Admissions information

Australian Year 12

If you’re currently completing an Australian Year 12 qualification, including the NSW HSC, an interstate equivalent, or the IB Diploma, you can use your ATAR or IB score to apply for undergraduate study at UOW.

ATAR based admissions

Your ATAR (or equivalent) is used to assess your eligibility for entry into UOW degrees. In many cases, you may be eligible for guaranteed entry based on your Selection Rank (SR) – which includes your ATAR plus any applicable adjustment points.

Adjustment points

UOW applies adjustment points to recognise your individual circumstances. These points can increase your Selection Rank (SR), improving your chances of receiving an offer to study. Adjustment points may be awarded based on:

• Academic performance in relevant subjects
• Equity considerations
• School location

These adjustments help ensure fair access to university and reward your efforts in areas that matter.

To learn more and check your eligibility, visit the UOW Adjustment Points page.

Early admission

UOW’s Early Admission program allows you to secure an offer before final exams. We look beyond your ATAR, considering your Year 11 results, personal attributes, and readiness for university study. 

To be eligible, you must be:

• Completing an Australian senior secondary qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or Interstate Year 12 qualification, or
• Completing the IB Diploma in Australia

To apply, visit the UOW Early Admission website.

Overseas qualifications

If you’re an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or a permanent resident of Australia, and you’ve completed your secondary studies overseas, you may still be eligible to apply. Contact the UOW Future Students Team for advice before submitting your application through UAC.

You can also find a list of accepted overseas qualifications on the UAC website.

I have an ATAR

If you’ve previously completed Year 12 and received an ATAR, you can still use this to apply for admission. However, if you’ve since completed a tertiary qualification, such as a Diploma or university-level study, your application may be assessed based on that qualification instead.

For tailored advice, contact the UOW Future Students Team to explore your options.

I have studied at TAFE or a Private College

If you hold an AQF-accredited qualification, such as:

• Certificate IV (excluding trade certificates)
• Associate Diploma
• Diploma
• Advanced Diploma

You may be eligible for entry into selected UOW degrees. Admission depends on the qualification level, completion status, and your academic performance.

You may also be eligible for credit for prior learning, which can reduce the number of subjects you need to complete your UOW degree.

Reach out to the UOW Future Students Team to discuss your eligibility and credit options.

I've completed part of a university degree or want to transfer

If you’ve studied at university or another tertiary institution, whether you’ve completed your degree or not, you may be eligible to transfer into a UOW course.

To apply, you’ll need to provide:

• Academic transcripts
• Evidence of completing at least 0.5 full-time equivalent study (or 1.0 FTE for Law and Western Civilisation degrees)
• Subject outlines or syllabi of your previous study for credit assessment
• Official English translations if your documents are in another language

Contact the UOW Future Students Team for help with your application and credit transfer process.

I have completed a degree

If you have already completed an undergraduate (Bachelor) or postgraduate (e.g. Masters) degree, you can use the results you obtained from that qualification to apply for a different degree.

You may also be eligible for credit for prior learning, which can reduce the number of subjects required to complete your new degree.

To assess your eligibility, you’ll need to provide:

• Academic transcripts
• Subject outlines or syllabi from your previous study for credit assessment
• Official English translations if your documents are in another language

Please contact the UOW Future Students Team for more information and to discuss your options.

I've completed a university preparation program

If you’ve completed a university preparation or pathway program designed to help students meet entry requirements for higher education, you may be eligible for admission into an undergraduate degree at UOW.

These programs typically provide essential academic and study skills to support success at university. Admission is subject to meeting minimum entry requirements and may vary depending on the course.

Note: Some degrees, such as the Bachelor Laws, Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation, four-year professional degrees, and double degrees, do not accept preparation program qualifications for entry.

For guidance on eligibility and available courses, contact the UOW Future Students Team.

I have an overseas qualification

If you completed your high school education overseas, and it’s comparable to an Australian Year 12 qualification, you may be eligible for admission to UOW. If you also hold a tertiary qualification (e.g. Diploma or Bachelor degree), your application may be assessed based on that instead.

All senior secondary results are converted to a Selection Rank (SR). To be considered for admission, you must meet the minimum SR required for your chosen course.

Contact the UOW Future Students Team to confirm whether your qualification can be used for admission. 

I have none of these

UOW offers a variety of admission options for student who may not meet traditional entry requirements. Whether you’ve completed a non-standard qualification or are returning to study later in life, there’s a pathway for you.

Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)

Available to applicants aged 21 or older by  1 March in the year of study. STAT results can be used for admission to most degrees, excluding Engineering, Law, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology (Honours), and Arts in Western Civilisation.

Visit the ACER website for details.

TAFE Tertiary Preparation Certificate

An alternative to Year 12, the TPC can be used for entry depending on academic performance. 

Learn more on the TAFE website.

Limited ATAR

Accepted for all undergraduate courses. You must be at least 20 years old on 1 March in the year you complete your HSC, and complete between 5 and 9 units of ATAR courses, including at least 1 unit of Category A English.

For help navigating these options, please contact the UOW Future Students Team.

UOW is committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through the Woolyungah Indigenous Centre (WIC). 

WIC offers the Indigenous Admissions Program (IAP), an alternative pathway for applicants aged 17 and over who haven’t completed secondary school or received the required ATAR. Successful completion of the IAP may lead to direct entry into your chosen course.

WIC also provides ongoing support through tutoring, study spaces, and cultural programs.

Visit the Woolyungah Indigenous Centre website or call WIC on (02) 4221 3776 for more information. 

All UOW courses are taught in English. If English is not your first language, you’ll need to meet the University’s English Language Requirements which vary by course.

Accepted tests include IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic, Cambridge English and OET (for some health-related courses).

You can also meet the requirement by completing an approved English course. Check individual course requirements on the UOW Course Finder.

If you’re not currently completing a senior secondary qualification (e.g. HSC, IB, or equivalent), you can apply directly to UOW for most undergraduate degrees.

• Free to apply
• Quick and simple online process
• Some exceptions apply: Applications for Pre-Medicine and Education (Primary and Secondary) must be submitted via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

Apply direct to UOW

If you’re currently completing an Australian Year 12 qualification or the IB Diploma in Australia, you must apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

• Choose up to five course preferences
• Check UAC’s key dates and guidelines
• UAC processes your application and notifies you of offers

Visit the UAC website to apply.

Prerequisites and Assumed Knowledge

Some UOW degrees have specific subject requirements:

Prerequisites

• Bachelor of Mathematics and Bachelor of Data Science and Analytics require Mathematics Advanced.
• Bachelor of Mathematics Advanced requires Mathematics Extension 2.

This means that you must have reached this minimum standard in your NSW HSC or equivalent before you will be offered a place in the course. If you do not have the required course prerequisite you cannot be selected for the course, even though you may have met the admission criteria.

Assumed Knowledge

Some courses, or specific first-year subjects, are taught with the expectation that students have already achieved a certain level of knowledge in key subject areas. This is known as assumed knowledge.

While assumed knowledge is not a mandatory requirement for admission, it is strongly recommended to help you succeed in your studies. If you haven’t studied the recommended subjects, you may find the course content more challenging.

To help bridge any gaps, UOW offers bridging courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. These short courses run in early February and are designed to prepare you for university-level study.

To check if your preferred degree has any prerequisites or assumed knowledge requirements, visit the UOW Course Finder.

For more information on bridging courses, visit the UOW website.

UOW’s Early Admission program allows Year 12 students to receive an offer before final exams by assessing your Year 11 results and personal attributes.

To be eligible, you must be completing and Australian senior secondary qualification or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in Australia.

Learn more and apply via the Early Admission page.