SAE Institute Byron Bay

Entry Requirements

General Admission

    Vocational Education & Training (VET) courses

    The following admission criteria apply for Vocational Education & Training (VET) courses. (i.e. Certificates or Diplomas):
    • A completed Year 12 high school certificate (HSC) or the equivalent level of study in your home country; or
    • Mature age entry over 21 years; or
    • Equivalent completion of a Certificate Level II or higher as defined by the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF); and
    • For international students a IELTS overall band score 5.5 or equivalent may be required. (see English Language Proficiency below)

    Higher Education (HE) courses

    The following admission criteria apply for Higher Education (HE) courses. (i.e. Degrees):
    • A completed Year 12 high school certificate (HSC) or the equivalent level of study in your home country; or
    • Mature age entry over 21 years; or
    • Equivalent completion of a Certificate Level IV or higher as defined by the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF); and
    • For international students a IELTS overall band score 6.0 or equivalent may be required. (see English Language Proficiency below)

On receipt of suitable evidence, SAE Institute shall seek to admit all prospective students (via special entry) who are considered to have a reasonable chance of success in the program. All applications must be supported by verified copies of original documents.

Admission to a course may be denied if the applicant has not demonstrated sufficient proficiency in previous studies. A registration may be denied or cancelled if statements made by students in their admission applications are shown to be false.

Acceptance of a place in a course, by signing and submitting the Admission Agreement to SAE Administration, shall be taken to constitute acceptance of all published regulations, policies and procedures pertaining to SAE programs. SAE policies and procedures are published available here

English Language Proficiency

All successful applicants must be proficient in writing, reading and speaking English. For applicants whose first language is not English, the following indicators of proficiency are acceptable:

    For Vocational Education & Training (VET) courses

    • British Council IELTS - Band 5.5.
    • TOEFL - Paper Based: 523; Computer Based: 193

    For Higher Education (HE) courses:

    • British Council IELTS - Band 6.0.
    • Cambridge ESOL Certificate of Proficiency - Grade C;
      Certificate in Advanced English - Grade B.
    • TOEFL - Paper Based: 550; Computer Based: 213; Internet Based: 79

Visit the following websites links for more information on the examinations.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
Cambridge ESOL Examinations
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Laptop Requirements

It is a condition for all new commencing higher education students, at SAE Institute in Australia, from 2008 onwards, that they have access to a specified laptop (normally a high-end Macintosh) computer and software, throughout the duration of their studies. SAE offers special laptop deals to new students at significantly discounted rates - please contact SAE for details. Conditions apply and the offer may vary from course to course and intake to intake. Where a student chooses to acquire a laptop from a supplier other than SAE then the laptop and software specifications must be approved by the Course Co-ordinator or Campus Manager on the basis that it must meet the course requirements.