Bachelor of Paramedicine

VU course code: HBPD | CRICOS: 092160M | Level of study: Undergraduate

ATAR

Lowest selection rank: 70.25*

Duration

3 years full time or longer for part time

Delivery mode

In person

Fees

Commonwealth supported place

Location

St Albans

Applications closed

Overview

Pursue a challenging and rewarding career as a registered paramedic with a Bachelor of Paramedicine at Victoria University (VU).

Develop the skills required to work as a registered paramedic in ambulance settings, primary healthcare settings, community healthcare settings and more. While studying your paramedicine degree at VU, you’ll be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Practise your technical and non-technical skills in VU’s safe spaces using sophisticated resources and gain the professional capabilities of a paramedic. You will study paramedicine theory in the classroom, and put theory into practice in high-fidelity simulation clinics, clinical-practice labs and during work-integrated learning (WIL).

You will work with experienced registered health professionals and academics to develop your paramedic skills and graduate confident and ready for the job market.

: On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Exhibit professional, ethical, person-centred and culturally responsive out-of-hospital care across diverse health populations and settings consistent with the Paramedicine Board’s (AHPRA) standards of practice;

Exemplify critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills to safely, effectively and holistically provide person-centred, evidence-based assessment and management of patients across the lifespan;

Exhibit advanced communication and collaboration skills when working with patients, families, other health professionals and agencies within the healthcare setting;

Critically reflect on and learn from practice, recognising the need for self-care strategies and life long professional learning and development;

Exemplify effective leadership and mentoring skills within relevant clinical and professional frameworks;

Assess and manage risk to the paramedic, patient and others by performing effectively and safely in line with legal and regulatory obligations and requirements; and

Exemplify culturally safe, capable and responsive practice, value diversity among peoples and engage in inclusive practices that promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and culturally diverse communities.
: Build skills, knowledge, and confidence through participation in real-world experience by working under the supervision of professional registered paramedics while you study.
During your paramedicine degree, you’ll complete work placements in different models of care, including ambulance services. Our students currently complete placements with organisations including:
Ambulance Victoria
Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Ambulance Victoria and VU have a strong working relationship involving the co-location of Ambulance Victoria resources on our campuses. Ambulance Victoria remains a strong employer of our graduates.
: Develop your skills in the supportive environment of VU’s clinical simulation suites on our St Albans Campus. Working with simulated patients and technologically complex manikins, you’ll learn and practise your skills and get specific and immediate feedback.
You’ll be supported by specialist staff who work with discipline-specific experts to develop authentic practice scenarios, with realistic contextual details and well-briefed participants.

Entry requirements

When assessing your application, we consider your educational achievements and work experience, as well as your skills and personal attributes (where relevant).

Applicants for this course will need to meet the entry criteria outlined below. If you don’t meet the entry criteria, you may be able to gain entry by first completing a related course or unit(s). We call this a ‘pathway’.

You may also be eligible for course ‘credits’, where you are granted a unit or units towards your qualification for equivalent previous study or work experience, so you can graduate sooner.

ATAR requirements

Minimum ATAR: 70.25*

This course has a minimum ATAR entry requirement. This means you’ll need to achieve a certain ATAR, along with other criteria, to be considered for this course.

The following table shows the ranking results of our current student intake and is an indication of the ATAR you’ll need to successfully apply.

*Minimum ATAR is based on the lowest selection rank (ATAR plus adjustments) that received an offer for the 2025 intake. Use as a guide only – entry ranks will change in 2026 depending on the number and quality of applications received.

VU course code: HBPD

VTAC course code: 4301343031

Campus: St Albans

ATAR profile of people who received an offer for the Bachelor of Paramedicine.
	ATAR (Excluding adjustment factors)	Selection Rank (ATAR including adjustment factors)
Highest rank to receive an offer	98.10	99.80
Median rank to receive an offer	70.75	82.25
Lowest rank to receive an offer	55.45	70.25

Learn more about ATAR

What is ATAR?

The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) compares the results of final-year school students, with adjustments made for factors such as hardship. The ranking is expressed as a number between 0 and 99.95. ATAR minimum entry requirements are not usually essential entry criteria for applicants who have completed secondary education more than 2 years ago.

Entry criteria

Minimum entry criteria include:

English-language requirements
academic requirements.

Your work and life experience will also be considered.

To find specific entry requirements for this course, please select the section below that is most relevant to you.

Meeting the minimum entry criteria does not guarantee entry into this course.

: This information is relevant if, in the 2 years prior to studying with us, you have completed (or will complete) one of the following:

Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (e.g. VCE)

an Australian or overseas equivalent to VCE

an International Baccalaureate (IB).

Admission criteria

Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English (EAL) or 20 in any other English.
: This information is relevant if you have completed an accredited award (such as a certificate or diploma) at an Australian Registered Training Organisation (usually a TAFE, polytechnic or other registered VET institute).

Admission criteria

Completion of an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent).
OR:
Completion of the Certificate III in Non-Emergency Patient Transport.
PLUS:
Three years (minimum) work/life experience in Health Sciences of similar.
AND:
Provide a Personal Statement.
: This information is relevant if you’ve previously completed all or part of a university or other higher-education course.

Admission criteria

Completion of at least one semester of an Australian Higher Education award (or equivalent).
: This information is relevant if you left secondary school more than two years ago and haven’t studied since.

Admission criteria

Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate more than two years ago.
PLUS:
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English (EAL) or 20 in any other English.
AND:
Provide a Personal Statement.
: Take a look at a student profile to get an overview of students who have previously enrolled in this course.

Applicant background Number of students Percentage of all students

(A) Past Higher Education Study
(includes a bridging or enabling course) 109 49.5%

(B) Past vocational education and training (VET) study 61 27.7%

(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
(regardless of whether this includes the impact of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)
34 15.5%

(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered
(e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)
NA NA

(C) Recent secondary education
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor
(e.g. special consideration alone, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)
<5 <5

(D) Work and Life experience NP NP

International students 6 2.7%

All students 220 100%

"<5" – the number of students is less than 5.
N/A – Students not accepted in this category.
N/P – Not published: the number is hidden to prevent calculation of numbers in cells with less than 5 students.

Applicant background	Number of students	Percentage of all students
(A) Past Higher Education Study (includes a bridging or enabling course)	109	49.5%
(B) Past vocational education and training (VET) study	61	27.7%
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the impact of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)	34	15.5%
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)	NA	NA
(C) Recent secondary education Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor (e.g. special consideration alone, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)	<5	<5
(D) Work and Life experience	NP	NP
International students	6	2.7%
All students	220	100%

Special entry programs

Special admission programs

If you are from a disadvantaged or underrepresented social, economic or cultural background, you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs. These programs are designed to help you access education more easily.

Learn more about special admission programs

VU Early Entry

If you're currently in Year 11 or 12, our exclusive VU Early Entry program comes with a Conditional Offer to the course of your choosing*, a personalised course plan, special events, exclusive discounts and access to one-on-one course advice.

*Conditions apply.

Learn more about VU Early Entry

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are the abilities, attributes, skills and behaviours needed to meet the learning outcomes of the course.

You should carefully consider the inherent requirement statement as a:

guide for your learning during the course
way for you to identify challenges you may have in studying this course.

Learn more about inherent requirements

Additional information

Students are required to be able to satisfy the safe practice requirements set by the clinical placement provider prior to commencing the second year of study and are required to maintain the currency of the safe practice requirements for the full duration of their course. Note, some requirements need to be renewed prior to the commencement of each of the third year.

Current requirements are:

· Working with Children Check
· Annual National Police check (Fit2Work)
. Infection control - donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE)
· Medical Report (InjuryNET)
· Physical Report (InjuryNET)
· Mask Fit Testing
· Clinical Placement Provider Student Undertaking Form
· VU Declaration of Acceptance of Work Integrated Learning/Clinical Placement Terms and Conditions

The Bachelor of Paramedicine is registered with AHPRA. Students who complete this course are eligible to apply to practice as Paramedics in Australia. Students in AHPRA registered courses must meet and maintain certain standards referred to as a student’s “Fitness to Practice”.

On commencement and throughout their studies at Victoria University, students in AHPRA registered courses are required to acknowledge and provide information about their fitness to practice as set out in this form. Part of a student’s “Fitness to Practice” is being ready to undertake compulsory clinical placements. Clinical venues require Victoria University to confirm that all students have met the compulsory immunisations and clearances. These are referred to as pre-placement requirements.

Once studies have commenced, students will be advised of the deadlines to complete both the Fitness to Practice form acknowledgement and pre-placement requirements. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in students being delayed in their progress and/or not being able to complete their course.

Credit & Entry pathways into this course

Please note: There may be a limit on how many students can access pathways to the Bachelor of Paramedicine due to high demand. If you are eligible for a pathway but unsuccessful in securing a place, please contact VUHQ (student service centre) on +61 3 9919 6100 for advice.

Diploma of Emergency Health Care HLT51020

Students who have successfully completed the Diploma of Emergency Health Care HLT51020 with providers other than Victoria University may be eligible for a maximum of 48 credit points toward the Bachelor of Paramedicine.

Credit may be granted for the following first-year College units, depending on the units completed within the diploma.

: HFB1001 - Cultural Safety
Credit available if both of the following units were completed:
CHCDIV001 - Work with diverse people
CHCDIV002 - Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
HFB1003 - Paramedic Law, Ethics and Professionalism
Credit available if all of the following units were completed:
HLTWHS002 - Follow safe work practices for direct client care
CHCLEG001 - Work legally and ethically
HLTOUT010 - Communicate in complex situations to support health care
BSBMED301 - Interpret and apply medical terminology appropriately
CHCPRP003 - Reflect on and improve own professional practice
HFB1112 - Paramedic Clinical Practice 1
Credit available if both of the following units were completed:
HLTAMB008 / HLTOUT005 - Assess and deliver standard clinical care
HLTWHS002 - Follow safe work practices for direct client care
HBM1001 - Anatomy and Physiology 1
Credit available if the following unit was completed:
HLTAAP002 - Confirm physical health status

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency. Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Course structure

For 2022 and 2023:

To attain HBPD Bachelor of Paramedicine, students will be required to complete:

288 credit points of Core units.

From 2024:

To attain HBPD Bachelor of Paramedicine, students will be required to complete:

276 credit points of Core studies;

12 credit points of Electives.

Units

Fees & scholarships

University fees vary, depending on how much the government contributes towards course costs (if anything).

Read below to find out about the fee ‘type’, the estimated yearly tuition costs for this course, and the financial support on offer (including our generous scholarship program).

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is subsidised by the government, reducing it to the amount listed here. Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens will qualify for a CSP place. If your course is not Commonwealth supported, or you don't qualify, you'll pay full fees.

Learn more about Commonwealth Supported Places

Fees

Scholarships

Careers

As a Registered Paramedic, you’ll be qualified to work across a variety of healthcare settings nationally and internationally. The Australian health system is rapidly expanding to incorporate increasing job opportunities for Registered Paramedics. Internationally, you will find job opportunities are broad and varied.

Employers across international healthcare sectors and related industries can include, but are not limited to:

ambulance services
primary health care facilities
extended health care facilities
community healthcare facilities
hospitals
research and education organisations
emergency and disaster management departments/organisations
state/territory, national and international government departments.

Accreditation

Victoria University’s Bachelor of Paramedicine program is accredited by the Paramedicine Accreditation Committee and is approved by the Paramedicine Board of Australia.

Check the latest published Paramedicine accredited programs of study.