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How to apply for Undergraduate Study in the Faculty of Science

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Year 12 Application

Local Year 12 students should apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Your application will usually be considered on the basis of your Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) or the equivalent interstate result and where relevant, additional selection criteria.

Additional criteria which apply in the Faculty of Science:

  • Applicants for the Bachelor of Science (Advanced)/Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery or the Bachelor of Medical Science/Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery are short-listed on the basis of their ATAR or equivalent results. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview.

Flexible Entry

Flexible Entry allows school leavers seeking entry to certain courses at the University to be offered a place in their chosen course on the basis of their ATAR in combination with other specified selection criteria.

Flexible Entry is relevant to applicants whose ATAR may fall short of the ATAR cut-off for their chosen course but who are able to show that they are suited to the course on the basis of other criteria. In the case of Science, this could mean excellent performance in your HSC Science and Mathematics subjects.

For more information visit the Faculty's Flexible Entry website.

Mature-Age Entry

  • If you are at least 21 years of age on 1 March
  • Do not have a UAI/ATAR or equivalent and/or
  • Have not completed one full-time year (or part-time equivalent) of tertiary study,

you may be able to complete an approved preparation course and apply to study at the University.

Preparation courses which are acceptable for most courses in the Faculty of Science are:

  • UPC (Mathematics and Science)
  • Limited HSC (English, Mathematics, Chemistry plus either Biology or Physics)
  • TPC (English, Mathematics, Chemistry plus either Biology or Physics)

Science/Arts has slightly different requirements.

More information on these courses is available on the Admissions Office website.

Direct Mature-Age Entry is not available to these degrees in the Faculty of Science:

  • Bachelor of Psychology
  • Bachelor of Science (Advanced)
  • Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics)
  • Combined Science-Medicine

Mature-age applicants need only to apply through the Universities Admissions Centre to be considered. No other application is required unless specified under additional selection criteria in the UAC Guide entry.

Visit the Admissions Office Mature-Age Entry Scheme Information webpage for more information.

Mid-Year Entry

The availability of mid-year places in Science degrees can depend on whether there are any vacancies and this is established in early April.

Please note that there is no mid-year entry to the following degrees:

  • Bachelor of Psychology
  • Bachelor of Science (Molecular Biotechnology)
  • Bachelor of Science (Nutrition)
  • Combined Science-Medicine

Local students can apply for mid-year admission through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). UAC posts information about mid-year admission on its website from April onwards.

If you are a prospective international student, you can enquire about mid-year admission at the International Office.

NB: Mid-year places may not be available for international students.

Transferring to the Faculty of Science

For more information see the Transferring to the Faculty of Science webpage.

Examples of the qualifications accepted by the University

  • Australian Year 12 qualifications such as the NSW HSC (with a UAI/ATAR) and equivalent interstate qualifications
  • One or more full-time years of study in a degree course from an Australian university
  • A completed AQF diploma or higher level award course from TAFE or certain private providers
  • A recognised preparatory course
  • Certain overseas senior secondary qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate, GCE A Levels, New Zealand National Certificate of Education, French Baccalaureat, etc.
  • One or more full-time years of study in a degree course from certain universities overseas

The University does not admit students solely on the basis of professional qualifications, life experience, results in certificate courses or performance in admission tests such as the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT), or on the basis of any combination of these qualifications.

Non-degree Study and Cross-institutional Study

Non-Degree Study Information

University of Sydney students wishing to undertake study at another Institution

Students from Institutions other than the University of Sydney wishing to undertake cross-institutional study at the University of Sydney

Distance Learning

The Faculty of Science does not offer any of its programs through distance education. Our degrees require the completion of a substantial number of on-campus tutorials, practicals and laboratory classes. To provide the best possible learning experience, our courses offer a high degree of practical experience, which cannot be fulfilled through on-line, correspondence or distance teaching.

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