Address: High Street, Kensington, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
Engineering, Medicine and Health, Business, Law and Justice, Science, Arts, Design and Architecture
The University of New South Wales was established on 1 July 1949 as the New South Wales University of Technology and took its present name in 1958. Its origins go back to the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, founded in 1833, and to Sydney Technical College, founded in 1878. Philip Baxter led the university from 1953 and grew it to 15,000 students by 1968. Faculties of arts and medicine were created in 1960, and law followed in 1971.
The main campus is at Kensington, on a 38-hectare site about seven kilometres from the centre of Sydney. UNSW Art and Design is at Paddington, and other Sydney sites include Randwick, Coogee, Botany, Dee Why, Cowan, Manly Vale and Bankstown Airport. Regional sites are located at Fowlers Gap, Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Coffs Harbour and Griffith. UNSW Canberra stands at the Australian Defence Force Academy, with a newer campus in Canberra city, and a pilot city campus opened in 2025 at 210 George Street in Sydney.
In 2024 the university enrolled 82,272 students and employed 8,318 staff, of whom 3,610 were academic. The faculties are Arts, Design and Architecture, Business, Engineering, Law and Justice, Medicine and Health, and Science, together with UNSW Canberra. It is a founding member of the Group of Eight and belongs to Universitas 21, and it reports more than 200 exchange and research partnerships.
Research facilities include the Lowy Cancer Research Centre, opened in 2010 at a cost of 127 million dollars and housing up to 400 researchers, and the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, which serves science, medicine and engineering. UNSW Canberra Cyber works on cyber security. The Water Research Laboratory is at Manly Vale, the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre is at Randwick, and the Centre for Social Impact was formed in 2008 with two other universities.
Alumni include the former prime minister Scott Morrison, the former premiers of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian and Bob Carr, the architect Glenn Murcutt, the scientist and broadcaster Karl Kruszelnicki and the neurosurgeon Charlie Teo. Fees differ for domestic and international students. Check the current tariff. Teaching is in English.
Domains taught:
Chemistry, Data Analytics, Engineering, Finance, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Graduate Certificate, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Group of Eight, Universitas 21, UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy, and more than 200 exchange and research partnerships.
Research:
Cancer research, analytical science, cyber security, coastal management, drug and alcohol research, water research and social impact.
Famous Alumnis:
Scott Morrison, Gladys Berejiklian, Bob Carr, Glenn Murcutt, Karl Kruszelnicki, Charlie Teo
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
8300
Current students***:
82300
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Strong engineering and technology reputation, large main campus close to the centre of Sydney, many industry links, large exchange programme.
Cons
High cost of living in Sydney, high fees for international students, large and sometimes impersonal classes.
Best For
Students seeking a large Australian university with a strong engineering, technology and business profile in Sydney.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Macquarie University sits close to this institution on finance, chemistry and physics; it is smaller, enrolling about 44,015 students against roughly 82,300 here, and is also a public institution.
For students who like the finance, chemistry and physics focus of this institution but want another option nearby, University of Sydney fits well: it covers marine science and agriculture as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 70,300 students against roughly 82,300 here.
Where this university leans on chemistry, physics and mathematics, Monash University does the same, and it has almost the same size, at about 86,600 students, and is also a public institution.
The comparison with Deakin University is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on chemistry, physics and mathematics, and it is also a public institution and also offers graduate diploma programmes.
Where this university leans on finance, mathematics and life sciences, University of Technology Sydney does the same, and it covers industrial design and civil engineering as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 51,038 students against roughly 82,300 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
In New Zealand, University of Auckland teaches much the same core subjects, chemistry, physics and mathematics, and it is also a public institution and also offers graduate diploma programmes.
The closest overseas parallel on finance, chemistry and physics is University of Lisbon, located in Portugal; it is smaller, enrolling about 47,794 students against roughly 82,300 here, and is also a public institution.
Abroad, King Khalid University (Saudi Arabia) covers finance, chemistry and life sciences in a comparable way, and it does not run the graduate certificate and mba programmes found here, and is slightly smaller, at about 61,708 students against roughly 82,300 here.
For finance, chemistry and physics outside the home country, University of Porto in Portugal is a natural reference; it is smaller, enrolling about 30,640 students against roughly 82,300 here, and is also a public institution.
Korea University offers an international parallel to this university, with finance, chemistry and physics as common ground; it is smaller, enrolling about 31,130 students against roughly 82,300 here, and is private, whereas this university is public.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is UNSW Sydney?
At Kensington, about seven kilometres from the centre of Sydney, New South Wales.
When was it established?
On 1 July 1949, as the New South Wales University of Technology.
When did it take its present name?
In 1958.
How many students does it have?
82,272 in 2024.
How many staff does it have?
8,318 in 2024, of whom 3,610 were academic.
Which faculties does it have?
Arts, Design and Architecture, Business, Engineering, Law and Justice, Medicine and Health, and Science, plus UNSW Canberra.
What is UNSW Canberra?
A campus at the Australian Defence Force Academy, with a newer site in Canberra city.
What is the Lowy Cancer Research Centre?
A research centre opened in 2010 that can house up to 400 researchers.
Is UNSW part of the Group of Eight?
Yes, it is a founding member.
What does it cost?
Fees differ for domestic and international students. Check the current tariff.
Architecture, Engineering, Environment, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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