I’ve answered a similar question over
here in recent weeks, so you might find some answers there.
My background: I did a BSci (Hons) in 2015-2018 - though
not research advanced, just the standard BSci + Hons tacked to the end, so I don’t 100% know the most updated info, but will give it a shot anyway.
Would it be better to enroll in the BSc at Monash and then transfer, OR to enroll is some sort of bridging course, that would allow me to meet the prerequisites (e.g. a bridging course for Chemistry, if it exists?) .
I don’t know if there’s a bridging course but the standard BSci is almost the same (just minus the extra opportunities and such). In my own standard BSci, I was still able to do research scholarships in 2nd and 3rd year, internships and apply for a research winter school. The only catch is that you kind of have to find/ apply for these scholarships yourself in both courses, but moreso for the BSci.
I think CHM1011 and CHM1022, the non-advanced versions of CHM1051/1052 (which you’d do in the Res Adv course) can usually substitute for the advanced ones (they just get one or two different assessments and less hand-holding in some labs IIRC), but am not sure, so you’d have to ask.
Answers to your questions:
1. You can apply between semesters, with the window of opportunity to apply for transfer being a month or so at the latter half of each semester, and you’ll know whether that application was successful or not generally a few weeks before the next semester starts. If you apply in the first year, you might find your ATAR might possibly play a part in your transfer. The later into your course you apply, the more difficult it will be to graduate with people who got into the course at the beginning or to pick particular units (subjects) as you may not have done the prerequisites or recognised equivalent units for it.
2. Honestly, not sure. I think there was a course specific camp (pre-covid, obviously, not sure now) and maybe some mentoring opportunities that you might miss from memory.
3. In general, transfers usually require a 70+ WAM, with competitive courses needing 75+ WAM. These are usually pretty obtainable with some hard work. I’d imagine a BSci Monash —> BSci (Res Adv) Monash transfer wouldn’t be too overly difficult as they are practically the exact same, just missing a few opportunities here and there, and a couple of units are made compulsory rather than optional in some cases e.g. SCI2015 vs. SCI2010 (but you can still do SCI2015 with the normal BSci, as long as you have the requirements).
4. I’m not sure, but I’m unaware of any. The main concern with external transfers e.g. UoM BSci —> Monash BSci (Res Adv) is really credit transfer and ensuring you have the requirements for transfer. Credit transfer is typically more difficult when you go uni to uni rather than course to course as some unis will not recognise some units or have an equivalent unit, so you
may find that you might need to take more units (and therefore time and money) to complete your course and graduate, as graduation relies on you fulfilling a certain number of credit points. Might be best to confirm with someone else who knows more or, with Monash Uni themselves, if possible.