Important Updates from the University of New South Wales (Semester 1 and Semester 2 2026 are full, English language policy updated AL no longer waives language requirements; scholarships will be issued with offers)

Please review the following key updates from UNSW for Term 3, 2026

I. Deferral of Applications to Term 3, 2026

Currently, most UNSW courses for Term 1 and Term 2 of 2026 are full, and applications not yet processed will be automatically deferred to Term 3, 2026.

Applicants can log in to UNSW Apply Online to check if these adjustments affect their application.

If a student's application materials are not yet complete, please ensure all required documents are uploaded before the corresponding admission round deadline.
The first round of admission results for Term 3, 2026 will be announced on Thursday, 20 November 2025.

View the admission schedule: https://www.unsw.edu.au/study/international-students/admissions-info?mc_cid=39eb2e2f06&mc_eid=0cce9da8ec

II. English Language Policy Updates

To ensure the highest teaching standards and provide the best experience for students, UNSW has made significant adjustments to its English language admission policy.
These changes have been comprehensively evaluated across multiple student cohorts and will apply to all unassessed or pending applications for Term 3, 2026 and beyond.

The main changes are as follows:

1️⃣ Prior Study in English
If a student uses 'Post-Secondary or Tertiary Qualifications in English, either attempted or completed' as language proof,
Please note: This type of study is only accepted under the following conditions:

• From institutions in English-speaking countries, or
• From institutions listed in the World Higher Education Database (WHED) and explicitly marked as 'English as the sole medium of instruction'.

2️⃣ Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) A Levels
Applicants who completed CIE A Levels in non-English speaking countries must meet the following requirements:

• For programs requiring an overall IELTS score of 6.5, a minimum Grade C in an approved essay-based or humanities subject is required;
• For programs requiring an overall IELTS score of 7.0, a minimum Grade A in the corresponding subject is required.

3️⃣ English scores from the following national curriculum systems are still recognized (within set standards):

• German Abitur
• Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)
• Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE)
• Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM)
• Swiss Matura
• Danish Studentereksamen
• Norwegian CUSE Examination
• Swedish SSLC Examination

For other ways to meet English language requirements, please visit the UNSW website:

https://www.unsw.edu.au/study/how-to-apply/english-language-requirements?mc_cid=39eb2e2f06&mc_eid=0cce9da8ec

III. Scholarship Process Optimization

Starting from Monday, 3 November 2025,
Admitted students receiving the following scholarships will be directly informed of their scholarship results in their **Offer of Admission**:

• Australia’s Global University Award (PUCA1026)
• UNSW College Award (PUCA1027)

This means that separate scholarship letters will no longer be issued.

By accepting the Offer of Admission, applicants are also formally accepting the scholarship award and acknowledging the UNSW Scholarship Terms and Conditions.

Key updates from Term 3, 2026

Thank you for your continued success in bringing the brightest minds to UNSW Sydney. With your support, UNSW continues to experience strong demand, which we are carefully managing within the government’s current limits on student commencements. With the recent confirmation of UNSW’s 2026 New Overseas Student Commencements (NOSC), we have taken steps to close applications to programs forTerm 1, 2026andTerm 2, 2026.

Deferred applications to Term 3, 2026

Most UNSW Sydney programs have reached capacity forTerm 1, 2026andTerm 2, 2026, and applications yet to be processed have been deferred toTerm 3, 2026. Applicants can check if these changes affect their application by logging in toUNSW Apply Online.

If your students have an incomplete application, please ensure all required documents are uploaded by the corresponding offer rounddeadline. The first general round of offers forTerm 3, 2026will be released onThursday, 20 November 2025.

Changes to UNSW English Language Policy

To ensure the highest standards and provide the very best experience to your students, we have made some key changes to our English language admissions policy. These changes have been made after a full assessment across multiple cohorts and will apply to all unassessed or waitlisted applications for Term 3, 2026 onwards, where an offer has not been made.

Acceptance of prior study: If your students apply with ‘Post-Secondary or Tertiary Qualifications in English, either attempted or completed’, please note that this kind of prior study will only be accepted from institutions in English-speaking countries or those listed in the World Higher Education Database (WHED) as having English as the sole medium of instruction.

Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) A Levels: Applicants who completed CIE A Levels in non-English speaking countries must have:

A minimum Grade C in an approved essay-based or humanities subject for programs requiring IELTS 6.5 overall.

A minimum Grade A in an approved essay-based or humanities subject for programs requiring IELTS 7.0 overall.

English qualifications from national curriculum including German Abitur, HKDSE, CBSE, IB, ICSE, STPM, Swiss Matura, Danish Studentereksamen, Norwegian CUSE, Swedish SSLC are all still accepted within set parameters.

Alternative options to satisfy English language requirements can be found on the UNSW website.

Improvements to the scholarship process

FromMonday, 3 November 2025, successful applicants for theAustralia's Global University Award (PUCA1026)and theUNSW College Award (PUCA1027), will be notified of their scholarship award in their Offer of Admission. This means no separate scholarship letter will be issued.

By accepting the Offer of Admission, applicants also formally accept the scholarship award and acknowledge the UNSW ScholarshipTerms and Conditions.