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Recent School Leaver
- higher education study
- vocational education and training (VET) study
- work and life experience (includes students who have completed secondary studies more than two years ago)
Non-Recent School Leaver
International Student
Postgraduate Coursework
Careers Advisers and Teachers
General Terms & Conditions
By submitting a registration through this site for an activity, event, information evening, master class, performance or workshop, or by registering to receive the Future Students Newsletter or Network Newsletter, you agree to the following terms and conditions:
1) Your registration details may be shared with staff from the school you list in your registration details.
2) If you indicate you would like to receive an SMS reminder, this will be sent to the mobile number you entered and you are responsible for any costs incurred by you through your mobile provider. Your mobile number will never be shared outside the University of New South Wales.
3) You acknowledge that for any reason, scheduled activities, events, information evenings, master classes or workshops may be cancelled at any time. UNSW will make all reasonable efforts to inform you of a cancellation as soon as possible.
4) If the activity, event, master class, workshop or performance you are registering to attend occurs during the school day, it is your responsibility to contact your school and obtain permission to attend the activity.
5) UNSW's Copyright and Disclaimer as well as Website Privacy Statement also apply.
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Things to know
What could you study?
UNSW Prep has four program options for study and these can lead to the degrees below. Please click on your faculty of interest for a course outline.
| Faculty | Undergraduate Degree |
| Arts & Social Sciences | All degrees in Arts & Social Sciences* |
| Business School | Bachelor of Commerce* |
| Engineering | Bachelor of Engineering (Flexible First Year)* |
| Science | Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Life Sciences |
You must pass all term one courses to progress to term 2, and you must pass all term 2 courses to progress to term 3. Before you can move into your chosen degree you must meet the requirements for that particular program. *Details are provided in the linked pdf outlines.
If you go on to postgraduate study you could end up in other areas. For example, some students from Arts and Social Sciences are now studying postgraduate Law at UNSW.
More information here: UNSW Prep 17-19 Academic Rules 2019
Can you apply?
To be considered for UNSW Prep you need to meet the following criteria:
| Criteria | Condition |
| ACCESS Eligible | Assessed as eligible for UNSW's ACCESS Scheme via UAC’s Educational Access Schemes (EAS) process# |
| Age | 17-19 years on 1 March 2019^ |
| Citizenship / Residency | You should be an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen or hold a current Australian Permanent Resident visa (including Australian Permanent Resident Humanitarian visa). |
| Post-school study | You cannot study UNSW Prep at the same time as another course |
| UAC | Include at least one UNSW Preparation Program preference in your UAC application. UAC codes are: Arts and Social Sciences - 430100 Business - 430110 Engineering - 430120 Science - 430130 |
| ATAR |
Have an ATAR of 50.00 or above, or be an Indigenous applicant applying via UNSW's Nura Gili Indigenous Admission Scheme |
| Additional Criteria | Provide a personal statement (using the template below) via UAC's 'Check and Change' facility. You may also be asked to attend a short interview in January. |
#UAC will advise applicants of their ATAR and EAS eligibility in mid-December
^Older applicants can apply for the University Preparation Program
How much will it cost?
UNSW Prep is fully funded by the Australian Government so for the first few subjects of your degree you pay no course fees.* You will need to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee ($149 per year in 2018 for full time study) which lets you access all the services for students at UNSW, and the cost of any materials you need for your course. How much you spend will depend on where you are living, the subjects you study and your own circumstances.
You study two subjects each term (instead of the usual three or four) so you are a full-time student but you have more time to juggle study with work and home life.
If you’re thinking of living away from home more information on accommodation is available here. Also towards the end of UNSW Prep you can apply for selected scholarships.
* This may change. Please check for details prior to your application.
How to apply
Applications must be made online via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), www.uac.edu.au. UAC applications open in early August and on-time applications close in late September each year. As long as you have applied to UAC by the on-time closing date you can change your preferences to include UNSW Prep up until early January without having to pay late fees.
Course Codes:
UNSW Preparation Program (Arts & Social Sciences) - 430100
UNSW Preparation Program (Business) - 430110
UNSW Preparation Program (Engineering) - 430120
UNSW Preparation Program (Science) - 430130
Personal Statement
The Personal Statement is a compulsory part of the application process to UNSW Prep. It is your chance to share what interests you about the program and what makes you a suitable candidate. Instructions for completing and uploading your Personal Statement are available here: Personal Statement Instructions. You must ensure you upload your Personal Statement by the deadline for each offer round, to be considered for this program.
It is important to save your responses to the questions in the Personal Statement on your computer prior to uploading to 'Check and Change'.
Register account Continue with Personal Statement
Will I have to attend an interview?
An interview may be required by phone for entry into the UNSW Prep Program. There will be one round of interviews in December 2018 for December Round 2 offers, and one round of interviews in early January 2019 for January Round 1 offers. Further interview trounds may be conducted subject to program availability. For exact dates, please see the document below.