How to apply to art and design at the University of the Sunshine Coast: Bachelor of Design majors in Visual Communication, Game Design and Interactive Media, no portfolio listed, Gaokao 60% accepted, automatic 20% fee cut for Chinese and Canadian citizens, must be 18 at start; portfolio requirements and timeline for Chinese high school, Canadian high school and transfer students

The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) is in Queensland, with its main campus on the Sunshine Coast and others including Moreton Bay. Its main art and design degree is the Bachelor of Design; the Bachelor of Creative Industries can also be paired with Visual Communication and similar areas. This guide covers courses, applying, entry requirements, fees and scholarships.

1. Courses and majors

• Bachelor of Design: UniSC code AR317, CRICOS 064651B, three years full-time, 24 courses (288 units). Offered at Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and online, starting in Trimester 1 (March–June) or Trimester 2 (July–October).
• Structure: 72 units of introductory courses; then two majors, or one major and two minors (192 units); plus 12–36 units of electives.
• First major, one of: Visual Communication, Game Design, Interactive Media, or Digital Culture (not currently at Moreton Bay).
• Second major options also include Creative Writing and Publishing, Screen Media, Social Media, Journalism, Music, and Theatre and Performance.
• Minors include Game Art and Animation, Photographic Practice, Fashion Studies, and Creative and Interactive Advertising; some are only at the Sunshine Coast campus. The course page notes limited major and minor options at Moreton Bay.
• In your final year you can apply for the school's Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program.
• Bachelor of Creative Industries: code AR338, CRICOS 080099K, three years. The first major is Creative Writing and Publishing, Music, Screen Media, or Theatre and Performance; the second major or minors can include Visual Communication, Game Art and Animation, Photographic Practice and others.
• There is also a Business/Design double degree and an Undergraduate Certificate in Game Design.
• International students on a student visa must study full-time on campus; online programs are not available to them.

2. How and when to apply

• International students: apply through the International Application Portal or through a registered UniSC agent. UniSC accepts agent applications only from registered agents, and applicants from certain regions must apply through an agent.
• Age: international students must be at least 18 when the program starts; this is one of the listed entry conditions.
• Deadlines: the application dates page lists domestic closing dates; for international students it says to contact UniSC International. Ask them for Trimester 1 and 2, 2027 deadlines.
• Domestic students: apply through QTAC. Bachelor of Design QTAC codes are 011191 (Sunshine Coast), 014191 (Moreton Bay) and 015049 (online).
• Application fee: not stated on the pages we read.

3. Portfolio

• The entry requirements on the Bachelor of Design and Bachelor of Creative Industries pages list only the academic threshold and English, with no portfolio or interview.
• English is the recommended prior study.
• The course page says you graduate with a professional portfolio; that is a learning outcome, not an application document.

4. Entry requirements

• Australian applicants: Bachelor of Design minimum ATAR/selection rank 50.00 at all three locations.
• Students from China: the undergraduate admission requirements page lists a Senior High School Certificate with a minimum of 70%, or the Gaokao at 60%. UniSC notes these are minimums that don't guarantee entry, and some programs may require higher grades.
• Students from Canada (including BC): successful completion of a Provincial High School Graduation Diploma; no separate BC course or average requirement is listed.
• IB and A-Levels: IB Diploma 24 with at least 4 in each of six subjects; A-Levels at least 4 points from two to three A-Level subjects (A*=6 to E=1), or four to six AS-Levels or a combination.
• English (standard undergraduate): Academic IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each band; TOEFL iBT 76 with 18 in writing; PTE 50 with no subscore below 50; C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency 169 with 162 in each skill. Online or at-home test versions aren't accepted, and Duolingo is only for exchange students.
• English-medium schooling in Canada: two years of full-time secondary study taught in English in the last five years in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, the UK or the US meets the requirement; UniSC may still ask for more evidence.
• Transfers: a semester or more of college or university study can be used for entry and may earn credit. UniSC gives credit for overseas qualifications and prior learning; there is a credit transfer calculator and separate information for IB students.

5. Fees and scholarships

• International tuition: A$28,500 a year for the Bachelor of Design and A$29,500 for the Bachelor of Creative Industries. The course page says international fees are based on 2025 rates, while the domestic CSP estimate on the same page is labelled 2026; check UniSC for 2027 fees.
• Domestic students: Bachelor of Design CSP estimate A$10,519 (2026).
• UniSC Global Future Scholarship: new international students starting in 2027 with a passport from an eligible country get 20% off tuition for the whole program; China, Canada and Hong Kong are on the list. It is included in your offer automatically and can only be combined with the Welcome Grant below.
• UniSC International Welcome Grant: international students starting in 2027 on a new Student visa (subclass 500) get a credit of up to A$2,500, equal to the base visa application charge.
• The Bright Future Scholarship (20% off) covers listed programs such as nursing and engineering; the Bachelor of Design is not on the list.

6. Checklist by background

Students at high schools in China:

• Gaokao 60% or high school certificate 70% minimum, plus IELTS 6.0 (5.5 in each band)
• You must be 18 when the program starts; check this against the intake you choose
• No portfolio; apply through the International Application Portal or a registered agent, and ask for the Trimester 1 (March) or Trimester 2 (July) 2027 deadline
• The 20% fee reduction is added to your offer automatically

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

• A provincial high school graduation diploma meets the academic threshold; two years of English-medium secondary study in Canada meets the English requirement
• You must also be 18 at commencement, and you get the automatic 20% fee reduction

Transfer students:

• A semester or more of university or college study can be used for entry and credit transfer
• Use the credit transfer calculator to estimate your credit

Sources: University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), Design; Bachelor of Design; Bachelor of Creative Industries; Undergraduate program admission requirements; English language requirements; International: apply now; Application dates; International scholarships; Credit transfer. Scholarships are for 2027 entry; the course page says international fees are based on 2025 rates. Check UniSC for the latest details.