Frequently asked questions
FAQs about applying for uni
If you have a disability and are having problems with the UAC application process, call us on (02) 9752 0200 between 8.30am and 4.30pm (Sydney time) Monday to Friday or email us using the enquiry form. We will be happy to help you with your application.
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- To start your application, first register your account with an email address and password.
- Then enter your Year 12 student number and your UAC PIN.
Your Year 12 student number is issued by your school.
2024 NSW HSC applicants and ACT Year 12 applicants: Your UAC PIN will be emailed to the address you registered with NESA.
All other applicants, including Year 12 students from other states: Your UAC PIN is the first four digits of your date of birth – eg if your birthday is 3 October, your UAC PIN is 0310. - Your personal details will autofill. Check them carefully. Enter your USI and a personal email address (not your school email address). UAC will contact you about your application via email. Once your personal details are complete, you will be issued with a UAC application number.
- You can then go on to choose your course preferences and submit your application.
Main and final closing dates for applying are listed in the course search. Apply by the main closing date to guarantee that your application will be considered.
Undergraduate early bird applications close at the end of September.
Postgraduate early bird applications close at the end of October.
The application processing charge increases significantly after this date.
You can submit one UAC application in each admissions period. If you change your mind about what you want to study, you can simply change your course preferences.
In your undergraduate application, you can select up to five course preferences. If you’re an international Year 12 applicant or you’re applying for postgraduate courses, you can select up to six. If you're interested in only one course, then enter only that course.
Not all undergraduate courses for 2025 will be available when applications open. If you can’t find the course you want to apply for, choose another course as a placeholder and come back later to review and change your preferences. Courses will be added gradually over the following months and all semester 1, 2025 courses should be available by early August.
Some courses have early closing dates. Check the latest course information through the course search.
Yes. You can apply for the same course with multiple start dates; however, each start date is considered a new preference.
Not all undergraduate courses for 2025 will be available when applications open. If you can’t find the course you want to apply for, choose another course as a placeholder and come back later to review and change your preferences. Courses will be added gradually over the following months and all semester 1, 2025 courses should be available by early August.
Undergraduate applicants: Yes. You can only receive one offer in each offer round and institutions will consider your course preferences according to the order in which you list them. If you're eligible and competitive enough for the first preference you've listed, you'll be made an offer to that course and the rest of your preferences won't be considered. If you aren't eligible or competitive enough for your first preference, but are eligible and competitive enough for your second preference, you'll be made an offer to your second preference and the rest of your preferences won't be considered. You'll be considered equally with all other eligible applicants, whether it is your first or fifth preference. Selecting and changing undergraduate course preferences
International applicants: Yes. Each institution will consider your application separately and they will consider your courses in the order you've listed them in your application. You could therefore receive one offer from each institution to which you've applied. Selecting and changing international course preferences
Postgraduate applicants: It depends on which institutions you are applying to: some institutions use a preference-based offer system, which means the order of your preferences matters, while others use a multiple offer system, which means the order does not matter. Selecting and changing postgraduate course preferences.
Yes. Your course preferences are considered in the order you have listed them on your application. If you aren't eligible or competitive enough for your first preference, but are eligible and competitive enough for your second preference, you'll be made an offer to your second preference.
If you need to provide supporting documents, you will be prompted to do so in your application. The required documents will also be listed in your confirmation of application, which you can download when you complete your application.
Most Year 12 applicants don’t need to provide supporting documents.
All documents must be uploaded to your application as PDFs.
You will most likely receive an error message if the file name of the document you are uploading is too long. Please shorten the file name to 40 characters or less before you upload.
The file will automatically be linked to your application, regardless of what the file name contains.
If you're using an Apple computer with an OSX version less than 10.8, do not use its built-in PDF software to prepare PDF documents. Documents created or saved using this software and uploaded will be not viewable.
Yes, but you'll need to submit a separate postgraduate application. International postgraduate applicants must apply directly to the university.
You must provide details of previous study to UAC in your application: all completed secondary studies, and complete or incomplete tertiary study (Certificate III and above), including any courses you started in semester 1 this year. The following studies and qualifications aren’t taken into account by institutions so you don’t have to include these in your application:
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificates I and II
- statements of attainment
- TAFE statements
- courses delivered by Australian private providers that are not accredited. Only those courses accredited under the Australian Qualifications Framework, or by the relevant state/territory accreditation authority, will be taken into account. Qualifications undertaken with private providers won't be assessed without proof of accreditation for the particular course.
Most institutions will offer you credit for previous study. Read about credit transfer.
Yes, and you may be asked to provide evidence of your results. Upload your transcript to your application as soon as you receive it.
For some courses at some institutions, your work experience will be taken into account with your application. To be considered, your employment experience must be equivalent to at least one year full-time. Therefore, employment experience is not relevant for Year 12 applicants.
UAC assesses all qualifications using procedures and guidelines agreed to by UAC’s participating institutions.
UAC may need to change details as entered by you in your application. These changes may be due to an error or omission in your application, or as a result of the institutions’ assessment guidelines. If your qualification is an international qualification, UK NARIC and the Australian Education International – National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) are the primary sources that are used to determine the Australian equivalency of your qualification.
If you receive an offer we'll send you an email. Most institutions require you to accept your offer online; however, each institution has particular instructions for accepting offers. Check the institution's website and follow the instructions carefully.