Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of frequently asked questions and answers about the Southbank Tertiary Entrance Program (STEP)
- How do I find out if my school is registered?
- Who is my STEP Coordinator?
- How many hours do I attend SBIT per week?
- How do I register my interest in STEP?
- How much will it cost me?
- When will I know my timetable?
- Is the timetable flexible?
- What do I do if my child is sick?
- When do applications open?
- When do applications close?
- Can I still apply for STEP if my school is not registered?
- What date do I commence study in 2009?
- Can I defer my studies once I have commenced as a STEP student?
- Can I defer my studies and still get confirmed entry?
- Will STEP affect my high school results?
- What if I find STEP too difficult?
- What happens if I fail a subject? Can I still move on to the next semester?
- Can I study two STEP programs at once?
- Will I be in a separate class for high school students?
- I am an international student, can I apply for STEP entry?
- Do I need to apply through QTAC at the end of Year 12 to continue my Diploma after school?
- Do I obtain an automatic pathway into university?
- How much time do I have left to complete my Diploma when I come to SBIT?
- Can STEP students enrol mid-year?
- Can students commencing Year 12 in 2009 enrol in STEP?
How do I find out if my school is registered?
Your Principal needs to register your school and nominate a STEP Coordinator as part of the STEP registration process. Therefore, please ask at your school’s reception desk.
Who is my STEP Coordinator?
Your STEP Coordinator is nominated by your Principal. Please ask at your school’s reception desk for the name of your STEP Coordinator.
How many hours do I attend SBIT per week?
This depends on the Diploma you choose to study. Students will be required on campus one day per week for 3-5 hours during semesters 1-3. In semester 4, students may be required on campus one day per week for up to 7 hours. Please refer to STEP HUB (from 1 August) for more timetable information.
The weekday STEP students are required on campus may change by semester.
How do I register my interest in STEP?
Your Principal must firstly register your school for STEP. When registering, your Principal will nominate a STEP Coordinator who will be given a school code. You need this code to register your interest. Therefore, please contact your STEP Coordinator to help on how to register your interest.
How much will it cost me?
STEP students will not be required to pay any tuition fees, only the material fees associated with their units over Years 11 and 12.
Material fees for each Diploma are different. Please refer to STEP HUB after 1 August for more information on costs. Please note - payment will be required on a per semester basis.
When will I know my timetable?
Timetables for each semester will be available on STEP HUB at least 2 months before start of study date.
The allocated day STEP students are required on campus may change by semester.
Is the timetable flexible?
Depending on the Diploma a STEP student chooses to study, they may be offered two options when considering their semester timetable. The options made available by SBIT are not able to be changed.
The allocated day STEP students are required on campus may change by semester.
What do I do if my child is sick?
Parents must liaise directly with the school's STEP Coordinator if their child is sick and unable to attend Southbank Institute. The STEP Coordinator will then inform SBIT directly.
When do applications open?
1 August – Expressions of Interest in STEP are able to be submitted online
1 September – Online enrolments open. Please note - to be formally accepted as a STEP student, students must enrol and pay online as soon as possible. Online enrolments open on 1 September and close on 30 October 2008.
To be considered as a STEP student, you must firstly submit an Expression of Interest in STEP. You are able to complete this form online from 1 August 2008. To submit an Expression of Interest, please click on the icon STEP HUB.
Once your Expression of Interest in STEP has been logged with SBIT by your school Principal or STEP coordinator, SBIT will send an information pack to your STEP coordinator for distribution. This pack will include online enrolment information.
When do applications close?
30 October – Online enrolments close. Please note - to be formally accepted as a STEP student, students must enrol and pay online as soon as possible. Online enrolments open on 1 September and close on 30 October 2008.
Can I still apply for STEP if my school is not registered?
No.
What date do I commence study in 2009?
Start of study date will depend on the Diploma chosen. It is likely to be the week commencing 2 February 2009. STEP students will be required to attend orientation with all other SBIT students prior to start of study. Orientation dates and start of study dates will be sent to the students’ STEP Coordinators in November 2008 for distribution to STEP students.
Can I defer my studies once I have commenced as a STEP student?
Yes, however you will not be offered a guaranteed entry into Southbank Institute post Year 12.
Can I defer my studies and still get confirmed entry?
No. Students will have to apply through QTAC.
Will STEP affect my high school results?
STEP will contribute towards your QCE points. Please see your STEP Coordinator for more information.
What if I find STEP too difficult?
Southbank staff will endeavour to do all they can to help STEP students successfully complete their STEP Diploma. In a situation where STEP study is proving too difficult, it is highly recommended the STEP student and their Parent/Guardian seek further guidance from their school’s STEP Coordinator.
What happens if I fail a subject? Can I still move on to the next semester?
If a STEP student fails a subject, they may or may not be able to move onto the next semester. If the failed subject is a pre-requisite for other units to be taught as part of the STEP program, students may not be able to continue their studies immediately. This situation will be dealt with on an individual basis.
Can I study two STEP programs at once?
No.
Will I be in a separate class for high school students?
No. All STEP students will attend regular classes.
I am and international student, can I apply for STEP entry?
Not at this stage. Due to the State Government funding criteria, STEP students must be Australian citizens or residents for entry into the STEP program.
Do I need to apply through QTAC at the end of Year 12 to continue my Diploma after school?
No. Following Year 12, STEP students will have the opportunity to complete their entire Diploma program at SBIT with confirmed entry and credit into the Diploma they have been studying.
Do I obtain an automatic pathway into university?
No. It is likely that STEP students will be required to apply through QTAC to confirm their intention to transition to university. However it is expected that students who complete a Diploma will obtain credit towards their Bachelor of choice.
How much time do I have left to complete my Diploma when I come to SBIT?
This depends on the Diploma chosen. Please refer to either
- the STEP Diplomas section for more information.
- STEP brochures
Can STEP students enrol mid-year?
Due to the structure of some STEP Diplomas, students are not able to commence a STEP Diploma mid year.
Can students commencing Year 12 in 2009 enrol in STEP?
STEP is open to students entering Year 11 or 12 in 2009. However, Year 12 students who commence STEP in 2009 may not have a full-time workload on entry to Southbank Institute of Technology post Year 12.
Last updated 26 August, 2008