The University of Sydney

Campus Locations

Events

Important Dates

2024

Welcome week: Mid-February 2024 (TBC)
Session 1: starts Monday 19 February 2024
Session 2: starts Monday 29 July 2024

Open days

Open Day 
Sat 31 Aug 2024, 9am to 4pm

Refer to the University of Sydney open day web page for up-to-date open day details.

Campus visits

Take a student-led tour of our Camperdown/Darlington campus. Parents and guardians are welcome. For more information and to book a tour, read more about campus tours.

Undergraduate events

Student Outcomes

Policies and Services

Admission criteria

To be offered a place at the University of Sydney, you need to meet the academic criteria in one of the categories listed below, and be selected in competition with other eligible applicants. You will also need to meet English language proficiency requirements and any specified additional criteria, such as an audition, interview, test or presentation of a portfolio.

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

Australian Year 12 students

Admission is normally on the basis of the ATAR or equivalent. If you have completed more than one recognised secondary qualification, we will generally consider your most recent results. If your only qualification is an Australian Year 12 qualification, you can apply on the basis of that qualification.

Selection rank adjustments

Equity adjustment

MySydney entry and scholarship scheme

MySydney offers eligible students residing in low socio-economic entry on a reduced ATAR; an $8,500 per year scholarship for the duration of their undergraduate degree; and a range of additional support.

No separate application is required. Your eligibility is based on the residential address you enter in your UAC undergraduate application.

To be eligible, you must be:

• a domestic student residing at the time of your UAC application in an area listed in the bottom 25 per cent of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA), Index of Education and Occupation*
• applying as a new University of Sydney student for an undergraduate degree in semester 1 or 2.

High school students and non-recent school leavers will both be eligible under the scheme.

If you’re eligible and have a University of Sydney course listed as a preference in UAC, then place your chosen MySydney course as your highest eligible UAC preference. If you meet the MySydney ATAR, and other admission requirements, you will be made an unconditional offer of admission and receive the MySydney Scholarship.

Find out more about the MySydney Entry Scheme.

Educational Access Scheme (EAS)

The University of Sydney’s Educational Access Scheme (EAS) is for students who have experienced long-term educational disadvantage that has impacted their studies during year 11 and 12. The scheme is only open for entry to undergraduate courses offered through UAC, excluding Medicine, Dentistry and Oral Health courses.

You can apply for this scheme if you are a domestic applicant and:

• you completed Year 12 in 2023 or are completing in 2024
• you have not attempted any tertiary studies since finishing Year 12.

Approval under the scheme does not guarantee admission, but you may be eligible for up to 10 adjustment factors.

To be considered, apply to UAC’s Educational Access Scheme (EAS) when you submit your UAC undergraduate application. Students are also encouraged to submit an application to the University’s equity scholarships through our centralised scholarship application form.

Find out more about the Educational Access Scheme.

Regional and remote entry scheme

The Regional and Remote Entry Scheme offers eligible students residing in a regional or remote area, or attending a regional or remote school, entry on a reduced ATAR, up to $5,000 global mobility scholarship for eligible exchange programs and a range of additional support.

No separate application is required. Your eligibility is based on the residential address, or high school entered in your UAC undergraduate application.

To be eligible you must be:

• a domestic student residing, at the time of your UAC application, in a regional or remote area*
• a recent school leaver who attended a regional or remote school*
• applying as a new University of Sydney student for an undergraduate degree in semester 1 or 2.

High school students and non-recent school leavers will both be eligible under the scheme.

* Classified as meeting one of the following Australian Statistical Geography Standards (ASGS):

Remoteness Area Values must be ASGSI = Inner Regional, ASGSO = Outer Regional, ASGSR = Remote, or, ASGSV = Very Remote

The ASGS utilises geocoding technology to assign each school and individual street address an Australian Statistical Geography Standard Remoteness Area Value.

If you’re eligible and have a University of Sydney course listed as a preference in UAC, you will receive an email notification from the University of Sydney.

Then place your chosen Regional and Remote Scheme course as your highest eligible UAC preference. If you meet the Regional and Remote Scheme ATAR, and other admission requirements, you will be made an unconditional offer of admission.

Find out more about the Regional and Remote Entry Scheme.

Merit schemes

Academic excellence scheme

The Academic Excellence Scheme recognises high performance in higher levels of English and mathematics by applying adjustment factors to boost your selection rank for eligible courses. Depending on the course you have applied for and

You will automatically be considered for the Academic Excellence Scheme if:

• you are a domestic current school leaver applying via UAC for an undergraduate course at the University of Sydney to commence study in Semester 2 2024 or in 2025, and
• you are completing the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) or any other Australian state or territory Year 12 qualification, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, in or outside Australia in the year prior to admission, and have achieved one of the required results in English or mathematics.

Find out more about the Academic Excellence Scheme.

Future leaders scheme

If you are a Year 12 student attending a high school in Australia and you receive the highest ATAR or IB in your Year 12 cohort, then you will be eligible for admission through the Future Leaders Scheme. If you are eligible for the scheme, meet all admission criteria for your selected course, and follow the steps outlined in the Future Leaders Scheme page, you will gain admission to an eligible course with a lower ATAR. Not all courses are available, and some have a limited number of places reserved below the guaranteed ATAR.

Find out more about the Future Leaders Scheme.

Elite athletes and performers scheme

If you are an elite athlete or performer (eg you have competed at state level or higher) and your training or competitive commitments have affected your studies, you can apply for special consideration under the Elite Athletes and Performers Scheme. Approval under this scheme does not guarantee an offer but allows you to compete for a place with an ATAR up to five points below the selection rank for the course.

Find out more about the Elite Athletes and Performers Scheme.

Faculty schemes

Portfolio admissions pathway

The portfolio admissions pathway is a potential way for you to gain entry into some architecture, design and planning degrees if you are expecting to receive an ATAR (or equivalent) up to five points lower than the than the required ATAR for your chosen course. To apply, you will need to submit a portfolio of design work and a letter of recommendation from your school. Academic staff from the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning will then assess portfolios, identifying students who have the potential to excel in architecture or interaction design.

Find out more about the portfolio admissions pathway.

Creative Arts Special Admission Scheme (CASAS)

For some courses, the Creative Arts Special Admission Scheme (CASAS) gives domestic high school students who apply through UAC a chance to receive an early offer of admission prior to the release of ATARs (or equivalent). Eligible applicants are assessed on a combination of academic performance and audition/portfolio requirements.

Find out more about CASAS for music or visual arts.

Course prerequisites

Mathematics course prerequisites

We have a mathematics course prerequisite that apply to some courses in advanced computing, commerce, economics, engineering, health, medicine, pharmacy, psychology, science and veterinary science. It also applies to combined courses in those areas. You can meet the mathematics prerequisite by achieving a Band 4 in Mathematics Advanced or a Band E3 in Mathematics Extension 1 or Mathematics Extension 2, or equivalent.

From 2025, the mathematics course prerequisite will only apply to Advanced Computing, Engineering and Pharmacy undergraduate degrees (including combined and double degrees).

If you do not meet the mathematics course prerequisite, we will not be able to offer you a place in the course, even if you meet all other admission criteria.

The mathematics course prerequisites will apply to you (as a domestic or international student) if you are applying:

• with an Australian state or territory secondary education (Year 12 or high school) qualification, such as the NSW HSC, undertaken in or outside Australia
• with the IB Diploma or GCE A Levels, undertaken in Australia.

as well as:

• all domestic students applying on the basis of higher education study
• all domestic students applying on the basis of approved preparation programs or other qualifications accepted by the University
• all students applying through admission pathways will have to demonstrate achievement in mathematics. Some exceptions are made for Gadigal Program applicants.

Find out more about the mathematics course prerequisites.

NESA prerequisites for teaching degrees

The New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) requires students entering the below teaching degrees to achieve a minimum of three Band 5s in their NSW HSC, one of which needs to be English (Standard or Advanced or English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) or equivalent):

• Bachelor of Education (Health and Physical Education)
• Bachelor of Education (Primary)
• Bachelor of Music (Music Education)

Additionally, the Bachelor of Education (Primary) requires students to achieve Band 4 in Mathematics Standard (or equivalent) or higher.

Assumed knowledge

Most University of Sydney courses have assumed knowledge. This means that before starting your course, you are assumed to have completed relevant subjects in your NSW HSC or equivalent, or to have reached a certain level of knowledge. While this is not a prerequisite for admission, without this knowledge you may experience difficulties in your university studies. Some courses also require the study of certain units (eg mathematics, chemistry or physics) during your first year.

If you do not have the assumed knowledge for your course, we strongly recommend that you undertake the relevant bridging course(s). Bridging courses introduce the fundamentals of the subject, to help you reach a point where you can follow lectures and participate in tutorials and lab classes.

Bridging courses are offered in the following subjects:

• Mathematics Extension 1
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Biology

For subject equivalencies and information about enrolling in bridging courses, visit the University of Sydney website.

Inherent course requirements

Some courses in areas such as education, health, medicine and veterinary medicine have inherent requirements that you need to consider when choosing your course. These are not admission criteria, but requirements that you will need to be able to meet in order to successfully complete your course, such as working with children, patients or animals, or completing fieldwork tasks.

Learn more about inherent course requirements.

Applicants with higher education study

If you have completed at least one full-time year of study at bachelor degree level or higher at a recognised tertiary institution, you can apply to transfer into most of our undergraduate degrees. Your application will be assessed based on your ATAR (or equivalent) or university results – whichever gives you the best chance of receiving an offer. Your university results will only be considered if you have completed at least one year of full-time university study (or part-time equivalent).

Full-time study is considered to be the achievement of 48 credit points or more at the University of Sydney or the equivalent at another tertiary institution.

Please note – depending on the course you are applying to – you may still be required to satisfy course prerequisite(s) and other admission requirements, as outlined in the respective course description and admission criteria. See the “applicants with recent secondary education (within the past two years)” of this page for more information on course prerequisites, assumed knowledge and inherent course requirements.

Learn more about transferring from another university.

Current University of Sydney students

If you are currently enrolled in a University of Sydney bachelor's degree and you intend to apply for another University of Sydney degree, you will need to apply directly to the University for an internal transfer.

Learn more about how to transfer courses as a current student.

Failure and exclusion

A record of failure at tertiary study means you will be less competitive for a place than those with a successful academic history. If you have been excluded from study at any university, you will not be considered for admission at the University of Sydney unless:

• you have successfully completed at least one semester of study at degree level after the exclusion, or
• your application for special consideration has been approved (see below).

If you have been excluded from a University of Sydney course, there is a two-year waiting period before you can apply for special consideration for entry to that course.

Special Consideration for Admission Scheme for applicants with tertiary study

You may apply for the Special Consideration for Admission Scheme if you:

• have a record of failure at tertiary study
• have been excluded from tertiary study, or
• believe that your tertiary studies have been affected by circumstances beyond your control, and
• have an ATAR (or equivalent qualification) that is close to the entry requirement of your preferred course.

This pathway is only available for Semester 1 undergraduate entry.

Find out more about the Special Consideration for Admission Scheme.

Other entry schemes

MySydney entry and scholarship scheme

MySydney offers eligible students residing in low socio-economic entry on a reduced ATAR; an $8,500 per year scholarship for the duration of their undergraduate degree; and a range of additional support.

No separate application is required. Your eligibility is based on the residential address you enter in your UAC undergraduate application.

To be eligible, you must be:

• a domestic student residing at the time of your UAC application in an area listed in the bottom 25 per cent of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA), Index of Education and Occupation*
• applying as a new University of Sydney student for an undergraduate degree in semester 1 or 2.

High school students and non-recent school leavers will both be eligible under the scheme.

If you’re eligible and have a University of Sydney course listed as a preference in UAC, then place your chosen MySydney course as your highest eligible UAC preference. If you meet the MySydney ATAR, and other admission requirements, you will be made an unconditional offer of admission and receive the MySydney Scholarship.

Find out more about the MySydney Entry Scheme.

Regional and remote entry scheme

The Regional and Remote Entry Scheme offers eligible students residing in a regional or remote area, or attending a regional or remote school, entry on a reduced ATAR, up to $5000 global mobility scholarship for eligible exchange programs and a range of additional support.

No separate application is required. Your eligibility is based on the residential address, or high school entered in your UAC undergraduate application.

To be eligible you must be:

• a domestic student residing, at the time of your UAC application, in a regional or remote area*
• a recent school leaver who attended a regional or remote school*
• applying as a new University of Sydney student for an undergraduate degree in semester 1 or 2.

High school students and non-recent school leavers will both be eligible under the scheme.

* Classified as meeting one of the following Australian Statistical Geography Standards (ASGS):

Remoteness Area Values must be ASGSI = Inner Regional, ASGSO = Outer Regional, ASGSR = Remote, or, ASGSV = Very Remote

The ASGS utilises geocoding technology to assign each school and individual street address an Australian Statistical Geography Standard Remoteness Area Value.

If you’re eligible and have a University of Sydney course listed as a preference in UAC, you will receive an email notification from the University of Sydney. Then place your chosen Regional and Remote Scheme course as your highest eligible UAC preference. If you meet the Regional and Remote Scheme ATAR, and other admission requirements, you will be made an unconditional offer of admission.

Find out more about the Regional and Remote Entry Scheme.

Elite athletes and performers scheme

If you are an elite athlete or performer (eg you have competed at state level or higher) and your training or competitive commitments have affected your studies, you can apply for special consideration under the Elite Athletes and Performers Scheme. Approval under this scheme does not guarantee an offer but allows you to compete for a place with an ATAR up to five points below the selection rank for the course.

Find out more about the Elite Athletes and Performers Scheme.

Portfolio admissions pathway

The portfolio admissions pathway is a potential way for you to gain entry into some architecture, design and planning degrees if you are expecting to receive an ATAR (or equivalent) up to five points lower than the than the required ATAR for your chosen course. To apply, you will need to submit a portfolio of design work and a letter of recommendation from your school. Academic staff from the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning will then assess portfolios, identifying students who have the potential to excel in architecture or interaction design.

Find out more about the portfolio admissions pathway.

Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

We may consider the results of a completed diploma or advanced diploma, including vocational education and training (VET) qualifications at that level if it was accredited by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) or an overseas equivalent at the time you were enrolled, and is accepted by the faculty your chosen degree belongs to. You can check AQF accreditation with the provider or look for an AQF accreditation symbol on your transcript of results or award certificate.

If you will be younger than 21 at the first census date of your prospective admission, you will also need to have completed the HSC or an equivalent acceptable secondary education qualification before your diploma will be considered.

If you are applying for a course with course prerequisites and additional admission criteria – such as an interview, audition or portfolio – these factors will also be taken into account. See the "applicants with recent secondary education (within the past two years)" on this page for more information on course prerequisites, assumed knowledge and inherent course requirements.

Find out more about applying with a vocational education and training (VET) qualification.

Applicants with work and life experience

To be eligible for admission into one of our undergraduate degrees, you need to have completed one of the below qualifications recognised by the University:

• A secondary education qualification
• Higher education study
• Vocational education and training (VET) study (Diplomas and advanced diplomas)
• An approved preparation program, through the Mature-age Entry Scheme.

Note: you also need to meet the specific course’s admission criteria, which can be found in the respective course description. Depending on the course you are applying to – you may still be required to satisfy course prerequisite(s) and additional admission requirements, as outlined in the respective course description and admission criteria. See the “applicants with recent secondary education (within the past two years)” of this page for more information on course prerequisites, assumed knowledge and inherent course requirements. Please also refer to our domestic admission guide or the course page on our website for course entry scores.

Explore our admission pathways and entry schemes.

Mature age entry scheme

If you are 21 or older and did not commence tertiary studies straight from school, you may be eligible for the University’s Mature Age Entry Scheme. To apply under this scheme, you need to be at least 21 years old on 1 March of the year you will commence study at the University and have completed an approved preparation course within two years of applying to the University.

You will not be eligible for the Mature-Age Entry Scheme if you:

• have an ATAR or equivalent equal to or higher than 70
• have completed an AQF accredited (or an overseas equivalent) diploma or advanced diploma (including vocational education and training (VET)) qualifications at that level
• have completed at least one year of full-time (or part-time equivalent) study at a bachelor level or higher.

Instead, you will be assessed on these results, even if you are 21 or older.

Please note, not all University of Sydney undergraduate degrees are available under the Mature-Age Entry Scheme. Admission into the University of Sydney is competitive and places are awarded based on academic merit. Simply completing an eligible preparation course does not guarantee an offer to your degree. To be considered for an offer of admission into some courses, you may also be required to successfully complete specific subjects within the accepted preparation course(s).

Visit the Mature-age Entry Scheme page to confirm your eligibility for the scheme, review the eligible course list, and check which preparation courses are accepted for your course of interest.

Applicants with overseas qualifications

There are commonly accepted overseas secondary qualifications that University of Sydney may take into consideration. Check your qualification. Contact the University to discuss eligibility for admission before applying to UAC.

English language proficiency

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

First Nations applicants

The University is committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to succeed in their higher education journey.

The Gadigal Program

The Gadigal Program is an Indigenous student pathway that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to study at the University of Sydney.

Through the Gadigal Program you will have the opportunity to apply for a Gadigal early conditional offer, lower minimum ATAR requirements, access to an academic skills program before commencing University, ongoing academic and personal support throughout your degree, and up to $5,000 global mobility award for eligible exchange programs.

Year 12 and post-high school applicants are eligible to apply.

To be considered for entry through the Gadigal Program:

1. submit your UAC application
   1. select the option to self-identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
2. select at least one University of Sydney course preference
3. if you satisfy the eligibility criteria, you will see the Gadigal Program alert on the UAC home page – click ‘Apply’ or ‘Review your application’ to open the Gadigal application form within UAC
4. Complete the additional Gadigal Program application form.

Find out more about the Gadigal Program.

Extended bachelor’s programs

The Extended Bachelor’s Programs provide dedicated pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to study some of our humanities, science and health degrees.

The Extended Bachelor’s Programs include an additional year of study and allow Indigenous students to undertake studies in an academically and culturally supported environment.

All students commencing in one of the Extended Bachelor’s Programs in 2025 will be automatically awarded the Extended Bachelor Program Scholarship worth up to $20,000 per year.

To be eligible, you must be commencing one of the four Extended Bachelor Programs at the University of Sydney:

• Bachelor of Arts (Extended)
• Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science (Extended)
• Bachelor of Science (Extended)
• Bachelor of Science (Extended) (Health).

Find out more about the Extended Bachelor's Program.

Applicants with Australian Defence Force (including Reserves) experience

The University of Sydney accepts military ranks for entry into bachelor degrees.

How to apply

Apply through UAC.

Enrolment

Enrolment is the formal process of registering with your faculty and choosing your units of study/subjects. Once you’ve enrolled, you are officially a student of the University of Sydney.

Acceptance of offer

Your offer will include full details of the enrolment procedures. Read this information carefully as your offer may lapse if you fail to follow the correct procedures. Before enrolment you should familiarise yourself with the first-year subjects on offer.

Advanced standing

If you have already completed some tertiary study you may be eligible for limited credit for relevant subjects or for entry to the second or later year/s of your degree program. Second year entry is not available for some courses. The University will generally determine advanced standing for UAC applicants after enrolment.

To find out more, read about enrolling in a new course.

Deferment

Deferring an offer is available for most courses. Deferment is assessed on a case-by-case basis - you will receive a link to apply for deferment after you receive your offer. Deferment is possible for one year (with the possibility of two years in special circumstances) and is generally not available for mid-year entry.

Orientation

Welcome Week on the Camperdown/Darlington campus provides a program of events and workshops to help new students make the transition to university life. You can attend academic and skills information sessions, faculty and school welcomes and a range of social events. Welcome to new students’ programs also take place on the University’s other campuses.

To find out more, read about how to enrol.

Fees and charges

If you have been allocated a Commonwealth-supported place (CSP), you will need to pay a student contribution.

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.

To find out more about course fees on the University of Sydney website.

Student Services and Amenities Fee

In addition to the CSP contribution, most domestic and international undergraduate students will also pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). The fee is based on the student’s semester load (ie full-time/part-time status) and will be charged on a semester basis.

Financial assistance

Loans

If you experience financial difficulty and your academic work suffers as a result, there are loans to assist with essential living and education-related expenses. Tuition fees and compulsory subscriptions are not covered.

To find out more about financial assistance.

Youth and student allowances

For details on Australian Government financial support through Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY, visit the  Department of Human Services website.

Scholarships

Equity Scholarships

The University of Sydney offers a number of Equity Scholarships, awarded for any undergraduate degree, to prospective or currently enrolled students. These scholarships include the Sydney Scholars Awards (valued from $6,000 to $10,000 pa) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarships.

When awarding Equity Scholarships, the University gives preference to academically gifted students who can demonstrate financial hardship and have experienced one or more of the following educational disadvantages:

• carer responsibilities
• Indigenous Australian
• long-term medical condition/disability or ongoing effects of abuse
• refugee status
• regional or remote disadvantage
• sole parent responsibilities.

Most applications for University of Sydney Equity Scholarships are centrally processed through UAC.

Year 12 applicants

The University of Sydney has an extensive scholarship program available for students who are completing Year 12 or equivalent in 2022, including the University of Sydney Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Entry Scholarship. Scholarships range in value from $2,000 for a single year to $60,000 for the duration of a degree.

Graduate coursework scholarships

Graduate coursework scholarships are available for the Juris Doctor. To find out more about law scholarships on the University of Sydney website

Where to get further information

• The University of Sydney – The University of Sydney's Profile
• 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)