Admissions .

There are many ways you can get a feel for life at Grace; visiting us in person, taking a virtual tour, hearing from our current residents, or just ringing us up to have a chat.

At Grace, we’re committed to building an inclusive and diverse community. We understand success takes many forms, so our residents are chosen based on individual strengths, passion and personality. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, faiths and abilities.

We pride ourselves on offering an affordable college experience, with a variety of scholarships and bursaries for incoming students, and flexible payment plans for your individual circumstances.

Currently, we enjoy one of the highest acceptance rates of any UQ college and the majority of our early applicants are successful.

Life at Grace

Getting started on your application is easy, in fact it should only take you about 10 minutes. We just need some basic details on you, your education to date, and what you’ll be studying while at Grace. Super simple stuff.

You can apply at any stage of your university enrolment, even if you’re not totally sure what you’ll be studying or when. Just like university courses we can offer a deferral on your place at Grace, giving you freedom and flexibility in your future.

Our admissions for the upcoming academic year open around April / May the year prior. Applications then stay open until the academic year starts, or we reach capacity.

For peace of mind, many applicants prefer to apply and secure their place before they’ve received their university or TAFE enrolment offer. Living on campus is a popular choice, so we encourage you to apply early to avoid disappointment.

Start Application Form

Your one-off application fee ($110AUD) can also be paid at the same time as submitting, via our online payment portal. You can also submit your application without paying the fee, but your application won’t be officially received until the fee is paid.

If you’ve already paid your one-off application fee ($110AUD) when you submitted your application form, congratulations! You can now be officially considered for a place at Grace.

Be sure to save a copy of your payment confirmation and receipt, in case we need to confirm it against your application.

If you haven’t paid yet, now is the time to pay your fee. As a reminder, your application won’t be officially considered until the fee is paid.

You can pay online through our secure payment portal, which accepts debit or credit cards, PayPal balances & credits and bank account transfers (via PayPal).

Pay My Application Fee

Other payment options include bank transfer, money order or cheque. Please contact the college if you wish to pay via these methods.

To complete your application, you’ll need two referees to complete our online Confidential Reference Form. Your references will be asked a series of questions about your personality and character, and how you might benefit from attending Grace.

Some tips:

• A good referee is someone who knows you well, and can speak to your strengths, passions, and personality.
• Your educational referee can be a teacher, lecturer, tutor, principal, or similar educator.
• Your personal referee can be a chaplain, employer, club leader, coach or another adult who knows you well.
• Referees cannot be family members or one of your student peers. They also can’t be given any reward or compensation for a ‘good’ reference.

Once you’ve selected your two referees, simply share the link to the online Confidential Reference form with them and we’ll handle the rest.

And if you’re having trouble finding the words to ask someone, we’ve got a some examples in a PDF below to get you started.

Please note that in line with our commitment to sustainability, we prefer electronic documents where possible. Printable forms are available from the College for referees unable to complete the form online.

That’s why as part of your application, you’ll sit down for a chat with one of our leadership staff. Not an interview, or an inquisition. Just a friendly conversation where we can get to know you a bit better.

You don’t need to prepare anything for this, but you’re welcome to bring any questions, worries or queries you might have about life at Grace. Trust us, we’ve heard them all.

Once your referees have completed their forms, and your application fee is paid, we’ll be in touch to find a time that suits.

For nearby applicants we’ll endeavour to do a face-to-face sit down over a cup of tea. For those from further afield a video or telephone call will be scheduled. 

Once your application is complete, our admissions team reviews it holistically. We’ll then be in touch to let you know the outcome of your application.

Where you are in your university enrolment will determine what kind of offer you’ll receive:

• Provisional Offer: this means you’ve been accepted to Grace College, with the condition of enrollment at an approved university. If you’ve applied before your final grades are released or your university offer has been received, this will likely be the offer you receive. Once you’ve accepted your place at university, we’ll update your college offer from ‘Provisional’ to ‘Unconditional’.
• Unconditional Offer: This offer is made once applicants are accepted into an approved university. If you’ve applied after you’ve secured a spot at an approved university, this will likely be the offer you receive.
• Waitlisting: If we’ve reached capacity for that semester, you may be placed on a waitlist. In the event an applicant withdraws their application, you’ll be next in line.
• Deferral: We understand life can be unpredictable and circumstances can change, so we offer deferral of our offers if you decide to take time off before commencing study.

To secure your place at Grace, you’ll need to accept your offer in writing and provide the first payment of your fees (usually $750AUD).

Notification of offer: Once your application is complete, we aim to let you know the outcome as soon as possible. For most applicants, this is within 1-2 weeks after their sit down chat with us. 

We know moving into College and starting University can feel daunting, especially if you’re moving to a new city. However, it’s not a step you have to take alone.

Attending Grace means you have the support from the whole college community, whether it’s an extra set of hands to carry your bags in or a friend to sit with in the dining hall. Move-in marks the first day of lifelong friendships, and we can’t wait to welcome you home.

Information for Current Residents