Admission pathways and programs

There’s more than one way to gain entry to your dream degree

Admission pathways and programs

There’s more than one way to gain entry to your dream degree

Our admission pathways, entry schemes and programs help you make the most of your ATAR by recognising your circumstances, high school achievements and other abilities and activities.

How can an entry scheme benefit me?

The entry scheme you are eligible for will depend on your circumstances. In some cases, an entry scheme might allow you to gain entry to a course with an ATAR lower than the cut-off point. Other schemes let you provide additional info to support your application – such as a creative portfolio or evidence of how your studies have been impacted.

Equity schemes

If you're from a regional, remote or low socio-economic area, or have experienced educational disadvantage or disrupted studies, these schemes can help improve your access to the University.

Recognising your achievements

We take all of your achievements into consideration, including exceptional performance academically or as an athlete or performer.

Indigenous pathways

If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student, these schemes can help you study at Sydney.

Mature age

If you are a domestic applicant over the age of 21, and do not already hold a recognised qualification, this scheme may help you gain admission to eligible undergraduate degrees.

More about the Mature-age Entry Scheme

Creative skills

Faculty-specific schemes

If you are an architecture, design, music or visual arts applicant, you can use these pathways to demonstrate talent or creative skills that supports your application.

Other pathways

If you don't meet the eligibility criteria of your chosen course, you may still be able to study something similar or find another way to get into the course.

Always list your most preferred course as your highest preference, even if you don't meet the entry requirements.

You might still receive an offer of admission based on your rank (i.e. below the published selection rank), depending on the availability of places.

You may also be eligible for adjustment factors you are unaware of – which would make you eligible to receive an offer.

Ensure you have a course you are confident you meet the requirements for as your fifth preference to maximise your chance of receiving an offer.

Apply for a course that allows you to study what you want or, something similar.

One way to do this is to see if another course allows you access to our shared pool of majors and minors. The shared pool gives you the flexibility to study your desired major through a different course.

For example, you can enrol in a Bachelor of Arts and study finance as your second major, a minor or an elective.

Complete the first year of another course with a lower selection rank then apply to transfer into your preferred course.

If your grades from your first year are better than your ATAR (or equivalent), you’ll be assessed for admission based on them. If the units of study from your first year are relevant to your new degree, you can apply for them to be credited towards that course.

If you do not receive an offer to the undergraduate course of your choosing, you may still be able to study your area of interest through a postgraduate course.

This option is available if you want to gain a professional qualification in areas including, but not limited to, dentistry, medicine, nursing, psychology, teaching, physiotherapy, diagnostic radiography, speech pathology, occupational therapy and veterinary medicine.

E.g. If you do not receive the ATAR (or equivalent) for admission to the Bachelor of Laws, you can complete a bachelor’s degree from another discipline and then apply for admission to the Juris Doctor.

Graduate entry is competitive and varies depending on the degree. Check the admission criteria for your specific course.

Note: Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are limited for postgraduate study and are awarded based on academic merit.

Frequently asked questions

From Semester 1 2025, you can combine your adjustment factors from two eligible entry schemes up to a maximum of 10 adjustment factors.

Some competitive courses have a maximum number of allowable adjustments that is lower than the 10 potential adjustments you could receive from combining two eligible schemes. Combining adjustment factors does not override any course exclusions from schemes or maximum number of allowable adjustments at a course level across schemes. For example, you could receive 5 adjustments for one course from the Academic Excellence Scheme and 5 adjustments from the Educational Access Scheme for the same course. If the maximum number of allowable adjustments for that course is 8, you will receive 8 adjustments.

Eligible entry schemes are the Educational Access Scheme, Academic Excellence Scheme, and Elite Athletes and Performers Scheme. All other schemes are excluded.

You will be awarded the adjustment factors from the two schemes that are of highest benefit to you.

2025 course and entry requirements will be finalised in the coming months.

Admission pathways and programs

How can an entry scheme benefit me?

Equity schemes

Recognising your achievements

Indigenous pathways

Mature age

Faculty-specific schemes

Other pathways

Apply if you are close to the entry requirement

Apply for a similar course

Transferring

Complete another recognised qualification

Graduate entry

Frequently asked questions

Am I a domestic or international applicant?

Can I apply for postgraduate study through these schemes?

Can I combine points across admission pathway schemes?

What is a current school leaver?