If you are in Australia and using a vocational college, then this is what you'll get. Try doing a course with UNE.
UNE is a great option if you're looking to enter university as a mature-age student. The requirements differ widely between universities for mature-age entry, with some of the Go8 universities excluding mature-age students from certain degrees altogether.
This is news to me. Which subjects and which Go8 universities do this?
USYD's website states that mature-age entry students are only eligible for a select set of courses: https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/applying/admission-pathways/...
Being fair, they do make it sound as though you can enter a degree you're eligible for, and then apply to transfer to another degree after a year of study. If you're transferring to a similar degree, your completed course units would probably count towards your total required elective units.
There are ways of getting into those courses without going through the Mature Age Scheme. Mature age students just don't get preferential treatment.