Everything you need to know on University fees and additional costs, plus student loans and financial assistance.

UNSW provides a range of services to ensure you understand our fee structure, as well as support from our staff if you need any help along the way. From scholarships and financial assistance, you have a range of options to help get you started.

 

Am I a Domestic or an International student?

If you're an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or if you hold an Australian permanent residency or permanent humanitarian visa, then you're a Domestic student. Citizens from other nations can be eligible for International student financial assistance, scholarships, and tuition fees.

Tuition fees for domestic students

Undergraduate

Most undergraduate degrees offer Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) that subsidise the cost of the degree. The remaining cost is called the student contribution. You can pay the student contribution upfront, but often people who are eligible choose to take a HECS-HELP loan that they repay later. 

To see current student contribution costs, visit Commonwealth Supported Fees.

Postgraduate

Limited CSPs are available for postgraduate degrees. Find out which degrees offer Postgraduate Commonwealth Support or visit Understand Commonwealth Supported Places for more information.

In some situations, you might need to calculate your tuition costs using individual course fees. For example, you might not have a CSP, you want to study part-time, or you might want to include courses from different UNSW faculties in your degree. For more information, visit Domestic Student Fees.

Tuition fees for international students

Studying overseas is a big investment and one that involves a lot of research and planning.

At UNSW, tuition fees are calculated based on the courses (subjects) you select, rather than on the degree (program) you choose. Since UNSW’s flexible degree structure allows you to choose from a range of courses in different faculties, your actual tuition fees will depend on the specific courses you pick within your degree.

Visit the degree finder to see the indicative annual tuition fees and indicative tuition fees to complete a program for a particular degree

For more information on other study-related expenses, please visit International Student Fees.

What other costs do I need to know?

  • An online application costs A$150. You can apply here.

  • If you are in Australia on a student visa you will need to pay for health insurance through the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) scheme and maintain insurance for the duration of your visa.

    All international students must be covered by health insurance from the date they arrive in Australia until the date they depart, regardless of when they start or complete their program. It is your responsibility to ensure your health insurance policy matches your arrival and departure dates.

    The only exception is for students from Belgium, Norway and Sweden who are covered by CSN or Kammarkollegiet. These students will need to provide proof of official health insurance cover from their home government provider.

    The five registered OSHC providers are Medibank (UNSW’s preferred health cover provider), BUPA Australia Health, Allianz, nib and Australian Health Management.

    Medibank OSHC will pay benefits towards your medical and hospital treatment, medically necessary ambulance transport and most prescription medicines. Be aware that there may be some exclusions for pre-existing conditions and you may have to serve a waiting period to receive some services. Some services are not covered by Medibank’s policies. These include optical, physiotherapy, dental and some pharmaceuticals. If you want to be covered for these expenses, you will need to take out additional insurance.

  • Some programs and courses have costs, which are additional to the tuition fees, for expenses like laboratory kits, equipment and field trips. Textbooks are not considered compulsory, but we recommend budgeting around A$1,000 per year for books.

    An estimate of your total costs (tuition and other study-related costs) will be shown on your Confirmation of Enrolment Form (CoE) that will be issued on acceptance of an offer of admission to UNSW.

  • Sydney is a wealthy city, but there are many ways to keep costs down.

    You can shop at the cheaper supermarkets like Aldi, cook your own lunch or dinner, or choose from the many cheap restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs. To get an idea of costs, see our estimates below.

    Cost estimates*^

    You will need at least A$25,000 a year as an international student.^ In addition, we recommend that you have at least A$4,000 when you arrive to cover the initial costs of books, rental bond and furniture. These estimates don't include large household items such as a refrigerator or car. 

    Weekly cost (AUD)

    On Campus Accommodation
    (Catered)

    On Campus Accommodation
    (Self-catered) 

    Shared House/Unit

    1 Bedroom Unit

    Rent

    A$391 - A$580

    A$349 - A$624

    A$240 - A$285

    A$575 - A$700

    Groceries and eating out

    A$30 - A$155

    A$100 - A$275

    A$100 - A$275

    A$100 - A$275

    Utilities (gas, electricity)

    $0

    $0

    A$40

    A$40

    Phone and internet

    A$7 - A$15

    A$7 - A$15

    A$25 - A$35

    A$25 - A$35

    Transport to uni

    $0

    $0

    A$50

    A$50
    Lifestyle spending  A$50 A$50 A$50 A$50

    Weekly total

    A$478 - A$800

    A$506 - A$964

    A$505 - A$735

    A$840 - A$1,150

    Total estimate for one academic year

    A$21,032 - A$35,200

    A$22,264 - A$42,416

    A$22,220 - A$32,340

    A$36,960 - A$50,600

    * Living costs are indicative only and will vary based on the location, number of people you live with, the condition of the housing and your lifestyle. On-campus accommodation costs will vary depending on the type of the accommodation and the catering offered. This is calculated on a 44-week academic year. There is an 8-week summer break from December to February, so if you stay in Australia during the break, you need to calculate for an extra 8 weeks of living expenses.

    ^The Australian government provides separate guidance on living costs which must be evidenced as part of the Student Visa application process. You can find up-to-date information at the Department of Home Affairs website.

    Food (AUD)

    Milk (1 litre)

    A$2.00

    Chicken breast (1kg)

    A$11.00

    Bread (loaf)

    A$4.50

    Potatoes (1kg)

    A$3.00

    Can of tuna

    A$2.70

    Apples (1kg)

    A$4.50

    Soap (100g)

    A$1.50

    Deodorant

    $6.00

    Entertainment (AUD)

    Restaurant meal

    A$20–A$50

    Tea/coffee

    A$4.40

    Movie ticket

    A$22.00

    Soft drink

    A$4.00

Scholarships

UNSW offers a range of scholarships for international students. Discover what options are available to you.

Find the tuition fee for your degree

The easiest way to find your tuition fee is to search for your degree in Degree Finder. 

FAQs

  • Tuition fees are calculated by the Units of Credit (UOC) you study and the faculty that offers the courses. An indicative first year fee and indicative fee to complete the degree are provided on our degree pages for your reference.
     
    Please bear in mind that some programs may incur extra costs for field study, practical exercise or the use of lab or equipment. Costs for textbooks are not included in the indicative fees on degree pages. 

    An estimated total cost will be given on your e-Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) once you accept our offer.

    You could use our Indicative Fee Calculator above to work out a future year program cost. For information about living expenses, please visit our website.

  • An AUD $150 non-refundable application processing fee will incur for each online application you submit. Payment can be made by credit card only, using our secure online payment service. You may ask someone else to pay the fee for you with that person's permission.

    Applications for admission to an honours year program, diploma programs, postgraduate research programs, programs offered at UNSW Canberra, and postgraduate domestic applicants will not incur an application processing fee.

  • We know the pandemic has changed the way we live and study dramatically. Online degrees offer you another option to gain world-class education while you can’t travel overseas. 

    We work to make sure the online experience is as great as possible without compromising the quality of education. That means a considerable amount of time and resources are spent to move our content online and to deliver the exceptional learning experience even when you are an ocean away.

  • Whether you need a hand completing your application or you’d like to enquire about financial assistance, we’re here to help. Click here to know more about our financial aid for international students.

Ask a question

If you have any questions about fees at UNSW, contact us below. We're here to help.