University of Newcastle

Campus Locations

Events

Important Dates

2024

Semester 1 
starts: Monday 26 February 2024
mid-semester recess: Monday 15 to Friday 26 April 2024
exams: Monday 10 to Friday 21 June 2024

Semester 2  
starts: Monday 22 July 2024
mid-semester recess: Monday 30 September to Friday 11 October 2024
exams: Monday 4 to Friday 15 November 2024

Open days

Refer to the University of Newcastle open day web page for details.

Campus visits

Join us for a student-led campus walking tour and see the highlights of our Newcastle or Central Coast campus. To book a tour, visit , or for further information email futurestudents@newcastle.edu.au

Student Outcomes

The student outcomes display the overall undergraduate results for the institution.

Positive Student Experience

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Graduate Satisfaction

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Overall Employment

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Median Graduate Salary

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N/A: Data not available for this study area or institution.

Data source: ComparED website

No QILT data available for this institution.

For further information visit ComparED website

Policies and Services

Admission criteria

You may be considered for entry on the basis of:

• performance in Australian Year 12 studies
• higher education, tertiary or post-secondary qualifications
• overseas qualifications considered equivalent to Australian qualifications (all applicants must satisfy English language proficiency requirements)
• performance in one of the listed entry schemes
• completion of a Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT).

You must also meet any additional selection criteria outlined under specific program entries.

Applicants with recent secondary education (within the past two years)

Australian Year 12 students

The University of Newcastle accepts the ATAR, or equivalent, as the basis for admission to most programs. As well as achieving the required ATAR, you must meet any program prerequisites and/or special admission requirements.

Candidates who have completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma are also eligible to apply for admission.

Selection rank adjustments

Equity adjustments

The University of Newcastle has an Educational Access Scheme (EAS) to assist applicants who have experienced educational, or another, disadvantage. The University, through the EAS, may award up to four additional points to the admission rank of applicants who have demonstrated disadvantage. EAS does not apply to Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program). The University’s EAS applications are processed centrally through UAC.

Elite athlete adjustments

The University is an elite athlete-friendly university and will assess applications for special consideration from applicants who are recognised as elite athletes. Once you begin your studies, we also provide a range of support services to help balance the demands of study with your sporting career.

If you wish to be considered under this scheme, you need to complete an application for elite athlete status.

Location adjustments

The University’s Regional and Rural Adjustment Scheme supports students from regional and rural Australia by awarding five additional points to the admission rank of 2022 HSC students who attend schools within a defined postcode boundary. The scheme applies to all undergraduate programs except 785000 Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program) and 483400 Bachelor of Midwifery. No application is necessary for this scheme.

Subject adjustments

The University’s Year 12 Adjustment Scheme rewards high achieving Year 12 students. Under this scheme, additional points may be added to an applicant’s admission rank, based on performance in applicable Year 12 subjects. No application is necessary for this scheme.

COVID-19 adjustments

The University of Newcastle recognises the extraordinary challenges faced by Year 11 students throughout 2020 due to the disruptions to their studies caused by COVID-19. These applicants will have their selection rank for University of Newcastle course preferences automatically increased by 5 points. You don't need to take any action to receive this adjustment.

Criteria that may apply in addition to ATAR

In addition to achieving the standard of performance required for admission, for certain courses you must also satisfy any additional selection criteria, such as a portfolio of work or an audition. These criteria are taken into account either instead of, or in conjunction with, your ATAR or equivalent. Details of additional selection criteria and how applicants can meet these requirements are outlined in the course descriptions on UAC’s course search.

If you are undertaking your Year 12 studies offshore and are applying for a course that has additional selection criteria that you will find difficult to meet, contact The University of Newcastle.

Bridging and refresher courses

UON Prep bridging and refresher courses are specifically designed to improve your academic skills and refresh your knowledge prior to commencing your degree. The courses are not designed to replace the assumed knowledge or recommended studies associated with your degree. Research has shown that students who complete a UON Prep bridging and refresher course perform better in their degree studies.

The free courses run in the weeks prior to commencing your study and are offered in a range of key areas including academic skills for tertiary studies, biology, chemistry, general computing for academic studies, linguistics, mathematics, physics and statistics. Courses are free for all students, are conducted on campus and typically run for approximately 15–20 hours duration.

Four interactive online UON Prep courses are also offered for flexible completion, including academic survival skills, essential numeracy, maths for science and foundation chemistry.

Other admission options

Schools Recommendation Schemes

The Schools Recommendation Schemes (SRS), rewards applicants who have achieved great Year 11 results, and who are highly recommended by their high school, with an early offer of admission.

There are no fees to apply for SRS, but you will be required to pay a processing fee when you apply for undergraduate admission through UAC.

We will take into account the criteria listed below when considering your application for:

• your Year 11 studies
• your school’s rating.

SRS is not available for all courses and the University may limit the number of offers made in some courses.

Year 12 Subject Spotlight Scheme

The University of Newcastle considers more than just your ATAR for entry into many of our degree programs. We match your performance in individual HSC subjects and align them with related university degrees to determine if you are eligible for your preferences. You are rewarded with an early offer in mid December for your hard work and strong results. No separate application is necessary, you just need to submit a UAC application and list your dream University of Newcastle degree as first preference.

For further information, read about Getting In – Your guide to getting into Uni.

Limited ATAR

The University accepts the NSW Limited ATAR for admission purposes to all programs except 785000 Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program).

Newstep

Newstep is a pathway program for 18-20 year olds who have completed the HSC but didn’t qualify for university entrance, or have experienced adverse circumstances that prevented completion of the HSC. It is designed to enable you to gain entry and helps you develop the skills needed for successful study at a university level.

It is available to Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents who are currently living in Australia aged between 18-20 years. Newstep is a one-year full-time program (two semesters) available at both our Newcastle (Callaghan) and Central Coast (Ourimbah) campuses. Upon successful completion of the program, students are guaranteed entry into a selection of undergraduate degrees and are eligible to apply for admission to most degree programs at the University of Newcastle. Completion of Newstep is accepted as an entry qualification to many universities in Australia. Newstep is not accepted for entry to 785000 Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program).

For further information about Newstep, call 1800 353 775 or read about Newstep.

Yapug

Yapug is a free pathway program for Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who hold no prior qualifications required for direct entry into an undergraduate degree program. This specialty pathway program is designed to enable you to gain entry and helps you develop the skills needed for successful study at a university level. It is available to Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who are currently living in Australia who are at least 18 years of age in the year of study.

Yapug is offered as either one-year full-time (two semesters) or two-years part-time (three or four semesters) at our Newcastle (Callaghan) campus. Upon successful completion of the program students are guaranteed entry into a selection of undergraduate degrees and are eligible to apply for admission to other degree programs at the University of Newcastle (including the 785000 Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine - Joint Medical Program).

Completion of Yapug is accepted as an entry qualification to many universities in Australia.

Open Foundation

Open Foundation is a free pathway program for people who do not have the qualifications required for direct entry into an undergraduate degree program. It is designed to enable you to gain entry and helps you develop the skills needed for successful study at a university level.

It is available to Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents who are currently living in Australia, and you must be turning 20 years of age or over in the year of study. Open Foundation is offered as either a one-year part-time delivery (two semesters) or as a six-month full-time intensive delivery (one semester) at both our Newcastle (Callaghan) and Central Coast campuses. The program is also available online over two semesters.

Upon successful completion of the program, students are guaranteed entry into a selection of undergraduate degrees at the University and are eligible to apply for admission to most degree programs. Completion of Open Foundation is accepted as an entry qualification to many universities in Australia.

Open Foundation is not accepted for entry to 785000 Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program).

Tertiary Preparation Certificate

Students of the Tertiary Preparation Certificate (TPC) will be considered for entry to most programs.

Applicants with higher education study

If you have attempted any tertiary studies, you will be considered for selection on your overall record of academic merit, including secondary and tertiary studies. The University will accept previous university studies and studies in many TAFE courses, and may accept completed accredited Australian Qualifications Framework courses, Certificate III and above, from private colleges as a basis for admission in many of our programs.

You must include full details of all your tertiary studies on your UAC application.

Completed enabling courses

Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia with overseas qualifications should enquire about eligibility for admission through the Admissions Office at the University before applying through UAC. If you hold overseas secondary or tertiary qualifications from countries where English is not the standard language of instruction, you must provide evidence of English language proficiency.

Yapug

Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants who have successfully completed the Yapug program are guaranteed entry into a selection of undergraduate degrees at the University and are eligible to apply for admission to other degree programs at the University of Newcastle (including the 785000 Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine – Joint Medical Program).

Newstep

Applicants who have successfully completed the Newstep program are guaranteed entry into a selection of undergraduate degrees at the University and are eligible to apply for admission to most degree programs (except 785000 Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program).

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Want to take your TAFE qualification to the next level? We understand that many of our successful students come to us after completing TAFE studies. That’s why we’re offering guaranteed entry into many of our 2021 intake undergraduate programs for people who have previously completed, or will complete by the end of 2020, a Certificate IV, diploma or advanced diploma.

TAFE Guaranteed Entry

Outside of the Guaranteed Entry Scheme, TAFE qualifications can also be used to determine your competitiveness for admission to nearly all our courses.

TAFE students wishing to study at the University of Newcastle will need to complete a minimum of a Certificate III* or IV level to obtain a selection rank sufficient for many programs. Incomplete diploma or advanced diploma level qualifications can also be used to obtain a selection rank.

* Certificate III qualifications are not accepted for the Bachelor of Nursing program.

Your TAFE qualifications can also be used for credit towards a range of University of Newcastle courses. Search our Credit Transfer Catalogue to see what you may be entitled to.

Applicants with work and life experience (includes those who left secondary education more than two years ago)

Your Year 12 results do not have a use-by date. If your only qualification is an Australian Year 12 before 2020, you can apply for admission to the University on the basis of that qualification. Selection ranks for post-school applicants may vary and may even be higher than the published selection ranks.

Skills Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

STAT is considered for entry to some of the programs offered by the University but is not available to current Year 12 students. For details on specific programs that accept STAT for admission, visit AskUON and search ‘STAT’.

For further information, visit the STAT website.

Applicants with overseas qualifications

There are commonly accepted overseas secondary qualifications that UAC may take into consideration. Check your qualification.

Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia with overseas qualifications should enquire about eligibility for admission through the Admissions Office at the University before applying through UAC.

English language proficiency

If you have qualifications from countries where English is not the standard language of instruction, you must provide evidence of English language proficiency.

First Nations applicants

Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants are able to access university study through standard entry and/or pathway procedures. Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students are enrolled in a variety of degrees and preparatory courses across the University.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants who wish to access university entry pathways will be invited to the University to participate in an interview prior to admission. Applicants may gain direct entry or be advised to undertake an enabling program offered through the University’s Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre.

For further information, read about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Admission Scheme.

How to apply

Apply through UAC.

Enrolment

Acceptance of offer

Successful applicants have seven days from the date of offer to accept an offer to study at the University of Newcastle. To accept you will need to follow the instructions detailed on the acceptance of offer page. If you do not comply with the requirements listed for your program, your offer may lapse and you may not be permitted to enrol.

Part-time enrolment

Part-time enrolment is available in most programs. Part-time study often requires daytime attendance at classes. If you require further general information about the availability of evening classes, contact the University.

Advanced standing/academic credit

If you have already successfully undertaken relevant study at another higher education institution or from the TAFE/VET sector, you may be granted credit on enrolment in a program. This is in addition to using that study to help determine your rank and eligibility to enter a program at the University of Newcastle.

You can submit your application for credit at any time – you do not need to wait for an offer. To be eligible, you must meet all other admission and selection requirements, as well as the University’s limits on time expired since completing your previous studies. If your previous study is one of our approved arrangements, you only need to upload a certified academic transcript. Otherwise, you need to upload certified copies of your academic transcript and detailed course content descriptions to your credit application.

Deferment of offer

You will have seven days from the date of offer to defer. UON accepts applications to defer the commencement of most of its undergraduate courses for a period of one year. If the University does not receive your request for deferment within seven days of your offer, the offer may lapse and you may need to re-compete for a place. Deferment is normally only granted once.

The following courses require an application to defer and approval is not guaranteed:

• 785000 Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine (Joint Medical Program)
• 483400-10 Bachelor of Midwifery.

Read about deferment of offer.

Fees and charges

All University of Newcastle students must pay student contributions for a Commonwealth-supported place (CSP). When you study in a CSP course, you only have to pay part of the cost of your course (a student contribution) and the Australian Government pays the remainder of the cost.

Find out more about course fees.

Domestic students are also required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). In 2021 these were:

• full-time students – $154 per half year ($308 annually)
• part-time students – $115.50 per half year ($231 annually).

Financial assistance

Scholarships

You might be bursting with new ideas, passion, and potential. But without support, attending university can sometimes seem impossible.

Through our scholarship program, we are able to open up a world of possibility for those who might have all the talent in the world, but sometimes lack the opportunity to develop and explore it.

There are hundreds of scholarships on offer, including:

• scholarships for academic achievement
• support for individuals with financial hardship and educational disadvantage
• support for Indigenous students
• opportunities to travel, perform, play sport, relocate, or gain global experience.

Many of our scholarships have been created as a result of generous philanthropic donations to the University of Newcastle, from individuals and organisations who share our belief that everyone with talent and dedication deserves the chance to pursue their dreams.

The Ma & Morley Scholarship Program

The Ma & Morley Scholarship Program aims to inspire, educate and cultivate the next generation of globally aware and socially conscious Australian leaders – and help them change the world.

The Program was established through a generous $26 million commitment by Chinese entrepreneur Jack Ma, in honour of his life-long friendship with respected Novocastrian Ken Morley.

There is a total of 20 scholarships available for new students in the categories of Indigenous, Educational Disadvantage and Academic Excellence and 10 immersion experiences available for continuing students per year under the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program.

Shaping Futures Scholarship

The Shaping Futures Scholarship Fund was established in 2011 with the aim of helping those students who are most in need.

To be eligible for a Shaping Futures Scholarship, students need to be academically capable but also facing educational disadvantage such as financial hardship, relocation from a regional or remote area, a long term or recurrent medical condition or illness, carer or sole parenting responsibilities, an asylum seeker recently completing a University of Newcastle enabling program, or a combination of these factors. It is hoped that the Shaping Futures Scholarships will provide much needed support for students to continue to overcome disadvantage and maintain their achievements.

These scholarships are funded entirely by generous donations from alumni, donors, staff, businesses and the community, and funds are continually sought via the Shaping Futures Appeal.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Scholarships

The Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Scholarships were established through contributions from the university, industry donors, community organisations and the annual Reconciliation Scholarship Dinner Dance.

These scholarships aim to provide Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students financial support to enable them to complete their studies.

Loans

Student loans are available to assist students experiencing financial difficulty with costs associated with education needs. To find out more, read about financial assistance.

Youth and student allowances

For details on Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY, visit the Department of Human Services website.

Where to get further information

• University of Newcastle website
• TEQSA national register – The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia's independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education
• ComparED – The ComparED website provides prospective students with transparent institution information from recent graduates and current students views.
• Study Assist – Information for students about government assistance for financing tertiary study.
• Tertiary Admission Centre: UAC (NSW & ACT)