WAUFP
The Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP) is a program of academic study designed for international students who do not have a strong English language background and whose matriculation level is not sufficient to gain entry into the four Western Australian public universities. Students must study at least 3 subjects plus a subject called English Language and Australian Cultural Studies (ELACS). This subject is an English language subject which has been specially designed for international students. It is the only compulsory subject in the program and the time spent teaching it is double that of other subjects. Success in ELACS means that a student has met the English competency requirement necessary for university entrance.
The four public Western Australian universities that own the program are:
These universities offer a comprehensive range of professional degree courses, which are recognised nationally and internationally. Each university is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Universities Australia. International students who successfully complete WAUFP and who satisfy the course entry requirements are guaranteed a place at the University of their Choice.
January Entry WAUFP - an 11-month program commencing in January and finishing in November is offered at St George's.
The range of subjects offered depends on which program a student enrols in, student demand for a particular subject, and the college which the student attends.
All students sit external examinations for each subject and these examinations aim to be sensitive to the fact that English is the students' second language.
All subjects (except ELACS) follow the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) syllabi.
A Combined Percentage Score (CPS) is calculated for all students. This score is calculated by averaging the student's best three scaled scores (excluding ELACS) OR averaging the sum of the best three scaled scores and ELACS score, whichever is highest, plus any bonuses*. To meet the English competency requirement of the universities students must achieve a score at least 50 in ELACS. If a student achieves a CPS of at least 50 and an ELACS score of at least 50 then they are deemed to have been successful in the program and receive a WAUFP Certificate of Achievement.
Note: Unacceptable subject combinations in the calculation of the CPS are the same as for calculating an ATAR.
*A Mathematics bonus of 2.5% of a student's scaled score in Mathematics Methods and/or Mathematics Specialist will be added to the student's CPS, regardlesss of whether the scaled score for that subject is used in the calculation of the CPS.
However, the entry requirements for each course at each university vary from year to year. At the beginning of each year the universities publish the CPS requirement for each of their courses in the following year. If an International student achieves the required CPS score for their chosen course and meets the university English requirement (i.e. a score of at least 50 for ELACS) then they are guaranteed entry into that course.
