UNSW Gateway Admission Pathway
Secure your place at a global top 20 university.
We've lowered the ATAR requirement on hundreds of UNSW degrees exclusively for you.
Gateway Admission Pathway applications are now closed
Fill out the enquiry form below to be the first to find out when 2026 applications open! You'll also get exclusive event invites and access to resources to support your journey to university.
- 1) Check eligibility
- 2) Find a degree
- 3) Your story
- 4) Apply
Check your eligibility
To be eligible for the Gateway Admission Pathway, you must:
- be an Australian/New Zealand Citizen, Australia Permanent Resident or hold an identified protection or bridging visa
- intend to complete an Australian Year 12 qualification or have completed one in the last five years
AND meet at least one of the following equity criteria:
- currently live in a low-socioeconomic area, based on the 2021 Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) – Index of Education and Occupation (IEO)
- identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- attend a UNSW Gateway partner school or have attended one in the year you completed an Australian Year 12 qualification
- Hold an eligible permanent protection, temporary protection or bridging visa
Check our list below to see if you attend a Gateway school. Don't see your school on the list or unsure if you're eligible? Contact us.
In Year 11 or 12, or finished school in the past five years?
Our Gateway Program is designed to guide you on your journey to uni. Take part in workshops, campus days and online learning, where you'll hone your study skills for school and university and receive support to apply for the Gateway Admission Pathway.
Explore your interests
Join a global top 20 university (QS World University Rankings, 2024–2026) and gain the experience and connections to drive progress in your field.
Explore career paths
Not sure what you want to study yet?
Our InsideOut app can be used to identify your strengths, values and interests, and will give you suggestions around what you might want to study.
Find a degree
Explore what programs we have on offer and adjusted ATAR requirements through the pathway. When you submit your application, you can choose to be considered for up to two (2) degree preferences. Be sure to pick degrees that you're passionate about!
Consider a Diploma program
If you don’t end up getting the ATAR required for your chosen degree, you might consider studying a UNSW College Diploma. This 12-month program allows you to explore one of six core subjects equivalent to your First Year of university. On successful completion, you can progress straight into the Second Year of a UNSW Bachelor’s degree.
Tell us your story
Write your personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application. Our Nail It! app guides you through the process.
Your personal statement is an opportunity to tell us more about you. Tell us about your ambitions, the topics that excite you and the kind of progress you hope to make in the world.
Your application checklist
- Personal details (name, address, email address, phone number)
- Your high school information, including details about your studies and qualifications
- A personal statement
Up to two degree preferences
Here’s what you’ll need to submit your application:
- Make sure the name on your application matches your official ID (birth certificate, passport, etc.). You'll need your ID when you enrol as there may be problems if the name on your ID doesn't match your offer letter.
- Ensure your email address is private and not your school-issued email address. Check your email regularly for updates on your application.
- If you’re Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, you will need to supply supporting evidencing documentation.
- If you’re on an identified visa, you will need to supply supporting documentation.
- You can change your degree preferences by logging in and updating them before the round closes.
- About
- Eligibility
- Application
- Offers
- Awards & Scholarships
- Adjusted ATARs
- Degree-specific
- Key Dates
More about the Gateway Admission Pathway
-
UNSW is committed to student equity, and we want to ensure that as many young people as possible can access and succeed in higher education. The Gateway Admission Pathway is an entry scheme to UNSW for students who are underrepresented at university.
-
If you’re completing Year 12, we consider your written personal statement and Year 11 results which we access directly through UAC.
If you’ve completed Year 12 within the past five years, we consider your ATAR and written personal statement.
-
You could receive:
- An early offer: a spot at UNSW before you sit the HSC so long as you complete your HSC and attain an ATAR, regardless of the results, OR
- An early conditional offer: a place at UNSW if you achieve the adjusted ATAR set out in your offer letter. Our adjusted ATAR requirements are up to 15 points lower than the standard selection rank of some degrees.
-
You can apply for all undergraduate degrees at UNSW Sydney, as well as degrees offered at the UNSW Canberra City campus through the Canberra School of Professional Studies.
Note:
- Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine has different eligibility criteria and a different application process - see Gateway Medicine Entry Scheme for more information. Up to 10 places are available through this scheme.
- B Aviation (Flying) has considerable costs associated and final entry to the program is dependent on additional selection criteria - see Bachelor of Aviation (Flying) for more details.
- B Vision Science/M Clinical Optometry will prioritise places for regional/remote students and up to 10 places are available.
- The Co-op Program has a separate application process and offers up to four places with adjusted Gateway academic requirement - see UNSW Co-op for more information and to apply.
Degrees offered at the UNSW Canberra City campus through the Canberra School of Professional Studies are eligible for the Gateway Admission Pathway. This includes the Bachelor of Cyber Security.
Note: Programs offered through UNSW Canberra at ADFA are not eligible for the Gateway Admission Pathway.
Eligibility for the Gateway Admission Pathway
-
To be eligible for the Gateway Admission Pathway, you must:
- be an Australian/New Zealand Citizen, Australia Permanent Resident or hold an identified protection or bridging visa
- intend to complete an Australian Year 12 qualification or have completed one in the last five years
AND meet at least one of the following equity criteria:
- currently live in a low-socioeconomic area, based on the 2021 Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) – Index of Education and Occupation (IEO)
- identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- completed an Australian Year 12 qualification at a UNSW Gateway partner school
- hold an eligible permanent protection, temporary protection or bridging visa
-
Only if you hold an eligible permanent protection, temporary protection or bridging visa, found here.
If you're an international student looking for pathways to UNSW, visit our international admission pathways page.
-
Gateway partner schools are identified by taking the three-year average of Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) for schools across NSW or the three-year average of the proportion of students in the bottom SEA quartile. The ICSEA and proportion of students in the bottom SEA quartile of a school can be found on the My School website.
Applying to UNSW through the Gateway Admission Pathway
-
You can find instructions and a link to the Gateway Admission Pathway application portal under Step 4, Start your application.
-
There are two application rounds. Please check our key dates to see the relevant application deadlines.
-
You will need to upload a personal statement answering the following three questions. If you have chosen two degrees to be considered for in your application, you only need to address the degree you have listed as your first preference.
The questions are:
- Why are you interested in the degree you are applying for and how does it relate to your passions and goals?
- What are your learning strengths and how have you applied them to overcome challenges in school or other aspects of your life?
- Thinking about your future self at university, what do you identify as the key challenges for you and how do you plan to manage these?
-
You can choose up to two UNSW degrees to be considered for. However, only preference the degrees if you would be happy to receive an offer for either. When writing your personal statement, you should reference the degree you have listed as your first preference.
While you can preference up to two degrees, you can only receive one offer to UNSW through the Gateway Admission Pathway.
-
Your personal statement is a very important part of how we assess your application. Here are the key qualities we are looking for in your personal statement:
- A high degree of clarity
- Address all aspects of the questions
- Reference relevant concrete examples to illustrate sophisticated links between personal interests and chosen discipline
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of your chosen degree and its requirements
- Extensive and detailed evidence of reflective thinking and analysis of own learning strengths
- Thoughtfully describe potential challenges and solutions for your projected future self
- A well-integrated, complex and thoughtfully structured paragraph
- Sophisticated use of persuasive written language
Check out our Nail It! app designed specifically to help you write your personal statement.
-
Yes, you can resubmit your personal statement if necessary. However, we strongly encourage you to finalise it before submitting it.
-
No, we won’t have access to information about special provisions and won’t consider it as part of the application process.
-
If you are successful in receiving an offer you will be notified in in our offer rounds. View our key dates section to see more.
-
You do not need to start a new application when reapplying for Round 2. Simply visit the portal and update your existing application via the "Manage your application" button. Once you're in, you can change your degree preferences.
Offers for the Gateway Admission Pathway
-
Early offers have the requirement of you sitting the HSC and receiving an ATAR regardless of the result.
Early conditional offers are made with a significantly reduced ATAR requirement. If you meet or exceed the adjusted ATAR you will receive a firm offer to that degree. -
There are two offer rounds. To see the dates for these rounds, plus firm offer release, check out our key dates.
-
No, you will only receive one offer to UNSW through the Gateway Admission Pathway.
-
Most degrees offered through the Gateway Admission Pathway are not capped.
The exceptions are:
- Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry: Fewer than 10 places are available and students from regional and remote areas will be prioritised for these places
- Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine: Up to 10 places are available to students who meet the eligibility criteria and apply for the Gateway entry scheme via the Medicine Application Portal.
-
Yes. So long as you have met the requirements of your offer and accepted it by the set date, you will be able to defer your studies for one year.
-
Sit tight and wait for your firm offer! To find out when firm offers are released, please visit our key dates. Once you receive your firm offer, you can accept and enrol into UNSW.
-
Diplomas are delivered by UNSW College and are Commonwealth Supported Place, which means you are eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to study this course, so you won’t need to pay upfront
By studying a UNSW Diploma, you learn in smaller class sizes and receive extra support so that once you complete the 12-month program, not only will you have a Diploma qualification, it’s a direct pathway into related UNSW degrees. Or, if there’s another degree you’re interested in, you can apply through our Internal Program Transfer process.
Visit UNSW College Diplomas for more information on what the Diploma programs mean for you.
-
The University Prepation Program is a 12-month fee-free program that will provide you with academic skills and preparedness for studying a UNSW degree. After you’ve completed the Uni Prep Program, you can transfer to a range of UNSW degrees and even receive course credit towards some degrees.
-
If you currently live in a low-socioeconomic area based on IEO index of 2021 SEIFA critera, and enrol for Term 1, 2027, you will receive the $10,000 UNSW Advantage Award to support you in your first year of studies.
The award will be paid in $2,500 instalments in your first year of university. The first instalment will be at the beginning of Term 1 and other payments will be within 4 weeks of the Term 1 census date, Term 2 census date and Term 3 census date.
-
If you attended a Gateway partner school in the year you completed your Year 12 qualification, receive an offer through the Gateway Admission Pathway and enrol for Term 1, 2027, you will receive the $1,000 Gateway Award to support your transition to university.
The award will be paid at the beginning of Term 1, 2027.
-
Yes, if you meet the eligibility critera for each and enrol at UNSW in 2027.
-
When you apply to UNSW through the Gateway Admission Pathway, you will be automatically considered for the $10,000 Advantage Award and the $1,000 Gateway Award, so you do not need to apply.
You will be advised of the outcome when offers are released. Check key offer release dates here.
-
Students are not able to defer the Advantage Award or the Gateway Award.
However, you can reapply through the UAC Equity Scholarships portal to be considered for any Equity scholarships available. Please keep in mind there is no guarantee that you will receive an Equity Scholarship offer in a future round.
-
Yes, your eligibility will be determined as part of the regular UAC admissions process which happens throughout December and January. You will be advised if you are eligible to receive the UNSW Advantage Award in early 2027 before the start of Term 1.
-
UNSW offers a wide range of Equity Scholarships to assist commencing students to undertake full-time study for the standard duration of their coursework degree program.
If you apply through the Gateway Admission Pathway, you will automatically be considered on the basis of school disadvantage and socio-economic disadvantage of the area you live in. You don't need to submit a UAC Equity Scholarship application to be considered on the basis of these factors. You will automatically be considered for all relevant Equity Scholarships.
However, if you’d like to be considered additionally on the basis of any of the below factors, you can also submit an Educational Access Scheme (EAS) application and/or UAC Equity Scholarship (ES) application through UAC.
- Financial Challenges
- Severe Family Disruption
- Excessive Family Responsibilities
- Personal Illness/Disability
- Refugee and Humanitarian Status
-
Yes, if you receive the UNSW Advantage Award and/or the UNSW Gateway Award, you are still eligible for Equity, Merit and Accommodation scholarships at UNSW.
Please check UNSW Scholarships for scholarship opportunities available that are relevant to your studies.
However, in most cases, you won’t be able to hold a Advantage/Gateway Award as well as an equity or merit scholarship. Recipients who are considering accepting or holding multiple Scholarships/Awards must contact UNSW Scholarships in writing for prior approval.
If you receive an equity or merit scholarship offer (including accommodation scholarships) in addition to being eligible for the UNSW Advantage/Gateway Awards, you will have the option to choose which scholarship/award you would like to hold.
-
The Community Plus Scholarship covers on-campus accommodation expenses of up to $25,000 per year throughout your undergraduate journey. If you apply to study at UNSW through the Gateway Admission Pathway and you’re looking to move onto campus, you will be prioritised for this award. Note that there are a limited number of these scholarships available.
-
Yes, if you're eligible for the Gateway Admission Pathway, you can also apply for the UNSW Co-op Program with a reduced ATAR requirement of 90 (with EAS adjustment factors only).
The UNSW Co-op Program has a separate application process to the Gateway Admission Pathway. Visit the Co-op Program website for key dates and application process.
Adjusted ATARs for the Gateway Admission Pathway
-
ATAR adjustments consider additional factors when assessing a student’s capability to succeed at university. As part of UNSW's Gateway Admission Pathway, we consider the academic course requirements and the demonstrated academic standard of applicants. We then consider the Lowest Selection Rank and determine a reasonable adjustment for each degree. See our list of Gateway Adjusted ATARs for students enrolling in 2027.
-
Through the Gateway Admission Pathway, there are several degrees that have an adjusted ATAR of 65. See our list of Gateway Adjusted ATARs for students enrolling in 2027.
If you don't qualify for the Gateway Admission Pathway, you may still be eligible to study a UNSW College Diploma program as an alternative entry pathway to UNSW. For more information, download the Diploma flyer.
-
The Gateway Admission Pathway sets a reduced ATAR requirement specific to the degree you are applying for. To convert your early conditional offer into a firm offer, your ATAR will need to meet this requirement without any other adjustment factors being considered.
-
No, there is a separate entry scheme for elite athletes here. You cannot combine schemes.
-
There are no implications. Your ATAR is only one indicator of your capacity to succeed at university, which is why we are considering other factors when assessing your application. You won’t be at a disadvantage compared to your peers.
-
We understand that sometimes things don’t always go to plan. If you don’t meet the adjusted ATAR set in your early conditional offer, you may still be considered for alternate entry schemes to study your dream UNSW degree including:
Degree-specific information for the Gateway Admission Pathway
-
Not to be confused with the Bachelor of Medical Science.
The Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine (often referred to simply as ‘Medicine’) is a very competitive degree and up to 10 places are offered each year via the Gateway Entry Scheme.
It is a different application process to apply for a Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine and requires additional selection criteria. Visit the Gateway Entry Scheme for more details.
-
From 2026, you no longer need to sit the Law Admission Test (LAT) for entry into UNSW's Bachelor of Laws programs. Find out more here.
-
Yes, you can transfer in the same way as any student at UNSW can transfer degrees. You can learn more about our Undergraduate Internal Program Transfer (IPT) here.
-
What is the Co-op Program?
The UNSW Co-op Program is a career development scholarship for high-achieving students in Business, Engineering and Science. If you're eligible for the Gateway Admission Pathway, you can also apply for the UNSW Co-op Program with a reduced ATAR requirement of 90 (with EAS adjustment factors only). Please note there are limited places available and there is a separate application process.
The Co-op Program includes:
- $21,600 per year in financial support (for four years)
- 15–18 months of industry training
- Professional Development and networking opportunities
You can find out more on the website.
How do I apply for the Co-op Program?
The Co-op Program has a separate application process to the Gateway Admission Pathway. Visit the website for key dates and application process.
Can I receive both Gateway awards and the Co-op scholarship?
Yes, if you’re eligible, you can receive:
- The $10,000 UNSW Advantage Award
- The $1,000 Gateway Award
- Priority for Equity Scholarships
- The Co-op Scholarship
Gateway Admission Pathway
Round 1 |
Round 2* |
|---|---|
Round 1 opens: April 2026 Round 1 closes: July 2026 Round 1 offer release: September 2026 |
Round 2 opens: September 2026 Round 2 closes: November 2026 Round 2 offer release: December 2026 |
Firm offers will be released post ATAR release in December 2026.
*Eligible interstate students or students completing the International Baccalaureate can only apply in Round 2.
Note: Finalised key dates will be available closer to Round 1 opening.