VU pro vice-chancellor Rob Brown said the university had made 4409 first-round offers, an increase of 11per cent on last year.

The Federal Government has raised university enrolment caps, from a 5per cent gain last year to 10 per cent this year, to further its aim of 40per cent of Australians having a bachelor degree within two decades.

"We are aiming to significantly over-enrol this year, in line with the Government's fully funded target of up to 110per cent," Mr Brown said.

The easing of student quotas resulted in a record number of first-round places offered by Victorian universities this year, up 13.5per cent.

However, one in five applicants across the state missed out on a place and are waiting for university and TAFE offers in second and third rounds. At VU, all higher education faculties had increased offers with arts, education and human development courses up 12per cent; business and law 11per cent; and health, engineering and science 8.9per cent.

Mr Brown said VU had also made 1161 TAFE offers through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre, down 5per cent from last year, although one in five TAFE offers would be made directly through the university.

Asked if the closure of the Melton and Sunbury campuses resulted in an increase of applications to the Footscray, Footscray Park, Sunshine and St Albans, Newport and Werribee campuses, Mr Brown said: "We do believe that the transfer of courses to campuses in the strong VU spine led to a stronger showing in preference activity.

"For example, the bachelor of education had been the strongest higher education course at Sunbury and Melton.

"The transfer of education to St Albans this year is the most obvious explanation for the overall increase in first-to-third preferences."