Commonwealth Supported Fees

The below table displays the UNSW tuition fee for a Commonwealth supported student, called 'student contribution amounts'. These amounts are shown per Equivalent Full-Time Study Load (EFTSL), which is one year of standard full-time study (i.e. 48 units of credit); and per 6 units of credit (or 0.125 EFTSL) which is a standard course load at UNSW. 

Note: The cost will vary with the amount of units of credit attached to a course. 

In addition to tuition fees, UNSW will charge a Student Services & Amenities Fee

The costs in this section are grandfathered, this means costs are based on pre-2021 changes to funding.

The below table displays the UNSW tuition fee for a Commonwealth supported student, called 'student contribution amounts'. These amounts are shown per Equivalent Full-Time Study Load (EFTSL), which is one year of standard full-time study (i.e. 48 units of credit); and per 6 units of credit (or 0.125 EFTSL) which is a standard course load at UNSW. 

Note: The cost will vary with the amount of units of credit attached to a course. 

In addition to tuition fees, UNSW will charge a Student Services & Amenities Fee

What were the grandfathering arrangements in 2021?

New student contribution amounts took effect in the 2021 academic year, as per the above tables.

Grandfathering arrangements will be in place for students who would see an increase in their student contribution amounts. Under these arrangements, students who commenced their course of study (program) before 1 January 2021 facing increased student contribution amounts for a unit of study (course), will instead have their student contribution and Australian Government contribution amounts remain as they were under the previous arrangements (with existing rates being indexed by CPI each year).

If continuing students are enrolled in units of study (courses) that will see their student contribution amount lowered, their student contributions will be the lowered amount and the Australian Government contribution would be the new rate.

Who is eligible for the grandfathering arrangement?

The Australian Government has (currently) advised that a student may be eligible for a grandfathering arrangement under the Job Ready Graduates Package, if any of the following apply;

• you began your program (your ongoing program) with a UNSW before the commencement day (1 January 2021) but you have not completed your ongoing program immediately before that day;
• you completed your program (your earlier program) with UNSW before the commencement day (1 January 2021) and, on or after that day, you began your honours program with UNSW that relates to the earlier program and that is leading to a higher education award that is an honours degree;
• you were undertaking, in 2020, an enabling program and, on or after the commencement day (1 January 2021), you began another program that is leading to a higher education award; and
• you were, at any time before the commencement day, a Commonwealth supported student in relation to course in the ongoing program, earlier program or enabling program (as the case may be); and
• you undertake a course as part of the ongoing program, honours program or later program (as the case may be) that has a census date that is on or after the commencement day (1 January 2021); and
• that unit of study is a grandfathered unit.

Who is not eligible for the grandfathering arrangement?

•  Any student who began their program (with a census date after the commencement day of 1 January 2021) where;
  • you were not undertaking, in 2020, an enabling program; or
  • you are not commencing an honours program (after the commencement day of 1 January 2021) with UNSW after completing a bachelor degree with UNSW in a related degree (before the commencement day of 1 January 2021).
• Any student who changes program after the commencement day of 1 January 2021. You must remain in your original program (where you began your studies prior to the commencement day of 1 January 2021) to remain eligible for the grandfathering arrangements; 
  • this includes moving from a dual/double/combined degree to a single degree. Any change to your program code due to a shift to or from single/dual/double/combined degrees will forfeit your eligibility for grandfathering of your tuition. 
• Students in a domestic fee paying program that apply for a transfer to a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) in the same program, where the first census date in their CSP is after the commencement date of 1 January 2021. 
• Students in an international fee paying program that apply for a Commonwealth supported place (CSP) in the same program, due to a residency change, where the first census date in their CSP is after the commencement date of 1 January 2021. 

UNSW defines the following legislative phrases;