Non-School Leavers Online Selection for PNG Universities and Colleges (Preparations 2024 for 2025 Implementation)

In a move to improve fairness and accessibility in higher education, Papua New Guinea's universities and colleges will be transitioning to an online selection system for non-school leavers starting in 2025. This reform aims to address past concerns about a selection process that lacked transparency and consistency. 

Previously, universities and colleges held individual responsibility for selecting non-school leavers, which created a system prone to irregularities. This included a lack of centralized quotas and the potential for non-registered institutions to make arbitrary selections. 

Benefits of the Online System

The new online system, integrated with the National Online Selection System (NOSS) and National Online Application System (NOAS), offers several advantages:

• Transparency: Clear and consistent criteria will be established for selecting non-school leavers, ensuring a fairer and more objective process.

• Accessibility: Defined quotas for non-school leavers will guarantee a designated number of spots in universities and colleges.

• Streamlined Process: The online platform will simplify application procedures for both institutions and students.

How it Works (Online Selection for Non-School Leavers)

Here's a breakdown of the anticipated selection process for non-school leavers in 2025: 

• 1. Nomination by Centres of Distance Education (CDES): These centres will play a crucial role in identifying eligible non-school leavers. This includes students who completed Grade 12 outside the traditional school system such as FODE and matriculation centres. (While details for overseas students are pending, this system streamlines domestic applications.)

•  2. Application and Selection: Nominated students will receive invitation letters to apply online. They can apply to up to five programs with designated quotas for non-school leavers, along with submitting back-up choices. 

•  3. National Admission Pool: Following selection, non-school leavers will be placed in a national pool for admission consideration by universities and colleges. 

The online selection system streamlines the process for DHERST and the government, providing a clearer picture of non-school leavers (and Grade 12 school leavers) entering PNG universities and colleges.

A Better Way: NSL Online Selection 2025!

The online selection system for non-school leavers is a significant step towards a more equitable and transparent higher education landscape in Papua New Guinea. 

This reform, similar to the successful implementation for school leavers in 2020, is expected to create a level playing field and provide deserving non-school leavers with better access to quality education.

2024 Selection Lists PNG Universities Non School Leavers, School Leavers and Continuing Students

The table in this article provides information about the 2024 tertiary institutions selection list. It aims to help you find out two things:

• 1) When PNG universities publish their non-school leavers' and continuing students lists; and
• 2) DHERST (Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology)  releases the Grade 12 school leavers intakes. 

2024 UPDATE: 

The Grade 12 School Leavers ONLINE Selection started in 2018. It is the best thing that happens. The online selection helps DHERST, the government and stakeholders know exactly how many Grade 12 students are selected for universities and colleges. 

In a recent media statement, DHERST resorted to also bringing the NON-SCHOOL LEAVERS Selection ONLINE. Universities and colleges are not going to make the selections. So, what does that mean for you as a non-school leaver applicant? Find out here

• DHERST has published the NEW INTAKE LIST for the 2024 Academic Year (23/12/2023)
• When DHERST releases the School Leavers and Non-School Leavers Selection Lists You can download the NSL & SL Selection Lists PDF for the new Academic Year via this link.

• DHERST TESAS Award list for New Intakes (SL & NSL) and Continuing students can be accessed here - download the PDFs here 

More information on the Non-school Leavers Selection List for 2024 Dates, Releases and TESAS Lists is available here.

Checklist for 2024 Acceptance List PDF

This table provides the status update. We will continue to update this table as DHERST and the universities publish the 2023 selection list in PDF for download.

• The Continuing Students should know their status for 2024 before they go for the Christmas Holiday. If you are a continuing student and do NOT know your TESAS status, call your university and find out. 
• 2023 Grade 12 School Leavers can check their selection status on the 21st of December 2023.
• Non-school leavers applying to study in any of the tertiary institutions in the country will have to check the university they apply to. The universities will release the list of 2024 Non-school Leavers either on their website or in the newspapers. 
• DHERST will publish the final selection list for Grade 12 school leavers, non-school leavers and continuing students together with thier TESAS status on the mid-January 2024

Here is a summary table for the 7 PNG Universities. PNG Insight updated this table to give you the latest on 2023 selections for PNG universities. Click on the link to see the selection lists for School Leavers and Non-school leavers.

2024 Selection	Continue Students   To be released by uni	DHERST NOSS New Intake 2024	NSL Lists 2024 To be released by uni
UPNG	Pending UPNG	PUBLISHED (23/12/2023) DHERST	Pending  UPNG
UOG	Check here	PUBLISHED (23/12/2023) DHERST	PUBLISHED 16/01/2024
UOT	Check here	PUBLISHED (23/12/2023) DHERST	Check here
PAU	Check here	PUBLISHED DHERST	PUBLISHED
UNRE	Check here	PUBLISHED (23/12/2023) DHERST	Check here
DWU	PUBLISHED	PUBLISHED (23/12/2023) DHERST	Pending DWU
WPU	Check here	PUBLISHED (23/12/2023) DHERST	Pending WPU

We will update this table as the selection lists for 2024 are released by the institutions and DHERST.

Note that DHERST will release the University and Non-University Selection Lists on the 23rd of December 2023. Students can view their selection STATUS through their individual National Online Application Accounts.

For NSL and overseas students, check the table to see if your institution publishes the 2024 Non-School Leavers (NSL), Grade 12 School Leavers (SL) or Continuing Students (SC) listings, as we update the lists this year.

The two groups of new intakes are the Grade 12 school leavers and non-school leavers, whereas the continuing students are students progressing to years 2, 3, and 4 or have continued on from the other programs last year.

The universities also publish the list of post-graduate students on their websites around this time of the year. So be sure to check their websites if you have applied for a post-graduate study.

One important thing to check is the student's status on the selection/admission lists. We mention it because the status indicates whether you are on the govt scholarship (TESAS) or not. 

If you are indicated as SELF, you are either a self-sponsored student, an overseas-based student or a corporate-sponsored. You'll have to make the fee arrangements before registering at the university you are selected to attend.

PNG Universities Selection Status Update

Many universities tend to release the PDF lists of Continuing Students List before the New Students Lists (i.e. the Grade 12 School Leavers and Non-School Leavers) list for 2023.

  Last year, the University of Goroka released the names of the continuing students before they went for the Christmas Holiday. So, if you are a continuing student from UoG you should know your 2023 status by now.

From past experience, the Grade 12 selection list for the tertiary institution in the country will be published by DHERST on its website. 

The DHERST selection list contains the names of new intakes for the universities and non-universities. It is a comprehensive list. Here is what it said around this time last year.

''The selection list for school leavers to university has not been released by DHERST yet, though they have promised to release it on the 8th of January 2021. Understandably, a public holiday was declared on this day, and we hope DHERST will let the public know about the change of date, soon.''

Non-school leavers' selection list 2024

The non-school leavers' selection list is usually published after the school leaver and continuing students lists. Perhaps it is important to know that the list will be published by the university of your choice, not DHERST. So you must check with the university!

The universities will publish the non-school leavers' selection list PDF before the academic year starts. One top tip is to check your preferred uni website for last year's selection list of non-school leavers. This will give you a good idea about WHEN they are likely to release the 2023 selection list for the non-school leavers' intake. 

We are delighted to also know that for the first time last year (2021), Western Pacific University in the highlands of PNG will enrol 240 students in the foundation year. 

The new Western Pacific University in Southern Highlands Province offers programs in:

• International Business Management (BA) - 6 Semesters  (3 years);
• E-Business and Digital Marketing (BA) - 6 Semesters (3 years); and
• Computer Science (Engineering, BA) - 7 Semesters (3 years).

Recommended articles: Selection Lists for Tertiary Institutions in PNG

In addition to this article, we have some information about selection lists for the Grade 12 School Leavers, non-school leavers and continuing students you might want to read: 

• Continuing Students - TESAS (AES & HECAS) and HELP info
• New Grade 12 School Leavers - GPA, TESAS and Admission 
• Non-school Leavers - Acceptance Letter and Selection Status
• PNG 8th Uni: PM Marape Pledges Support for Lutheran University

If you have any questions at this time, please leave a comment below.

About PNG Insight

PNG Insight is an education blog. It aims to highlight the key developments in the education sector in Papua New Guinea. Started in 2014 on Google's blogger (now self-hosted on WordPress), PNG Insight strives to be a platform for critical thinking and discussions; and a source of information.

You can follow us on Twitter (@PNG_Insight) for information on Education and Development in Papua New Guinea.