How to Apply to Chemistry at Curtin University: Chemistry as a Major in the Bachelor of Science, Plus a Chemistry Major in Advanced Science (Honours) and a Chemical Engineering and Chemistry Double Degree, Entry and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including China) and Transfer Students

Curtin University's main campus is in Perth, Western Australia (Bentley). Chemistry is taught in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Curtin lists it under "Physical sciences, geoscience and mathematics". Curtin has no stand-alone chemistry bachelor's: chemistry is a major inside a degree. There are three routes below, each with its own entry score and prerequisites, followed by the shared 2027 entry points for Australian domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Medicine, nursing, pharmacy and other health degrees are outside this guide; see the health study-area page on Curtin's website.

1. The three routes at a glance

• Chemistry major in the Bachelor of Science (Science) (B-SCNCE): three years full-time at Curtin Perth (the course page also lists Curtin Singapore), Semester 1 and Semester 2 intakes, CRICOS 061600D, guaranteed ATAR 70. Curtin says the Bachelor of Science has 16 majors and Chemistry is one. The major description calls chemistry the "central science" connecting physics, biology and geology; you study theory and practice including synthesis, analysis and spectroscopy, with much of the learning in the labs of Curtin's Resources and Chemistry Precinct, where students can take part in industry research projects linked to ChemCentre. Within the major you choose one of three specialisations: Analytical and Forensic Chemistry, Medicinal and Biological Chemistry or Chemistry of Sustainable Development (see the major page). Graduates are eligible for membership of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).
• Chemistry major in the Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) (BH-ADVSCI): four years full-time at Curtin Perth, CRICOS 095949E, guaranteed ATAR 95. Curtin describes it as an honours degree for high-performing students with project-based learning, leadership and entrepreneurship, for-credit internships and work experience in years two and three, and a self-directed honours project in the final year. The Chemistry major covers theory and practice including synthesis, analysis and molecular modelling, mostly in the laboratory; you can specialise in one of four areas: Analytical and Forensic Chemistry, Biological Chemistry, Geochemistry or Materials Science.
• Chemical Engineering (Honours) and Chemistry double degree (BB-CENCHM): five years full-time at Curtin Perth, Semester 1 intake only, CRICOS 050336F, guaranteed ATAR 80. Curtin says it covers the development, design and operation of processes for extracting, converting and recovering materials plus skills for analytical and industrial laboratories, and that the course is accredited by Engineers Australia, the Institution of Chemical Engineers and RACI. The engineering side is not covered in detail here.
• The Science course page adds that if you reach a course-weighted average (CWA) of 65 or higher you may apply for a fourth-year honours program (Bachelor of Science (Science) (Honours)).
• The study-area page also lists a Biochemistry major in the Bachelor of Science (major page): Curtin says the Biochemistry major with the Chemistry specialisation is RACI-accredited. That overlaps with biology and is mentioned here only in one sentence.

2. How admission works and when you pick the major

• Curtin says a major is part of a degree: choose the degree, check its entry requirements, apply, and after accepting an offer enrol in the major at the start or later depending on the course structure. So you apply to the Bachelor of Science (or Advanced Science, or the double degree), not to "Chemistry" on its own. The Science structure is: pick a major (one of 16), then either a second major, or two specialisations/minors, or one specialisation/minor plus four electives. The year in which the major is chosen and whether any grade threshold applies are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the course Handbook.
• First-year common units and lab schedule: the course pages do not list unit details; check the Handbook. The units Curtin names as substitutes for the chemistry prerequisite are CHEM1003 Introduction to Chemistry and CHEM1001 Biological Chemistry (see below).
• July intake: the Science course page says that for the Biochemistry, Chemistry and Physics majors the course duration may exceed three years because of unit prerequisites.

3. Prerequisites (same table for domestic and international applicants)

• Science, Chemistry major: essential subjects are Mathematics Applications and Chemistry. Curtin says the Mathematics Applications prerequisite can be met with MATH1013, MATH1014 or MATH1015, and the Chemistry prerequisite with CHEM1003 and CHEM1001. Desirable subjects: Mathematics Methods, Mathematics Specialist, Physics and Biology.
• Advanced Science, Chemistry major: essential are Mathematics Methods ATAR and Chemistry ATAR; desirable are Mathematics Specialist and Physics. Curtin says Mathematics Methods can be met with MATH1014, MATH1017, or MATH1015 (final mark at least 70) plus MATH1016; Chemistry with CHEM1003 and CHEM1001.
• Chemical Engineering and Chemistry double degree: Mathematics Methods ATAR, Chemistry ATAR, and one of Physics ATAR or Engineering Studies ATAR; desirable is Mathematics Specialist.
• These are Western Australian ATAR subject names. How they map to other curricula (A-Level, AP, IB, Gaokao) is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask Curtin admissions. Curtin links an older TEE/WACE correlation chart for reference.
• The Science course page notes that admission criteria may differ when the Chemistry major is taken as part of a double degree or an honours degree; contact the Admissions Office.

4. Application timing and method for 2027 entry

• Dates on the Curtin course pages (Curtin Perth): Bachelor of Science, Semester 1 2027 open and closing 28 January 2027; Semester 2 2027 opening 1 March 2027 and closing 1 July 2027. Advanced Science (Honours), full-year 2027 intake, closing 28 January 2027; the Chemical Engineering and Chemistry double degree is Semester 1 only, also closing 28 January 2027. Curtin says deadlines vary by course, and the deadlines page lists course-specific deadlines. The view read for this guide is the domestic one, so international closing dates are not given on the pages used; check the international view of the course page or the deadlines page. The deadlines page also has a row "Chemistry Major (Only available Trimester 1)", Trimester 1 2027, opening 1 May 2026 and closing 13 December 2026, linked to the Bachelor of Science (Honours) page; Curtin does not explain how this relates to the dates above, so ask admissions.
• International applicants can apply directly to Curtin through its online application portal or through a Curtin registered agent. Curtin says you can list up to five course preferences, ranked 1 to 5, and only your first is assessed unless you do not meet its requirements; to study on a student visa you must select the "Full-time - Internal" study mode; when searching, use keywords from the degree title rather than the major name. After an offer you accept it and receive a Confirmation of Enrolment for the student visa.
• Documents: ID and passport copies, qualifications and English proof; documents not in English need a recognised translation (NAATI-accredited translator, the awarding institution, a notary public, the official government body, or an official accredited translator).

5. Australian domestic applicants

• Year 12 students apply through the Western Australian admissions centre TISC, whose dates differ from Curtin's; non-school-leavers, transfer students and current Curtin students changing courses apply directly to Curtin.
• Science: guaranteed ATAR (or equivalent) 70, meaning a guaranteed place if you meet that and all other requirements (prerequisites and English); Advanced Science (Honours) 95; the double degree 80. Curtin says equity adjustment factors (for where you live, the school you attended or your background) raise your Selection Rank and are applied automatically through TISC; StepUp to Curtin and other pathways exist. Curtin has an ATAR profile page with recent offer ranks.
• Non-ATAR routes: for the Science degree, vocational study (VET/TAFE) needs an AQF Certificate IV (with separate English proof), Diploma or Advanced Diploma plus the essential subjects; Advanced Science (Honours) does not accept VET studies (Curtin says VET cannot meet the equivalent ATAR requirement); the work-and-life-experience route is not available for either course. STAT is not accepted as an entry pathway, only as English evidence.
• Fees: domestic undergraduates get Commonwealth supported places. Indicative 2026 first-year fees are A$10,000 for Science, A$9,200 for Advanced Science (Honours) and A$8,400 for the double degree (based on 200 credit points of full-time study; actual fees vary with units and exclude incidentals such as lab coats).

6. International applicants

• English: the IELTS Academic scores shown on the course pages are 6.0 overall and 6.0 in each band for Science, 7.0 overall and 7.0 in each band for Advanced Science (Honours), and 6.0 for the double degree. Curtin accepts tests such as IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, CAE and OET; applicants without a score can ask a registered agent to request Curtin's online Password placement test, but Password cannot be used to meet the entry requirement and only indicates which Curtin English course you need. The English requirements page as read describes the domestic routes; whether international applicants have other exemptions is not given on the pages used; check the international view of that page.
• If you do not meet the English requirement you can tick the box to be considered for a Curtin English pathway and receive a conditional offer packaging your degree with the English course.
• Tuition: international fees are charged per course per year, but the pages used for this guide do not give the international tuition (AUD) for Science, Advanced Science or the double degree. Check the international view of each course page or the fees pages, and confirm the fee is for 2027 entry. Curtin also says fees are charged per unit and exclude incidentals such as lab coats and textbooks.
• International scholarships (Curtin page): John Curtin Global Excellence Scholarship - 40% off tuition (up to four years), requiring a CWA of 95% or equivalent in your most recent eligible study and a CWA of 70% from the second study period on; Curtin Global Merit Scholarship - 20% off tuition, requiring Distinction-level results; Global Future Leaders Scholarship - a one-off A$10,000 tuition credit, requiring Credit-level results and at least 1.5 years at the Western Australian campus. None needs a separate application: eligible applications are assessed automatically, and all are for Western Australian campuses and 2027 (the first two 2027 or 2028) commencement; the scholarship pages show an application close date of 1 October 2027, and accepting requires paying the deposit on your Letter of Offer. Curtin also lists the Curtin English Scholarship (a one-off credit of up to A$7,496 after a Curtin English course) and the Global Scholars Program Scholarship (A$15,000 for studying at two Curtin global campuses). The eligible-courses list excludes Medical Radiation Science, MBBS, Advanced Nursing, Paramedicine and Oral Health Therapy, so the three chemistry routes are not excluded.
• Visa: Curtin says a student visa allows full-time study and work of up to 48 hours a fortnight (figure accurate as of December 2024; check the visa page for current rules).

7. Applicants from China

• Curtin's list of recognised overseas qualifications (page, PDF) says that for undergraduate courses requiring an ATAR 70, Gao Kao results meet the minimum entry requirement with an aggregate in the required subjects equivalent to 67% of the overall maximum, giving equivalent scores of 322/480, 402/600, 503/750, 543/810 or 603/900. The list covers ATAR 70 courses only, so it corresponds to the Bachelor of Science (70); how Gaokao is used for Advanced Science (ATAR 95) and the double degree (ATAR 80) is not given on the pages used; ask Curtin admissions.
• How Chinese senior-high or Gaokao subjects map to the Chemistry (and, for Science, Mathematics Applications) prerequisites is not given on the pages used; ask Curtin admissions.
• High-school diploma plus foundation: Curtin College is an on-campus pathway to Curtin whose diploma Curtin says equals the first year of the corresponding Curtin bachelor's degree, so students typically go straight into year two; it suits applicants who do not meet Curtin's minimum entry requirements, finished Year 12 without WACE/ATAR or equivalent, or completed Year 11 with a 50% average, and it accepts international students (see the Curtin College page). Whether a chemistry-related route exists at Curtin College is not stated on that page.
• Interviews, country-specific notes and accreditation bodies: not given on the pages used for this guide.

8. Transfer students and credit

• Course switchers within Curtin: to move into Advanced Science (Honours) you need an ATAR of 95, or 200 credits over one year with a CWA of 80% or higher, plus the prerequisites for your major; for the Science degree you must meet Curtin's general admission criteria and the essential subjects. For switching from another higher-education provider, Curtin says Advanced Science has a Semester 1 intake only and refers to TISC.
• Credit for Recognised Learning (CRL): Curtin's admissions team assesses prior study when you apply; international applicants can opt out of CRL at application, in which case the Letter of Offer includes no credit; after an offer you can submit a separate CRL application (for units in the coming study period, by Friday of week 1). International applicants' unit outlines must be issued by the original institution and include unit code, title, year, learning outcomes, topics, assessments and credit/contact hours; Word files copied from websites are not accepted. A CRL search tool shows past credit decisions.
• Transfer quotas and whether specific chemistry core units can be credited are not given on the pages used; check the CRL tool or Handbook.

9. Accreditation, projects and placements

• Accreditation: for the Science Chemistry major Curtin says graduates are eligible for RACI membership; for the Advanced Science Chemistry major it says graduates may be eligible; the double degree is accredited by Engineers Australia, IChemE and RACI. Check the course pages for current status.
• Projects and placements: the Science Chemistry major offers industry research projects at the Resources and Chemistry Precinct; the Advanced Science Chemistry major offers for-credit internships and work experience in years two and three and a final-year capstone from pure research to translational (entrepreneurial) science. Whether a placement is compulsory and how long it is for the Science degree is not given on the pages used; check the Handbook.
• Careers listed by Curtin: analytical, environmental, industrial, medicinal and synthetic chemist, forensic scientist and materials scientist; industries include health, forensics, environment, manufacturing, resources and defence.

10. Please check

Dates, fees and entry scores here come from the Curtin pages read in October 2026; where a page prints no year, check that it applies to 2027 entry. International tuition, international closing dates, subject mapping for other curricula and the Gaokao rule for Advanced Science are not given on the pages used; please rely on Curtin's website and Global Admissions.