The Ultimate Guide: Studying After School (Year 12 HSC)
Considering what's next in your journey after high school?
There’s no better place to start than at ICMS. As one of the leading industry-focused higher education institutions in Australia, ICMS offers a student experience like no other. Read about why students choose ICMS over other universities and colleges.
This guide answers all your biggest questions, including:
- What courses can I study?
- How do I apply?
- What are my entry pathways?
- When can I start?
- Am I eligible for scholarships?
- What’s it like to live on campus?
Everything you need to know about applying
Ways to apply
There are a few ways you can apply to study at ICMS:
Apply directly
Use our online application form. We base admissions on your performance in your individual HSC (or equivalent) subjects, not your final ATAR result.
Want to chat to us first? Contact our Student Advisors to learn more about studying at ICMS or book in a campus tour.
Apply through UAC
When you apply through UAC and put ICMS as your first preference, it means we’ll consider you for an ICMS High Academic Place (HAP). A HAP rewards your hard work in the HSC by giving you a tuition fee subsidy for the duration of your degree. The subsidised amount is reviewed each year. In 2025, it was a 37% reduction in fees.
HAPs are only available to undergraduate Australian and New Zealand students who plan to begin their studies in February.
We recommend applying directly to ICMS, as well as through UAC.
Explore alternate entry pathways
Still finishing your HSC? Apply for early entry or another alternate entry pathway to get an offer to study at ICMS before you finish your Year 12 exams! This is for students looking to begin their studies in February. See all available pathways.
Entry requirements and admissions information
Direct application
Early Entry
Leadership Entry Program
Elite Athlete and Performer Program
Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS)
Scholarship opportunities at ICMS
Application interviews
Don't make these 7 mistakes when applying for university or college
We asked a group of current students to confess the biggest mistakes they made when applying for their tertiary education.
“We often only look for advice from parents and our schools, but usually it’s the advice from other students who chose to continue studying after school that makes all the difference,” says Michaela Mayes, a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) student.
Attention high school parents: 11 Questions you Need to Ask
As a parent, you play a vital role in helping your child as they leave school and transition into higher education. We look at the questions you need to ask to help them choose a qualification that suits their interests and talents, while also setting them up for success in the job market.
Philip Watson, Vice President – Domestic and International Development at ICMS, speaks to parents and prospective students every day. We asked him for the top 11 questions parents need to ask their child about their study plans to help them make the best decision for them.
Get a feel for Student Life at ICMS
Student accommodation
Staying in ICMS student accommodation is the ideal way to immerse yourself in student life, make friends and stay connected with all that ICMS has to offer.
Students have exclusive access to a range of convenient and fully-furnished accommodation options in one of Sydney’s most desirable neighbourhoods, Manly.
Whether you are looking to stay in our iconic ‘castle on the hill’ or prefer the independence of a self-catered off-campus residence, the ICMS accommodation team can help.
On-campus accommodation
ICMS has two on-campus accommodation options near Manly Beach – Moran House and Kelly House. Both are an ideal way to make the most of our spectacular Northern Beaches Campus location.
ICMS and Aspire Institute students who live on campus get to enjoy a fantastic lifestyle with all meals provided, wireless internet and 24-hour access to computer labs. They also get the luxury of being able to walk to their classes and the world-famous Manly Beach. Rooms are equipped with a desk, wardrobe and heating. All linen is provided and rooms are serviced once a week. Each floor is equipped with a kitchenette, common showers, toilets and ironing facilities. Students also receive residential support from senior ICMS student leaders who live on campus.
You can choose a single, double, twin share bunk, triple or quad dormitory room, depending on your budget, residential preference and availability. Shared rooms are single sex but are allocated randomly for cultural experience.
Off-campus accommodation
If you’re looking for independent self-catered accommodation off-campus, ICMS has two options – Claremount Beach House, in the heart of Manly Village, or Wanganella House, in the nearby suburb of Balgowlah.
Student Representative Council (SRC)
Wellness and support
Social and Cultural Diversity
Disability Support
Academic Life
Academic Support
The ICMS community prides itself on being more personal than what students would experience if they attended a university with large classes and impersonal learning. We want you to succeed in your decision to continue studying after school – so we support you with an extensive range of support services.
ICMS has programs in place to support not only your academic learning but also to assist your English language development.
Academic Support
-Opening hours: 8am -4pm, Monday – Friday
-Phone 94661026 to book an appointment
-We welcome online (Zoom), phone calls and face-to-face appointments
Our Student Success Centre (SSC) has Academic Learning Advisors on all our campuses who will help you to develop your academic skills and prepare you for the cultural change to tertiary student life, therefore making your decision to continue studying after one surrounded by support and assistance. The Centre is open from Monday to Friday every week of the ICMS trimester. Advisors will also attend sessions at the City Campus to support students. Appointments can be online or face-to-face, this is your choice.
Take advantage of learning support available so you can achieve the best academic results possible. This could be in the areas of:
- Effective study techniques
- Note-taking skills
- Report and essay writing skills
- Referencing and citing information
- Exam preparation techniques
- Time and stress management
- Academic writing
- Oral presentations
- Learning support for students with a disability
- Studiosity: 24/7 online academic support and Numeracy support
- One-on-one and group advice
Library - Pollard Resource Centre
English Language Assistance
Peer Assisted Learning (PALs)
Exams? ICMS Prefers Authentic Assessments
At ICMS, students may never have to write exams, this makes studying after school align directly with the real life working environment. With authentic assessment methods, this new generation of ICMS students may never experience the nightmares of having forgotten to study an exam that their parents will remember. Instead, they will be actively engaged in productive learning where activities have been designed to build skills and knowledge in a coherent and structured way that is relevant to their future careers.
Imagine going into work one day and your boss says, ‘Please sit down for three hours and write down everything you know about this topic – from memory alone. And don’t ask your colleagues for input.’ This scenario just doesn’t happen in the real world. And because of that, it is not the preferred way to assess student knowledge and skill at ICMS.
Jonathan Hvaal, ICMS Senior Learning Designer and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), sums it up, “At the tertiary level, exams are not really authentic forms of assessment.”
ICMS is career-focused and works closely with industry to develop an industry-relevant curriculum. As well as the compulsory Work Integrated Learning (WIL) subjects that all degree students must complete, assessments give students an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge that would be used in their everyday lives. They have the chance to develop graduate capabilities that will be useful throughout their career. And of course, authentic real-world assessments also reduce the exam stress that memorising, and then relaying, large amounts of information creates.
Still a few years to go? This guide's for you
We're here to help. Begin your higher education journey today!
ICMS Contact Details:
Future Student Enquiries
Phone: 1800 110 490
Student Advisors: +61 (2) 9466 1240
Australian & New Zealand Citizens, Aus Permanent Residents email: [email protected]
International Students email: [email protected]
Northern Beaches Campus
Physical and Postal Address: 151 Darley Road, Manly, Sydney, NSW, 2095, Australia
You are very welcome to visit us in person. Please book here.