For about 150 school leavers from the Moreton Bay region, there is no stress-filled lead-up to receiving their OP scores this Saturday – most are already enrolled in their preferred course.

They have all received early offers from USC, with many to be among the first students to study at Australia’s newest university campus at Petrie.

One of those students is Deception Bay State High school graduate Madison Davie, who was offered a place in the Bachelor of Nursing Science at USC Moreton Bay on her last day of high school almost a month ago.

“It was an amazing feeling to be graduating school and already have your university path worked out,” said the 18-year-old from Kings Scrub, near Dayboro.

“As we get closer to the OPs coming out, it is such a relief not to have to worry. I am curious about how I am going to go, but I am not as stressed out as I was before.”

Instead of final Year 12 results and OP scores, USC’s Early Offer Guarantee program makes offers based on the endorsement of schools, who assess students on academic performance, motivation and ability to succeed at university.

To be eligible, students still need to complete any prerequisite subjects for their chosen program and ensure their academic performance and potential is in line with the OP or rank required.

Madison said as USC was her top preference and nursing was her preferred degree, teachers had recommended she apply to USC for an early offer.

“My stress levels just dropped so quickly after I applied. It took so much pressure off and made it easier to focus on my schoolwork, my part-time jobs and my family.”

The 18-year-old chose nursing as a career path after her mother was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago.

“Watching as the doctors and nurses cared for her convinced me that nursing is what I want to do. I am a caring person and I just want to make people’s lives easier,” she said.

Madison said it was exciting to be one of the first students to enrol at USC’s new Moreton Bay campus.

“It is close to my family home and located right in the middle of my two workplaces, so it is just the ideal location for me,” she said.

“I’ve heard the campus is going to be beautiful and that the nursing simulation labs will use the latest technology, so going there seems the perfect way to start my career.”

USC Moreton Bay will open in February with a state-of-the-art foundation building that includes a full suite of university services.

The three-storey multi-purpose building is the first stage of development of the university precinct that is expected to attract 10,000 students in more than 100 programs by 2030.

Applications are still open to study at USC in 2020.

— Clare McKay