Bachelor
Immerse yourself in creative practice with the UNSW Bachelor of Fine Arts, a three-year degree when studying full-time.
Immerse yourself in creative practice with the UNSW Bachelor of Fine Arts, a three-year degree when studying full-time. With distinct and focused specialisations in animation and moving image, art theory, music, and visual arts - you can focus deeply on the creative field that matters to you.
Build technical skills and knowledge, learning from experts in practical and theoretical classes. And with strong industry connections embedded in each specialisation, you'll develop your career throughout the entire degree.
Self-discovery
Explore and develop your artistic voice within your chosen specialisation with options to experience a variety of creative disciplines. Enjoy hands-on practices in a comprehensive, intellectual, and artistic program.
Collaborate with purpose
Bring an open mind to our social campus culture - meet and work alongside artists who are changing the way we think about important issues. Find out how creative practices can raise awareness and drive action.
Real industry experience
What happens when you combine professional development, specialist facilities and industry-standard technologies with experienced, well-connected professional artists and musicians? Your career begins before you even graduate. This degree includes industry experiences such as exhibitions, screenings, studio internships, performances, and ensembles.
Domestic students are eligible to apply for the following volume of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) credits towards their UNSW degree that belong in the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture:
Considering your previous qualifications and their relevance to the chosen program at UNSW, the type and amount of credit you can apply for, as well as the duration of your remaining program, will then be determined.
Assessment by the Program Director is required for RPL applications toward Professional Accredited programs. Please note that eligibility for the full volume of RPL may be subject to accreditation requirements.
At UNSW, we are committed to ensuring prospective students have all the information they need in order to make informed decisions about their study options.
To assist you in gaining a better understanding of how Admissions works at UNSW, we have provided you with a summary of ATAR offers and the student profile.
We hope this information will help you identify the degree that is right for you.
At UNSW ADA, you will find the freedom and support to design the future you want. An ADA Portfolio Entry submission will demonstrate your passions alongside your best work, to boost your chances of admission to a bachelor's degree of your choice. For more information and to see specific guidelines for portfolio submissions visit UNSW Portfolio Entry.
Please note that acceptance into the Music specialisation requires you to audition. For more information, visit UNSW Music auditions
You don't need to have completed prerequisite courses, but we do assume you have a Year 12 (or equivalent) level of knowledge.
None
We offer a range of adjustment factor schemes that reward students for academic performance and extra-curricular achievements. These schemes also take into account a range of personal and educational disadvantages that may have affected your studies.
HSC Plus
This scheme rewards students who perform well in Year 12 subjects that are relevant to their preferred UNSW degree. You may be awarded up to five points.
Elite Athletes, Performers and Leaders (EAPL)
This program recognises achievements in the areas of sport, academia, leadership and music at an elite level. You may be eligible for up to five points.
Educational Access Scheme (EAS)
Factors such as illness, financial hardship, language difficulties or attending a particular school can mean you don't always get the best possible marks in Years 11 and 12. If one of these situations applies to you, submit an application for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) via UAC. Eligible students can receive between 1 and 10 points towards their chosen UNSW degree.
Your ATAR is not the only measure of your potential to succeed, which is why we offer a range of pathways into university. Explore your options below and get in touch with our future student advisors to discuss your path to UNSW.
Gateway Admission Pathway
This scheme is open to students in Years 11 and 12 who attend Gateway schools. It significantly adjusts the ATAR requirements for your preferred UNSW degree and provides you with an early conditional offer to UNSW.
Entry programs for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
We offer entry programs for Indigenous Australians, including the Indigenous Preparatory Programs and the Indigenous Admission Scheme (IAS). The entry pathway program you apply for will depend on the degree you want to study.
TAFE Admission Pathways
If you've studied a relevant diploma under a TAFE Training Package, you can receive credit transfer for up to 60 units of credit (UOC) into the Bachelor of Fine Arts. Learn more about the study plan with our Sample Bachelor of Fine Arts Study Plan., opens in a new window
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you're completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College's Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
| Qualifications | Direct entry requirement |
|---|---|
|
International ATAR
|
75
|
| UNSW Foundation Studies GPA |
6.9
|
|
Great Britain General Certificate of Education (GCE A levels)
|
10
All applicants must present a minimum of two Advanced Level (A2) subjects. Entry Scores are calculated from the best two, three, or four A2 Level subjects (excluding repeated subjects) using the following values: A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2 and E=1. |
|
International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)
|
26
Results based on scores required for entry into UNSW in 2019 and are only applicable if the Diploma has been completed. Students currently attempting the IB can apply directly to UNSW or through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). For more details, visit www.uac.edu.au |
|
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) (after 2016)
|
Please contact us for direct entry requirements. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) based on the total of evidence-based reading and writing and mathematical test scores. Must be provided in conjunction with evidence of successful completion of senior secondary studies. |
We do not accept secondary qualifications from this country. We may accept tertiary study results, please contact us for more information.
Please contact us for direct entry requirements.
Typically, international students are eligible to apply for the following volume of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) credits towards their UNSW degree that belong in the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture:
Generally, International students must ensure that their prior qualifications are assessed and deemed relevant to the program they intend to pursue. Additionally, they are required to maintain a full-time study load as part of the conditions for their Confirmation of Enrolment.
Please note that acceptance into the Music specialisation requires you to audition. For more information, visit UNSW Music auditions, opens in a new window.
You don't need to have completed prerequisite courses, but we do assume you have a Year 12 (or equivalent) level of knowledge.
If you do not meet the requirements for direct entry into your chosen degree, you may be eligible for a pathway program with UNSW College. UNSW College provides alternative entry options using university-approved content so that you can start your UNSW journey with confidence.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you'll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College's Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
More than just a foot in the door or a pathway towards landing your first job, this degree will set you up with the professional and creative skills you'll need to thrive throughout your career. Turn your time with us into a future that celebrates your passion and purpose.
Many career options lie ahead in your future. If you don't know what you want to do yet, that's ok. University is the time to test your ideas, discover potential career paths, or develop the knowledge to create a job that doesn't even exist yet.
Along with flexible course options, degrees from UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture include opportunities to experiment with professional roles in internships and work placements. You'll build a network of contacts among your classmates and lecturers, and you'll be able to reach out to a global network of UNSW graduates.
"UNSW inspired me and exposed me to new worlds of sound, art, language, people and thinking. It was incredible to be immersed in music of all kinds, every day, with other music enthusiasts from varied backgrounds. It was great taking extra-musical subjects as well - it kept things really interesting and provided a rich and fulfilling educational experience.
My degree helped to lay a really solid foundation of music theory and performance. It also exposed me to a broad range of music, including 'new music' of the 20th and 21st centuries, and early music, both of which I loved and continued to focus on after uni.
It also allowed me to indulge other aspects of my creative self, such as visual and embodied creativity through art and dance subjects. And I now love to work in a similarly interdisciplinary manner through collaborations with other arts practitioners."
Sonya Holowell
Composer