Parent
Information
Guide
Never Stand Still
Content
01 Choosing to study with UNSW
02 Getting in - Applying to UNSW
04 Bonus points
05 Plan B - Pathway programs
06 Adding it all up - Fees
07 Scholarships @ UNSW
08 The extras - Student support services and facilities
09 Helpful contacts
It’s time for your child to leave
high school behind and take
their first steps towards a
rewarding career. It’s an exciting,
but sometimes quite daunting
time for young people.
We’ve put together this
booklet to help you support
them as they make this
transition, and to help explain
why studying at UNSW can
give them the best launchpad
into the rest of their lives.
01
Choosing to study with UNSW
Did you know the latest
Australian Graduate
Survey shows UNSW
graduates are in high
demand from employers?
Our graduates are in
the top 5% for median
starting salaries.
Is tertiary education right for you?
The truth is – it depends. Embarking on higher education
is a big decision, and needs to be given some thought. It
really depends on the direction your child wants to head.
If they’re interested in a career in medicine, law or
accounting, a degree is essential. Or if they have a particular
interest in history, politics, economics or mathematics,
they’ll be right at home at university. And for a budding
entrepreneur a business degree will be unbeatable.
One thing’s for sure though, UNSW is one of the best places
to gain these qualifications – with the latest Australian
Graduate Survey showing our graduates begin their
careers with one of the highest median starting salaries and
employment rates.
Set off in the right direction
If your son or daughter is thinking about studying at
university, one of the most important decisions to be
made is what degree to study. The best way to help is to
encourage them to think about four key things:
1. What subjects do they enjoy? This leads to
discovering degrees that match their abilities.
2. Exactly what’s involved in the degrees they’re
considering? It’s worth taking a look at the UNSW
Student Handbook for all the information on our degrees.
3. What sort of teaching method would suit them
best? Would they respond better to a more theorybased or practical style of degree?
4. Where will the degree take them? Consider how the
degree might be able to lead to local and international
career opportunities.
How we can help
Beyond talking to their career advisor at school and doing
their own research into degrees and future careers, we
highly recommend attending our Open Day and other
campus events. It’s a great way to talk directly with faculty
representatives and students – to answer any questions
they might have, and to get a feel for campus life.
For upcoming events, check out: whatson.unsw.edu.au.
Why us?
Just as important as choosing the right degree, is
selecting the right university. From the quality of the
faculty, to the breadth of degrees, to the connections and
opportunities leading from graduation, UNSW can give
your child the very finest tertiary education available.
UNSW has been ranked 85th in the 2012-2013 Times
Higher Education World University Rankings which are
based on: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and
international outlook. The position puts UNSW in the top
5 of Australian institutions.
We also ranked 52nd in the 2012 QS World University
Rankings, which are based on six factors: academic and
employer surveys, staff-student ratios, research citations
and the proportion of international staff and students.
Did you know we scored the maximum
five-star rating for nine key performance
indicators in the 2013 Good Universities
Guide? For graduate employment getting a job, starting salaries and positive
graduate outcomes - UNSW rated in the
top group for all three measures.
More choice. More opportunity.
By enrolling at UNSW, your child will have the choice of
more than 300 degrees that are recognised around the
world. And when they’ve graduated, the work experience,
research opportunities and real-world training they’ve
completed in their degree, will have given them the sort of
opportunities they need to succeed.
02 Getting in
How to
apply to
UNSW
We receive all applications for domestic students,*
through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), which
processes applications for admission to most NSW/ACT
undergraduate degrees. Applications open in August for
Semester 1, and in April for the mid-year intake.
Jump online to the Apply section on the UAC website and
your child can nominate up to nine degrees they’d like to
study, in order of preference. If they don’t get their first
choice, they’ll be considered for their second, and so on.
And they can change their preferences up until the closing
date in January for Semester 1, or June for mid-year intake.
Selection for degrees is based on performance in
the Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (i.e. the
HSC). For most Australian Year 12 students, this is the
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) – a ranking
system that provides an overall measure of academic
achievement, in relation to other students.
Assumed and recommended
knowledge
Many UNSW degrees list assumed knowledge and
recommended studies in certain subject areas, such as
mathematics.
If your son or daughter does not have the assumed
knowledge for a degree, they are not prevented from
enrolling, but may find it difficult to keep up.
UNSW provides bridging courses to assist and these can
be taken before the start of the degree.
For more information on entry requirements
for UNSW degrees, see the degree entry
rank table on: unsw.edu.au/cutoffs
*Australian citizens/permanent residents or New Zealand citizens.
Yearly Planner
February
Request the latest UNSW
Guide: enquiry.unsw.edu.au
March
April
Now is a good time to visit UNSW: book a campus tour!
campustours.unsw.edu.au
May
Year 10 Info Evening
June
Sit the University Medicine
Admission Test
Attend one of the many careers expos held in Sydney and other regions
July
Scholarship Info Evening
In a nutshell
As your son or daughter progresses through high school,
it’s important to discuss their post-school options. The
timeline below will assist you with your planning and is a
guideline of what to do and when.
Year 10
• Think about what assumed and recommended
knowledge is required for various degrees when
choosing subjects for Year 11 and 12.
Year 12
• Attend university open days and come prepared with
questions for staff and students.
• Look into scholarships, bonus point systems, and
special entry schemes.
• Follow the application process and make sure your son
or daughter submits their application with UAC.
• Start visiting universities and come along to Year 10
Information Evenings.
Year 11
• Research universities in more depth.
• Discuss career options with careers advisors
and teachers.
• Attend a Careers Expo and talk to as many
different universities as possible to get a
breadth of information.
• Consider if the degree of their choice has
special entry requirements.
• Attend events, workshops and take
a campus tour of your preferred
universities.
It’s very important to encourage
your child to do lots of research for
themselves. As a parent I found out
what Abbie’s interest areas were
and did a bit of research myself on
different degrees so that she knew we
were taking an interest in her future.
However, this is her choice and we
are not overtaking or leading, but are
certainly supporting her choices.”
Stacey
Mum of Abbie, currently in Year 12,
wishing to study a Bachelor of
International Science
August
September
UNSW Open Day
Lodge an application with UAC for university study in NSW/ACT
UNSW Scholarship
applications close
October
November
Year 12 Parent Info Evening
December
ATAR release
January
UNSW Info Day
Elite Athletes and Performers
Program applications close
UAC change of
preferences close
Now is a good time to visit UNSW: book a campus tour!
UNSW releases Main
and Late Round offers
If you’re eligible for ACCESS, lodge your application with UAC for the Educational Access Scheme
04 Bonus points
Entry schemes for rural students
Entry schemes and bonus points
There are a number of additional ways we can help
your son or daughter be accepted to UNSW. They might
be eligible for bonus points. We award bonus points to
increase a student’s ATAR, in recognition of outstanding
performance and achievement outside the bounds of the
ATAR, or due to educational disadvantage.
HSC Plus
HSC Plus is a program that awards up to five bonus points
for performing well in HSC subjects that are highly relevant
to a particular UNSW degree. The points are added
automatically, so there’s nothing you have to do – but not
all degrees (such as Medicine and Law) are included. For
more information see: unsw.edu.au/hscplus
The Elite Athletes and Performers
(EAP) Program
The EAP Program awards bonus points to students who
excel in sport, academia, performance, leadership or
music. All degrees except Medicine are included in this
program. To apply, students need to lodge an application
with UNSW, please visit: unsw.edu.au/eap
The ACCESS Scheme
If your child has experienced long-term educational
disadvantage during Years 11 and 12, and their studies
have been affected by circumstances beyond their
control, they might be eligible for bonus points under the
ACCESS Scheme. Applications are made through UAC.
For more information see: unsw.edu.au/access
We help rural students apply to
study with us through the ACCESS
Scheme and the Rural Student
Entry Scheme to Medicine. You
can find more information on:
unsw.edu.au/ruralstudents
05
Plan B
Pathway programs, transfer options and alternative entry
Sometimes, even bright and committed students don’t get the HSC
results they were hoping for. But that doesn’t have to mean they can’t
study the degree they want. We have a number of alternate pathways
to help students get where they’re determined to go.
UNSW University
Preparation Program
This is all about giving a helping hand to students with
potential and an interest in tertiary education.
The program is designed to assess students’ academic
potential, and to provide a supportive framework that helps
build their capabilities and their confidence so they’re able to
successfully manage university.
There are four streams leading to entry into the faculties
of Arts and Social Science, Engineering, Science and
the Australian School of Business. Students enrol in a
combination of academic skills courses, mathematical skills
courses and relevant discipline-based courses depending
upon their choice of stream.
Once they’ve completed the program, students can then
apply for entry to their preferred degree at UNSW.
For more information visit:
unsw.edu.au/upp17-20
Indigenous Pre-Programs
For Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students there are
a number of pre-programs in the areas of Business, Law,
Medicine and Social Work. Visit the Nura Gili Pre-Programs
page: nuragili.unsw.edu.au/pre-programs
Changing course, with
an internal transfer
Choosing the right degree can be a difficult decision – and
sometimes students don’t make the right choice straight off.
If your son or daughter would like to change the UNSW
degree they’re currently studying, they can apply for an
internal transfer.
An internal transfer can also be an effective alternative
entry strategy. If your child doesn’t meet the initial entry
requirements of their preferred degree, they might be able to
use an internal transfer to get there from a similar degree.
06 Adding it all up
University fees, costs
and loan schemes
Other costs to think about
The degree your child chooses – and whether they’re a
domestic or international student – will determine the cost
of their university study.
Most of our domestic undergraduates are Commonwealthsupported students, which means the Australian
government subsidises part of their fees. Students pay the
remainder through a student contribution.
Tuition fees make up the majority of university expenses.
Even so, there are a number of other costs to consider,
such as:
• Accommodation fees for residential colleges or private
accommodation
• Transport costs
• General living expenses
• Textbooks, study material and supplies
• Photocopying and printing costs
Band
Maximum student
contribution amount
(per year, full-time)
3: Law, Accounting,
Administration, Economics,
Commerce, Medicine
$9,425
2: Computing, Built
Environment, Other
Health, Allied Health,
Engineering, Surveying
$8,050
1: Behavioural Science,
Social Studies, Education,
Clinical Psychology,
Foreign Languages, Visual
and Performing Arts
$5,648
National Priority:
Mathematics, Statistics,
Science
$4,520
*2012 student contribution fees for domestic students.
• Optional student fees
HECS-HELP
This is the Australian government’s Higher Education
Loan Program, which allows you and your child to
choose between:
• Paying a student contribution of $500 or more upfront
and receive a 10% discount
• Deferring their contribution through a HECS-HELP loan.
This is repaid through the tax system when your child is
in the workforce and earning a certain amount.
To apply, simply submit a Request for Commonwealth
support and HECS-HELP form to UNSW by the census
date. This is usually part of the online acceptance and
enrolment process.
FEE-HELP
This is a government loan scheme for eligible students
enrolled in fee-paying degrees. Fee-paying degree places
aren’t subsidised by the government.
A loan fee of 25% applies to FEE-HELP loans, and these
loans are repaid through the tax system when the student
earns a certain amount in the workforce.
For more helpful information on
fees, check out: studyassist.gov.au
Scholarships @ UNSW
Our scholarships are
granted to prospective
and current students
in recognition of
academic or athletic
excellence, or to provide
assistance for rural and
disadvantaged students.
The value and duration of scholarships varies and they
support students in a range of ways including annual
stipends and travel scholarships.
Applications for most high school leaver scholarships close
on 30 September each year and are made through the
UNSW Scholarships website.
For more information, please visit:
scholarships.unsw.edu.au
The UNSW Co-op Program
07
This career development scholarship is available to selected
undergraduates in Business, Engineering, Science and
Built Environment. As well as financial support, it’s designed
to provide students with industry experience, professional
development, networking and mentoring opportunities on
multiple industry placements with leading companies as
they work through their degree.
You’ll find more information at: coop.unsw.edu.au
08 The extras
Our services and facilities
Safety comes first
Student safety and the security of personal property
is a high priority at UNSW. The UNSW campus has a
24/7 security team who are responsible for providing a
safe environment for the UNSW community. Services
include foot patrols, vehicle patrols, security shuttle bus,
and safety escort services. Help Points with emergency
phones are located around campus.
Student support
and wellbeing services
We understand that all students take a while to adjust to
university life. So from the moment students arrive on
campus we offer a wide range of support services, starting
with our Getting Started and Orientation Week activities.
Whether they’re having difficulty with their degree, paying
bills, balancing university and work or social life, or as a
result of a disability, we have professional staff that can
help them stay on track.
We also encourage students to think about the next
step by applying for internships and volunteer activities
throughout their degree. And by registering with our
careers and employment service, we can help them with
the transition into the workforce.
Check out our full range of student
support and wellbeing services at:
studentlifelearning.unsw.edu.au
The UNSW Careers
and Employment Service
This is a fantastic service for students who want part-time
and vacation employment while they’re studying. It can
also help them find their first job when they graduate.
They hold regular career-planning workshops and career
markets to help students make decisions about their future.
For more information, please see: careers.unsw.edu.au
Living in Sydney
Many students from out of town make use of our campus
accommodation, or enlist the help of UNSW Residential
Communities to find the right place.
Options include fully-catered or self-catered colleges on
campus, renting in the local area, or share housing.
You’ll find more information at: housing.unsw.edu.au
Student facilities and resources
Study time
Getting involved
Staying connected
Everything’s here, and we like to think of ourselves as
a self-contained community with cafes, food outlets,
banks, a post office, medical and dental centres, a
pharmacy and a newsagency.
Students are encouraged to join student organisations,
clubs and societies. While they’ll usually become a member
of their Faculty or School society, we also have 250 clubs
and societies for them to get involved in with diverse social,
sporting, cultural, political and religious interests.
Healthy body. Healthy mind.
It’s important for young people to stay active, and UNSW
Sport and Recreation Services offer easy and affordable
ways to participate in sporting and exercise programs. We
have more than 30 sporting clubs on offer, with programs
from beginner to elite. Memberships are open to all
students, staff, alumni and the wider community.
UNSW libraries provide students with access to a wide
variety of resources and services. Libraries also provide
study spaces, group study rooms, presentation practice
rooms and computer equipment.
Across the campus there are plenty of free computer
workstations and laboratories. We also have a campus-wide
free wireless network called Uniwide and a number of online
services for students.
Campus tours
A great way for you and your son or daughter to discover
UNSW, our campus tours are conducted by Student
Ambassadors – they’re perfectly positioned to show you all
that we have to offer while letting you in on the secrets of
university life. Tours take about an hour and are conducted
most Fridays throughout the year at the Kensington campus.
University was a big change
from school for both my
daughter and myself. I
encouraged Maddy to join
clubs and societies and to
participate in O-Week activities,
so she could meet new people
early on. This really made a big
difference in helping her settle
in to campus life. Although
Maddy makes her own choices
now, she still appreciates me
being there to talk about her
experiences at uni.”
Tracy
Mum of Maddy, studying a combined
Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts
Helpful contacts
Student Recruitment Office
The friendly staff can help with anything from choosing
a degree, to entry requirements and admission.
Phone: +61 2 9385 1844
Email: studentrecruitment@unsw.edu.au
Undergraduate Admissions Office
They can provide information on application and
admission procedures.
Phone: +61 2 9385 3228
Email: ugadmis@unsw.edu.au
Go straight to the source
If your son or daughter knows what degree they want
to study, they can contact the relevant faculty office
for more information:
Arts and Social Sciences
Phone: +61 2 9385 1307
Email: arts@unsw.edu.au
Web: arts.unsw.edu.au
Australian School of Business
Phone: +61 2 9385 3507
Email: businessinfo@unsw.edu.au
Web: asb.unsw.edu.au
Built Environment
Phone: +61 2 9385 4799
Email: fbe@unsw.edu.au
Web: be.unsw.edu.au
College of Fine Arts
Phone: +61 2 9385 0684
Email: cofa@unsw.edu.au
Web: cofa.unsw.edu.au
Engineering
Phone: +61 2 9385 6437
Email: eng.faculty@unsw.edu.au
Web: eng.unsw.edu.au
Law
Phone: +61 2 9385 2227
Email: law@unsw.edu.au
Web: law.unsw.edu.au
Medicine
Phone: +61 2 9385 8765
Email: medicine.info@unsw.edu.au
Web: med.unsw.edu.au
Science
Phone: +61 2 9385 7788
Email: science@unsw.edu.au
Web: science.unsw.edu.au
UNSW Canberra
Phone: +61 2 6268 6000
Email: sas@adfa.edu.au
Web: unsw.adfa.edu.au
Events
whatson.unsw.edu.au
Campus Tours
campustours.unsw.edu.au
Request Guides
enquiry.unsw.edu.au