Bachelor of Cyber Security (Sydney)
- Commencing Terms
- Term 1
- Delivery Mode
- Face-to-face (includes blended)
- Campus
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Kensington
- Codes
- UAC code 425860
- Program code 3777
- CRICOS code 119744E
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ATAR/2026 lowest selection rank
- 93.0 View all admission criteria
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2026 Indicative first year full fee
- $10,000*
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2026 Indicative full fee to complete degree
- $32,000*
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2026 Indicative first year full fee
- $60,000*
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2026 Indicative full fee to complete degree
- $192,500*
Entry Requirements
Fees
Fees
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In-demand skills
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Industry-leading program
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Hands-on learning
UNSW Engineering International Information Evening
Thursday, 1 October 2026 | 6 - 7pm AEST | Online
Are you an international high school student thinking about studying engineering abroad? Join our online session to hear from expert academics and student advisers as they introduce you to studying engineering at a world-class university in Sydney, Australia.
UNSW is introducing a new academic calendar from 2028.
We're moving to a new Flex-Semester Academic Calendar from 2028. While your degree structure and requirements will remain the same, the duration of your studies may vary depending on when you commence your degree prior to 2028.
Find out what this means for you.
Admissions update for international students
Some programs are at capacity for 2026 intakes and new applications are closed to New Overseas Student Commencement (NOSC). Applications to all 2027 intakes are open.
Click to find our latest updates for international student admissions.
- Overview
- Entry requirements
- What will I study?
- Future careers
- How to apply
- Fees & Scholarships
Overview
Protect people and businesses against cybercrime with a Bachelor of Cyber Security from Australia’s leading Engineering and Technology faculty. Develop a unique blend of technical skills with an emphasis on human factors that impact cyber security.
Cybercrime is rising rapidly around the world, with hundreds of millions of dollars being lost as a result every year. Forty-seven percent of Australian computer users respondents experienced at least one cybercrime in 2023, according to the Australian Institute of Criminology, with nearly half of all victims experiencing more than one type of cybercrime.
In this program, you'll learn how to safeguard against cyber threats. Gain skills in designing secure systems, networks and data platforms using industry-standard technologies. Discover how human behaviour affects security and learn to analyse security failures. Plus, you'll learn about the ethical and legal aspects of cyber security, including data privacy laws.
With a Bachelor of Cyber Security from UNSW Sydney, you’ll be equipped with the skills to meet the growing demand for cyber security professionals and be prepared for a career in a fast-moving field.
Key features
Flexible learning with real-world experience
With a mix of online, in-person, laboratory and real-world projects you'll gain both theoretical and practical knowledge. You’ll gain hands-on experience with Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities with industry partners to help you kickstart your career in cyber security.
Pathway to future employment
This degree addresses real-world skill shortages. You'll engage with industry fellows and adjuncts to build employability skills and industry networks throughout your studies.
Learn from the best in cyber security
Benefit from the expertise of leading academics in cyber security at UNSW. Leverage our strong relationships with industry partners and our significant expertise in the field, including a dedicated team of cyber security specialists.
Why study at UNSW?
Top-ranked Computer Science & Engineering School
UNSW's School of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) is one of Australia's largest and most prestigious schools. CSE is part of the Faculty of Engineering, which is ranked #1 in Australia and #33 globally for Engineering and Technology. We're also ranked #5 in Australia for Computer Science & IT. As well as this, 7 of UNSW's Engineering schools are ranked in the global top 50 with one school ranked in the global top 10 for Engineering subjects (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2026).
Australia's top university for graduate employability
UNSW is known for its graduate employability, with UNSW awarded the Most Employable students for seven years in a row (Australian Financial Review (AFR) Top100 Future Leaders & Graduate Employers Awards, 2020–2026).
For more than 20 years, CSE has built a national reputation for excellence in cyber security education. Our alumni hold senior and leadership roles in the cyber industry, and our undergraduate students have won every major inter-university cyber competition in the past decade.
World-leading cyber security research
Our teaching is informed by the latest research and emerging cyber security technologies. The UNSW Institute for Cyber Security (IFCYBER) brings together over 100 leading academics and is renowned for its multi-disciplinary approach to cyber security and collaboration with government and industry. CSE is home to world-leading researchers, including Professor Richard Buckland, a renowned expert in Cyber Crime.
Want to see more from UNSW Engineering?
Entry requirements
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- The 2026 Lowest Selection Rank (LSR) is the adjusted rank (ATAR plus adjustment factors) you would have needed to gain entry to this degree in 2026.
- The 2026 A levels score is based on four Advanced Level (A2) subjects. Entry scores are calculated from the best three or four A2 subjects (excluding repeated subjects) using the following values: A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1. At most one Applied A Level subject may be included in the best four subjects used to calculate the aggregate.
- The 2026 IB Diploma is an indication of the IB you would have needed to gain entry to this degree in 2026. It is to be used as a guide only.
- The 2026 Lowest ATAR is the lowest ATAR (before adjustment factors were applied) to which an offer was made. Where <5 is listed, this indicates that less than 5 ATAR-based offers were made and so the score has not been published. N/A indicates no offers were made on the basis of ATAR.
*The Lowest ATAR to which an offer was made, for this program, is based on a UNSW Gateway Early Conditional Offer.
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At UNSW, we are committed to ensuring prospective students have all the information they need in order to make informed decisions about their study options.
To assist you in gaining a better understanding of how Admissions works at UNSW, we have provided you with a summary of ATAR offers and the student profile.
We hope this information will help you identify the degree that is right for you.
Assumed knowledge
Mathematics Extension 1
Adjustment Factors
We offer a range of adjustment factor schemes that reward students for academic performance and extra-curricular achievements. These schemes also take into account a range of personal and educational disadvantages that may have affected your studies.
HSC Plus
This scheme rewards students who perform well in Year 12 subjects that are relevant to their preferred UNSW degree.
Elite Athletes, Performers and Leaders (EAPL)
This program recognises achievements in the areas of sport, academia, leadership and music at an elite level.
Educational Access Scheme (EAS)
Factors such as illness, financial hardship, language difficulties or attending a particular school can mean you don't always get the best possible marks in Years 11 and 12. If one of these situations applies to you, submit an application for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) via UAC. Eligible students can receive between 1 and 10 points towards their chosen UNSW degree.
Admission pathways
There's more than one way to get to UNSW. We offer a range of admission pathways that recognise different experiences, strengths and circumstances, helping you find the right way into university. Explore UNSW admission pathways to discover your options or speak with our Future Student Advisers for personalised support.
This scheme is open to students who attend Gateway schools, live in a low-socioeconomic area based on the IEO index of SEIFA criteria, are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or hold an eligible humanitarian or protection visa. This pathway provides early offers and early conditional offers with a reduced ATAR entry requirement for your preferred UNSW degree.
Entry programs for Indigenous Australians
We offer entry programs for Indigenous Australians, including the Indigenous Preparatory Program and the Indigenous Admission Scheme (IAS). The entry pathway program you apply for will depend on the degree you want to study.
University Preparation Program
This pre-university program is designed for high school leavers with an ATAR of 50 or above who have experienced educational disadvantage, as well as people aged 20 and over who are looking to return to education without an ATAR. Visit the entry requirements tab on our webpage to check your eligibility. You'll study specially-designed introduction university courses and discipline-specific courses in a supportive environment that will prepare you for a university degree.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses
- Prior study in the medium of English
- Other qualifications
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
For more details, visit the English Language Requirements page.
2027 International entry requirements for this program will be published shortly.
International direct entry
Information for applicants with CBSE, HKDSE or Singapore A Levels Qualification
Calculating your CBSE Score:
Awarded by CBSE, average percentage marks across English or Hindi, and your best four remaining subjects. Where marks are given as a range, the mid-point for that range is used e.g. 75 to 80 = 77.5.
Calculating your HKDSE Score:
Entry requirements are based on the aggregate of the best 5 achieved category A subjects (category B and C subjects are not considered).
For subjects other than Citizenship and Social Development: level 5**=7 points, level 5*=6 points, level 5=5 points, level 4=4 points, level 3=3 points, level 2=2 points, level 1=1 point, Level U=0 point.
For subject Citizenship and Social Development: Attained=2 points, Unattained=0 point. Citizenship and Social Development will only be counted towards the aggregate if the 2 points awarded for Attained ranks among the student’s best five scoring subjects.
If Mathematics Compulsory Part and Extended Part (Module 1 or 2) are both presented, both scores can be counted.
Calculating your Singapore A Levels:
Due to significant changes to the GCE A-Level Curriculum and University Admissions Score (UAS) calculation effective 2026, UNSW assessment is currently under review.
Note: Entry requirements published on this page are correct as of the day of publication and may change without notice.
We do not accept secondary qualifications from this country. We may accept tertiary study results, please contact us for more information.
Please contact us for direct entry requirements.
Adjustment Factors
We offer a range of adjustment factor schemes that reward students for academic performance and extra-curricular achievements. These schemes also take into account a range of personal and educational disadvantages that may have affected your studies.
HSC Plus
This scheme rewards students who perform well in Year 12 subjects that are relevant to their preferred UNSW degree.
Elite Athletes, Performers and Leaders (EAPL)
This program recognises achievements in the areas of sport, academia, leadership and music at an elite level.
Educational Access Scheme (EAS)
Factors such as illness, financial hardship, language difficulties or attending a particular school can mean you don't always get the best possible marks in Years 11 and 12. If one of these situations applies to you, submit an application for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) via UAC. Eligible students can receive between 1 and 10 points towards their chosen UNSW degree.
Admission pathways
International Admissions Diversity Pathway
If you do not meet the academic entry requirement for this degree, you may be considered for admission through the International Admissions Diversity Pathway (IADP) which provides eligible applicants an additional 5 points towards their International ATAR* for admission assessment.
Applicants from International Student Award (ISA) eligible markets will automatically be included in our new International Admissions Diversity Pathway (IADP). No separate application is required.
For more information, including terms and conditions, visit our admissions webpage.
*Up to a maximum international ATAR of 99.95.
UNSW College
If you do not meet the requirements for direct entry into your chosen degree, you may be eligible for a pathway program with UNSW College. UNSW College provides alternative entry options using university-approved content so that you can start your UNSW journey with confidence.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses
- Prior study in the medium of English
- Other qualifications
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
For more details, visit the English Language Requirements page.
Check the specific English language requirements for this program
What will I study?
Program structure
The Bachelor of Cyber Security at UNSW Sydney is led by the School of Computer Science and Engineering. The program covers both practical and theoretical aspects, teaching students how to approach security from both attack and defence perspectives with an engineering mindset.
Students will study core courses including introductory courses designed to build foundational knowledge in key areas such as programming and computer systems, as well as workshops where students will apply their cyber security and computing knowledge to practical challenges. Choose from a range of Cyber Security electives to further build your disciplinary knowledge, complemented by free electives and general education courses.
Full program structure
This program contains a total of 144 units of credit (UOC) and can be completed in 3 years of full-time study. Most courses are 6 UOC. Students must complete:
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- Foundations of Cyber Security
- Programming Fundamentals
- Computer Systems Fundamentals
- Human Centric Security
- Data Structures and Algorithms
- Professional Issues and Ethics in IT
- Cyber Security Workshop 1 - Penetration Testing
- Cyber Security Workshop 2 – Defence
- Cyber Security Workshop 3 – Capstone
- Discrete Mathematics
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- Algorithm Design and Analysis
- Web Application Security and Testing
- Digital Forensics
- Extended Algorithm Design and Analysis
- Extended Web Application Security and Testing
- Extended Digital Forensics and Incident Response
- Psychology 1A
- Psychology 1B
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- Cloud Security
- System and Software Security Assessment
- Applied Cryptography
- Privacy Engineering
- Software Security Analysis
- Information, Codes and Ciphers
- Cyber Security Project
- Cyber Security Project B
- Security Engineering Masterclass
- Psychology 1A
- Psychology 1B
- Algorithm Design and Analysis or Extended Algorithm Design and Analysis
- Web Application Security and Testing or Extended Web Application Security and Testing
- Digital Forensics or Extended Digital Forensics and Incident Response
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Students must take 36 UOC of Free Electives. These can include COMP courses and/or non-COMP courses. Students may also take additional Cyber Electives to count towards their Free Electives requirement.
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Students must complete 12 UOC of General Education Courses. These help broaden your education by completing two courses outside the Engineering faculty, strengthening your cross-disciplinary thinking, developing a flexible approach and enhancing your critical analysis skills. Please note that MATH and DATA courses do not meet the requirements of General Education for this program.
Future careers
Career opportunities in cyber security are rapidly expanding, with demand expected to reach 51,100 workers by 2026, according to the Cyber Security Sector Competitiveness Plan. Since 2016, jobs for cyber security professionals have grown by an average of 24.6% each year*. There is an increasing need for experts in cyber defence across primary industries, SMEs, Commonwealth agencies and departments, and indeed any large organisation that cares about data security, to counter the rising number of cyber-attacks.
Potential careers
- Cryptography Engineer
- Cyber Defense Incident Responder
- Cyber Forensics Analyst
- Cyber Security Analyst
- Cyber Security Architect
- Cyber Security Engineer
- Cyber Security Specialist
- Data Privacy Analyst
- Information Security Analyst
- Penetration Tester
- Security Consultant
- Security Engineer
- Software Engineer
- Vulnerability Assessment Analyst
*Lightcast Labour Insights
Accreditation
This program is seeking accreditation with the Australian Computer Society at the level of Professional.
How to apply
Applications for undergraduate study from domestic students (Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders and New Zealand citizens) are processed by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Visit the Apply section of the UAC website and you can nominate up to five degrees in order of preference, with the first being your most desired degree and university.
On-time applications for admission usually close at the end of September each year for Term 1 admission. Late applications can be submitted, but a late fee will apply. For study starting in Term 1, the majority of offers are made in December and January. For more information about application deadlines, please visit UAC website or our how to apply for undergraduate study page.
Ready to start your application?
For most international students, applications are submitted via our UNSW Applicant Portal service.* We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term.
Undergraduate offers to international students are issued through grouped offer rounds. You can find the offer release schedules, application deadlines and frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the international admissions information page.
*If you are an international student studying an Australian qualification, go to the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) for application and UAC key dates. Note: If you are under 18 years of age, you need to make special arrangements. For details, visit the under 18 international students page.
Ready to start your application?
Fees & Scholarships
Commonwealth Supported Place: Student Contribution
*The student contribution for a Commonwealth Supported Place is an indication only of the amount payable in Year 1 based on a standard full-time load of 48 credit points (1.0 EFTSL). The actual student contribution you will be liable for depends on the courses you select within your individual program of study and the calendar year in which you enrol. Actual fees are calculated upon enrolment. Student contribution amounts are subject to annual review by the university and may increase each year during your studies (subject to caps determined by the Australian Government), effective at the start of each calendar year.
The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only - other fees and charges are not included.
Scholarships
At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.
Featured scholarships
Women in Engineering Scholarships
UNSW provides a wide range of Women in Engineering scholarships to support high-achieving female students throughout their degree.
Apply here and search for ‘Engineering’ in the keywords.
Engineering Rural Scholarship
The Faculty of Engineering Rural Scholarships Program aims to assist high achieving high school students from rural or isolated areas to study in the Faculty of Engineering at UNSW.
Apply here and search for ‘Engineering’ in the keywords.
Progress starts here – at a world-leading university
#19 Worldwide
UNSW is Australia’s #1 university, ranked among the top 20 universities globally
QS World University Rankings, 2027
Most Employable Graduates
Winner of the AFR Most Employable University Award seven years in a row
AFR Top100 Future Leaders & Graduate Employers Awards, 2020–2026
Australia's #1 for Innovation
Highest number of startups and spinouts from university-developed tech
SCOPR report, 2024
The engineering analytic and problem-solving mindset taught by UNSW Engineering is highly desired skillset.
