Frequently Asked Questions - Enrolment
- How will I know which subjects to choose at enrolment?
- What if I make a mistake in the units that I choose or want to change them?
- How many credit points should I take per semester?
- Do I need to be FULL-TIME?
- Which mathematics units of study do I take?
- Can I take units of study from other faculties?
- Can I get credit for previous tertiary study?
- Who can enrol in advanced units of study and how do I enrol in them?
- What is the Talented Student Program?
- Am I eligible for the Talented Student Program?
- Should I do a bridging course?
- What happens after I enrol?
- Where's my timetable?
- What textbooks should I buy?
- I can't make it to enrolment - what should I do?
- I enrolled in Science but now I want to accept a late round offer to study another degree
1. How will I know which subjects to choose at enrolment?
The Science Handbook and the enrolment guide for your course will both be essential for planning your degree.
- Look up your course in both - read the information there.
- Print out a copy of your course table
- Read about planning for a major if you know what it is you want to major in
- Look up the descriptions of the units of study and see which ones you want to do this year
- Write down the units you think you will want to do
- Note any advanced units - you'll need a special permission form to do those
- Write down any questions you have
- Come in and speak to advisors about your unit choices on your allotted day
Don't panic:
- You can discuss your choices with advisers when you come in to enrol
- You can change your mind up until the second week of the semester
2. What if I make a mistake with the subjects I choose or change my mind?
Don't worry, lots of students and proxy enrollers worry about choosing the wrong units of study on enrolment day.
You should come in with a good idea of what you want to study but if you make a mistake or change your mind you'll have until mid-March to add new units and the end of March to withdraw from units or from your whole course. This process of adding and withdrawing from units of study is called enrolment variation.
Most students will be able to change their enrolment online via their MyUni account.
If you can't (if they're advanced units of study where a special permission form needs to be signed) you can come into the Faculty Office with the signed special permission form and we'll help you.
3. How many credit points should I take per semester?
Look at the degree planning tables in the Handbook - this is a good guide for full-time students.
You should take 24 credit points each semester if you are a full-time student.
If you take less than 18 credit points in each semester you will automatically become part-time.
To finish your degree in the recommended minimum time you will have to take 48 credit points per year, or 24 credit points per semester.
If you enrol part-time you can take as few credit points as you like. You must keep in mind however that you have a 10 year limit to finish your degree.
4. Do I need to be FULL-TIME?
If you receive any financial support, whether from a University scholarship or from the Government, you may well need to enrol as a full-time student.
You should check carefully the terms and conditions of that support before going part-time.
Australian citizens and permanent residents who wish to receive a transport concession must be full-time students.
International students are required to be full-time.
5. Which mathematics units of study do I take?
All Faculty of Science undergraduate degrees require the completion of a certain number of Mathematics units of study.
To help you select the right mathematics units for you, please check the School of Mathematics and Statistics Undergraduate Program Guide for advice.
6. Can I take units of study from other faculties?
Most students can. The term "Elective" used in the degree plans in the Handbook indicates that this unit can be from another Faculty.
Generally you can take any unit of study offered by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Economics and Business.
Lists of available units of study will be available on enrolment day, or in each faculty's Handbook.
Also available are undergraduate units from any other faculty at the University of Sydney. The onus however is on you to get written permission from the relevant department and bring it to the Faculty of Science Office.
But there are limits, and exclusions. You should refer to the degree summary sections in the Handbook for specific information about your particular degree.
7. Can I get credit for previous tertiary study?
Read about Credit or Advanced Standing and come prepared to submit an application on the day that you enrol.
8a. Who can enrol in advanced units of study?
Advanced units of study are available to those students enrolled in any program in the Faculty of Science who have performed at a high level in science subjects in the HSC or who perform well in their studies at university.
Consult a departmental adviser about your eligibility to enrol in Advanced-level subjects in the first year of study.
Students should also consult the Unit of Study Tables for assumed and prerequisite marks in the HSC required to enrol in advanced units of study.
For students in an advanced degree it is recommended that you enrol in no more than 24 credit points of advanced units of study in a year. Advanced units of study are very demanding and students are required to perform at a higher standard than in the normal units of study.
8b. How do I enrol in advanced units of study?
On enrolment day there will be advisers with special permission forms. You will need to prove to the adviser that you meet the criteria to enrol in those units, get them to sign the form and then bring the form to the enrolment room.
Later on in the semester if you want to swap between advanced units or add new advanced units (but not drop advanced units) you will still need to get a special permission form signed and bring that in person to the Faculty Office to have us change your enrolment.
Your online MyUni account doesn't know what HSC results you got and won't know if you are allowed to enrol in that unit so it won't let you do it online.
9. What is the Talented Student Program?
The Talented Student Program (TSP) is unique to the University of Sydney. It is tailored to meet the students' individual needs and is restricted to the very top students. Read more about the TSP.
10. Am I eligible for the Talented Student Program?
Entry to the TSP is by invitation from the Dean, which you should have received by the time you enrol.
11. Should I do a bridging course?
There are bridging courses in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics, designed to cover the assumed knowledge that students would normally cover in the HSC.
They run in February each year after enrolment and are recommended for students who either didn't take a subject at the HSC or feel they need some revision.
More information on bridging courses.
12. What happens after I enrol?
By enrolling you've accepted your place at University.
You'll get a MyUni login and password, a student card and a University e-mail address.
Check your Uni e-mail regularly! Important mail about your degree will be sent here as well as Welcome information to help you find out about how University works.
Log in to MyUni and browse around the information there - it's a great resource with lots of useful information and you can use it to change the units of study you are enrolled in up until a certain date each semester.
Go to your lectures and have fun!
13. Where's my timetable?
Around a week before the semester starts you should be able to access your timetable through MyUni.
The Faculty of Science doesn't put your timetable together so follow all the links in your MyUni account for more information about timetables.
14. What textbooks should I buy?
Information about textbooks is provided by the Schools and Disciplines which run the units you are studying - check their website or contact them directly.
or
Read the Unit of Study descriptions in the Handbook
or
Wait until your first lecture in that subject - a reading list is often handed out then.
15. I can't make it to enrolment - what should I do?
If you received your offer through UAC then it is very important that you attend on your allocated enrolment day.
If you can't attend then you will need to get a proxy to enrol for you on that day.
If this is not possible for you then contact the Faculty of Science now.
UAC students who fail to enrol on their allocated day and do not contact us run the risk of losing their place in their degree.
16. I enrolled in Science but now I want to accept another offer
As you've enrolled, you've accepted your place with us in Science so you'll need to officially let us know that you no longer plan to study here. You'll need to fill in a Discontinuation form.