UNSW Short courses
Design your future
Design your future
Upskill and advance your career without the time commitment of full programs and degrees. Discover UNSW short courses across business, the arts, design & architecture, engineering, law & justice, and medicine & health.
Graduate certificates are short, flexible postgraduate qualifications designed to help you upskill and expand your knowledge. They typically can be completed in six-months full-time.
Graduate diplomas build on graduate certificates, typically offering further courses that will allow you to explore a specialisation and further your knowledge in a year or less.
UNSW Sydney is proud to offer free online courses in conjunction with renowned MOOC providers Coursera, Future Learning and Open Learning.
Study a single subject to stay competitive in your area of expertise or deepen your knowledge in a personal interest. You can apply for up to four courses (24 units of credit) if they don’t lead to an award or take the place of a student who is studying for an award.
Timing, cost, and delivery modes vary among individual courses. Find the course that interests you in our Handbook and check the following:
Overview
Does the course provide the outcome you seek?
Delivery
Can you attend (in-person, online, or both) as required?
Commencing terms
UNSW has three terms a year and an optional Summer term. However, not all courses are available every term. Check which term your chosen course is offered and visit the UNSW Academic Calendar to see when that term commences. Also, if the course is offered six times a year in our hexamester calendar, it’s not available for non-award students.
Fees
Tuition and any associated course costs are in the Handbook. There’s also a non-refundable application fee.
Availability
Consider viewing the course enrolment and capacity information in our class timetable to check that the course has places available.
To apply for a non-award course, you’ll need to prepare supporting documents and pay a non-refundable application fee. Visit the Non-Award Voluntary Application portal for more information.
Business courses
If the business course you’re interested in has a course code beginning with AGSM (for example, AGSM6131), the application process is slightly different. For more information, contact AGSM directly.
Supporting documents
To help your application progress smoothly, we recommend that you prepare your academic transcripts and curriculum vitae (CV). If English is not your first language, you may also need documents showing that you meet the course's English language requirements.
Course fee
Non-award students are liable for the full course fee, as listed in the Handbook. The course fee depends on whether you’re a domestic student or an international student. Non-award students are not eligible for Commonwealth Supported Student fees.
Application fee
There is an application fee of $50, which covers the processing of your application. As this is a service fee, it is not refundable in any circumstance. This includes (but isn’t limited to) circumstances when:
Additional costs
Please refer to the course information in the Handbook for an outline of any additional course costs, for example, craft materials or excursions.
Applications close a few weeks before the start of each term. Make sure you know which term your chosen course is available, using the Handbook. For current application deadlines, visit the Non-Award Voluntary Application.
It’s important to check when your chosen course is taught because:
You might not be eligible.
Courses that are taught six times a year in our hexamester calendar are not open to non-award students. Check the course commencing terms in the Handbook.
You cannot defer your studies.
If you apply and receive an offer for a place in a non-award course, you must study it for the term chosen in the application. You can’t defer it to another term.
You can’t start late.
We typically can’t accept late applications as classes are intensive and fast-moving from the first day.
People with disabilities are supported at UNSW. You’ll find a range of accommodations, including examination support, specialised equipment, educational support, parking provisions, and library assistance. For more information, contact Equitable Learning Services.
Please note the fine print for non-award courses.
Study a course at UNSW as part of your degree at another Australian university. You can study courses that are related to your current degree but not available at your current university. The units of credit you gain with us will apply to your current degree.
Research the courses that interest you
Visit the Handbook and note the course tuition fee, any related costs, and the commencing terms. Make sure the course/s you wish to apply for are available when you want to study – not all courses are available in all terms. Some may have different commencing dates, so be sure to review the course in the class timetable. Note that courses offered six times a year in our hexamester calendar aren’t available to cross-institutional students.
Prepare your supporting documents
You’ll need to provide:
You may need to provide:
To apply for cross-institutional study in most courses, visit Cross-Institutional Enrolment at UNSW. If you’re interested in a business course that has a course code beginning with AGSM (for example, AGSM6131), the application process is slightly different. Contact the Admissions Office via www.enquiry.unsw.edu.au or call (02) 9385 3656.
Make sure you have approval from your current university and the required documents to support your application. You’ll need to provide:
You may need to provide:
Domestic student course fee
If you are a Commonwealth Supported Student at your current university, you may be eligible for the same status in your course at UNSW. If applicable, you’ll need to provide evidence of your Commonwealth Supported status. Otherwise, you’ll be liable for the full domestic student course fee listed in the Handbook.
International student course fee
If you hold a student visa or another temporary residency visa, you are considered an international student. You’ll be liable for the full tuition fees associated with cross-institutional enrolment.
For more information, visit Student Fees and Payment.
Application fee
There is no application fee for cross-institutional study.
Additional costs
Please refer to the course information in the Handbook for an outline of any additional course costs, for example, craft materials or excursions.
Make sure the course you’re interested in is available in Term 1, Term 2, Term 3, or the optional Summer Term. Applications close a few weeks before the start of each term. Visit Cross-Institutional Enrolment at UNSW for current deadlines.
It’s important to check when your chosen course is taught because:
You might not be eligible.
Courses that are taught six times a year in our hexamester calendar are not open to cross-institutional students. Check the course commencing terms in the Handbook and class timetable.
You cannot defer your studies.
If you receive an offer, you must study the course for the term that you indicated in your application. You can’t defer your studies to another term.
You can’t start late.
We typically can’t accept late applications as classes are intensive and fast-moving from the first day.
People with disabilities are supported at UNSW. You’ll find a range of accommodations, including examination support, specialised equipment, educational support, parking provisions, and library assistance. For more information, contact Equitable Learning Services.
Please note the fine print for cross-institutional study.
Many postgraduate coursework programs at UNSW are 'stackable'. This means that if you don't meet the entry requirements for a master's, or you want to ease into further study, you may be able to study a graduate certificate or diploma, and progress into a master's degree.
Let us help you make the right choice.