Your direct pathway to UNSW Sydney
Take the first step with UNSW College and secure your future at UNSW Sydney – Australia's most employable university.
Progress to second year at UNSW
Missed the ATAR for your dream UNSW degree? Don’t let that stand in your way. A UNSW College Diploma is your seamless pathway to your preferred degree – without losing time.
Start in May 2025 and, in just 12 months, you’ll gain the skills and knowledge needed to step directly into the second year of a UNSW degree in June 2026.
Whether your passion lies in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, Media and Communications, or Science, you’ll have access to countless specialisations to shape your future.
Applications are now open
Offers released
Classes start
Course duration
Content
Support
Progression
Why choose a Diploma with UNSW College?
Direct entry into second year at UNSW
Complete our 12-month Diploma and progress directly into the second year of your preferred degree at UNSW Syndey. Graduate with your dream UNSW degree – no compromises, no delays.
Complete support whenever you need it
Our dedicated support teams are here to help prepare you for a smooth transition to UNSW Sydney, covering everything from academics to well-being. Enjoy individual attention in small classes, weekly tutor consultations, and access to study and social clubs, volunteering opportunities and internships.
Equivalent to first year
Developed with UNSW, our Diplomas mirror the first-year degree curriculum and are fully recognised by UNSW. Taught by expert teachers, many of whom also teach at university – so you meet the same high standards from day one.
Part of the UNSW family
From day one, you’ll experience life as part of the UNSW family. Study on the Kensington campus with access to cutting-edge facilities, including libraries, 3D makerspaces, innovation hubs, design studios and labs. Dive into a vibrant social scene through Arc@UNSW, with over 300+ clubs and societies to help you make lasting connections and explore your passions.
"Completing my diploma at UNSW College prepared me immensely for university life. I thrived in the diverse environment, honed my time management skills, and embraced the higher standard of education and dedication."
Harrison's journey
Our Diploma Programs
Key Dates
| Orientation | Start of Week One | Payment due date | Census | Finish | Start at UNSW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-May-25 | 12-May-25 | 23-May-25 | 6-Jun-25 | 1-May-26 |
Term 2 - 01 Jun 2026 |
| Program name | Total units of credit | Subjects to complete | 2025 Indicative Fees Per Subject ($AUD) | Payment due date* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diploma of Business | 48 | 8 | $4,752 |
23-May-25 |
| Diploma of Computer Science | 48 | 8 | $4,752 | 23-May-25 |
| Diploma of Engineering | 48 | 8 | $4,752 | 23-May-25 |
| Diploma of Media and Communications | 48 | 8 | $4,752 | 23-May-25 |
| Diploma of Science | 48 | 8 | $4,752 | 23-May-25 |
*Each teaching period has a payment due date, when tuition fee payments are due, and a census date. The census date is the last day you can withdraw from a course without financial penalty. You can also find the payment due dates on your student Fee Statement.
This program is currently offered as a full-fee paying course, and FEE-HELP is not available. Fees are charged per term, based on the subjects you are enrolled in and are due on payment due date each term (refer to Key dates). Payment due date is different to Census date. The census date is the last day you can withdraw from a course without financial penalty.
Please note: This information is provided as a general guide and applies to full-fee paying domestic students.
If you are a domestic student who received a slipback offer to study a UNSW Diploma under the Gateway Admissions Pathway, these fees do not apply. Please refer to this page for more information: 
Gateway Admissions Pathway | UNSW College.
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The Student Services & Amenities Fee (SSAF) is payable when you enrol in a Diploma Program. The fee covers non-academic services including counselling, career and financial advice, health and food services, sports activities and more.
Full-time: $117.00/term
Part-time: $87.75/term
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The program tuition fee that is quoted on your Letter of Offer is indicative and takes into account a range of factors such as:
- The calendar year in which you undertake your study in the course. For example, you may have commenced your Diploma in 2024, however you may undertake courses in 2025.
- Studying elective courses outside of your main program area. For example you may be enrolled in the Diploma of Business however you may have undertaken an elective unit from the Diploma of Media and Communication.
Potential course variations to your Diploma studies.
Fees are reviewed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed, so it’s important to remember that indicative tuition fees shown above are not guaranteed. Any update to fees is effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are for tuition only – other fees and charges are not included.
When you enrol into new courses in your subsequent study terms at UNSW College, a fee statement will be generated in myUNSW indicating the precise tuition fee amount that you will need to pay.
UNSW College Diploma Policies
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Diploma programs
Each Diploma program that a student undertakes at UNSW College is assessed using a variety of methods, resulting in a final mark for each course. This result generally takes the form of a mark between 0 and 100 and this mark determines a student’s final grade.
The Table below explains the course grades applied to Diploma programs:
Grade
Grade Descriptor
Grade Definition
Mark Range
HD
High Distinction
An outstanding performance that indicates the student has demonstrated a high level of understanding across the entire content of the course.
85% - 100%
DN
Distinction
A superior performance that indicates the student has demonstrated the ability to consider the course and its assessment requirements from a number of perspectives and to explore their interrelation.
75% - 84%
CR
Credit
A good performance indicating that the student can think analytically and contextually about the course and its assessment requirements, and to understand / present alternative points of view / perspectives and supporting evidence.
65% - 74%
PS
Pass
An acceptable level of performance indicating that the student has addressed the assessment requirements of the course and has demonstrated an acceptable understanding of the issues entailed.
50% - 64%
FL
Fail
Unsatisfactory performance, below the minimum expected level. This grade characterises work which shows a significant lack of understanding of the topic or its context and is therefore unsatisfactory.
< 50%
SY
Successful
Successful completion of a course for which a graded pass is not awarded. No mark is given so courses with this grade are not included in the calculation of a student’s WAM. However, the units of credit are counted as successfully completed, when calculating a student’s Risk Level.
UF
Unsatisfactory Fail
Unsatisfactory performance in an essential component of the course.
WC
Results not finalised
Result not finalised. The student has submitted a request for Special Consideration, for which the outcome is pending.
WD
Results not finalised
The student has not submitted or completed one or more components of the assessment required.
AW
Academic Withdrawal
Academic Withdrawal. Student discontinued the course after the deadline to drop without academic penalty but before the last day of the teaching period. The AW grade is not included in the calculation of the student’s WAM. However, it is counted as a failed course when calculating Risk Level. The AW grade becomes part of a student’s official academic record, so it is included on their academic transcript.
Weighted Average Mark
WAM, or Weighted Average Mark, is a cumulative average of all term-based subject marks (final term marks) for each diploma subject and for each completed attempt. It is published to two decimal places and appears on your academic record.
WAM is calculated according to the following formula:
- M = mark received in a course
- U = units of credit for a course
- ∑ = the sum of
For example, a student receives the following results for their subjects: 80, 81, 82, 83, 84. The first three of these subjects are 6 UOC (Units of Credit) each, and the last two are 3 UOC each. They would calculate their WAM as follows:
![[(80 x 6) + (81 x 6) + (82 x 6) + (83 x 3) + (84 x 3)] / (6 + 6 + 6 + 3 + 3) = 81.625](/content/unswcollege/au/en/study/domestic-diplomas/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid-layout-fixed-width/responsivegrid-full-top/column_layout_692821366/par_1/accordion_copy/accordion-item-0/column_layout/par_1/column_layout/par_2_1_50/image.coreimg.svg/1716855117794/wam-calculation.svg)
If you have transfer credit for a course or subject(s) completed at another institution, the marks for these will not be included in the calculation of your WAM. This exclusion is due to the fact that different institutions have different grading systems.
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A normal full-time Study Load across an Academic Year is 48 Units of Credit (UoC) and at least one Subject Enrolment in each Term. This equates to 1.0 Equivalent Full-time Student Load (EFTSL).
If you are a domestic student looking for information about the UNSW Gateway Admission Pathway, please click here.
UNSW Global Pty Limited ABN 62 086 418 582 trading as UNSW College™.
Diploma & Foundation Studies
UNSW Global Pty Limited ABN 62 086 418 582 trading as UNSW College™ currently delivers Diplomas and Foundation Studies on behalf of UNSW Sydney - CRICOS Provider Code 00098G; UNSW Sydney TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12055 (Australian University).
From 26 August 2024, UNSW College™ will commence delivery of Diplomas under its own CRICOS Provider Code - 01020K and TEQSA Provider ID: PRV13020 (Institute of Higher Education).
From 13 January 2025, UNSW College™ will commence delivery of Foundation Studies under its own CRICOS Provider Code - 01020K and TEQSA Provider ID: PRV13020 (Institute of Higher Education).
Pre-Masters Program & Academic English
UNSW College™ delivers the Pre-Masters Program and Academic English programs under CRICOS Provider Code 01020K and TEQSA Provider ID: PRV13020 (Institute of Higher Education).
See https://unswcollege.edu.au/esos for more information. © 2024 UNSW Global Pty Limited.