Entry into UNSW degrees is based on academic merit. To be considered for an undergraduate degree you will be assessed on your performance in:

• Australian or New Zealand Senior Secondary studies
• university or other post-secondary qualifications
• equivalent overseas qualifications
• an alternative entry qualification

Cut-offs for entry in 2011 are listed in our degree entry marks table. Published cut-offs are not an indication of the level of difficulty of the degree, but a reflection of the demand for and availability of places in a degree. 

Assumed Knowledge

Many of our degrees have assumed knowledge in certain subject areas – for example Mathematics. If you do not have the assumed knowledge required for the degree, you are not prevented from enrolling but you may be placed at a disadvantage. Our assumed knowledge table lists the assumed knowledge for each degree.

You can build up your skills by taking one of our Bridging Courses in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. These Bridging Courses can be taken before your degree.

Accepted Qualifications

For the vast majority of high school graduates admission to UNSW is on the basis of the rank derived from your performance in your senior secondary studies. For most Australian Yr 12 students this is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). Other applicants who complete a senior secondary qualification (eg. Queensland Yr 12, International Baccalaureate, GCE A Levels, other overseas qualifications) are assessed on a comparable rank.  A small number of UNSW degrees also have Additional Selection Criteria which must be satisfied before you can be considered for admission. 

The following qualifications are considered for entry to UNSW:

• Australian Senior Secondary qualifications
• International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) 
• NZ NCEA Level 3
• GCE A-Levels
• Other overseas qualifications considered equivalent to Australian studies (refer to UAC 'Commonly accepted overseas secondary qualifications' (PDF))

If you are an Australian Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident, or New Zealand citizen and hold an academic qualification from overseas which is not listed in the above link, you should contact UNSW Admissions to discuss your eligibility.

telephone: +61 2 9385 3228
email: ugadmis@unsw.edu.au

If you hold an overseas secondary qualification from a country where English is not the standard language of instruction, check our English language proficiency requirements.

Bonus Points

UNSW offers a number of bonus point schemes that can help you gain entry to your chosen program.

HSC Plus

HSC Plus awards a maximum of 5 bonus points for students who perform well in subjects relevant to their preferred UNSW degree during their Australian Senior Secondary Certificate or the International Baccalaurette.  

This scheme is available to students who have completed their Australian Senior Secondary Certificate study in the year prior to admission. Applicants who completed their qualification in 2010 and took a gap year in 2011 are also eligible for HSC Plus for admission in 2012. HSC Plus bonus points are automatically added to your admission rank for the relevant UNSW preference you list in your UAC application – you do not need to apply separately. 

For more details on HSC Plus click here.

Elite Athletes and Performers (EAP)

The Elite Athletes and Performers (EAP) Program awards a maximum of 5 bonus points to students who have excelled in areas of sport, academia, performance, leadership and music on a national or international level. These achievements must have been undertaken in Years 11 and 12.

Applications close by 30th November 2011.

For more details on the Elite Athletes and Performers Program click here.

Faculty of Engineering Admission Scheme (FEAS)

The Faculty of Engineering Admissions Scheme (FEAS) is for students expecting an ATAR between 81.00 and 90.95. Applications close in November – please see the website for details on how FEAS can help you, how to apply, and the requirements of the Scheme.

Educational Disadvantage

ACCESS Scheme

The ACCESS Scheme is available to students who have experienced long term educational disadvantage during Years 11 and 12 and have been affected by circumstances beyond their control. The circumstances considered under the ACCESS Scheme include illness, financial hardship, language difficulties, or attendance at a disadvantaged school.

To apply for the ACCESS Scheme, students must lodge 2 applications with UAC (Universities Admissions Centre):

1. General UAC undergraduate admission to university application
2. UAC Educational ACCESS Schemes (EAS) application.

For more information on the ACCESS Scheme, click here

Humanities Pathways and Business Preparation Programs

The  Humanities Pathways and Business Preparation programs are one year full time enabling programs for domestic students who have not gained entry into their desired degree due to educational disadvantage. On successful completion, students have the opportunity to attain a place in a Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Law or Australian School of Business undergraduate degree. Relevant courses from the program can be credited towards the UNSW degree.

Diploma of Science, Engineering and Technology (DipSET)

The DipSET offers a flexible pathway into either engineering or science for students who have the potential to study at UNSW but have gaps in their assumed knowledge, and do not meet the standard entry requirements.
There are two pathways through this program; for more information please visit:
•    Science pathway
•    Engineering pathway

Indigenous Students

Nura Gili offers a number of programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as a pathway to a university career. These pathway programs include:

• residential preparatory programs for Business, Law, Medicine and Social Work
• one year pathways programs in Arts, Education, Business, Law, Engineering and Science.

For detailed information about these programs please visit Nura Gili Admissions Scheme.

Rural Students

UNSW offers entry schemes for students with a rural background. Rural students may be eligible to apply for the ACCESS Scheme (see above), and The Rural Student Entry Scheme to Medicine enables suitable students with a significant rural background to compete for a separate entry quota of up to 50 places in the Medicine degree. More information can be found at Services for Rural Students.

Foundation Year from an Australian Go8 University

You can qualify for entry to UNSW by undertaking our Foundation Year Program or one conducted by an Australian Group of Eight university. 

UNSW doesn’t admit students on the basis of age. All students are assessed on the basis of academic merit and you must have a qualification we accept to be considered for admission. If you do not already have an accepted qualification or your qualifications are below our minimum entry requirements there are a number of alternative entry qualifications that can help you gain entry to UNSW. The best option for you will depend on your age, previous qualifications and the program you would like to study.

NB: Admission may be based on your overall academic record, i.e. your secondary and post secondary studies. In general, greater weight will be given to your post-secondary  record.

University Preparation Program (UPP)

UNSW’s UPP is designed to assess your academic potential and to provide you with a realistic university environment to develop the skills needed to manage tertiary studies. It is open to domestic students who will be 21 years or older on 1 March in the year of admission to an undergraduate degree and who do not have qualifications which allow university entry. The UPP does not guarantee you admission to UNSW but can be used as evidence of recent study when applying for admission.

Limited ATAR

You can obtain a Limited ATAR by completing the Certificate of Matriculation program at TAFE.

To be eligible for a Limited ATAR based on your 2011 HSC studies undertaken in the Certificate of Matriculation, you must meet the following conditions:

• be at least 20 years of age on 1 March 2011
• be taking between 5 and 9 units of ATAR courses, including at least 2 units of English
• attempt all units in one sitting.

A limited ATAR cannot be used to apply for B Medicine/ B Surgery or B Optometry/ B Science.

Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation (TPC)

The TPC conducted by TAFE can be completed in 1 year of full-time study or 2 years of part-time study.

To be eligible you will need to:

• be at least 21 years of age or older on 1 March in the year of admission to an undergraduate degree
• complete 10 semester units of study
• Obtain a score of 196/300 as a minimum entrance requirement, above 270/300 for more competitive degrees.

The TPC cannot be used to apply for B Medicine/ B Surgery or B Optometry/ B Science.

Other Tertiary Preparation Programs

You can also gain entry into many of our degrees by completing one of the tertiary preparation programs listed below. To be eligible you must be 21 years or older on 1 March in the year of admission to an undergraduate program

• University Preparation Scheme (UPS) - Australian National University  
• Open Foundation Program - University of Newcastle
  You must successfully complete the program with at least 20 units of humanities courses.
• University Preparation Course (UPC) - University of Sydney.
  To be considered for admission to UNSW with the UPC, you must successfully complete a minimum of 2 courses, including 1 humanities course.
• Certificate IV in Adult Tertiary Preparation - TAFE Queensland

Please note that successful completion does not guarantee admission to UNSW. Admission is competitive and places are allocated based on academic performance.

These preparation programs cannot be used to apply for entry into the following degrees: 

• All Australian School of Business degrees
• B Engineering/B Commerce
• Combined Law
• B Medicine/B Surgery
• B Medicinal Chemistry
• B Medical Science
• B Advanced Science
• B Advanced Mathematics
• B Optometry/B Science
• B Psychology

Further information

For further information about alternative entry please contact UNSW Admissions to discuss your eligibility.

t: +61 2 9385 3228
f: +61 2 9662 4241
e: ugadmis@unsw.edu.au

Indigenous Students

Nura Gili offers a number of programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as a pathway to a university career. These pathway programs include:

• residential preparatory programs for Business, Law, Medicine and Social Work
• one year pathways programs in Arts, Education, Business, Law, Engineering and Science.

For detailed information about these programs please visit Nura Gili Admissions Scheme.

Transferring within UNSW - Internal Program Transfer

If you are not currently competitive for entry to your preferred UNSW degree you may wish to consider gaining entry to another UNSW degree and then applying to transfer after completing one year (or in limited cases one semester) of study.  UNSW undergraduate students can apply via myUNSW (UNSW’s student portal) to transfer between UNSW undergraduate degrees. You can check each Faculty’s requirements by visiting the Internal Program Transfer page.

Transferring from outside UNSW

From another university

UNSW considers students from other universities (in Australia and overseas) who wish to transfer to an undergraduate degree.  If you hold overseas qualifications from a country where English is not the standard language of instruction, you will need to provide proof of English language proficiency - check our English language proficiency requirements.

To have your university studies considered for admission, you must complete at least one year of full-time study (minimum 0.75 full time equivalent load) within one degree  at your university. All applications are through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

Special Consideration for Applicants with Tertiary Study (SCATS)

SCATS is for applicants who have undertaken university studies and who are applying for admission to an undergraduate degree. SCATS provides a mechanism for applicants whose secondary and/or tertiary performance has been affected by long-term educational disadvantage due to circumstances beyond their control to have this taken into account in the admissions process. Applicants who have been excluded from UNSW or another tertiary institution are required to submit a SCATS application explaining the circumstances surrounding their exclusion. Download the SCATS application form.

From TAFE or a professional college

By completing an Advanced Diploma, Diploma or Certificate IV (accredited by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)), you can be considered for admission to UNSW. All applications are through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

Due to the high demand for places in most programs, entry via this route is very competitive. Successful applicants generally require a minimum credit average with no failures. Trade certificates are not considered unless awarded at Cert IV level or higher.

Credit Transfer

If you have completed studies at another institution you may be eligible for credit towards your UNSW degree. Credit transfer is not determined until on offer of admission is made but Faculties can provide general information. The amount of credit awarded depends on how closely the subjects you have completed are related to the equivalent courses in your UNSW degree.

For more information about transferring to UNSW please contact: 

Admissions Office
t: +61 2 9385 3228
e: ugadmis@unsw.edu.au