredited by Engineers Australia and graduates are eligible to apply for graduate membership.
• Degree structure: the Mechanical page says students complete 384 credit points: 336 credit points of core studies, 48 of capstone studies and a zero-credit-point unit NEF3000 Engineering Professional Experience; the Civil and Electrical pages list the same 336 and 48 credit points and NEF3000 (the Electrical page’s sentence names the Civil Engineering degree, apparently a copy error on VU’s page). To graduate with First Class Honours you need a weighted average of at least 60% across years 1 to 3, at least 80% in year 4, and an average HD grade in the final-year research project unit(s).
• Double degrees and pathways to a master’s: no engineering double degrees were seen in the pages read, and nothing was found about a bachelor-to-master’s link. The study-area page also lists an Undergraduate Certificate in Engineering Fundamentals (NUEF, 0.5 years); only its domestic page was read, and whether international students can take it is not stated. The same page says practical mechanical and fabrication engineering courses are delivered by VU’s TAFE division. Computing degrees are not part of the engineering degrees above and are not covered here.
• How teaching works: VU’s study-area page says you complete one unit at a time in the VU Block Model; the VU Block Model International Scholarship page says one or two subjects at a time. Both appear on VU’s website. The Civil page describes problem-based learning; the Mechanical page describes small classes and laboratories using modelling and simulation software.

2. How admission works: straight into a major, or a general first year?

• You choose the specialisation when you apply; each has its own course code and CRICOS code. VU’s pages do not describe a “common first-year engineering” program. The first-year course structures of all three include the generic engineering units NEF1001–NEF1006 (such as Introduction to Engineering, Engineering Computational Methods and Engineering Dynamics), and the Electrical and Mechanical pages add NEF1007 and NEF1008 (thermodynamics and sustainable engineering design) to first year. Whether you can change specialisation after first year is not stated in the pages read; ask the College.
• Quotas or GPA thresholds for entry or for moving into engineering are not described in the pages read. VU only says meeting the minimum entry criteria does not guarantee entry and past academic performance may be considered.
• Student profile on the domestic course pages: Civil had 28 students, of whom 7 (25.0%) were international, 11 (39.3%) were recent school leavers admitted on other criteria only without an ATAR, and 5 (17.9%) were admitted on work and life experience; Electrical and Electronic had 8 students and Mechanical 10, each category below 5. The pages do not give the year.

3. Prerequisites

• Domestic version: no ATAR is required. Recent school leavers need an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate such as VCE, including Units 3 and 4 English with a study score of at least 25 (EAL) or 20 (any other English), and Mathematics (any) Units 3 and 4 with a study score of 20. The pages do not list physics or chemistry requirements.
• International version: it lists the same VCE English and Mathematics (any) scores “or equivalent”, plus two other routes: an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent) plus IELTS (or equivalent) 6.0 overall with no band below 6.0, or a Foundation course or equivalent. The page lays this out with PLUS and OR lines; follow the page for how they combine. How a Chinese high school record maps onto the mathematics requirement is not stated in the pages read.
• Mathematics placement tests and AP/IB credit towards engineering core units are not covered in the pages read.

4. Australian applicants

• Entry routes: no ATAR is needed (the page explains why ATAR is not applicable). Besides the school route above: vocational study (an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma, or the Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation); higher education (full or partial completion of an Australian higher education award, two higher education units, or a bridging or enabling course); and work and life experience, for people who left school more than two years ago: Civil and Electrical say at least five years in construction or similar, Mechanical says manufacturing, engineering, project management or similar, or a senior secondary certificate more than two years ago with the English and mathematics scores.
• How to apply and timeline: the domestic pages show 2027 starts on 15 February (applications close 7 February) and 26 July (applications close 18 July). Year 12 students and people applying to several universities apply through VTAC; VTAC course codes are 4301010221 (Civil), 4301010251 (Electrical and Electronic) and 4301010231 (Mechanical), and VTAC late applications are due by 30 October 2026. VTAC is a third-party portal and was not visited.
• Fees: indicative Commonwealth supported tuition is AUD 9,537 a year in 2026 and AUD 9,880 a year in 2027, excluding textbooks and the Student Services and Amenities Fee; actual cost depends on your units, and a HELP loan may be available.
• Adjustment factors or bonus points are not described in the pages read.

5. International applicants

• Starts and applying: the international course pages list 2027 starts on 15 February and 26 July; they give no international closing dates. Apply through VU’s international application system or through an education agent; VU says applicants from certain countries must use an agent, and the country list was not in the pages read. Documents may include certified academic transcripts, English proficiency evidence and a passport copy; some courses add requirements on the course page (the engineering pages list no extra essay, reference or interview).
• Academic requirements: see Prerequisites above. The international entry requirements page adds that bachelor degrees generally require a secondary qualification equivalent to an Australian Year 12 certificate, and an English test taken no more than two years before you start.
• English (bachelor degrees): IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band below 6.0; TOEFL iBT 67 (Listening 12, Speaking 18, Reading 15, Writing 21); PTE 52 with no section below 52; C1 Advanced (CAE) 169 with no band below 169; or VU English EAP Level 5 (EAP 5B). The English requirements PDF does not list engineering among the courses with higher English requirements. An exemption may be available if your qualification was mostly taught in English, for example IB English at Standard Level 4 or Higher Level 3, A-Level English Language at C, or two years of senior secondary or degree study in specified English-speaking countries; China is not among the countries listed.
• Funds: the amount of funds required for engineering is not stated in the pages read.
• Under 18: VU accepts eligible students under 18 if approved accommodation and welfare arrangements are in place and registered with VU before the offer is accepted.

6. Applicants from China

• VU’s international academic requirements table (PDF) lists three undergraduate (Bachelor courses) routes for China:
  • Gao San with an overall average of at least 70%;
  • the Gaokao/National College Entrance Examination: completed in the year the examination was taken, at the “lower cut-off score for Tier 2 universities”; a footnote says the province and the stream of subjects are relevant to the score required;
  • completed first year of a bachelor degree with an overall average of 65%.
• Pathways: the table lists Gao San at 55% for Foundation Studies (Standard) or 65% for a Diploma; the engineering course pages say completing Foundations at VU or International Foundations at VU gives guaranteed entry to the three engineering degrees.
• VU has no China-specific page in the pages read, and requirements for verifying Chinese high school transcripts or exam records are not stated. The table says that if your qualification is not listed you can submit an online enquiry at eaams.vu.edu.au/enquiry. How Chinese mathematics maps onto the VCE-based requirement is not stated, and neither is whether Gaokao English can replace an English test.

7. Transfers and credit

• Advanced standing: for bachelor degrees apply for advanced standing; you are prompted to upload the credit application when you apply. To have credit included in your Letter of Offer, apply at least 10 business days before the standard course deadline; late requests are assessed separately, and you can also apply after accepting. Documents include transcripts and unit descriptions (translated by a nationally certified translator if not in English). VU has a credit calculator.
• Overseas partner pathways: the international course pages list overseas programs with guaranteed entry (and in some cases credit), for example civil engineering degrees at the University of Faisalabad (Pakistan), civil, electrical and electronic and mechanical honours degrees at SEGI University (Malaysia), a degree at SLIIT (Sri Lanka) and an electrical engineering degree at Chandigarh University (listed under Indonesia), generally with 192 credit points listed. No Chinese institution appears in the pages read.
• Local higher education study: two higher education units, or a bridging or enabling course, qualify you through the higher education route.
• A GPA threshold for moving into engineering is not stated in the pages read.

8. Work experience requirements

• The Civil and Mechanical pages say students must complete 12 weeks of industry placement. The Electrical and Electronic page does not state a length; it lists the zero-credit-point NEF3000 Engineering Professional Experience unit in the structure and mentions laboratory experimentation and work placements, and the duration is not stated.
• VU also mentions industry projects and placements and EA Connect for finding engineering placements; Mechanical students can join the VU Motorsport team for Formula SAE. A dedicated paid co-op program is not described in the pages read.

9. International fees and scholarships

• 2027 tuition: all three international course pages give AUD 21,750 per semester for a full-time international student in 2027, paid up front each semester. The pages do not give an annual or full-course total or an engineering surcharge, and note materials fees and an administrative fee may apply.
• VU Block Model International Scholarship (assessed automatically): VU says all new international students who meet the entry requirements for these three engineering degrees receive a 30% scholarship on first-year tuition; after each year (96 credit points) it is reassessed on weighted average mark (WAM): 50% WAM for 10%, 70% for 20%, 80% for 30%. One line on the same page says exceptions to continuation apply to undergraduate engineering degrees but gives no details; confirm with VU. It applies to new international students at VU Melbourne in 2026 and 2027.
• STEM Accommodation Scholarship: for offshore international applicants to science, engineering and information technology degrees, including these three, up to one year of free UniLodge VU accommodation, valued at AUD 15,548 (the overview says “up to $15,500”). It is merit-based, limited and first-come, first-served; you must be over 18; students receiving more than four units of credit are not eligible; a refundable AUD 1,300 security deposit and other fees apply. It is assessed automatically after you apply.

Checklist

Australian applicants:

• VCE English 25 (EAL) or 20 and Mathematics (any) 20, or equivalent; no ATAR required
• Year 12 students apply through VTAC (late applications due 30 October 2026) using the code for your specialisation

International applicants:

• Prepare IELTS 6.0 (6.0 each band) or equivalent, no more than two years old
• Apply through VU’s international system or an agent; starts 15 February and 26 July 2027
• The 30% first-year scholarship is assessed automatically (VU says all new international students in these degrees who meet entry requirements receive it)

Applicants from China:

• Gao San average of 70%, or Gaokao at the Tier 2 lower cut-off for your province, or one year of bachelor study at 65%
• Ask VU international admissions about mathematics and document verification

Transfer students:

• Apply for advanced standing at least 10 business days before the deadline to have it in your Letter of Offer

Sources: Victoria University, Engineering, science and built environment; Civil Engineering (international); Electrical and Electronic Engineering (international); Mechanical Engineering (international); Civil Engineering (domestic); Electrical and Electronic Engineering (domestic); Mechanical Engineering (domestic); International entry requirements; International academic requirements (PDF); English language requirements (PDF); International applicants; International scholarships; VU Block Model International Scholarship. Information is for 2027 entry. Check Victoria University for the latest details.