UNSW’s
‘flex-semester’
calendar

Scheduled to start in 2028

Personalise
Students concentrate on educational admission test. Focused young people in classroom take test. Actively write answers with pens. Students in university class. Focused writing diligently. Exam

Benefits to UNSW

Accessible education
Empowers learners across all life stages by supporting diverse learning needs and pathways for all student cohorts.
Advancing research and innovation
Advances research excellence by enabling staff to engage more deeply in collaboration, professional development, and impactful research activities.
Enhanced staff and student experience
Supports a culture where diverse workers, learners, teachers and researchers thrive by improving flexibility, work-life balance and wellbeing.
Future ready and adaptive
Enables inspiring environments and effective systems by improving processes, optimising physical and digital spaces and supporting future-focused curriculums across all UNSW communities.

Are you a current student at UNSW?

Head to our Current Students guide to help you transition from UNSW3+ to the new academic calendar. You can access resources, FAQs and our implementation roadmap.
View transition guide

Our ‘flex-semester’ academic calendar

The key features of the new flex-semester calendar include:

  • Two 12-week teaching semesters plus a mid-semester break 
  • Optional six-week Summer and Winter terms for short, intensive or catch-up courses 
  • Embedded six-week teaching blocks for greater flexibility in course design and delivery

*All calendar features subject to change based on consultations

UNSW Online will continue to operate an independent six-term (hexamester) calendar for our Lifelong Learning offering.
View full-screen

Project timeline

To ensure a smooth transition to the flex-semester calendar in 2028, the project team will work with teams across the University to understand where transition support and adjustments are required.
View full-screen

Key workstreams

Over the next two and a half years, the project team will work with the UNSW community to prepare for the 2028 flex-semester calendar implementation, ensuring readiness across learning, teaching and operational systems.

Consultation with over 1,000 stakeholders has helped lay the foundation for a smooth transition and identification of priority activities, ensuring everyone affected will be informed, prepared and supported.