How to use this checklist
UNSW College’s applied degrees — the Bachelor of Applied Business (Business Management), the Bachelor of Information Technology (Cyber Defence and Networking) and the Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Development) — are AQF level 7 bachelor degrees awarded by UNSW College, an institute of higher education owned and backed by UNSW. Students study on campus in Kensington and can access UNSW facilities, clubs and societies.
The entry lines below are the published minimums to apply. They are not admission guarantees and they are not averages of admitted students. The provider’s own launch material carries the note “Summary data only; please check our website for full details”, so treat this article as a first pass and the official UNSW College entry requirements page as the governing document.
Run the checklist in this order:
- Find your qualification in the tables below.
- Read the academic line — this is the score or grade you need on paper.
- Read the English line — some qualifications satisfy English through the qualification itself; most need a formal test.
- Note what still needs checking with the provider, listed at the end of each section.
Australian qualifications
If you hold an Australian qualification, the lines are straightforward.
| Qualification | Academic requirement | English requirement |
|---|---|---|
| HSC or equivalent | Band 3 in at least 3 relevant HSC subjects | Not stated at this line |
| UNSW College Foundation / Go8 Foundation | Successful completion of Foundation Studies (Pass in Maths for the IT streams) | C+ |
| AQF level 5 (Diploma) | Minimum 50% completion of the qualification | English test required if completed outside Australia |
| AQF level 4 (Certificate IV) | Completed Certificate IV in a relevant discipline | Formal English test required |
Two things stand out. First, the Foundation Studies line is the only one that names a maths requirement — and it applies only to the IT streams, not the business degree. Second, the Diploma and Certificate IV lines both point to a formal English test unless your study was completed in Australia. If you finished an Australian Diploma but sat it offshore, expect to provide a test result.
International curricula
For IB, IBCP and A Levels, the provider publishes both academic and English lines.
| Qualification | Academic requirement | English requirement |
|---|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Completion with ≥ 14 over 3 relevant subjects | 4 (HL) or 5 (SL) |
| IBCP | Award with average 4 or higher in 2 IB Diploma subjects | Formal English test required |
| A Levels | 6 — minimum of one A level; maximum of two AS levels | A Level: C |
The A Levels line is worth reading carefully. The “6” is a points total, not a grade. One A level at grade C or two AS levels at grade C both reach 6 points, but the provider caps the combination at one A level and two AS levels maximum. The English line for A Levels is a C in A Level English — if your A Level English grade is lower, or you studied a different subject, you fall back to a formal test.
Asian school systems
This is where the country-by-country detail lives. The provider publishes lines for China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
China
| Qualification | Academic requirement | English requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Gao San (Senior High School Year 3) | 70% average of best 4 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
| Gao Kao (College Entrance Exam) | 60% | Formal English test required |
| Dazhuan (Junior College) | 75% | Formal English test required |
| Zhongzhuan (Secondary Vocational School) | 80% average of best 4 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
The Gao Kao line is a single percentage with no subject breakdown. The Gao San, Dazhuan and Zhongzhuan lines all use the “best 4 academic subjects” formula, so your subject selection matters — the provider will look at your four strongest academic subjects, not your overall average. All four lines require a formal English test.
Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan
| Qualification | Academic requirement | English requirement |
|---|---|---|
| HKDSE | 13 — best 5 Core and Category A subjects | Overall 4, writing 3 |
| Indonesia SMA3 | 7 — average of best 4 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
| Indonesia Vocational High School / MAN | 75% average of best 4 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
| Japan High School Year 3 / Kosen | 60% average of best 4 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
The HKDSE line is the only one in this group with a specific English component requirement: overall 4 with a 3 in writing. The Indonesian and Japanese lines all require a formal English test regardless of your English grade in school.
Malaysia
| Qualification | Academic requirement | English requirement |
|---|---|---|
| STPM | 6 — best 4: A=7, A-=6, B+=5, B=4, B-=3, C+=2, C=1 | C |
| UEC | 12 — total of best 3 academic subjects; A1=1, A2=2, B3=3, B4=4, B5=5, B6=6, C7=7, C8=8 | B3 |
| MARA Polytechnic Diploma | GPA 2.4 based on overall CGPA | Formal English test required |
The STPM and UEC lines use inverted scoring systems — lower is better. For STPM, your best four subjects are converted using the table and must total at least 6. For UEC, your best three subjects are converted and must total 12 or less. The MARA Polytechnic line is a straight GPA of 2.4.
Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam
| Qualification | Academic requirement | English requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Philippines Senior High School Diploma (Y12) | 82% average of best 4 academic subjects | 85% |
| Singapore A-Levels | 6 — minimum of one H2; maximum of two H1 | D or higher |
| South Korea High School Year 3 / Vocational High School | 70% average of best 4 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
| South Korea CSAT | 270 — total of standard core subjects | Formal English test required |
| South Korea GEE | 75% average of best 4 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
| Thailand Matayom 6 | 2.5 average of best 6 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
| Vietnam Diploma of General Education (Y12) | 30 — total of best 4 academic subjects | Formal English test required |
The Philippines line is the only one in this group with an English requirement expressed as a percentage — 85% — rather than a formal test. The Singapore A-Levels line mirrors the UK A Levels structure but with H2 and H1 subjects, and the English line is a D or higher. The South Korean CSAT line is a total of 270 across standard core subjects, which is a different calculation from the percentage-based lines for High School Year 3 and GEE.
English test scores
If your qualification line says “formal English test required”, here are the published minimums. You must meet both the overall score and the individual component requirements.
| Test | Overall | Writing | Reading | Listening | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| PTE Academic | 64 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 |
| TOEFL iBT | 90 | 23 | 13 | 12 | 18 |
Two alternative English lines exist for students who completed specific foundation programs: Go8 Foundation English at C+, and Non-Go8 Australian Foundation Studies Program at 70%.
There is also an online English pathway. The UEEC10 course runs online from home, with packages finishing in December 2026 ahead of the March 2027 intake, or in July/September 2027 ahead of the October 2027 intake. The provider lists applying for a visa and booking accommodation and flights in the gap between the English course finishing and classes starting. The October 2027 intake has classes starting 18 October 2027.
What still needs checking with the provider
The tables above are the published minimums, but several things sit outside them.
Your transcript’s subject mix. Most lines use “best 4 academic subjects” or similar formulas. The provider decides which subjects count as academic and relevant. If you have a vocational subject in your top four, check whether it qualifies.
The IT maths requirement. Only the Foundation Studies line explicitly names a maths pass for the IT streams. If you are entering via another qualification, the provider has not published a comparable maths line — confirm whether your maths background is sufficient.
Your English test validity period. The provider publishes the score minimums but not the test validity window on the same table. Check the official entry requirements page.
Fees. The 2026 tuition figure is A$34,080 per year, with a three-year total of A$102,240. The CRICOS register additionally records A$1,000 of non-tuition fees for an estimated total of A$103,240. The provider states 2027 fees are still to be updated and that fees are reviewed annually.
Scholarships. The Applied Leadership Award offers up to A$10,000 per year, awarded on merit to a limited number of students, based on a 500-word personal statement plus a resume or CV. The UNSW College Family Discount offers up to a 10% tuition discount for a student with a relative who graduated from UNSW College or is currently enrolled in Foundation Studies or a Diploma there — and applied degree students can apply for it. The official family discount page has not yet been updated to cover the applied degrees, so confirm current conditions with the provider.
The course code check
If you are applying for the Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Development), the correct CRICOS code is 120244D. The launch presentation printed 120243E, but that is the associate degree code in the CRICOS register, not the bachelor. Use 120244D in any application or visa documentation.
A note on what these degrees are
The applied degrees are AQF level 7 bachelor degrees awarded by UNSW College. UNSW owns and backs the college, and students study on campus with access to UNSW facilities, clubs and societies. The degrees are not UNSW Sydney degrees, and the two should not be treated as equivalent.
The provider’s own positioning material describes the applied degrees as project-based with no traditional final exams, with class sizes around 20 students compared with a typical 25–35 in a traditional degree. Each degree includes an Industry Project or Industry Placement in Year 2 or Year 3, with up to 160 hours of experience, plus an 8-week capstone project in the final year.
The launch presentation also cites two market figures: forecast demand for up to 400,000 additional IT workers in Australia by 2030, and only 42% of employers believing business graduates have sufficient workplace skills. These come from the provider’s launch presentation and carry no cited origin — treat them as the provider’s framing, not independent research.
Your next step
Run your transcript against the table for your qualification. If your academic line matches and your English line is either satisfied by your qualification or covered by a valid test result, you are in a position to apply. If either line falls short, or your qualification is not listed, contact UNSW College directly — the published lines are summary data, and the official entry requirements page governs.
Sources
- UNSW College Applied Degrees overview
- Bachelor of Applied Business (Business Management)
- Bachelor of IT (Cyber Defence and Networking)
- Bachelor of IT (Software Development)
- UNSW College entry requirements
- CRICOS register 120245C
- CRICOS register 120253C
- CRICOS register 120244D
- CRICOS register 120243E (Associate Degree, not the Bachelor)
- UNSW College Family Discount
- UNSW College scholarships
This article is general planning information. It does not provide an official credential-equivalency, professional-registration, accreditation or admission decision. Verify current requirements directly with the relevant institution, regulator or professional body before acting.