How to Apply to Chemistry at the University of Western Australia: Chemistry Is a Degree-Specific Major in the Bachelor of Science, RACI-Accredited, with Chemistry and Mathematics Methods Prerequisites, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The University of Western Australia (UWA) is in Perth. The 2026 Handbook has no stand-alone “Bachelor of Chemistry”: Chemistry (major code MJD-CHEMY) is one of the degree-specific majors of the Bachelor of Science (BP004). Below is what UWA’s pages say, split by reader: Australian domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China, and transfer students. Combined degrees that pair chemistry with engineering or education get one line only.

1. The degrees and the major

• Bachelor of Science (BP004): 144 points (24 six-point units), three years full time, start-of-year and mid-year intakes, CRICOS 068914G. The course page lists UWA (Perth) and Albany as locations; whether Chemistry runs at both is not stated. There are 28 degree-specific majors, Chemistry being one; you can add a second major or up to two minors.
• Other courses where Chemistry is a major: the major page lists the Bachelor of Science (BP004), the combined Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science (CB004; in a combined course the extended major code is MJDC-CHEMY) and the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005).
• Accreditation: the Handbook says the Chemistry major is accredited by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) when completed in the Bachelor of Science (BP004), Bachelor of Science (Honours) (BH004), Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005) and several combined degrees, including CB004. Entry conditions for the Science honours degree are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website.
• Neighbouring areas: UWA also has molecular-biology degrees such as the Bachelor of Molecular Sciences, which are outside the Chemistry major; health degrees such as medicine, dentistry, nursing and pharmacy are outside this guide, so see the UWA website.

2. Prerequisites and what you study

• Course-level requirement: the Bachelor of Science rules say there are no specific subject prerequisites; the ATAR and other routes are covered below.
• Chemistry major prerequisites: “Chemistry ATAR or equivalent and Mathematical Methods ATAR or equivalent or higher”. If your scaled mark in Mathematics Methods ATAR is below 50 you must take the bridging unit MATH1721; below 50 in Mathematics Applications, MATH1720 and MATH1721; below 50 in Chemistry, CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry. Bridging units must be completed within the first 48 points.
• Year 1: CHEM1001 Chemistry—Properties and Energetics, CHEM1002 Chemistry—Structure and Reactivity and SCOM1101 Communicating Science (18 points, all required). CHEM1001/1002 need CHEM1003, ATAR Chemistry or WACE Chemistry 3A/3B or equivalent.
• Year 2 (24 points, all required): CHEM2101 Analytical Methods, CHEM2102 Metals in Molecules, CHEM2103 Synthetic and Biological Organic Chemistry and CHEM2104 Energy and Materials.
• Year 3: CHEM3101 Workplace Safety and Advanced Analytical Methods is required, then 18 points from CHEM3102 Chemistry: A Global View, CHEM3103 Organometallic Chemistry, CHEM3104 Organic Chemistry and CHEM3105 Advanced Materials. CHEM3102 needs CHEM3101 and special approval from the Chemistry Major Coordinator or the Unit Coordinator; the Handbook recommends it for students taking a second major alongside Chemistry.
• When you choose the major: the Handbook says the degree must include a degree-specific major but does not say how late you can choose it or whether places are limited; ask the school or Admissions. UWA publishes an example study plan (xlsx) for the Bachelor of Science (Chemistry).
• Labs, research projects, placements: the major page lists unit titles but does not describe a placement year or a capstone project beyond that; not given on the pages used for this guide, so check the website.

3. Australian domestic applicants

• How to apply: current Year 12 school leavers (including early-offer applications) apply through TISC; non-school-leavers and international Year 12 students create a profile in UWA Apply.
• ATAR: the Bachelor of Science course rules say an ATAR of at least 70 or an equivalent recognised by UWA, or an assured pathway offer, or a score of at least 100 in UWA’s experience-based entry assessment, or a place in a relevant access program. The entry-standards page separately says Australian Year 12 applicants need an ATAR of 75 or above. The two numbers differ and UWA does not explain why, so ask Admissions which applies to you.
• 2026 intake figures (entry-standards page, school leavers only): for the whole Bachelor of Science, lowest ATAR 55.95, median 84.10 and highest 99.85 before adjustment factors; the Selection Rank (ATAR plus adjustments) is 70.00 lowest, 86.25 median and 99.95 highest. These figures are for the whole degree, not for one major.
• Adjustments and equity pathways: UWA lists Broadway (automatic adjustment for WACE students at Broadway schools with an ATAR of 70 or above), First in Family (parents or guardians without a university degree, ATAR 70 or above) and UWay / the Educational Access Scheme. Check the website for the size of any adjustment.
• Early offers: applicants sitting WACE or the IB in Western Australia can apply for an early offer based on a predicted ATAR or IB score (TISC sets the predicted ATAR from Year 11 results); they must still complete WACE with four ATAR subjects and meet the English requirement.
• Dates: in the table on the international-applicants page, the “Domestic and onshore” row gives 19 February 2027 for Semester 1 and 16 July 2027 for Semester 2. UWA says dates can change and some courses have different deadlines.
• English: in Western Australia, a final school grade of C or a scaled mark of 50 in ATAR English, Literature or English as an Additional Language/Dialect.
• Fees: the course page lists the domestic fee type as Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP. Amounts are in UWA’s fee calculator and are not shown on the pages used for this guide.

4. International applicants

• How to apply: apply directly through UWA Apply or through a UWA agent. Prepare your academic results, English results, a passport copy and anything else the course requires. Direct and agent applications pay a non-refundable application fee of $150 (the page gives no currency, so check it), and the application is not processed until it is paid.
• Deadlines: the “All other countries” row on the international-applicants page gives 11 January 2027 for Semester 1 and 7 June 2027 for Semester 2. A separate list of 78 countries has earlier dates, 28 December 2026 and 24 May 2027; China is not on that list. UWA says dates can change and some courses differ, so check each course.
• English: the minimum standard is IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 82 (20 in Speaking and Writing, 17 in Listening and Reading), PTE Academic 64 with no band below 60, or Duolingo 125 (115 Speaking, 125 Writing, 115 Reading, 110 Listening). Some courses use a higher standard (IELTS 7.0 with 6.5, TOEFL 92, PTE 70). UWA also accepts, for example, A-level English at grade E, AP English Language or Literature at 3, US high school English at B, or ACT English 25 or SAT English 600. The pages used here do not say which level applies to the Bachelor of Science; ask Admissions.
• Pathways: the UWA Foundation Program run by UWA College; the WA Universities Foundation Program owned by the four public universities in Western Australia (a guaranteed place at UWA with the required score); the NCUK International Foundation Year; foundation programs from other Group of Eight universities; and the recognised International Foundation Courses UWA lists, which include two Beijing Foreign Studies University programs, the East China University of Political Science and Law program, INTO, Study Group and Kings. Applicants who need more English can study at UWA CELT.
• Fees: all international places are full-fee. Use UWA’s fee calculator for the annual charge by course and enrolment; fees are reviewed each year and the pages used here show no amounts. The compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) applies, and Overseas Student Health Cover is required for the whole student visa (UWA’s preferred provider is Medibank; you may choose another).
• Global Excellence Scholarship: for 2027 entry, open to students from all countries, with no separate application; Admissions assesses it automatically from final results. For undergraduates, an ATAR equivalent of 85 earns 10% off tuition and 90 earns 20%, for the normal full-time length of the course. UWA’s own conversions: about 72.5% in the Gaokao, IB 30, A-level BCC or an AP aggregate of 11 is roughly ATAR 85; about 76%, IB 32, A-level BBB or an AP aggregate of 13 is roughly ATAR 90. It cannot be held with another UWA tuition reduction or academic scholarship, has continuation criteria, and excludes the Assured Pathways to Medicine and Dental Medicine. UWA says it is in place for 2027–2029 intakes, so a 2027 award holder can defer to 2028.

5. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: UWA accepts it. Its conversion table (out of the province’s maximum, normally 750, Shanghai 660): about 65% (488–491 of 750) is roughly ATAR 70; 70% is 80; 72.5% is 85; 76% is 90; 82% is 94; 84% is 95; 86% is 96; 90% is 98.
• Subject equivalents: in UWA’s Gaokao subject table, Chemistry, Physics and Biology at 65% or higher correspond to WA Chemistry, Physics and Biology; Mathematics at 65% or higher corresponds to Mathematics Specialist and 50%–65% to Mathematics Applications; the Mathematics Methods row says “No equivalent”, and so does the English row. The Chemistry major asks for “Mathematics Methods or higher”: Specialist corresponds to Gaokao Mathematics at 65% or higher, but UWA does not say whether a Gaokao student can meet the requirement through that row. Ask Admissions.
• Senior secondary graduation certificate: UWA lists China’s 高中毕业证书 as a recognised school qualification for the SAT/ACT route and for AP; AP applicants need at least two College Board examined and certified AP subjects as well as a recognised school qualification.
• English: the Gaokao English row says “No equivalent”, and UWA does not say whether Gaokao English can meet the English requirement. Ask Admissions; the test scores above are the other route.
• Other China-related items: UWA’s recognised International Foundation Courses include programs at Beijing Foreign Studies University and the East China University of Political Science and Law (see above). Any interview or accreditation-body requirement specific to Chinese applicants is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website or ask Admissions.
• Other qualifications Chinese students often take: A-level (CDD = ATAR 70, CCC = 80, BCC = 85, BBB = 90, ABB = 92, AAB = 96, AAA = 98), IB (24 = 70, 27 = 80, 30 = 85, 32 = 90, 35 = 94, 36 = 95, 40 = 98; the full Diploma is required, minimum 24), AP (aggregate 6 = 70, 9 = 80, 11 = 85, 13 = 90, 15 = 94/95, 17 = 98; only grades of 3 or above count, minimum two subjects) and SAT/ACT (ATAR 70 is about SAT 1100 / ACT 20, 85 about 1220 / 25, 90 about 1270 / 27).

6. Transfer and credit

• Prior university study: at least one full-time semester (or equivalent) of AQF Level 7 or higher study at an Australian university with a GPA of at least 4.0 on a 7-point scale, plus the English requirement; one full-time year within the last two years at GPA 4.0 or above removes the need for separate English evidence. Higher education outside Australia must be equivalent to one semester of an AQF Level 7 qualification with a GPA comparable to 4.0, with separate English evidence; UWA judges equivalence with the Australian Government’s Country Education Profiles.
• Vocational education (VET): an AQF Level 5 qualification or above; study outside Australia must be equivalent to Level 5, with separate English evidence.
• Credit: you can ask for credit or advanced standing when you apply or after enrolling; UWA has pre-approved credit arrangements with some polytechnics and other institutions in architecture, business, engineering, computer science and life and physical sciences. See the website for details.
• Moving into the Bachelor of Science from another UWA course: the course rules say an enrolled UWA undergraduate may transfer if they have not started their final semester, apply within one of the two transfer windows each year, face no quota on the major or unit they want, have completed at least 24 points with a WAM of at least 50, and have met the subject prerequisites for the intended major.

Application checklist

Applicants from China:

• Bachelor of Science: ATAR 70 (about 65% in the Gaokao) or a recognised equivalent; UWA also says Australian Year 12 applicants need 75, so confirm; the Chemistry major asks for Chemistry and Mathematics Methods or equivalents, and Gaokao Chemistry at 65% or higher corresponds to Chemistry
• English evidence (for example IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in each band); the $150 application fee; deadlines of 11 January 2027 (Semester 1) and 7 June 2027 (Semester 2), to be checked against your country and course
• The Global Excellence Scholarship (ATAR equivalent 85 earns 10%, 90 earns 20%)

Domestic applicants: apply through TISC with WACE/ATAR and English; the Chemistry major needs Chemistry and Mathematics Methods or equivalents, with bridging units if you fall short.

Transfer students: one full-time semester at AQF Level 7 with a GPA of 4.0 (7-point scale), or an AQF Level 5 or higher qualification; ask for a credit assessment when you apply.

Sources: The University of Western Australia, Chemistry major page (Handbook); Bachelor of Science course rules (Handbook); Undergraduate applicants; International applicants; Entry standards; International and overseas qualifications; International baccalaureate; English language requirements; International student pathways; International student fees; Global Excellence Scholarship; Undergraduate degree course structure. The information reflects the pages as read (degree and unit details come from the 2026 Handbook; dates are for 2027 entry). Check the UWA website for the latest.