Gateway to success: UNSW celebrates student equity milestone
2026-05-18T09:00:00+10:00
UNSW is widening access for more young Australians to receive a world-class university education.
Photo: UNSW Sydney
More students are succeeding at UNSW, as the university marks a major participation target ahead of schedule.
UNSW Sydney has reached its student equity target, with one in four commencing domestic undergraduate students now from low socioeconomic backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and Gateway partner schools.
Importantly, these students are also performing strongly, with academic success and retention rates on par with the broader student cohort.
This year, more than half (56%) of commencing domestic undergraduates attended a public/government school and close to 1800 students enrolled at UNSW through the Gateway Admission Pathway - which considers additional factors to the traditional ATAR.
It’s the highest intake of students through the pathway since its inception in 2021 and contributes to the University reaching its 25% student equity target a year ahead of schedule.
UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Attila Brungs, said the university would continue to support students and maximise opportunities for their success.
“These numbers represent real journeys - students who may not have once seen university as part of their future who are performing at extraordinary levels, levels consistent with UNSW’s track record as a leading global university,” Prof. Brungs said.
“Our focus on supporting excellence will enable careers through world-class education. The task now is to build on this progress - not just opening doors, but ensuring every student who walks through them is supported to thrive.
“This milestone reflects UNSW’s deep commitment to promoting progress for all - ensuring that young people from all backgrounds and schools are included and empowered to succeed at university. By reaching our Widening Participation target, UNSW is demonstrating that equity and excellence go hand in hand. Broadening participation not only strengthens our university community, but it is vital for Australia’s future.”
Federal Minister for Education, the Hon. Jason Clare said the pathway was helping more young people from underrepresented backgrounds go to university.
“This is what it’s all about – helping more people like the kids I grew up with get a crack at university and build the life of their dreams,” he said. “This is exactly the type of thing which helps open the doors of opportunity wider.”
Media enquiries
For enquiries about this story please contact Ashleigh Steele:
Tel: 0421 308 805
Email: ashleigh.steele@unsw.edu.au
Gateway opens pathways and delivers results
UNSW Gateway is more than a pathway to university; it includes a unique educational outreach program that prepares future students for their transition to university. Through practical workshops, on-campus experiences and online learning opportunities, the program is designed to build academic confidence and skills.
Mary Teague, Director of Student Equity at UNSW, said the program’s impact came from its holistic design, working at the school level to address systemic disadvantage and its linkage to an equitable pathway and financial support.
“We work with over 400 socio-educationally disadvantaged schools to deliver our program to students in Years 10 to 12, and everything we do is grounded by an evidence-based theory of change,” she said.
“We also employ current UNSW students from equity backgrounds as paid co-designers and facilitators because peer-to-peer engagement, lived experience and authenticity, are key to the success of this program.”
UNSW Vice-President, Societal Impact, Equity & Engagement, Professor Verity Firth AM, said the achievement reflected years of work building partnerships with schools and communities across NSW.
“At UNSW, making it easier for more young Australians to access a world-class university education is just the start. Through initiatives like Gateway, we are focused on strengthening Australia’s future workforce and expanding opportunity across communities, while ensuring our institutions better reflect the society they serve.”
Building belonging from the ground up
Since 2021, the Gateway Program has engaged over 25,000 students across NSW in educational outreach and the Gateway Admission Pathway has brought more than 6800 students to UNSW.
In terms of their academic outcomes, these students closely match, and in some cases exceed, the broader UNSW undergraduate student cohort.
In 2025, 91.3% passed their courses, closely tracking the 93.5% cohort pass rate, with even stronger results in some faculties. Continuation rates are also comparable, with 90.4% of students enrolled via the pathway retained, compared with 92.3% across the broader cohort.
Table 1. 2025 Success Rate comparison, WPT Cohort against overall Domestic Undergraduate
Widening Participation Target Cohort | 91.3% |
Domestic Undergraduate | 93.5% |
Table 2. 2025 Retention Rate comparison, WPT Cohort against overall Domestic Undergraduate
Widening Participation Target Cohort | 90.4% |
Domestic Undergraduate | 92.3% |
UNSW Engineering student Rifah Tamanna moved to Australia from Bangladesh in 2022. She described her journey through the UNSW Gateway Admission Pathway as transformative.
“The Gateway Program has changed my life in so many ways,” she said. “Gateway gave me the flexibility to be able to showcase that I have skills outside of my school grades. I have passion, I have a plan to do things and I want to influence the people I live around.”
UNSW's newly launched 10-year Widening Participation Strategy builds on this milestone, setting out a whole-of-university commitment to equity that extends well beyond admission. The strategy focuses on ensuring students from under-represented backgrounds are supported throughout their time at UNSW - academically, financially and socially - and into their careers.
Equity at the heart of UNSW’s mission
UNSW offers wide-ranging services to ensure students are set up for success once they arrive. This includes access to scholarships, academic mentoring, peer networks and free resources such as textbooks.
Gateway’s success reflects UNSW’s broader commitment to equity through initiatives such as its matched endowed equity scholarships program, where donor and University co‑investment has expanded long‑term scholarship support for students from low‑SES backgrounds. Together, these programs reflect a sustained focus on not only opening pathways to university but supporting students to thrive throughout their studies.
Equity scholarships are one of the most effective ways to support the experience of students from low-SES backgrounds. They directly address the otherwise formidable barriers of financial disadvantage, providing the support and security young people need to focus on their studies and build relationships with their teachers and peers, and gain the full benefit of a university education.
“For many students, financial security is the barrier that makes university feel out of reach. Equity scholarships remove that barrier. They provide security, confidence and a sense of belonging, and that can be transformative. Our alumni and community play a vital role in creating those opportunities,” said Lindsay Robinson, Chief Advancement Officer at UNSW.
Find out more about how to support students from all backgrounds access a world-class UNSW education here.
By reaching our Widening Participation target, UNSW is demonstrating that equity and excellence go hand in hand. Broadening participation not only strengthens our university community, but it is vital for Australia’s future.
