How to Apply to Economics at UNSW Sydney: The Three-Year Bachelor of Economics with Optional Majors in Macroeconomics and Financial Markets, Data Analytics and Econometrics, or Economic Policy and Society, with Entry and Prerequisite Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Economics at UNSW Sydney is taught in the UNSW Business School. The main degree is the three-year Bachelor of Economics, at the Kensington campus. The Bachelor of Commerce, Commerce (International) and Actuarial Studies, which also include economics, are only touched on here. Based on UNSW’s official information, this guide covers 2027 entry for domestic applicants, international applicants (including those from China) and transfer applicants.

1. The degree and majors

• Key facts: three years, 24 courses, UAC code 424400, program code 3543, CRICOS 001920G, face to face (including blended), with Term 1, 2 and 3 entry. UNSW moves to a Flex-Semester calendar from 2028, so degree duration may vary with your start term before 2028.
• Three economics majors: Macroeconomics and Financial Markets, Data Analytics and Econometrics, and Economic Policy and Society. You can take one or two economics majors, or other Commerce majors including Behavioural Economics and Business Economics.
• Majors are optional: UNSW states that you do not need to choose a major when you enrol and can complete the degree without one, mixing economics electives to design your own program; you choose a major only if you want to specialise.
• Structure: economics core courses, introductory business courses, economics electives or an optional economics major, business electives (or a Commerce major or minor) and general education from other faculties. Teaching mixes lectures, tutorials and data-lab workshops, with modelling in software such as R and Stata.
• Other degrees with economics (study area page): the Bachelor of Commerce (majors in Business Economics and Behavioural Economics), Commerce (International), Commerce (Co-op) and Actuarial Studies; these are only mentioned here. Honours: Bachelor of Economics (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) are one-year honours degrees taken after the bachelor’s degree.
• Double degrees: economics can be combined with Actuarial Studies, Advanced Mathematics (Hons), Advanced Science (Hons), Arts, Commerce, Computer Science, Education (Secondary), Law and Science. The entry table also lists combinations such as Economics/Science (Advanced Mathematics) (Hons) and Economics/Advanced Science (Hons).
• Accreditation: the degree page used for this guide does not state professional accreditation for economics itself; not published, so ask the Business School.

2. How you are admitted to economics

• Direct entry: the Bachelor of Economics has its own UAC and program codes, so you apply to it directly and choose any major after entry; UNSW says you can take time to explore before deciding.
• When you must choose a major, grade thresholds, place limits: UNSW only says no major is needed at enrolment. It does not state a deadline for choosing, a grade threshold or any place limit on the pages used for this guide; not published, so ask the Business School.
• Admission tests and interviews: the pages used for this guide mention no economics entrance test or interview; not published.
• Moving in from inside UNSW: the conditions for transferring into economics from another UNSW degree are not stated on the pages used for this guide; not published. UNSW only says international students must reapply to change programs and recommends listing several preferences in the first application.

3. Prerequisites

• Assumed knowledge: the degree page lists NSW Mathematics Advanced. It is presented as assumed knowledge, not a hard threshold, and no economics subject is required; equivalents in other states or countries are not published, so check with UNSW.
• Maths bridging: the mathematics bridging course is run by the Faculty of Science (about 40 hours, AUD 380, three times a year). The economics pages used for this guide do not say whether economics students need it; not published.
• AP / IB credit against economics courses: not stated on the pages used for this guide; not published. Check the handbook or ask the Business School.

4. Domestic applicants

• How to apply: Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents and permanent humanitarian visa holders apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), with up to five preferences. UNSW says on-time Term 1 applications usually close at the end of September, late applications pay a fee, and most Term 1 offers are made in December and January.
• Adjustment factors and pathways: HSC Plus (strong results in relevant Year 12 subjects), Elite Athletes, Performers and Leaders (EAPL) and the Educational Access Scheme (EAS, 1 to 10 points). There are also the Gateway pathway (early offers with a reduced ATAR requirement), Indigenous entry programs, the University Preparation Program (for school leavers with an ATAR of 50 or above who have experienced educational disadvantage, and people aged 20 and over returning to study without an ATAR) and UNSW College Diplomas.
• Scholarships (scholarships overview page): the Academic Achievement Award (highest raw ATAR at NSW and ACT schools, AUD 5,000 for one year), Equity Scholarships and the Scientia Scholarship (raw ATAR of 99.90 or above, AUD 10,000 for the duration of the program), among others; see the scholarships website.
• 2026 reference scores: the lowest selection rank (ATAR plus adjustment factors) shown for 2026 is 92.0, with A-Level 15, IB 36 and a lowest ATAR of 78.5. UNSW notes this is a guide that changes each year, and that some lowest ATARs reflect Gateway early conditional offers.
• Fees: for a Commonwealth Supported Place the 2026 indicative student contribution is about AUD 14,000 for the first year and AUD 45,500 for the degree; this is an estimate, and the actual amount depends on your courses and enrolment year.

5. International applicants

• How to apply: most international students apply directly through the UNSW Applicant Portal or via an agent; those completing an Australian Year 12, the IB (in or outside Australia) or New Zealand NCEA Level 3 apply through UAC. After you accept an offer and pay a deposit you receive an electronic confirmation of enrolment (eCoE). The application fee, reference letters and any extra essay are not stated on the pages used for this guide; not published. Check the Applicant Portal or ask UNSW.
• 2027 entry scores (international undergraduate entry table): Bachelor of Economics: international ATAR 87; Gaokao 75%; IB 33; A-Level 12; BC GPA 3.6; Ontario OSSD 81; SAT 1230; ACT 26. Economics/Advanced Science (Hons) and Economics/Science (Advanced Mathematics) (Hons): ATAR 88, Gaokao 75%, IB 34; Economics/Education (Secondary): ATAR 87, Gaokao 75%, IB 33. UNSW notes the scores are a guide and actual requirements may be higher or lower.
• A-Level and AP: A-Level is the best three or four A2 subjects (excluding repeats), A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1, with at most one Applied A Level. AP is assessed on three to four subjects at grade 3 or above, with a College Board score report and authorisation to verify.
• Predicted grades: UNSW considers forecast results for CBSE, GCE A-Level, IB, NCUK and Singapore A-Level, on school letterhead with the school’s stamp and signature.
• English (Business School undergraduate): IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with at least 6.0 in each subtest (One Skill Retake accepted, IELTS Online not accepted); TOEFL iBT 94 with at least 25 in Writing and 23 in the other sections; PTE 65 with at least 54 in each. For a cross-faculty double degree the higher requirement applies. Cambridge C1/C2, LanguageCert Academic and MET (the last two from Term 1 2027) are also accepted, with scores on the English requirements page; results must be recent (within two years of the start).
• International tuition (2026 indicative, tuition only): about AUD 56,500 for the first year and about AUD 180,500 for the degree (including an estimate of about AUD 1,000 a year in study costs). 2027 fees are not published.
• International scholarships (scholarships overview page): the International Scientia Coursework Scholarship (full tuition, or AUD 20,000 a year towards fees), Australia’s Global University Award (AUD 10,000 for one year, paid towards tuition in the second term of the first year), the UNSW College Award (AUD 10,000 for the first undergraduate year, for graduates of a UNSW College Foundations program) and the International Student Award (20% of tuition every year, for citizens of listed countries starting in 2026 and 2027). Some scholarships need a separate application, so check each one on the scholarships website.

6. Applicants from China

• The Gaokao is accepted for direct entry. UNSW assesses it as the percentage average of all attempted subjects and publishes a table of provincial maximum marks (it says the maximums are reviewed annually by the Chinese government). For provinces with a 750-point maximum, 70% is 525 and 90% is 675; Shanghai has a 660-point maximum, with 70% to 90% shown as 462 to 594. For Hainan the table gives “630 (70%) to 810 (90%)” but a denominator of 940, which do not agree, so confirm with UNSW.
• Predicted results: the qualifications for which UNSW considers forecast or predicted results are CBSE, GCE A-Level, IB, NCUK and Singapore A-Level. The Gaokao is not on that list; whether predicted Gaokao results can be used is not published, so ask admissions.
• International Student Award and the diversity pathway: the award’s list of eligible countries (PDF) does not include China or Canada. The International Admissions Diversity Pathway (5 extra points on the international ATAR, excluding the Bachelor of Medical Studies/Doctor of Medicine) uses the same country list, so it does not apply either. UNSW says applicants from other countries are still encouraged and assessed under standard requirements.
• Pathways: the international pathways page says that if you do not meet direct entry, UNSW College offers a 12-month Diploma that gives direct entry into second year of any UNSW bachelor’s degree, and Foundation Studies for first-year entry. Whether a given degree adds conditions is not published; ask admissions.
• Huikao documents, verification bodies, interviews: apart from the Gaokao percentage above, the pages used for this guide do not describe China-specific huikao documents, verification bodies or interviews; not published. Check UNSW’s accepted-qualifications page or contact admissions.
• English: the English exemptions UNSW lists cover qualifications from Germany, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia and Switzerland. Chinese senior secondary qualifications are not among them, so an English test is generally needed.
• Gaokao percentage for this degree: 75% for the Bachelor of Economics (from the 2027 international entry table).

7. Work experience and research

• The degree page says you can take part in Work-Integrated Learning such as an internship or business practicum, and the Business School says its degrees include up to two for-credit industry experiences (internships or global business practicums). Length, whether they are compulsory and places are not published.
• The Bachelor of Economics (Honours) is a one-year honours degree after the bachelor’s degree, with a significant research thesis; its entry conditions are not given on the pages used for this guide.

8. Transfer and credit

• Prior university study: if you have completed at least 0.75 of a full-time year in a single degree (the page says at least one year of full-time study), you are assessed on your tertiary results or your ATAR, whichever is better; an ATAR older than 5 years is not used. Less than 0.75 FTE is not assessable and eligibility reverts to your most recent assessable qualification.
• Diplomas and TAFE: an AQF-accredited Diploma is assessed on 50% of your ATAR (or equivalent) and 50% of the Diploma. UNSW notes that Diploma and Advanced Diploma applicants generally need a Distinction average to be competitive for programs with a lowest selection rank above 90. A TAFE Diploma or Advanced Diploma can lead to credit through Recognition of Prior Learning under the TAFE Pathways Program, reducing the time to complete the degree.
• Detailed advanced-standing rules: not given on the pages used for this guide; check with UNSW.

9. Timeline (2027 entry)

• UNSW says applications for all 2027 terms are open and encourages early applications. Some programs are at capacity for 2026 intakes and closed to new overseas applicants.
• Applicants from countries not on the International Student Award list (this includes China) receive undergraduate offers in rounds. For Term 1 2027 the completed-application deadlines are 14 May, 16 July, 20 August and 24 September 2026, with offers released on 13 August, 10 September, 15 October and 19 November and acceptance deadlines of 8 October, 5 November, 10 December and 24 December 2026.
• A fifth round has an application deadline of 15 November 2026, offers on 10 December and acceptance by 24 December. UNSW says offshore applications for Term 1 2027 stay open until 15 November 2026 and it will try to give an outcome by 10 December, but cannot guarantee this for applications submitted after the standard deadline. The page labels 15 November as a Thursday, but 15 November 2026 is a Sunday, so the date and weekday do not agree; check the page for the latest. Further offers may follow the last round if places remain.
• Terms 2 and 3: UNSW says the undergraduate round dates for these terms will be updated soon; they are not published yet. Check the admissions page.

Checklist

Domestic applicants:

• Apply through UAC; on-time Term 1 applications close at the end of September
• NSW Mathematics Advanced as assumed knowledge
• Consider HSC Plus, EAS and other adjustment factors

International applicants (including China):

• Gaokao 75%, or international ATAR 87 / IB 33 / A-Level 12 / SAT 1230
• Maths background at the level of Mathematics Advanced
• IELTS 7.0 (6.0 each), TOEFL 94 or PTE 65
• Apply in the offer rounds; the first four Term 1 deadlines have passed and the last round closes on 15 November 2026; Terms 2 and 3 are also options
• If you fall short, consider a UNSW College Diploma or Foundation Studies

Transfer applicants:

• At least 0.75 FTE of university results; advanced standing is assessed after admission

Sources: UNSW Sydney, Bachelor of Economics; Economics study area; School of Economics; 2027 international undergraduate entry requirements table (PDF); International entry requirements; English language requirements; International admissions and offer rounds; International admission pathways; Accepted qualifications; Scholarships; International Student Award; International Student Award eligible countries (PDF). Information is for 2027 entry; entry scores are indicative and fees are 2026 figures. Check UNSW Sydney for the latest details.