If planning your future world tour or designing the logo for your indie record label is your go-to exam time escape, there’s no doubt that you’re at least a little bit confused about how UAC preferences work and what order will set you up for a successful career in the music industry.
If the ranking system has you scratching your head, you’ve come to the right place! Below, we’ve rounded up your most frequently asked questions about UAC preferences.
How do UAC preferences work?
To cut a long story short, UAC preferences allow you to rank up to five course choices across several tertiary institutions in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory based on the order you want them to be considered.
The order of your preferences isn’t just a ranking of which course you’d like to do the most, but it also affects the order in which you will be able to receive an offer. For example, if you picked the Australian Institute of Music as your first preference and have passed an audition, you are eligible to receive an offer during the next UAC offer round.
If you place AIM below your top spot and you’re eligible for an offer, your higher preferences, unfortunately, will block any offers from being sent out in the subsequent rounds, as your first preference will take priority.
To avoid missing out on an offer, make sure to update your preferences to move AIM to the top of your list.
TL;DR: If you’ve gone through the audition/submission process, put AIM as your first preference to secure your spot in 2026.
Can you change UAC preferences after submitting?
You can absolutely change your UAC preferences after you’ve submitted your application. You can even change the order of your preferences after you’ve received an offer, giving you plenty of time to weigh up your options.
You can change your preferences as many times as you want; however, all changes have to be made before the deadline for each offer round.
The deadlines to change your preferences for the 2025/26 UAC offer rounds are:
- November Rounds:
- November Round 1: Thursday, November 6, 2025 – 11:59 pm
- November Round 2: Thursday, November 20, 2025 – 11:59 pm
- December Rounds:
- December Round 1: Thursday, December 4, 2025 – 11:59 pm
- December Round 2 (Year 12 Main Offer Round): Thursday, December 18, 2025 – 11:59 pm
- January Rounds:
- January Round 1 (Year 12 Main Offer Round): Tuesday, December 30, 2025 – 11:59 pm
- January Round 2: Thursday, January 19, 2026 – 11:59 pm
- February Rounds:
- February Round 1: Thursday, January 29, 2026 – 11:59 pm
- February Round 2: Friday, February 6, 2026 – 11:59 pm
- March Rounds:
- March Round 1: Thursday, February 26, 2026 – 11:59 pm
What if I have already received an offer elsewhere?
If you’ve received an offer elsewhere during the earlier rounds but would like to be considered for AIM in the latest round, you can log in to your UAC account and reorder your preferences to make AIM your first choice.
Be sure to move the course you have been offered to the bottom of your list, as UAC will only consider that course in the upcoming offer rounds if it remains as your top preference.
How to apply for the Australian Institute of Music
If you’re ready to make your mark on the music industry, you can submit your application to AIM through UAC, or you can apply directly through our website.
