How to Apply to Art and Design at UNSW Sydney: Four Fine Arts Specialisations and Three Design Specialisations, Academic Entry with No Portfolio for International Applicants, and Portfolio Requirements and Timeline for Chinese and Canadian High School Students and Transfer Students

At UNSW Sydney, undergraduate art and design is taught by the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, mainly through two degrees: the Bachelor of Fine Arts and the Bachelor of Design. Here is what you need to know for 2027 entry, based on UNSW’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver students), and transfer students.

1. The degrees

• Bachelor of Fine Arts: three years full time, 144 units of credit, program code 4830, UAC code 421010, CRICOS 110652D, with entry in Term 1, 2 or 3. You take a 16-course specialisation and complete the degree with electives and two General Education courses, or choose a specialisation plus a minor. The four specialisations:
  • Animation & Moving Image: at least two studio areas from animation, visual effects, moving image, sound and 3D visualisation; UNSW notes that students can take Game Art and/or Game Design as part of the disciplinary core.
  • Art Theory: themes including art and embodiment, art and institutions, art, science and technology, and local and global art, with studio classes and pathways into curating and arts writing.
  • Music: requires a separate test and audition (see below).
  • Visual Arts: broad experimentation in contemporary art practice in first year, then at least two studio disciplines from drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and moving image from second year.
• Bachelor of Design: three years full time, 144 units of credit, program code 4825, UAC code 421050, CRICOS 110651E, with entry in Term 1, 2 or 3. Three specialisations: industrial design (physical products), integrated design (across products, spaces and services) and computational design (code, algorithms and data-driven methods). The degree includes internships, work placements and industry projects, with studios and workshops at the Kensington and Paddington campuses.
• Related degrees: the 2027 international entry table also lists the Bachelor of Interior Architecture (Honours) and double degrees such as Fine Arts/Media, Commerce/Fine Arts and Advanced Science (Honours)/Fine Arts; double degrees use the higher of the two requirements.
• Calendar change: UNSW moves to a new Flex-Semester calendar from 2028, so the duration of your studies may vary depending on when you start before 2028.

2. Is a portfolio required?

• International applicants: neither course page asks international applicants for a portfolio; admission is based on academic results. Assumed knowledge is “None” for both degrees, and there are no prerequisites.
• Portfolio Entry Early Conditional Offer Scheme: this gives early conditional offers with an adjusted ATAR based on a portfolio, but UNSW states it is only open to domestic students and requires a UAC application. It does not apply to international applicants.
• Music specialisation: all applicants must pass the UNSW Musicianship test and, if successful, submit a performance audition for the School of the Arts & Media.

3. Entry scores

• 2027 international entry requirements (UNSW’s 2027 international undergraduate entry table; the same for Fine Arts, Design, Interior Architecture (Honours) and Fine Arts/Media): international ATAR 78; Gaokao 70%; IB 29; A-Level 10; BC GPA 3.4; Ontario OSSD 76.
• Double degrees: Commerce/Fine Arts is much higher in the same table, at international ATAR 92, Gaokao 80%, IB 36, A-Level 15, BC 3.7 and Ontario 85.
• Domestic reference: both course pages list a 2026 lowest selection score (ATAR plus adjustment factors) of 83.0, A-Level 10 and IB 31; the lowest ATAR was 65.35 for Fine Arts and 65.0 for Design (UNSW notes the Fine Arts figure came from a Gateway early conditional offer). These are domestic figures; international applicants should use the table.
• A-Level calculation: 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.
• UNSW notes the published scores are a guide; actual requirements may be higher or lower.

4. Students at high schools in China

• You can apply directly with the Gaokao; the requirement is 70% of your province’s maximum score. UNSW’s Gaokao table gives 525 out of 750 for most provinces, 462 out of 660 for Shanghai and 630 out of 940 for Hainan.
• No portfolio is required (except for Music), but you must meet the English requirement below.
• If you take an international curriculum, you can apply with the A-Level or IB scores above.

5. Students at Canadian high schools

• BC: based on the BC Certificate of Graduation, using the average of all Grade 12 subjects except Graduation Transitions and Career-Life courses, with A=4, B=3, C+=2.5, C=2, C-=1, F=0; the diploma must be awarded. Fine Arts and Design require 3.4.
• Ontario: the average of the best six Grade 12 university (or university/college) preparation courses, including ENG4U; the requirement is 76.
• English: UNSW’s English requirements page lists prior study in the medium of English as one way to show proficiency; check that page for the conditions.

6. English requirements (Arts, Design & Architecture undergraduate)

• IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall, at least 6.0 in each band.
• TOEFL iBT: 90 overall, at least 23 in writing and 22 in reading, listening and speaking.
• PTE: 64 overall, at least 54 in each part.
• Cambridge C1/C2: 176 overall, at least 169 in each part.

7. Transfer students

• The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) volumes on the course pages are for domestic students: a one-year diploma can count for 48 units of credit (first year), a 1.5-year advanced diploma or associate degree up to 72, and a two-year one up to 96, depending on relevance.
• Both degrees are part of the TAFE/VET Pathway, which may give automatic credit for a relevant TAFE/VET qualification.
• The course pages do not set out credit rules for international transfer students; credit is assessed when you apply, so check with UNSW in advance.

8. Timeline (2027 entry)

• Most international students apply through the UNSW Applicant Portal; international students taking an Australian Year 12 qualification apply through UAC.
• Term 1 undergraduate offer rounds (China and Canada are not International Student Award countries, so offers come in rounds): completed-application deadlines of 14 May, 16 July, 20 August and 24 September 2026, with offers released on 13 August, 10 September, 15 October and 19 November. As of October 2026, all four deadlines have passed; UNSW says more offers may be released after the final round if places remain.
• Term 2 and Term 3: undergraduate round dates are not published; check the admissions information page. UNSW says applications for all 2027 terms are open.

9. Fees and scholarships

• International tuition (2026 indicative): Fine Arts about AUD 49,000 for the first year and about AUD 156,500 for the whole degree; Design about AUD 49,500 and about AUD 158,000 (whole-degree figures include about AUD 1,000 a year in study-related costs). 2027 fees are not yet published.
• Domestic students (Commonwealth Supported Place, 2026 indicative): about AUD 9,500 for the first year of Fine Arts and AUD 10,000 for Design.
• Scholarships: see the UNSW scholarships website; the International Student Award is only for citizens of listed countries, and China and Canada are not on the list.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Gaokao 70% (525 out of 750), or A-Level 10 / IB 29
• IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in each band), TOEFL 90 or PTE 64
• No portfolio for Fine Arts or Design; prepare for the test and audition if you choose Music
• Term 1 rounds have closed; watch for late offers, or apply for Term 2 or 3

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• BC grade 12 GPA 3.4; Ontario OSSD 76
• Apply early in the offer rounds

Transfer students:

• Submit university transcripts for credit assessment; Term 1, 2 and 3 entry

Sources: UNSW Sydney, Bachelor of Fine Arts; Bachelor of Design; 2027 international undergraduate entry requirements table (PDF); English language requirements; International admissions and offer rounds; Portfolio Entry Early Conditional Offer Scheme; Scholarships. Information is for 2027 entry; entry scores are indicative and fees are 2026 figures. Check UNSW Sydney for the latest details.