UNSW international scholarships for coursework students are bundled into one application each term. Its biggest prize is the International Scientia Coursework Scholarship, which pays either full tuition or AUD 20,000 a year towards tuition for the minimum length of a bachelor’s or coursework master’s degree. Alongside it sit smaller awards worth AUD 5,000 to AUD 15,000, a set of automatic awards such as Australia’s Global University Award (AUD 10,000), and the International Student Award, a 20% tuition reduction for citizens of eligible countries.
The Deadline for students starting in Term 1, 2027 (February) is 30 October 2026 at 11:59 pm Sydney time, and you must already hold a UNSW offer by that date. If you miss it, the Term 2, 2027 round opens on 1 December 2026 and closes on 26 February 2027, and the Term 3 round runs from 1 April to 18 June 2027.
Deadline this week
UNSW writes the Term 1, 2027 closing time as 11:59 pm AEST on 30 October 2026. Sydney is on daylight saving then (GMT+11), so treat it as 12:59 GMT on 30 October, and do not leave the upload to the last hour. Late applications and late documents are not accepted.
UNSW international scholarships for 2027 compared
One application, coded PUCA1029, puts you in the running for every award in the first part of this table. The second part is assessed automatically from your admission application.
| Scholarship | Value | Duration | Who it is for | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Scientia Coursework Scholarship (PUCA1025) | Full tuition, or AUD 20,000 a year towards tuition | Minimum program length | Full-time undergraduate or postgraduate coursework | PUCA1029 application |
| UNSW Business School International Pathways Award (PUCA1023) | AUD 15,000 towards tuition | 1 year | Business undergraduates from an approved articulation or UNSW Foundation Studies Commerce stream | PUCA1029 application |
| UNSW Law & Justice International Award (PUCA1028) | AUD 10,000 towards tuition | 1 year | LLB, JD or LLM students | PUCA1029 application |
| UNSW Business School International Scholarship (PUCA1024) | AUD 5,000 towards tuition | Minimum program length | Business undergraduates and postgraduates (not AGSM) | PUCA1029 application |
| Dr Vincent Lo Asia Undergraduate Scholarship (UGCA1606) | AUD 10,000 a year | Up to 5 years | Undergraduates from Asia | PUCA1029 application |
| UNSW Hong Kong Foundation Scholarship (UGCA1603) | AUD 10,000 a year | Minimum program length | Hong Kong citizens, undergraduate | PUCA1029 application |
| Australia’s Global University Award (PUCA1026) | AUD 10,000 once | First year | Undergraduate and postgraduate coursework, on campus | Automatic |
| UNSW College Award (PUCA1027) | AUD 10,000 once | First year | UNSW Global Foundation Studies students | Automatic |
| UNSW Masters of Laws Scholarship (PGCA1107) | AUD 20,000 | 1 year | LLM students with a law degree from a Law School Global League school | Automatic |
| UNSW Articulation Scholarships | AUD 5,000 a year stipend | Minimum program length | Engineering students from MAHE, TIET, VIT or Thammasat articulation programmes | Automatic |
| International Student Award | 20% of tuition | Whole program | Citizens of eligible countries, new coursework students | 500-word statement with your admission application |
International Scientia Coursework Scholarship
This is the award most people mean when they search for UNSW international scholarships. UNSW makes two kinds of offer:
- Offer 1: a full tuition fee scholarship for the minimum duration of your program.
- Offer 2: AUD 20,000 a year paid towards your tuition for the minimum duration of your program.
Neither offer pays living costs. To be eligible you must be an international student starting full-time study in a UNSW undergraduate or postgraduate coursework degree in the term of the round you apply for. Programs taught through UNSW Online and at UNSW Canberra are excluded. UNSW does not say how many Scientia awards it gives, only that there are far fewer than applicants.
Can I hold Scientia with other awards?
PUCA1029 awards can be held with the International Student Award, except the full tuition Scientia offer. Apart from that, UNSW says you cannot hold more than one international scholarship at a time, and Australia’s Global University Award is withdrawn if you accept a higher-value scholarship.
The International Student Award (20%)
This award takes 20% off your tuition each term for the length of your program. It is limited to citizens of countries on a list UNSW publishes as a PDF on the International Student Award page, so check yours first. You must be a new, full-time, on-campus student in a UNSW diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate coursework program.
- How to apply: a personal statement of up to 500 words on why you want to study your program at UNSW, uploaded in the UNSW Applicant Portal with your admission application (or later through the portal or myUNSW if you already have an offer).
- Outcome: within two days of your offer if you applied together, or within two weeks of uploading the statement later.
- Exclusions: AGSM, UNSW Online, UNSW Canberra, Foundation programs, Hexamester programs and Study Abroad.
- Rules: it cannot be deferred, and it cannot be combined with Sponsor Partners Program fee arrangements.
UNSW international scholarships deadline: 2027 rounds
The PUCA1029 FAQ sets the same three windows every year. Dates below were checked on the UNSW scholarships site on 25 October 2026.
| Start term | Window opens | Deadline (11:59 pm Sydney time) | Hold a UNSW offer by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1, 2027 (February) | Open now | 30 October 2026 | 30 October 2026 |
| Term 2, 2027 (May/June) | 1 December 2026 | 26 February 2027 | 26 February 2027 |
| Term 3, 2027 (September) | 1 April 2027 | 18 June 2027 | 18 June 2027 |
The Term 3, 2026 round that Scholars4Dev wrote up closed on 18 June 2026. Outcomes usually arrive within 30 days of the closing date, though UNSW warns that assessment can take longer.
Eligibility: the offer rule that catches most applicants
Every PUCA1029 award requires you to hold an offer of admission for the right term by the scholarship deadline. UNSW accepts these offer types:
- Unconditional offer: undergraduate or postgraduate.
- Conditional offer: accepted only if the outstanding conditions are not Genuine Student (GS) or English language requirements.
- Conditional English Package Offer (UEEC): you must enrol in and complete the UNSW Institute of Languages program before your degree starts.
Applicants still waiting for Year 12 results, and UAC international applicants whose ATAR comes out in late December, may apply before the deadline. Scholarships are only confirmed once you hold an unconditional offer, so email scholarships@unsw.edu.au to flag pending results.
How UNSW selects winners
Eligibility is checked first. A panel then scores the eligible applications, and the Scholarships team tallies the scores before the panel sets the final ranking. The four selection criteria are:
- Academic merit: your results in the qualification used for admission.
- Leadership: at school, at work or in your community.
- Extra-curricular activities: sport, culture, volunteering or work experience.
- Reasons for studying at UNSW.
UNSW says it will not assess unanswered questions or claims without supporting documents. Documents must be in English (with professional translations) and no more than three years old.
How to apply for UNSW international scholarships: step by step
- Apply for admission: lodge your UNSW application early enough to receive an offer before the scholarship deadline. This is the step people leave too late.
- Add the 20% statement: if your country is eligible, upload the 500-word International Student Award statement in the Applicant Portal.
- Register on the scholarship portal: create an account in UNSW Scholarship Application Online from the PUCA1029 page.
- Answer every question: write responses that address leadership, activities and your reasons for choosing UNSW.
- Upload evidence: certificates, reference letters and proof of each activity, following the UNSW supporting documentation guide.
- Submit before the deadline: one application covers all PUCA1029 awards you are eligible for.
- Track your status: statuses move from Being assessed to Shortlisted, then Successful Conditional Offer, Selected or Unsuccessful.
- Accept and keep your place: follow the conditions in your offer letter and stay enrolled in an eligible program each term.
Writing the scholarship responses
UNSW does not publish a word limit for the PUCA1029 responses, so aim for answers that are complete but tight. Each answer should make one claim and prove it.
- Leadership: describe one role, what you changed and the result in numbers.
- Activities: pick the two that took the most time and say what you learnt.
- Why UNSW: name the program, a course or lab, and how it connects to your plans.
A sample opening for the leadership answer: “As head of my school’s science club, I turned a 15-member group into a team of 60 and organised our first inter-school robotics contest.” Then attach the club letter that confirms it. If you need help with the letters, our recommendation letter guide has templates.
Common mistakes
- Submitting the scholarship form before you have a UNSW offer, or with an offer still conditional on English or GS.
- Applying in the round for the wrong start term.
- Choosing a UNSW Online or UNSW Canberra program, which Scientia excludes.
- Uploading untranslated documents or certificates older than three years.
- Writing about leadership without any evidence attached.
- Converting the deadline wrongly. On 30 October Sydney is on GMT+11.
UNSW research scholarships (PhD and research master’s)
PUCA1029 is for coursework only. Research students apply in separate UNSW scholarship rounds through the Applicant Portal, after contacting a supervisor and passing a pre-admission interview. According to the UNSW HDR application page:
| Round | For starts in | Closing date | Offers from |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNSW 2026 November Release | Term 2 or 3, 2027 | 14 August 2026 (closed) | 19 November 2026 |
| China Scholarship Council 2027 (Chinese nationals) | Term 3, 2027 or 2028 | 15 January 2027 | 5 March 2027 |
| UNSW 2027 July Release | Term 1, 2028 | 16 April 2027 | 23 July 2027 |
UNSW does not list the research stipend on that page, so confirm the current rate with the Graduate Research School. If you want a fully funded PhD in Sydney with a published rate, compare the University of Sydney International Stipend Scholarship.
Costs UNSW scholarships do not cover
- Living costs: none of the coursework awards pays a stipend apart from the articulation scholarships. Home Affairs has asked student visa applicants to show AUD 29,710 a year since May 2024.
- Any tuition left after a partial award (AUD 20,000, 20% or a one-off AUD 10,000).
- Overseas Student Health Cover and student visa (subclass 500) fees.
- English tests, translations and the UNSW Institute of Languages course if you hold a UEEC offer.
How UNSW compares with other Australian scholarships
| Scholarship | Level | Value | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNSW International Scientia Coursework | Bachelor’s, coursework master’s | Full tuition or AUD 20,000 a year | This page |
| Adelaide Academic Excellence (50%) | Bachelor’s, coursework master’s | 50% tuition | Adelaide Global Academic Excellence Scholarship |
| Deakin Vice-Chancellor’s International | Bachelor’s, coursework master’s | 50% or 100% tuition | Deakin University scholarships |
| University of Sydney USYDIS | PhD, research master’s | AUD 44,293 a year + full tuition | USYDIS guide |
| La Trobe Humanitarian Scholarship | Undergraduate, refugees in Australia | Full tuition + AUD 5,000 a year | La Trobe Humanitarian Scholarship |
Who should apply, and who should not
Apply if you have top grades, real leadership or community work you can document, and a UNSW offer in hand before the deadline. Even if Scientia goes to someone else, the same application can win you a smaller award, and the automatic awards cost you nothing.
Skip the Scientia round if you are applying to UNSW Online or UNSW Canberra, or if your admission application will not produce an offer in time. In that case, target the next term’s round rather than sending an application that fails the eligibility check.
FAQ: UNSW international scholarships
What is the deadline for the UNSW International Scientia Coursework Scholarship?
For Term 1, 2027 it is 30 October 2026 at 11:59 pm Sydney time. The Term 2 round closes on 26 February 2027 and the Term 3 round on 18 June 2027.
Does the UNSW Scientia scholarship cover living expenses?
No. It pays either full tuition or AUD 20,000 a year towards tuition for the minimum length of your degree. You must fund living costs and health cover yourself.
Can I apply for a UNSW scholarship without an offer of admission?
No. You must hold an unconditional offer, an eligible conditional offer, or a UEEC package offer for the right term by the scholarship deadline. Students with pending final results can apply, but awards are confirmed only after an unconditional offer.
Is the UNSW 20% International Student Award automatic?
Not quite. You need to be a citizen of an eligible country and upload a personal statement of up to 500 words in the Applicant Portal. UNSW then confirms the award by email.
Sources and updates
Checked on 25 October 2026 against the UNSW Scholarships page for international students commencing Term 1, 2027 (PUCA1029), the earlier Term 2 and Term 3, 2026 PUCA1029 pages, the PUCA1029 FAQ, the Australia’s Global University Award page, the International Student Award page, and the UNSW HDR application page for research rounds. Visa funds follow the Australian Department of Home Affairs figure in force since May 2024. The Scholars4Dev UNSW listing (Term 3, 2026) was our starting point; it covered two awards and a closed round. The Term 1, 2027 page gives two different opening dates in July 2026, which does not affect the deadline. We will update this page when UNSW opens the Term 2, 2027 round.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
