And with multiple university offers to study medicine under her belt, the Worrigee woman is one step closer to pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor.

"It's the hope and the fact you're giving someone more time - that's what's appealing to me," said the 27-year-old.

"You can't control someone's life, but you can help make it better."

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Sara moved to Australia from Thailand with her family 13 years ago after a harrowing incident that almost claimed her mother's life.

Sara helped save her mother after she suffered an act of violence, which is ultimately what drove her to pursue medicine.

"I was only 14 at the time. I didn't really know what to do, but somehow I instinctively knew to not let her bleed out to death," she said.

"While my brother was driving her to the hospital, I was in the backseat keeping her conscious and she made it.

"The surgeon said if I didn't stop the bleeding...she probably wouldn't have made it."

Sara didn't complete Year 12 and didn't have her permanent Australian residency at the time, so in order to get into university, she enrolled in the TAFE NSW Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation (TPC) - a one year course which provides students with an ATAR equivalent.

She scored a 292 out of 300 as her Tertiary Entrance Score - the equivalent to an ATAR of around 98 - and said she is "just so honoured" to receive multiple offers to study medicine.

"I've been receiving so many offers, I feel really wanted," she said.

"I got an offer from University of Sydney yesterday...and two from Wollongong - one is a Dean scholar and Honours offer."

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Sara will begin her medicine degree at the University of Wollongong in February, while she runs her small eyelash extension business, Ever Lashing, in Nowra.

She said finishing TAFE and with university on the horizon, combined with receiving permanent Australian residency last December, felt like she was embarking on a new, exciting chapter in her life.

"Getting my permanent residency...felt like breathing in a different air," she said.

Sara spoke highly of the TPC course and her teacher's at TAFE NSW that assisted her along the way.

TAFE NSW teacher of career pathways, Joy Sharpe, said the the course provides an alternate pathway for people to finish their high school studies or gain entry to a career.

"The TPC is also useful for people looking for a career change, particularly those wanting to move from a vocational job into a profession," said Ms Sharpe.

"It gives students the skills to conduct research and write essays with the right referencing.

"It's one year that sets graduates up with a great education foundation for the rest of their lives."

For information about TPC and employability pathways available at TAFE NSW, visit www.tafensw.edu.au or call 131 601.

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