About UNSW 3+

What is UNSW 3+ (trimesters) & how does it benefit you?

UNSW 3+ 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 your commitments and priorities.

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.

Key dates of trimesters

UNSW 3+ has three terms each year, commencing in February, May and September, with an optional summer term each January. Each term in the UNSW 3+ calendar has ten teaching weeks. You only need to enrol once per year, which means you can plan your year using the dates below and make your calendar work to achieve your unique goals and ambitions.

Don't forget! O-Week starts one week before the beginning of each term. It's a week full of events, activities and sessions to help introduce you to campus if you're new or welcome you back if you're continuing.

If you're studying certain degrees, such as Medicine or at UNSW Canberra, you may follow specific calendars with term lengths that vary from the UNSW 3+ model. Learn more about teaching periods.

^{*Including exam periods}

How to build your timetable

Find examples below of how you can vary your study load throughout your degree to get the most from your UNSW experience.

Things to consider when building your timetable

The above examples are based on a standard 3-year degree. The study options available may vary depending on undergraduate or postgraduate study and your specific degree requirements.

*To maintain full-time status at UNSW while on exchange, you need to transfer back 24 Units of Credit per half-year.

^The Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Experience Term enables you to undertake a real-world placement or project for credit toward your degree.

^#To maintain eligibility for some Centrelink allowance schemes you must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 Units of Credit each term or 36 Units of Credit per year. Students are encouraged to contact Student Services before reducing their study load.