The Universities Admission Centre (UAC) boosted the amount of offers available from last year, increasing from 13,000 to 15,000 in 2021.

UAC General Manager of Marketing and Engagement, Kim Paino, said that with offers starting to be release, it was an important time for students setting themselves up for study in 2021.

'Our congratulations go to those students who have received an offer and are looking forward to starting uni this year," she said.

Applicants from Western NSW received 515 offers across a number of fields of study including:

Ms Paino said while applicants should have received their offers via email, they can also view them by logging in to UAC's website.

The Western NSW offers strongly reflected trends for favoured fields of study among early bird applicants.

Following a slight increase in first preferences, Health was the most preferred field of study with 28 per cent of student preferences.

Society and Culture trended strongly with 22 per cent of preferences followed by Management and Commerce with 11 per cent.

Ms Paino said that for students who missed out in the January Round 1 offers, there were staff on hand at UAC and at all the universities to help navigate other paths towards their desired university studies.

"For those who have missed out, I'd encourage them to look at courses that still have vacancies for the next offer round and also think about all the other pathways available to get to university and study your preferred course," she said.

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There are a number of alternatives pathways including enrolling in a less competitive course and then transfer part-way through that course or even completing that course and applying as a postgraduate.

Students can also complete a Diploma program at a university, TAFE or other provider and then seek entry into the Bachelor program, an option which may also allow for subject credit depending on areas of study.

Alternative pathways are basically trying to improve your competitiveness for entry into the Bachelor degree of your choice, by providing evidence of your tertiary study capabilities, rather than simply relying on your high school results.

January Round 2 offers will be released on Thursday, January 21.

Applicants need to have their preferences finalised by midnight on Sunday, January 17.

For students looking to undertake study in the 2021 first semester, applications are open until midnight on Friday, February 5.

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