FAQs

Scholarship applications for most future and current undergraduate & postgraduate coursework students are online via the UNSW Scholarships website. Some external or other scholarship programs may require a different application process, so please check the information listed.

The indicative value of scholarships can be found in the relevant advertising and is confirmed in the Offer Letter that is sent to successful applicants. UNSW reserves the right to change the value of scholarships based on availability of funding.

Applicants should not make decisions about undertaking study based on the availability of scholarship funding. Scholarships are limited in number and do not cover the full cost of tuition fees and living expenses you will incur as a full-time student.    

To begin using the UNSW Scholarships online application system you first need to register.

*A domestic applicant for scholarship purposes means an Australian Citizen, Australian Permanent Resident, Australian Permanent Humanitarian Visa Holder, or New Zealand Citizen. New Zealand Permanent Residents are not considered local applicants for scholarship purposes.

** If you do not yet have a UAC Number, please use your Board of Studies number with a leading "1" e.g. "112345678". You MUST ensure you update to/provide a valid UAC Number prior to final submission of any scholarship applications.     

To finalize the acceptance of your scholarship offer, it's important to validate your zID.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Ensure you have access to your student email address and have set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). If you haven't done so yet, please refer to the following pages:

   • Set up your student email: https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/emails 
   • Set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): https://www.myit.unsw.edu.au/cyber-security/enterprise-identity/multi-fa...
     
     

2. Once you have access to your email and have set up MFA, follow these steps:

   1. Log in to your Scholarships account.
   2. Navigate to "Update login and/or password".
   3. Under new ID Type, select "UNSW Student ID", and enter your ID (excluding the 'z').
   4. Validate using your UNSW Student Email address.

If you are a domestic student, the registration login requires a 9 digit number. Please temporarily use a 9 digit number - ie the Board of Studies number with a leading "1" (e.g. "112345678") or create a 9 digit Login ID that you can remember. However you MUST ensure you update this to a valid UAC Number as soon as you receive it.

If you are an international student, please use your UNSW Student ID number (zID) followed by '00' (i.e. 123456700), or create a 9 digit Login ID that you can remember. However you MUST ensure you update this to your UNSW Student ID number followed by '00' as soon as you receive this number.

UNSW Scholarships encourages you to apply for multiple scholarships, provided you meet the Scholarship(s) eligibility criteria.

Our general advice is that you may apply for, be offered and accept multiple scholarships, however the Manager of UNSW Scholarships will make a determination on which scholarships may be held concurrently based on the terms and conditions of the various scholarships.

Your submitted application(s) and progress of application(s) will only appear in the 'Submitted Applications Summary' section of your Scholarships account.

You will automatically receive an email reminder to login once the result of your Submitted Application(s) is available.

If the status of your scholarship application is showing as 'Being Assessed' it means that applications are being reviewed. Once results are released, the status of your application will be updated.

You are able to un-submit your application before the closing date, which means you can edit your application up to this time, even if you have already submitted. You need to click on 'Complete your draft applications and submit' on the left hand menu and find the little red 'undo' arrow next to the scholarship you wish to un-submit.

Once you have completed your application, you are able to submit again.

We cannot accept late applications. Please check the scholarship deadlines carefully and ensure you submit your application and supporting documentation by the dates listed.

Most scholarships cannot be deferred. If you are choosing to defer your program (e.g. to take a gap year) and you have received an offer of a UNSW Scholarship you will need to contact UNSW Scholarships to check if your scholarship can be deferred or not.

Yes. Submitting an application for a scholarship does not constitute an application for entry or guarantee entry to programs at UNSW - applicants who are not current UNSW students must apply for admission to UNSW separately. Click here for information on how to apply to UNSW.

Should you be offered a program or faculty specific scholarship, it is your responsibility to ensure that you enrol in/are enrolled in the correct program.

For those currently seeking entry to UNSW, it is your responsibility to ensure that your UAC preferences are such that you gain entry to the program required by the scholarship.    

EQUITY SCHOLARSHIPS (ES)

Equity scholarships assist students who may experience financial or other educational disadvantage with the costs of tertiary study and help them reach their academic potential.

If you believe you experience any of the types of disadvantage listed below, you may be eligible for Equity Scholarships. 

• Carer responsibilities
• English language difficulty
• Financial hardship
• Indigenous Australian
• Long-term medical condition/disability or ongoing effects of abuse
• Refugee status
• Regional or remote disadvantage
• Sole parent responsibilities

Applicants wanting to be considered for a UNSW Equity Scholarship must submit a UAC Equity Scholarship (ES) application.

EDUCATIONAL ACCESS SCHEME (EAS) SCHOLARSHIPS

Applicants who have submitted a UAC Educational Access Scheme application can also be considered for a scholarship.  Only commencing domestic undergraduate students are eligible to apply.  Applicants must demonstrate disadvantage(s) from one or more of the following categories: 

• Disrupted schooling
• Financial hardship
• Home environment & responsibilities
• English language difficulty
• Personal illness/disability
• Refugee status
• School Environment 

For more information on the EAS application process, please refer to www.uac.edu.au/eas 

UNSW Scholarships considers anyone who is not classed as living in a "Major city of Australia" a rural student, however some scholarships list specific requirements and you should always check individual scholarship criteria.

In most instances rural areas will be considered according to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification - Remoteness Areas. You can check your status by using the link below. If you are currently living interstate you should only use the link below as a guide. If applying from a capital city in any state other than NSW you will be classed as living in a "Major city of Australia".

http://www.doctorconnect.gov.au/internet/otd/Publishing.nsf/Content/locator

New Zealand (NZ) citizens are generally eligible to apply for scholarships that are open to domestic students (Australian citizens and Permanent Residents).

Please check the specific scholarship eligibility criteria however as some programs may not be open to New Zealand citizens.

You can find more information here about entrance requirements: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/awards/university-entrance/entrance-to-australian-universities/

Please also refer to this link for the latest advice on a range of Australian Government reforms that may affect NZ students studying in Australia: http://studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassist/helpfulresources/pages/faqs-nz.

The following websites provide more information to international students interested in studying at UNSW: Future Students and UNSW International.  Students looking to undertake Postgraduate Research Programs (Master by Research or PhD) should visit the Graduate Research School web site. 

UNSW Scholarships manages all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework scholarships. Scholarships usually require a separate application process to applying for admission.

Scholarships are highly competitive and there are fewer scholarships than applicants. We also have very limited scholarship programs for international students. International Students should not rely only on scholarship support in order to study at UNSW, as there are no programs that will cover the full costs of studying and living in Australia. 

Search and Apply for UNSW Scholarships Online

The best way to search for UNSW scholarships is to visit our website: scholarships.unsw.edu.au. There are many different scholarships with different eligibility criteria and closing dates. 

Please select International in the Residency field to be directed to scholarships relevant to International Students.

 To narrow your search down, you’re able to select criteria relevant to you; this is helpful if you want to find scholarships specific to a certain Faculty, degree program etc. ALL scholarships available through our office are listed on this site and any new scholarships will be listed as they become available.

 Once you click Search, a list of scholarships will generate based on what you entered in your search.

 By clicking on the title, you will be taken to a page containing the detailed information of the scholarship. Make sure you read through this information carefully - it lists important information such as eligibility and selection criteria, which will help you determine whether or not you are eligible to apply.

Generally, scholarship applications need the following supporting documents:

(1) Academic Supporting Documents

High School Leaver

• Latest Year 12 School Report
• ATAR or IB Resullt (or equivalent) if applicable
• Other Certification

First Year Undergraduate Students

• Final Year 12 School Report
• ATAR or IB result (or equivalent)

Current Students/Postgraduate Coursework Students

• Most recent academic transcript or UNSW academic statement (for current UNSW students)

(2) Other Supporting Documents - Leadership/Extra-Curricular Activities

Evidence supporting your leadership/extra-curricular involvement. Examples include:

• Reference Letters
• Awards/Certificates

It is important to check the details of each scholarship for any other documentation that might be required. Please note also that supporting documents need to be uploaded as one PDF file. 

Please be advised UNSW Scholarships will only assess supporting documentation from the last three (3) years, on grounds of relevancy.

For further advice on what supporting documents to provide, please see our Supporting Documentation Guide. 

You can only delete a draft application after the closing date for that scholarship.

Due to the large volume of scholarship applications, we cannot provide individual feedback to applicants regarding their application or why they were unsuccessful. If you attended an interview however, you may be able to request feedback from the interview panel. For privacy reasons UNSW Scholarships does not usually announce the successful recipients of scholarships.

Yes! Scholarships are also available at UNSW in second and later years of many programs, so when you enrol at UNSW continue to visit www.scholarships.unsw.edu.au. You may also be eligible to apply for an Honours Year and Travel Scholarships which could provide you with a wide range of enriching experiences.

Yes. If you take a gap year you can still apply for a Scholarship when applications open again the year after you complete your HSC if you didn't undertake any university study towards a degree during your gap year.

Scholarship payments are processed each term, subject to UNSW Scholarships confirming you met the Scholarship ongoing eligiblity requirements.

If you have not received your payment, please ensure that:

• You have completed the Scholarship Acceptance Form and have provided your bank details.  
• Your bank account details are correct.  
• You are admitted and enrolled in a UNSW program.
• You meet the ongoing eligiblity requirements of your scholarship (i.e. Enrolment, Program/Plan, Academic Progress).

However, if you have not received your scholarship payment or believe you have been paid the wrong amount, please contact UNSW Scholarships.

Conditions of scholarships vary; however they will be clearly outlined in the offer letter sent to successful applicants. You will need to ensure that you understand the conditions for your scholarship as part of the acceptance process.

Each Term UNSW Scholarships reviews the enrolment of recipients to confirm their eligibility to receive their scholarship(s).

The Enrolment requirements relating to your scholarship is outlined in your offer letter(s).

You must inform UNSW Scholarships of any variations you make to your enrolment so that accurate and timely scholarship payments are maintained. Leave of absence, degree program transfers and withdrawal from courses can affect your scholarship payments.

Each Term, UNSW Scholarships reviews the academic progress of recipients to confirm their eligibility to receive their scholarship(s).

Academic progression requirements relating to your scholarship is outlined in your offer letter(s).

The Academic requirement can be:

• Credit Average (WAM of 65)
• Distinction Average (WAM of 75)
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (Generally this means that you must obtain a pass grade for all your courses and retain an Academic Standing status of 'GOOD')

If you change your enrolment or do not make satisfactory academic progress, you must contact UNSW Scholarships. Your scholarship will be reviewed and may be suspended or terminated. If your scholarship is to be suspended we will send a notification email to your student email account.

If you do not meet the academic requirement of your scholarship we may also notify your Faculty and they may request that you attend an interview with an Academic Advisor to discuss your progress.    

Generally speaking, Scholarship/Award payments are issued as:

• Tuition Fee Scholarships: The scholarship/award is paid directly to your tuition fees each term, prior to the term census date.
• Stipend Scholarships: The scholarship/award is paid via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) into your nominated Australian bank account.
• Residential Scholarships: The Scholarship is paid directly to your College in the form of credit notes.

Please refer to your UNSW Scholarship Offer letter for information on how your Scholarship is paid.

If you wish to change your bank account details before receiving your first payment you should contact UNSW Scholarships.

If you wish to change your bank account details after receiving your first payment, please follow the below instructions:

1. Log onto myUNSW
2. Click My Staff Profile
3. Click Payroll Information
4. Click Update My Bank Accounts

If you have any questions about scholarship payments please contact UNSW Scholarships. 

No, Scholarship payment dates are stipulated in the offer letter.

If you are experiencing temporary financial difficulties, click here for information about student loans. If you choose to apply for a student loan, you must indicate that you are receiving a scholarship.     

Generally, scholarships that provide remission or exemption from fees and/or HECS are not regarded as income for Centrelink purposes. However, an allowance of any kind paid directly to a student may affect your Centrelink benefit.

Please keep a copy of your scholarship offer letter to give to Centrelink, if required.

Information about how Centrelink treats scholarships is available from Centrelink's Youth, Student and Austudy Hotline on 132 490 or from: www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/individuals/exempt_equity.htm.     

UNSW does not withhold PAYG tax from scholarship or award payments. For this reason it is the responsibility of scholarship and award recipients to check with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and/or an independent tax adviser to ascertain if the payments they are receiving are classified as taxable income.

The following is given as a guide only:

• Scholarships or awards held by students who are enrolled full-time are generally tax exempt.
• Scholarships which include a work experience component are generally tax exempt provided the work experience is not compulsory (i.e. the offer letter states 'you may be invited to undertake work experience with (company name) over the summer vacation period'.
• Scholarships held by students who are enrolled part-time are generally not tax exempt and may need to be declared as taxable income.

For more information on whether or not your non-government scholarship is taxable please go to the Scholarship page on the ATO website. 

No. UNSW makes scholarship payments through the payroll system but scholarship recipients are full-time students (not employees). Some students may also be enrolled part-time and be in receipt of scholarship payments, however that scholarship income may need to be declared to the ATO - refer to the ATO for further advice.

All scholars are invited to submit a donor report or thank you letter. You will receive a survey to complete in October/November.

Yes, provided your scholarship/award was made after 2006 and is not an equity scholarship. For more information on transcripts go to:

https://student.unsw.edu.au/ahegs

Scholars should not attempt to directly contact donors/companies that may be contributing to their scholarship program. You will be given an opportunity to write a scholar report and thank you note which will be passed on to the donors. Please contact UNSW Scholarships office should you wish to discuss your scholarship.  All coursework scholarships are managed by UNSW Scholarships and any and all correspondence regarding your scholarship should be with this office.

Yes, you must advise UNSW Scholarships if you are planning to change programs as this can impact your eligibility for your scholarships. Contact UNSW Scholarships to request approval to continue receiving your scholarship under a new program.

Some scholarships will require an annual scholar report to be submitted to the donors of your scholarship. If this is a requirement of your scholarship as detailed in the offer letter, we will send you a notification in October/November with a link to a survey which will form the report.

If you are successful in receiving credit transfer from previous studies, the duration of your award may be reduced.

Scams are increasing in frequency and severity with scammers often targeting international students, including those at UNSW. Recent reports have included what is known as virtual kidnapping and gift-card scams.

UNSW Scholarships will never ask applicants and current scholarship holders for a scholarship application or payment processing fee. 

If you receive a request from UNSW, government, or police agency asking for money, please contact UNSW Security for advice to see whether it is legitimate (a real request). Never give your details or money to someone claiming to be from UNSW unless you are sure it is legitimate.

For more information, please see: https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/scams

If your Faculty, School or Unit would like to set up a coursework scholarship program, please contact UNSW Scholarships to discuss the process and obtain the correct Protocol documentation.

If you are an external Donor, organisation or partner and would like to set up a coursework scholarship, please contact the UNSW Division of Philanthropy by phone: + 61 2 8936 4700 or by email: philanthropy@unsw.edu.au 

If your Faculty, School or Unit would like to set up a coursework scholarship program, please contact UNSW Scholarships to discuss the process and obtain the correct Protocol documentation.

If you are an external Donor, organisation or partner and would like to set up a coursework scholarship, please contact the UNSW Division of Philanthropy by phone: + 61 2 8936 4700 or by email: unswfoundation@unsw.edu.au

• If you are a High School Leaver or future UNSW student and have forgotten your password, you will need to select the 'forgot password' option in the 'Future Student' box and type in your UAC number or Login ID in order to receive your new password. See below:

• If you are a current student you should be using your zPass via the Single Sign-On. If you are unsure and/or need to reset your zPass please visit: UNSW Identity Manager. Note that you need to register first before login into the system. If you have already registered once with your UAC number, you will need to login with the UAC number you used and update your details. See below:

UNSW Scholarships are provided to specific stages in your Academic studies.

If the error message appears that you are not in the correct stage you may need to update your profile in order to be eligible as you may be a 2nd year but the Scholarship is only available to 3rd year student or High School leaver.

To update your stage go to 'personal details' under 'my profile' and select the correct year of study from the drop down list. See below:

Please check your inbox and junk mail.

If an email has not reached you please check you are using the correct Login ID when entering your details into the system.

• If you are a domestic student, the registration login requires a 9 digit number. Please temporarily use a 9 digit number - ie the Board of Studies number with a leading "1" (e.g. "112345678") or create a 9 digit user name that you can remember. However you MUST ensure you update this to a valid UAC Number as soon as you receive it.

• If you are an international student, please use your UNSW Application number or your student number. You will need to select 'international' when registering. See below:

You will need to combine all your support documentation in one single PDF file (size limit 10MB) and upload as a single document. We suggest:

1. You scan your documentation to your computer then "print/convert" them to PDF (if you have Adobe Acrobat Professional or a third party tool that enables you to create PDF documents).
2. If you have access to a PDF Photocopier/Scanner (available at many work places or perhaps your school) you can create a PDF copy of your documentation that way.

Please make sure that you have included all documentation as specified in the Scholarship advertising.

Please make sure you submit your application and upload your Supplementary Material prior to the closing date of the scholarship. Late applications will not be accepted.

Please be advised UNSW Scholarships will only assess supporting documentation from the last three (3) years, on grounds of relevancy.

For further advice on what supporting documents to provide, please see our Supporting Documentation Guide.

Your supporting documents in your application will need to support the answers you have made in your application. You can include but not limited to:
o Competition awards
o School, coach or teacher references
o Participation certificate in volunteer activities
o School reports and academic transcripts

Please be advised UNSW Scholarships will only assess supporting documentation from the last three (3) years, on grounds of relevancy.

For further advice on what supporting documents to provide, please see our Supporting Documentation Guide. 

If you are receiving the "invalid session" notification, you are likely trying to log in using your Z number.  You probably have an existing account already. 

When you initially registered, you would have used your UAC number and the password you chose at the time. You will need to select "not a UNSW student" and log in with your original information, then go into your personal details and update them. See below:

If you have forgotten your password, you can re-set it and the link will be sent to the email address you used when you initially registered.

The grade field in the General Question session refers to the year you attained the achievement you are selecting.

When viewing the advertisement for an individual scholarship through your ‘my application’ that is part of a Common Group Scholarship Application, it will have under ‘Application Process’ a blue hyperlink that re-directs to the Common Group advertisement on the main website.

To avoid going in a loop and to apply for the Common Group Scholarship Application you will need to type in the scholarship code for the common group in the search bar in ‘search and apply for scholarships’ through your ‘my application’ section on your personal profile.

The scholarship will then appear in the search results and you will be able to click on ‘Apply Now’ to begin your application.

The 'COLLECTED' status refers to the scholarship being under review, pending a final outcome to be decided.

The Accepted-Details Required status means that you have accepted your scholarship and you must enrol into courses for your zID and zpass to become active on the scholarships system.

For the purposes of acceptance we take Accepted-Details Required as a valid acceptance, and the remaining requirements can be completed gradually before the commencement of the term.

Once you have enrolled into your courses your zID and zpass will become active within 24-48 hours.

You can then update your profile details, which will vary between the different types of scholarships. You will need to go back through the acceptance process again for this to work.

If your scholarship is paid via a stipend, then you will need to update your profile to your zID, declare whether you have other scholarships and also provide banking details, in your own name.

If your scholarship is paid via a tuition fee waiver then you only need to update your zID and declare whether you have any other scholarships.

After this your status will change to Accepted Conditional Offer. It will not go to Awarded status until the Scholarships Office is ready to process your payment.

• Postgraduate students or International students who have begun their application process and received their zID (student number) but have not yet been admitted to UNSW will need to select "Register" in the Future Student box.

• Under the Login ID type your zID (without the zID), followed by "00". For example: 123456700. You will then be able to register.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a requirement at UNSW for all students and staff (including casuals and affiliates), i.e., everyone with a current zID account. MFA provides an additional layer of security to help protect the University and your account from unauthorised access.

For more information, and to setup MFA, please see MyIT: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Domestic - Commencing Undergraduate study in Term 1 2024?

Scholarship offers will be made progressively from ATAR release (14 December). The Scholarship team will also be available at the UNSW Info Day (Friday 15 December) to answer your questions.

Visit the 2024 Commencing Undergraduate Scholarships for Domestic Students page for more information.  

International - Commencing Undergraduate or Postgraduate Coursework study in Term 1 2024?

The main round of scholarship offers for International Undergraduate and Postgraduate Coursework Students Commencing in Term 1 2024 will be made from Tuesday 19 December 2023 onwards. Subsequent offer rounds may be made in January. If you have received an offer and are having difficulties accepting it in the Scholarship Application Online portal, please refer to the instructions linked in your scholarship offer email. If you are unable to resolve the issue using these instructions, please lodge an enquiry via Contact us.

International Student Award

Please direct any urgent questions about the International Student Award application and acceptance process to the UNSW Admissions team via the enquiry form.

As outlined in the Scholarship Acceptance form, "If you do not have a UNSW Student ID (zID) you will need to update it once you have received an Offer of Admission [to UNSW]."

If you have accepted the Scholarship Offer; you will:

• Receive an email advising you that your acceptance has been received; and
• The status of your Scholarship Offer will be updated to "Accepted - Details required".

Once you have received an offer of admission, you will need to update your login details and provide UNSW Scholarships with your bank account details (if required). 

If you have received multiple Scholarship Offers, please contact UNSW Scholarships via email or webform enquiry for advice.

In some instances you may be approved to hold more than one scholarship or award, however these are reviewed individually and approved on exception.

Details of the Scholarship Offer are available in your Scholarship Application Online account.

If you do not know your account details, please complete the following steps:

1. Go to the Scholarships Website - www.scholarships.unsw.edu.au
2. Click on ‘Register / Login’.
3. Select ‘Forgot Password’.
4. Enter your UAC Undergraduate Admission application number, your UAC Equity Scholarship application number (if applicable), or your UNSW Student ID (zID) followed by '00'.
5. Click on ‘Submit’.
6. You will then receive an email advising you of your temporary password for the Scholarships portal.
7. Log into your Scholarships account using the login details provided in the email.
8. Click on 'Submitted Applications Summary' and view the offer letter.

If you have any questions about the offer or have any issues logging in, please contact UNSW Scholarships.

UAC sends an initial notification to Equity Scholarship applicants who have received a Scholarship Offer.

UNSW Scholarships will email a formal offer letter within 2 business days with further details including the name of the scholarship, value and duration, along with instructions on how to accept. Please ensure you accept your offer by the deadline listed.