How to Apply to Engineering at the Australian National University: A Systems Engineering Framework with a Common First Two Years, the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Its Research & Development Version, for Australian Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The Australian National University (ANU) is in Canberra, and its engineering undergraduate degrees are offered by the School of Engineering in the College of Systems and Society. Here is what you need to know for 2027 entry, based on ANU’s official information, for Australian domestic students, international students (including students at high schools in China) and transfer students.

1. The engineering degrees

• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (program code AENGI): four years with Honours embedded. The program page says it is built on a “systems engineering” framework in which students learn how engineering disciplines work together to design, analyse and manage complex systems.
• Bachelor of Engineering (Research & Development) (Honours) (AENRD): four years, described as the “elite twin” of the Bachelor of Engineering. From second year, individual research projects form part of the coursework: 3 to 4 projects over 5 semesters, within the School of Engineering or more widely across the University. The page says it is accredited by Engineers Australia (EA), that you may also apply to practise in other countries through the Washington Accord, and recommends confirming the accreditation requirements in your home country.
• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering (AENSE): combines systems and design engineering with software development. Third and fourth years include industry team projects, and in the final year you choose Software Engineering Practice, a Software Engineering Research Project, a Capstone Design Project or an Individual Project. Computer science has its own guide on this site, so it is not covered here.
• Majors: the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and the R&D version both require a specialisation: Aerospace Systems, Electronic and Communications Systems, Environmental Systems, Mechatronic Systems, Nuclear Systems or Renewable Energy Systems. Minors include Humanitarian Engineering, Sustainable Systems, Electronic and Communication Systems, Mechatronic Systems, Nuclear Systems and Renewable Energy Systems.
• Common first two years: the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) page says the first two years are common for all students, who meet several engineering disciplines before specialising. The study plan (PDF) lists fundamentals such as Discovering Engineering (ENGN1211), Engineering Design 2 to 4, Introduction to Mechanics, Introduction to Electronics, Engineering Thermodynamics and Signals and Systems, with physics, mathematics and computing courses.
• Flexible double degree: engineering degrees can be combined with another ANU degree. The School page says it takes “just one more year of study”, while the international applications page lists the “Flexible Double Degree - Engineering” at 5.5 years; the two statements differ, so check the ANU catalogue or Admissions.
• Engineers Australia accreditation: the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) page says only that an EA accreditation requirement includes 12 weeks of full-time work experience outside the university; it does not clearly state that this degree is accredited. The R&D degree is described as EA accredited. For the main and Software Engineering degrees the accreditation status is not stated on the pages we could read; check the ANU catalogue.

2. How admission works: apply to a named degree, then choose a major

• Direct admission to a specific degree: you apply for the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), the R&D version or Software Engineering; there is no undeclared engineering entry. Years one and two are common, then you choose a major.
• Up to three preferences: direct applicants can list up to three programs, assessed in order, and receive an offer for the highest eligible one; ANU suggests not listing three preferences with the same entry requirements.
• Moving into the R&D version: a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) student who achieves a High Distinction average in first year may be eligible to transfer into R&D in second year. The exact GPA figure and whether places are limited are not published. R&D can also be applied to directly (it is on the list of programs with a lower adjustment-factor cap, below).
• Choosing a major or transferring in: the pages we read give no GPA threshold or quota for choosing a major, and no conditions for transferring into engineering from another ANU degree; this is not published.
• Intakes: the Bachelor of Engineering study plan has templates for students commencing in Semester 1 and in Semester 2 (February and July).

3. Prerequisites and mathematics

• Program entry ranks and prerequisite subjects: the admissions site says these are published in ANU’s Programs and Courses catalogue, which we did not read. The pages we could read do not give an engineering degree’s Selection Rank, or its mathematics or physics prerequisites. This is not published on the pages we used; check the catalogue before applying.
• Maths preparation: the mathematics school offers a Maths Bridging Module that covers prerequisite knowledge for first-year mathematics courses at ANU.
• Courses in the study plan: the first year of the Bachelor of Engineering plan includes ENGN1211 Discovering Engineering, PHYS1001 or PHYS1101, MATH1013 or MATH1115, a COMP programming course, ENGN1217 Introduction to Mechanics, ENGN1218 Introduction to Electronics and MATH1014 or MATH1116. The prerequisites of these courses are not published on the pages we read.
• Math placement test and AP / IB credit: not mentioned on the pages we read; the international pages convert AP and IB scores into entry ranks rather than credit.

4. Australian domestic students

• How to apply: students finishing Australian Year 12 or an IB in November apply through UAC, or can submit an ANU Early Entry (ASA) application directly. ANU participates in multiple UAC offer rounds.
• Adjustment factors: points added to your ATAR to give a Selection Rank. Your school results must be 70 or higher before adjustments, and you can receive up to 15 in total. For 2027 entry the subject adjustments are: Chemistry and Physics (NSW HSC Band 5 or the state equivalent) 2 each; English (except ESL) 3; Languages other than English 3; Mathematics Extension 1 (Band E3) 3. Up to 3 subject adjustment factors can be received, and subject adjustments plus the elite athlete scheme share a cap of 5. Other schemes include the Diversity Scheme and the Education Access Scheme. The Subject Adjustment Scheme is discontinued from 2028 entry.
• Programs with a lower cap: the Bachelor of Engineering (Research & Development) (Honours) is on the list of programs that accept a maximum of 5 adjustment factors overall, only through the Education Access Scheme and the Diversity Scheme, and do not accept subject adjustments.
• Domestic fees: the website says all domestic undergraduate students in a degree program are Commonwealth supported, paying a student contribution plus the services and amenities fee. The student contributions page’s “2026 band allocations” table puts engineering in Band 2 at AUD 9,537 per 48 units (one full-time year). The 2027 figure is not published on the pages we read.
• Priority or guaranteed places for local residents: not stated on the pages we read.

5. International students

• How to apply: directly through ANU’s online application system, or with an education agent. International students completing Australian Year 12 (in or outside Australia), the IB Diploma or New Zealand NCEA apply through UAC. The application fee is AUD 150 per application, and you can apply for up to three programs.
• Score requirements: ANU converts results to a Selection Rank and compares it with the program’s requirement. Meeting the minimum does not guarantee entry, and some programs are competitive. The engineering degrees’ own Selection Ranks and prerequisites are not published on the pages we could read.
• English: English is part of ANU’s minimum admission requirements. You can show it with prior study in English, or a test such as IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced or PTE Academic, or by citizenship of certain English-speaking countries (Group A) plus education there. The English requirements page does not give engineering scores, so they are not published; see the ANU English policy and the program requirements in the catalogue.
• Timeline for 2027 entry: Semester 1 (February 2027): applications close 15 December 2026; acceptance by 15 January if overseas, 31 January if in Australia. Semester 2 (July 2027): applications close 15 May 2027; acceptance by 30 June overseas, 10 July in Australia. Programs with additional selection criteria may have different deadlines; whether engineering is one is not published.
• College contact: the College’s international students page says it welcomes students with advanced standing into select engineering and computer science programs, and lists study.css@anu.edu.au and a booking link for student advisers.
• Documents, references, supplementary essays and proof of funds: the pages we read do not list an engineering essay or reference requirement, or a proof-of-funds amount; these are not published.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: ANU converts Gaokao scores to Selection Ranks by province, for tests taken from 2017. On a 750-point total, “other provinces”: Selection Rank 70 needs 506, 80 needs 525, 85 needs 544, 90 needs 570 and 95 needs 630. Shanghai (from 2017), Hainan, Jiangsu (before 2021) and others have their own columns; from 2021, Jiangsu and Yunnan with a 750 total use the “other provinces” schedule.
• A-Level and IB: A-Level uses the better of best 3 or best 4 subjects (A*=6 … E=1): Selection Rank 80 needs 13 (3 subjects) or 14 (4 subjects), 85 needs 14 or 16, and 90 needs 15 or 18. IB (obtained outside Australia): Selection Rank 80 needs 31, 85 needs 33, 90 needs 35 and 95 needs 39. AP has its own conversion page and counts only scores of 3 or above.
• What engineering requires: these are conversion tables only. The ranks, mathematics and physics prerequisites for engineering are not published on the pages we could read, and the site has no China-specific engineering note or requirements for the Chinese graduation certificate and provincial exam records.
• Chinese Pre-Bachelor programs: ANU accepts only a limited number. Example conversions for programs with a pass mark of 60: entrance rank 97 needs 93, 90 needs 80, 85 needs 77 and 80 needs 75. Note: one table on the page lists the Shanghai International Studies University and Beijing Foreign Studies University programs, with the ineligible degrees including “all programs offered by the College of Systems and Society”, which includes engineering. The layout does not make clear whether that restriction applies to both schools, so confirm with ANU Admissions.
• Credit and articulation: the College lists agreements with Chinese universities: Beijing Institute of Technology, Central South University, Northwestern Polytechnical University and Shandong University; Hohai University, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Soochow University and Tongji University are marked “partnership currently under development” (contact international.stemm@anu.edu.au). Other institutions can apply for credit case by case.

7. Fees and scholarships

• 2027 international tuition: the 2027 schedule places “Engineering and Related Technologies” undergraduate programs in band 4, at AUD 57,640 per 48 units (one full-time year), about AUD 1,200 per unit. Actual fees depend on your courses and are reviewed each year, and the Services and Amenities Fee is extra. No engineering-specific surcharge is listed on the pages we read.
• Vice-Chancellor’s International Achievement Award: for residents of China (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), Japan, Mongolia, Korea and other listed places with a Selection Rank of 85 or above, 20% off first-year tuition. No application is needed, and you accept the degree offer and the scholarship offer separately.
• International Achievement Award: for residents of other countries with a Selection Rank of 85 or above, 20% off tuition (South East Asia 25%, Pacific 50%) for up to 4 years, also assessed automatically.
• The pages we read do not list an engineering-specific scholarship.

8. Work experience

• The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) page says an EA accreditation requirement includes 12 weeks of full-time work experience outside the university. In the final-year Capstone, students act as engineering consultant teams for industry and academic clients, producing conceptual designs, assessing risk and running trade-off analyses.
• The College internship page says students can undertake internships and, where eligible, receive credit towards their degree; partner organisations include Cochlear, Dolby, CSIRO and the Royal Australian Mint. Whether placements are guaranteed and how they are arranged is not published.

9. Transfer and credit

• Process: transferring is almost the same as applying for the first time, following the standard application steps. After you accept an offer you apply for credit when you arrive to enrol, and credit is at the discretion of the College responsible for your degree, so not every course may be credited.
• Articulation agreements: see the China section for partner universities; the College also lists partners in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Other institutions are assessed individually.
• GPA, calculus/physics/chemistry sequence and deadlines: the pages we read give no engineering transfer GPA or required course sequence; the deadlines are the international timeline above, with nothing more published.

Checklist

Australian domestic students:

• Apply through UAC or the ANU Early Entry application; you need 70 or above before adjustments, and R&D accepts at most 5 adjustment factors
• Check the engineering degree’s Selection Rank and prerequisites in the ANU catalogue

International students:

• Apply by 15 December 2026 for February 2027 entry, or by 15 May 2027 for July entry; the fee is AUD 150
• Compare your results with the conversion tables, and check English scores and prerequisites in the catalogue; engineering tuition is AUD 57,640 a year

Applicants from China:

• Gaokao for “other provinces”: Selection Rank 80 is about 525 and 85 about 544; residents of China with a rank of 85 or above are automatically considered for the Vice-Chancellor’s International Achievement Award
• If you use a pre-bachelor program, confirm that it can be used for College of Systems and Society degrees

Transfer students:

• Apply through the standard steps and request credit when you enrol; partner institutions are listed on the College website

Sources: The Australian National University, College of Systems and Society undergraduate programs; Bachelor of Engineering (Honours); Bachelor of Engineering (Research & Development) (Honours); Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering; School of Engineering undergraduate; Bachelor of Engineering study plan (PDF); International students; Credit and articulation agreements; Internships; International applications; Gaokao; GCE A-levels; IB; Chinese pre-bachelor programs; Transferring to ANU; English language requirements; Domestic undergraduate; Adjustment factors; Subject adjustment scheme; Flexible degree options; International tuition fees; Schedule of tuition fees 2027 (PDF); Domestic undergraduate tuition fees; Student contributions; Vice-Chancellor’s International Achievement Award; International Achievement Award. Information is for 2027 entry. Check ANU for the latest details.