Vice-Chancellors
Between 1850 and 1924, the Vice-Chancellor (Vice-Provost until 1860) was elected annually by the Fellows of the Senate from its members.
Since 1924, the Vice-Chancellor has been appointed by Senate. The Vice-Chancellor is principal executive officer of the University, with responsibility for promoting the interests and furthering the development of the University. The title of Vice-Chancellor was changed to Vice-Chancellor and Principal in 1955.
Elected
| – Vice-Provosts: | |
| 1851-1853 | Sir Charles Nicholson Bt, MD Edin HonDCL Oxf HonLLD Camb |
| 1854-1860 | The Hon Francis Lewis Shaw Merewether, BA Camb |
| – Vice-Chancellors: | |
| 1860-1862 | The Hon Francis Lewis Shaw Merewether, BA Camb |
| 1863-1965 | The Hon Edward Deas-Thomson KCMG CB |
| 1865-1869 | The Hon John Hubert Plunkett, BA Dub |
| 1869-1883 | The Rev Canon Robert Allwood, BA Camb |
| 1883-1886 | The Hon Sir William Charles Windeyer, MA Sydney HonLLD Camb |
| 1887-1889 1895-1896 |
The Hon Sir Henry Normand MacLaurin, MA LLD StAnd MD LLD Edin |
| 1889-1891 1900-1902 1906-1908 |
The Hon Sir Arthur Renwick, BA Sydney MD Edin |
| 1891-1892 | Henry Chamberlain Russell CMG, BA Sydney, FRS |
| 1892-1894 1896-1899 1911-1914 |
His Honour Judge Alfred Paxton Backhouse, MA Sydney |
| 1902-1904 | The Hon Mr Justice Archibald Henry Simpson, MA Camb |
| 1904-1906 | Sir Philip Sydney Jones, MD Lond |
| 1909-1911 | The Hon Sir William Portus Cullen KCMG, MA LLD Sydney |
| 1914-1917 1921-1923 |
Frank Leverrier KC, BA BSc Sydney |
| 1917-1919 1923-1924 |
Cecil Purser, BA MB ChM Sydney |
| 1919-1921 | The Hon Sir David Gilbert Ferguson, BA Sydney |
Appointed
| – Vice-Chancellors: | |
| 1924-1928 | Professor Sir Mungo William MacCallum KCMG, MA Glas LLD Sydney HonDLitt Oxf |
| 1928-1947 | Sir Robert Strachan Wallace, BA Oxf MA LLD Aberd LLD |
| 1947-1955 | Emeritus Professor Sir Stephen Henry Roberts CMG, MA LittD Melb DSc(Econ) Lond HonLLD Brist, Br Col & McG HonDCL Durh HonDLitt UNE |
| – Vice-Chancellor and Principals: | |
| 1955-1967 | Emeritus Professor Sir Stephen Henry Roberts CMG, MA LittD Melb DSc(Econ) Lond HonLLD Brist, Br Col & McG HonDCL Durh HonDLitt UNE |
| 1967-1981 | Professor Sir Bruce Rodda Williams KBE, BA Melb MA Adel MA(Econ) Manc HonDLitt Keele HonLLD Melb & Manc HonDEcon Qld HonDSc Aston HonDLitt Sydney, HonFIE Aust FASSA |
| 1981-1990 | Professor John Manning Ward AO, MA LLB DUniv Sydney HonDLitt Waseda, FAHA FASSA FRAHS |
| 1990-1996 | Professor Donald McNicol, BA Adel PhD Camb |
| 1996 | Professor Derek John Anderson, BSc Nott PhD Wales, FLS |
| 1996-2008 | Professor Gavin Brown AO, MA StAnd PhD Newcastle(UK) HonLLD StAnd & Dundee, FAA CorrFRSE |
| 2008– | Dr Michael Spence, BA LLB Sydney DPhil PGDipTheol Oxf |