Your admission pathways into UNSW
Find the path that's right for you
There's more than one way to gain entry to UNSW.
There are a number of ways we can help you gain entry into UNSW and study your dream degree. If you’re eligible, these pathways combined with your ATAR or equivalent, may assist you in meeting our entry requirements.
At UNSW we want you to bring your difference. Our students come to us from all walks of life. From passionate artists to mature-age students taking the plunge, there's alternative entry options to secure your enrolment at UNSW outside of just your ATAR.
Are you an international student wanting to know what pathways are right for you? Read more about our international pathways on offer.
Entry schemes
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You're so much more than an ATAR
At UNSW, your passion, creativity and potential to succeed in your degree area are what matters to us. That's why we offer the UNSW Portfolio Entry Early Conditional Offer Scheme, which gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your passion and talent, alongside your ATAR.
The UNSW Portfolio Entry Early Conditional Offer Scheme includes:
- Arts, Design & Architecture Portfolio Entry
- Faculty of Engineering Admissions Scheme (FEAS)
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The UNSW Gateway Admission Pathway is an early offer to UNSW for students in Year 12 who either attend a Gateway school or whose home address meets Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) criteria. If your application is successful, you will receive either an Early Offer so long as you complete the HSC and achieve an ATAR (regardless of the result) or an Early Conditional Offer with an ATAR requirement significantly below the advertised Lowest Selection Rank. By coming to UNSW through the Gateway Admission Pathway, you will be prioritised for Equity and Accommodation Scholarships and receive exclusive access to academic and transition support.
UNSW Gateway also delivers an educational outreach program for students in Years 10 – 12. The program supports you to make informed decisions about degree choices and future careers and succeed in the HSC.
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The UNSW Indigenous Admission Scheme is an alternative pathway for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to gain entry into an undergraduate degree at UNSW. Entry through this program means we consider your relevant life, work, educational and training experience as preparation for study.
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You can participate in a pre-program that leads to studies in business, education, law, medicine, science, engineering and social work. The pre-program is a three-week residential program that involves participation in lectures, tutorials, group work, social activities, exams and assessments. Selection for the program is based on the submission of an application. For more information, visit Nura Gili.
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UNSW Medicine & Health offers several special entry schemes for the Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine program to ensure the brightest minds have the opportunity to study with us. These include the Gateway Entry Scheme, Rural Entry Scheme, Lateral Entry Scheme, Indigenous Entry Scheme and transfer requests for students from other medical schools.
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The Critical Thinking Entry Scheme is still under consideration, but may be introduced for subsequent intakes. Please note: the Scheme is unlikely to be open for applications this year.
Alternate pathways
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The UNSW Preparation Program is a one year (18 months for Engineering) pathway to a UNSW degree place. You'll study subjects that develop your academic skills so that you can get the most out of your degree. You'll also study degree level courses to give you an introduction to university study. Strong performance in these courses can earn course credit towards your degree.
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We love welcoming students from all backgrounds, experiences and walks of life. Many people choose to study at university as a mature age student, some with HSC or formal qualifications and some without. If you're aged 20 or older and do not satisfy the entry requirements for admission or have an assessable tertiary qualification, you can gain admission to UNSW through the University Preparation Program.
By completing the University Preparation Program (UPP) you can build your academic skills, experience part-time study in an area of your interest and take the next step to studying at university as a mature age student.
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If you’ve been studying at TAFE or another university, you may be eligible to apply to study a UNSW degree. Check our accepted qualifications page to see how you'll be assessed for entry based on your previous study.
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We understand that you may change your mind about your chosen degree at UNSW. The Internal Program Transfer (IPT) lets you move from one degree to another within UNSW, without having to apply again through UAC. Provided you’ve completed a minimum number of Units of Credit (UOC) and satisfy the eligibility requirements, we will only look at your university marks and not your ATAR.
Similarly, IPT can also be a useful pathway if you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree. Simply start in a similar degree with a lower selection rank entry requirement, study for at least the minimum number of Units of Credit required to apply to transfer, and then use IPT to apply for a transfer into your dream degree.
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You may be able to receive recognition of prior tertiary study in your UNSW degree through articulation pathways or credit transfer.
Want more information?
Looking for guidance on which admission pathways are best for you? Speak to one of our Future Student Advisors.