Frequently Asked Questions

Want to find out more about UNSW Canberra City campus? Discover what programs we offer, learn more about entry requirements and read about what financial assistance options are available in the FAQs below.

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Financial aid & Scholarships

At UNSW, we don’t have prerequisite courses. Instead, we have assumed knowledge.

This means that your lecturers will assume you have studied certain subjects (or equivalent). Receiving an offer to study at UNSW is not dependent on you having studied that subject, we will only look at your Selection Rank (your raw ATAR plus any Adjustment Factors you may be eligible for).
Double-check all UAC key dates, including on-time application closing dates. Late applications may be accepted but will incur a higher processing fee, so it’s best to get in early! Lodge your application online through UAC. You can nominate up to five degrees you’d like to study in order of your preference.
Things like illness, financial hardship, language difficulties and school environment may mean you don't always get your best marks in years 11 and 12. The Educational Access Scheme is designed to assist you.

HSC Plus rewards your strong performance in relevant HSC subjects (and equivalents) with up to five points. The points are added automatically, so there's nothing you need to do.

The EAPL program offers up to five extra points towards your application for students who have demonstrated commitment and excellence in sport, music, leadership, or academic achievements.
As a current high school student in Australia, your admission to UNSW will be based on your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

The indicative ATAR for this program is 80.
At this stage, the Bachelor of Cyber Security is not offered as a double degree.
For the first year that UNSW Canberra City is offering our Cyber Security undergraduate program, only one minor will be able to be selected.

A minor is a shorter sequence of courses and will give you some level of specialisation in each area, however not at the level of a major. Many degrees, though not all, will require you to select at least one major, and many generalist degrees will also offer you the opportunity to complete a minor. For information regarding the approved majors for our courses, you can check the Undergraduate Guide.
Currently, the Bachelor of Cyber Security is only offered to domestic students.

The Bachelor of Cyber Security is a core program, developed to respond to the needs of government and industry in the cyber security domain.

It incorporates a diverse and comprehensive curriculum that covers essential topics in cyber security, such as network security, programming security, ethical hacking, and digital forensics. With a strong focus on Intelligent Cyber Security and Cyber Security Industry Application, the program will use cutting-edge technologies that are currently employed in the Cyber Security industry. Students gain hands-on experience with Cyber Security industry standards such as NIST and Essential 8.
The program runs for three years which are broken into three trimesters.

In each trimester you'll study 2-3 courses which cover 16 core courses, 4 minor courses, 2 general electives and 2 free electives.

Term 2 is always lighter and focuses on electives and minors.
UNSW 3+ (trimesters) has been uniquely designed to allow you to pack everything you want to achieve into your university experiences. The trimester structure gives you more flexibility to create a study plan that works for you throughout every stage of your degree and with changes to commitments and priorities.

UNSW 3+ has three terms each year, commencing in February, May, and September, with an optional summer term each January.

The UNSW 3+ calendar provides the opportunity for you to plan your whole year by enrolling annually, allowing you to take advantage of better alignment with northern hemisphere calendars for student exchange, internships and work-integrated learning, and other extra-curricular activities or work.
The Bachelor of Cyber Security offers two minors:

Intelligent Cyber Security (Open in 2025)

Cyber Security Industry Applications (Available from 2026)
You will have access to an established UNSW space within the CIT Reid Library, along with a Librarian who will provide onsite information and research services to students. This is also where City Central (student services centre) will operate from.

You will have access to the UNSW Library’s vast range of electronic resources, as well as online workshops and other library support services including interlibrary and intercampus loans. There will be student programmes offered such as the “Orientation & Transition Programme’, ‘Study Hacks’ and ‘Library Workshops’ which are conducted both onsite and online. Students will also be able to ‘ask a question’ – face-to-face during opening hours or online.

Students can also request material by emailing citycentral.cbr@unsw.edu.au.
The program has a hybrid flexible delivery, meaning classes will take place on-campus and online. We are currently co-located with CIT in Reid while we plan to build our new campus. To register for classes, please view our step-by-step guide.
You will be studying at the CIT Reid building, opens in a new window. We currently share this space with CIT, and it contains the appropriate facilities for a learning environment. It is the area in which our new campus will eventually be built, and a 5-minute walk into Canberra’s centre, ‘civic’.
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Cyber Security, you can explore the following career opportunities:

Cyber Security Analyst

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Chief Privacy Officer

Ethical Hacker

Risk Analyst

Security Architect

Security Consultant

Security Operations Centre (SOC) Manager

Source Code Auditor

Vulnerability Assessor

Cyber Developer
A core element of UNSW's degrees is real-world, hands-on learning. Employability is at the centre of our education.

UNSW will link you with potential employers and help you develop the skills you need for your career beyond the classroom. Our career services offer job opportunities, application resources, career planning and networking events to expand your future career path. The UNSW Careers and Employment service is available for up to 18 months following your graduation.

Visit UNSW Careers for more information.
UNSW can offer a boutique experience to the first cohorts of students. Being located in the heart of Canberra, we are neighbours to industry and government. UNSW Canberra City has strong connections to industry partners and its very own innovation hub (LAUNCH, opens in a new window). Through these strong connections we can offer industry connection and placements.

UNSW is Australia’s best university for employment outcomes and median graduate salaries. UNSW offers a variety of career support services for students, including:

Career coaching: This service provides students with one-on-one coaching to help them develop their career goals and strategies.

Resume writing: This service helps students write strong resumes that highlight their skills and experience.

Cover letter writing: This service helps students write strong cover letters that explain why they are interested in the job and why they are the best candidates.

Interview skills training: This service helps students prepare for job interviews by providing them with practice and feedback.

Job search assistance: This service helps students find jobs by providing them with access to job postings, interview tips, and resume writing resources.

Internship placement: This service helps students find internships by connecting them with employers.

Industry engagement: UNSW hosts a number of Canberra’s best cyber companies through its Launch program. You will be invited to events through Launch to meet these companies regularly.

Professional development workshops: UNSW offers a variety of professional development workshops that can help students develop their skills and knowledge.

Find out more about the career services support, opens in a new window available at UNSW.
UNSW Global Exchange is a program that allows students to study at one of UNSW's partner universities around the world. Students can choose to study for a semester, a year, or even a summer term.

The program is open to all UNSW students, regardless of their faculty or degree level. Students can choose from a wide range of partner universities, including universities in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.

To be eligible for the program, students must meet the following criteria:

You should have at least a credit average to apply, though some universities require higher grades. Students with less than a credit average should consult our Exchange Advisors.

Before your exchange begins, you need at least 18 units of credit remaining in your degree.

Your exchange must be to a UNSW partner institution.

Where language proficiency is required, you need to have studied that language at university level for at least 2 years. You may also be eligible if you've studied the language significantly outside of university or at high school level. Some universities require you to do a language proficiency test.

If you are interested in applying for the UNSW Global Exchange program, opens in a new window we'd love to hear from you!

UNSW offers a variety of scholarships and financial aid to help students pay for their education. These include:

Academic scholarships: These scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated academic excellence.

Need-based scholarships: These scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate financial need.

International scholarships: These scholarships are awarded to international students.

Indigenous scholarships: These scholarships are awarded to Indigenous students.

Women's scholarships: These scholarships are awarded to women students.

Cooperative education scholarships: These scholarships are awarded to students who participate in the university's cooperative education program.

Work-study scholarships: These scholarships allow students to work part-time on campus to help pay for their education.

Find out more about the scholarships, opens in a new window and financial aid, opens in a new window available at UNSW Canberra City campus.