Starting your studies at UOW means learning from some of the brightest minds on the planet. You'll have the freedom and flexibility to tailor your experience, follow your passion and see where it takes you. Belonging to a university with an international reputation for world-class research and exceptional teaching quality will ensure you have a competitive edge in the global job market.
UOW has a range of admission options available to students of all ages and academic backgrounds. We are here to support your choices and open doors, so you can graduate ready for your future career.
If you are currently completing a senior secondary qualification (e.g. HSC, Interstate Year 12, IB Diploma), you apply to UOW through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). If you are not a current year 12 student, or you have completed a UOW College course, VET, or university studies, you can apply directly to UOW.
Admission criteria and detailed course information for UOW and UOW College courses are available on UOW's Course Finder.
UOW has a range of admission pathways which are outlined below. For specific advice or questions regarding an application or a course, please contact the UOW Future Students Team.
Detailed UOW and UOW College admission requirements are available in the UOW Admissions Procedures Policy, and the UOW College Admissions policy.
ATAR based admissions
You can use your ATAR or International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma to apply for UOW study.
Adjustment factors
Year 12 students can have adjustment factors added to their ATAR (or equivalent) to calculate a Selection Rank (SR). Your SR can be used to receive guaranteed entry to the majority of UOW degrees.
Early admission
UOW Early Admission is our early offer program for students completing Year 12. When you apply for Early Admission, UOW looks beyond your ATAR and considers your unique skills and experiences, alongside your Year 11 results, so you can receive an offer to study at UOW before you sit your final exams.
To apply for Early Admission, you must be completing an Australian senior secondary qualification (e.g. HSC or interstate equivalent) or completing the IB Diploma in Australia.
UOW welcomes students applying with qualifications from overseas. Australian and New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of Australia with overseas qualifications should contact the UOW Future Students Team to discuss eligibility for admission before applying through UAC.
Details of overseas secondary qualifications that UOW will consider can be found on the UAC website.
You can use your ATAR or International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma to apply for admission to UOW. If you also have a tertiary qualification (e.g. Certificate IV, Diploma or Bachelor degree) you may be assessed for admission to a course based on this qualification instead of your ATAR.
Please contact the UOW Future Students Team for more information and to discuss your options.
Qualifications that are accredited by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), such as those provided at TAFE and the UOW College, can be used as a basis for entry to UOW. The above qualifications may be accepted for admission to some degrees. Admission is dependent on the completion of the course and the level of academic performance achieved.
In some circumstances you may be eligible for credit for prior learning. This means that you gain credit towards your UOW degree resulting in less units of study needed to complete your degree.
Please contact the UOW Future Students Team for more information and to discuss your options.
If you have previous university studies (complete or incomplete) from an approved university or other tertiary institution, you may be eligible for admission to a UOW course. You will need to provide a record of your achievement. For most courses you will need to have undertaken at least half of a standard full-time study load (0.5 full-time equivalent).
In some circumstances you may be eligible for credit for prior learning. This means that you gain credit towards your UOW degree resulting in less units of study needed to complete your degree. So that UOW can assess your eligibility for this, you'll need to provide a syllabus or subject descriptions of your prior study with your application for admission. If your documents are in a language other than English, you will need to provide official English translations as well as the original language documents.
Please contact the UOW Future Students Team for more information and to discuss your options.
UOW College provides a range of university preparation programs designed for students who have not met the direct entry requirements for admission to a UOW Bachelor degree. Students are taught the essential academic and tertiary skills needed to undertake a UOW Bachelor degree. Visit the UOW College for course information.
If you have completed a UOW College university preparation program such as the University Entrance Program (UEP), you can use these qualifications as a basis of admission into most UOW undergraduate courses, subject to meeting minimum UOW entry requirements. The exceptions include four-year professional degrees and double degree programs.
Please contact the UOW Future Students Team for more information and to discuss your options.
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.
In some circumstances you may be eligible for credit for prior learning. This means that you gain credit towards your UOW degree resulting in less units of study needed to complete your degree. So that UOW can assess your eligibility for this, you'll need to provide a syllabus or subject descriptions of your prior study with your application for admission. If your documents are in a language other than English, you will need to provide official English translations as well as the original language documents.
Please contact the UOW Future Students Team for more information and to discuss your options.
Work experience is an important aspect of your learning journey and will be considered in combination with your academic qualitifcations when we assess your application. Work experience alone, without a secondary or tertiary qualification, cannot be used as a basis for admission to UOW undergraduate degrees.
However, there are other pathways to UOW that may work for you. UOW College offers university preparation programs such as the University Entrance Programs (UEP). Completion of these programs can be used as a basis of admission into most UOW undergraduate courses, subject to meeting minimum UOW entry requirements. The exceptions include four-year professional degrees and double degree programs.
If you are interested in completing a university preparation program, contact UOW College.
If you completed your high school education overseas and it is comparable to an Australian Year 12 qualification you may be able to use your results towards admission to UOW. However, if you have another qualification (e.g. Diploma or Bachelor degree) you may be assessed on this instead of your senior secondary qualification.
All high school education results are converted to a Selection Rank, so to be considered for admission, each applicant needs to reach the current minimum Selection Rank required for the course they are applying for.
Please contact the UOW Future Students Team who can advise if your qualification is equivalent to a Year 12 qualification in Australia and can be considered for admission.
There are many options for students who do not have a sufficient ATAR (or Year 12 results), have not completed previous alternative study or did not finish to a Year 12 level at high school. UOW recognises many pathway programs. No matter what your age, or previous experience, there is an option for you.
Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)
If you will be at least 21 years of age on 1 March in the year you commence your study at UOW, and do not otherwise qualify for entry to the University, you may apply for admission on the basis of STAT Multiple Choice. STAT cannot be used for admission to Engineering, Law, Mathematics, Physics, or Psychology (Honours) degrees. For further details on STAT, visit the ACER website.
TAFE Tertiary Preparation Certificate
The TAFE Tertiary Preparation Certificate (TPC) is an alternative to undertaking a senior secondary qualification. Entry to UOW is dependent on the level of academic performance achieved in the TPC. For more information, please visit the TAFE website.
Limited Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
UOW accepts the Limited ATAR for admission to all undergraduate courses. You must be at least 20 years old on 1 March in the year you complete your HSC studies. You must also complete between 5 and 9 units of ATAR courses, including at least 1 unit of a Category A English course.
Please contact the UOW Future Students Team for more information and to discuss your options.
The University of Wollongong's commitment and encouragement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to engage and participate in tertiary education is actively cultivated through our Woolyungah Indigenous Centre (WIC). WIC is responsible for ensuring UOW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student access, support, and promoting education to high school students via the nationally recognised Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience.
WIC runs the Indigenous Admissions Program (IAP), an alternative admissions pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 17 seeking entry into UOW's undergraduate programs.
If you haven't completed secondary school, aren't receiving an ATAR, or haven't obtained the required ATAR score for your preferred course, you are welcome to apply for IAP.
After successfully completing the IAP, you may be offered direct entry to your chosen UOW course. WIC will continue to support you during your studies to enable you to meet your education goals through programs such as the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme and offering a physical environment where you are able to access support services, technology as well as a place to study.
For further information, visit the Woolyungah Indigenous Centre website or call WIC on (02) 4221 3776.
All UOW courses are taught in English, relying on different levels of proficiency. If English is not your first language, you will need to meet the University’s English Language Requirements. English requirements vary between courses at UOW, these are available alongside each course description in UOW's Course Finder. Results in major international tests are accepted, including IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Cambridge and OET for some health-related courses.
You can also meet the requirement by completing an English course at UOW College.
Non-school leaver applicants (i.e. not currently completing a senior secondary qualification) can apply directly to UOW for most degrees. Applications for Pre-Medicine and Education (except Early Years) must be made through UAC.
Direct applications to UOW are free and can be made at Applying to UOW as a mature-age student.
If you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or permanent resident of Australia currently completing a senior secondary qualification or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, you apply to UOW through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Your application for a UOW undergraduate degree will be processed by UAC. Visit the 'Apply' section of the UAC website to nominate up to five degrees you'd like to study, in order of your preference. Be sure to check UAC's application guidelines and timelines.
A course prerequisite of Mathematics Advanced is required for admission to the Bachelor of mathematics and Bachelor of Data Science and Analytics. It also apples to combined mathematics courses. Admission to the Bachelor of Mathematics Advanced requires all students to have a achieved a minimum of Mathematics Extension 2 (Band 3).
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.
Some courses and/or first year subjects are taught assuming that students have already achieved a minimum level of knowledge in a particular discipline area.
Assumed knowledge is not a compulsory requirement for admission but if you haven’t achieved a certain level of knowledge in the subject area you may find the course difficult.
If you have not achieved the recommended level of assumed knowledge, you are strongly encouraged to undertake a bridging course. Bridging courses are available in biology, chemistry, and physics. The courses run in early February. To find out more, visit the UOW website.
To see if your preferred degree has any Assumed Knowledge or prerequisite requirements, check the course information on Course Finder.
UOW recognises that it's your personal qualities and skills that define who you are. With the UOW Early Admission program we get to know you, look at the results you've achieved so far, and can reward your hard work with a place at UOW before you sit your final high school exams (or equivalent).
In addition to your application and interview, you must be completing an Australian senior secondary qualification (e.g. HSC or interstate equivalent) or completing the IB Diploma in Australia to be considered for a UOW Early Admission offer.
Full application criteria, and information on the application process is available on the Early Admission page.
TEQSA is Australia's independent national regulator of the higher education sector. Their national register lets you search for accredited higher education providers and courses.
The federal government's CompareED website helps you easily compare the study experience and employment outcomes from Australian higher education institutions. You can also compare the different study areas of different institutions, with all results based on thousands of surveys completed by students across Australia.
The Universities Admissions Centre processes applications for admission to most undergraduate courses at participating institutions (mainly located in NSW and the ACT), including UOW.
If your application is unsuccessful and you consider it was not assessed on its merits, first discuss your concerns with us by contacting Future Students to get an understanding of the reason/s your application was unsuccessful. There may be other options open to you.
If you still consider that your application has been assessed incorrectly, you may lodge an appeal within 10 working days of receiving your admissions outcome.
To lodge an appeal:
Coursework Applicants (Undergraduate and Postgraduate Coursework)
Higher Degree Research Applicants (Postgraduate Research)
The table below provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study in 2023, including students admitted throughout the year and international students studying in Australia.
UOW student profile
Number of students
Percentage of all students
A. Higher education study
Students admitted on the basis of earlier higher education study (includes bridging or enabling courses).
B. Vocational education and training (VET) study
Students admitted on the basis of prior vocational education and training (VET) study at AQF Certificate 4 level or higher.
C. Work and life experience
Students admitted on the basis of previous achievement other than higher education study, vocational education & training, or recent secondary education.
D. (i) Recent secondary education
Students admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)
D. (ii) Recent secondary education
Students who were admitted on the basis of both ATAR and additional criteria (e.g. an audition or individual subject results)
D. (iii) Recent secondary education
Students who were admitted on the basis of other criteria where ATAR was not a factor (e.g. UOW Early Admission).
Total domestic students
Total International students studying in Australia
All students
6,605
100%
Note: Based on profile statement above UOW is reporting student commencers at UOW's campuses in Australia in bachelor degrees as reported through TCSI Reporting 2023 (International and Domestic) as the most recent complete year of commencements (2023). The University of Wollongong College (UOWC) deliver diploma courses on UOW’s behalf. Commencing students in these courses are reported in the UOWC student profile.
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