International Student Admissions

An 'International ATAR' refers to the conversion of your international curriculum score into an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) which is used for admissions into UNSW Sydney. The indicative international ATAR required for each undergraduate program can be found in the first column of the undergraduate entry requirements table.

No, there is no separate application needed. You will automatically be included in the pathway if you are an applicant applying with a passport from eligible markets.

Yes, you require a minimum of a 75 international ATAR to receive the additional 5 points.

No, all existing eligible applications will have the 5 additional points applied. There is no need to re-submit your application. If your application was already denied, but you would now be eligible for an offer with the additional 5 points added, your application will be re-assessed.

Yes, applicants for the Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine are excluded. 

Yes. The International Admissions Diversity Pathway (IADP) is an admissions pathway, not a scholarship. Being considered under the IADP does not affect your eligibility for the International Student Award (ISA) or other scholarships. Eligible applicants may be considered for both the IADP and any scholarships for which they qualify.

Yes. Receiving the International Student Award (ISA) is not a requirement for the International Admissions Diversity Pathway (IADP). While both initiatives use the same list of eligible countries, applicants are assessed separately for each. Eligible applicants may be considered for the IADP regardless of whether they receive the ISA.

If you apply with a passport from an eligible country, the International Admissions Diversity Pathway will automatically be applied to your application.

The International Admissions Diversity Pathway is available only for international undergraduate applicants.

No, the International Admissions Diversity Pathway is only applicable to applicants entering UNSW directly. 

The International Admissions Diversity Pathway (IADP) is administered under a NSW Anti-Discrimination exemption that allows UNSW to provide additional admission consideration to applicants from specified countries. The exemption was approved to support greater access to higher education opportunities and to promote a diverse international student community by recognising that educational opportunities are not equally available across all countries. 

The list of eligible countries forms part of the approved exemption and cannot be changed independently by UNSW. Applicants from countries that are not included on the eligible list are still encouraged and considered by UNSW. All applications will be assessed for admission under the University's standard admission requirements and processes.

UNSW will be making offers to eligible postgraduate programs on the basis of six out of eight or seven out of eight semesters studied. Students will need a weighted average mark (WAM) of 2 points above the advertised level to be eligible with 6/8, 7/8 or 5/6 semesters studied.

Applicants who do not meet this rank will be placed on hold and may be made an offer once they upload their final results.

We have altered our policy around predicted grades to widen the qualifications that we accept and have improved the process of assessment. UNSW now accepts predicted grades for full offers for the following qualifications:

• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• A-Levels
• Indian CBSE
• Singapore A-levels
• NCUK
• South African NSC

Students who are completing an approved external English language program can request an extension of their offer deadline until their course is finished.

Key considerations:

• A buffer of 2 points above the standard entry requirement is required for a full offer based on predicted grades. Offers will only be issued where this is met or exceeded and all other requirements have been met.
• Students must provide final results when available, and no later than the UNSW term commencement date.
• If final results do not meet program entry requirements, students may need to:
  • Transfer to a program with lower requirements, or
  • Explore pathway options such as UNSW College Diplomas, or
  • Seek study alternatives outside UNSW

Required documentation:

Forecast results must be presented in the following format:

• Be printed on official school letterhead and include the institution stamp and signature of the Principal, Registrar or Academic Director.
• Be dated after 1 May for Term 1 (February intake) and 1 November of the previous year for Term 3 (September intake).
• For IB Forecast only: IB Forecast results have the total predicted score as well as the individual scores for each subject.
• The total predicted aggregate must be the equivalent of 2 points higher than the total final aggregate required for admission.

Students who meet program entry requirements based on their SAT, AP, or ACT results are now eligible to receive a full or conditional on English offer ahead of their final high school result and proof of and completion of high school studies. Results and proof of high school completion will be required no later than the UNSW term commencement date and must be submitted as soon as they become available. This change aims to support students in lodging timely visa applications and re-establishes opportunity to commence their undergraduate studies as planned.

Additional requirement – enrolment or expected graduation letter

In addition to sharing SAT/AP/ACT results with UNSW via the College Board portal, students must submit a letter from their school meeting the following minimum criteria:

• Printed on official school letterhead
• Bears the official seal of the school
• Includes the student’s full name and date of birth
• Specifies the current stage of study (e.g., Year 11/12)
• States the expected graduation date
• Specifies the name of the final award or test (e.g., US High School Diploma, Chinese High School Graduation Certificate, Indonesian SMA Certificate)

Eligibility

This assessment policy is only available for students completing Year 12 high school qualifications recognised by UNSW for direct entry. It excludes:

• Post-secondary diplomas
• Foundation programs
• Unregistered/informal home-schooling up to Year 12
• GEDi
• Singapore polytechnics
• Canadian OSSD delivered online
• Any other bridging or access program

Most UNSW international offer holders will have a personalised deadline to accept, decline or defer their offer. This date takes into account your term start date and estimated Australian Government visa processing times. Your offer may lapse if you do not respond by the deadline.

You have until 11:59 pm (AEDT) on the last day to accept offer. See the 2027 application dates on this page for more dates related to your term of commencement.

UAC International offer holders will also receive a personalised acceptance deadline and must accept their offer by this date.

Genuine Student (GS) Requirement

If you have received a conditional offer and have been notified that you need to complete a GS check, please follow the required steps outlined on the UNSW Genuine Student (GS) Requirement webpage. 
 
If you are required to complete the Genuine Student (GS) Declaration, you must submit the completed form before your acceptance can be finalised. 
 
If you are required to complete the Genuine Student (GS) Assessment and Financial Declaration, this condition must be satisfied before you can progress any further with your application or acceptance. Once you have met the GS conditions, an unconditional offer will be issued.

You can see your last day to accept your offer on your offer letter and via the UNSW Applicant Portal.

UNSW will only approve an extension in exceptional circumstances. The last day to accept your offer takes into account your term start date and estimated Australian Government visa processing times, as extending your deadline may mean there is insufficient time for you to complete the necessary steps to commence your studies for that intake. This also applies to UAC International offer holders who have missed their acceptance deadline.

 The below reasons are not accepted as reasons for extension of an offer: 

• You are waiting on an outcome from another institution.  

• You are waiting for another UAC offer round after the acceptance deadline.

• You did not see the acceptance deadline. 

• You just missed the last day to accept your offer.

• You missed deadline and program is now full.  

If you have an extenuating circumstance, please contact your agent or UNSW regional representative.

Alternatively, if you are still interested in studying at UNSW but missed the acceptance deadline for the current intake, you may request to defer your offer to the next available intake, where deferral is available. You must request the deferral before the census date of the commencement term stated on your offer.

After the census date, you will need to submit a new application through the UNSW Applicant Portal.

If you have been approved for an extension, the UNSW Admissions team will issue a new offer to reflect the new date. You can see the revised last day to accept your offer on the  UNSW Applicant Portal.

Applicants may request a program change via the UNSW Applicant Portal if the new program is among their three preferences in their original application; otherwise, they must withdraw their existing application and submit a new one. All requests are subject to timing, program availability and UNSW Admissions review, with no guarantee of approval. The deadline to change your program is the same as the deadline to submit your final application documents.

UNSW will move to a new academic calendar in 2028. 

As a global top 20 university, ranked #1 in Australia for employment outcomes (QS World University Rankings, 2027), this new academic calendar is designed to meet the changing needs of the broader educational landscape and follows extensive feedback from students, staff and the community over the past 18 months. 

The new ‘flex-semester’ calendar is a semester structure for our undergraduate students and the majority of postgraduate students, centring on delivering the best learning experiences and outcomes for all our students throughout their lifelong education journey.

For further information on the new calendar and FAQs, please visit our website.