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Application procedure for local students

How to apply for a coursework program

and, together with the documentation listed below, lodge with the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit.

Essential documentation for all applicants::

  • Evidence of Australian or New Zealand citizenship or Australian permanent residency status, i.e. birth certificate, passport or citizenship certificate. These must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
  • Marriage certificate or other documentation to verify name change if applicable. These must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
  • Transcripts of all academic qualifications except for studies completed at the University of Sydney. These must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
  • Curriculum vitae (CV) outlining employment history and relevant experience: necessary for School of Public Health applications and optional for all other applicants.

Plus:

  • Public Health, International Public Health, Biostatistics, Health Policy, Indigenous Health Promotion and Indigenous Health (Substance Use) applicants: Curriculum vitae (CV) outlining employment history and relevant experience.
  • Clinical Epidemiology applicants: Curriculum vitae (CV) outlining employment history and relevant experience, and a brief explanatory letter outlining why you are applying for the course.
  • Biostatistics applicants: Evidence of mathematical aptitude, evidence of previous study in statistics. A completed Unit of study selection form and contact detail form are also required.
  • Ophthalmic Sciences applicants: Curriculum vitae (CV) outlining employment history and relevant experience and evidence of your current employment.
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How to apply for a research program

  1. Make direct contact with the postgraduate co-ordinator of the discipline in which you wish to study in order to discuss potential research topics, ensure that appropriate research facilities are available and to find out about potential supervisors with expertise in the relevant field. This is a vital step which you should make prior to submitting your application form. In addition to applicants' qualifications and experience, admission to research programs will depend on the availability of resources, facilities and supervisors with relevant expertise.
    Who is my Postgraduate Co-ordinator?
  2. Complete a current research application form making sure that you complete pages 3 to 6, your supervisory team complete pages 7 and 8, and your postgraduate co-ordinator completes page 9.
  3. Make sure that you have both a supervisor AND at least one associate supervisor and that their full names, contact details and University of Sydney staff ID numbers or Dates of Birth are provided with your application.
  4. Submit your completed form with appropriate approvals and accompanying documentation (as specified below) to the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit.

Essential documentation:

  • Written research proposal (approximately 1 to 2 pages in length) which should include a synopsis, objectives, methodology, resources, references and the full names and contact details (address, telephone and e-mail) of your supervisor and associate supervisor(s).
  • Evidence of Australian or NZ citizenship or Australian permanent residency status – must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
  • Marriage certificate or other documentation to verify name change if applicable - must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
  • Transcripts of all academic qualifications except for studies completed at the University of Sydney - must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
  • FOR PART-TIME APPLICANTS ONLY
    statement of part-time candidature explaining your reasons for applying for part-time candidature, the relationship of the research to your employment and arrangements for attendance at the university.
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How to apply for non-award or cross-institutional study

To apply for non-award or cross-institutional study complete a current non-award application form and, together with the documentation listed below, lodge with the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit, Room 208D, Edward Ford Building (A27), The University of Sydney NSW 2006.

The units of study available in the Sydney Medical School are all delivered at a postgraduate level and therefore applicants are requested to provide a certified copy of transcripts. Also fees vary depending on an applicant’s citizenship or permanent residency and therefore applicants are asked to provide certified copies of a passport or birth certificate.

Some units of study are specifically designed for students with specific assumed knowledge and therefore applicants may be asked to provide additional information.

Essential documentation:

  • Evidence of Australian or New Zealand citizenship or Australian permanent residency status, i.e. birth certificate, passport or citizenship certificate. These must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
  • Marriage certificate or other documentation to verify name change if applicable. These must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
  • Transcripts of all academic qualifications except for studies completed at the University of Sydney. These must be originals or photocopies certified by a Justice of the Peace.
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English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you MUST demonstrate English language proficiency by one of the following means before admission can be confirmed.

  1. Provide evidence of satisfactory achievement in tertiary studies in which the exclusive language of the institution and the exclusive language of instruction, examination and assessment was English. These studies must have been undertaken no more than 5 years prior to the submission of your application.
  2. Achieve the required grades in “English for Academic Purposes” at the University’s Centre for English Teaching. The course must have been completed no more than 2 years prior to the submission of your application.
  3. Achieve the required grades on an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test. The required grades are listed below. The test results must be achieved less than 2 years prior to the submission of your application. For more information on these tests, please visit the IELTS website or the TOEFL website.

All research programs in the three faculties:
IELTS 6.5 with no band less than 6.0 OR
TOEFL 577 plus TWE 4.5 OR
Computer-based TOEFL 233 plus Essay Rating 4.5

Faculty of Dentistry (all coursework programs)
IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.0 OR
TOEFL 600 plus TWE of 4.5 OR
Computer-based TOEFL 250 plus Essay Rating 4.5

Sydney Medical School (all programs except Qualitative Health Research)
IELTS 6.5 with no band less than 6.0 OR
TOEFL 577 plus TWE 4.5 OR
Computer-based TOEFL 233 plus Essay Rating 4.5

Qualitative Health Research
IELTS 7.0 with no band below 6.0 OR
TOEFL 600 plus TWE of 4.5 OR
Computer-based TOEFL 250 plus Essay Rating 4.5

The Academic Board policy Postgraduate English Language Requirements is available at Policy online.

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Closing dates for local applications

In general, the University of Sydney closing dates for local applications are as follows:
31 January for commencement in Semester 1 (i.e. commencement in March)
31 May for commencement in Semester 2 (i.e. commencement in July)

Please note the following exceptions:

APA/UPA scholarship applicants
If you are applying for a scholarship such as an Australian Postgraduate Award or a University Postgraduate Award, then your application for the degree must be in by the due date for the application for the scholarship (the two applications are separate). This is normally 31 October for scholarships commencing in semester 1 of the following year and late May for scholarships commencing in semester 2, but please check the Research Office website to confirm this.

Courses:

  • Indigenous Health Promotion: 30 November for commencement in the following year
  • Indigenous Health (Substance Use): 30 November for commencement in the following year
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Offers of admission

The Postgraduate Student Administration Unit will contact you in writing once a decision has been made regarding your application. If your application has been successful, you will be sent an ‘offer of admission’ letter providing details of your candidature. This letter should be checked carefully and any questions about the terms of the offer should be referred to the Unit. Unsuccessful applicants will also receive written notification.

The letter of offer only offers you a place in a course, which may be conditional on you providing further information. Please note: You must still enrol if you accept the offer.

If details of when to enrol are not included with the letter of offer then the Unit will contact you closer to your commencement date with details on how to enrol.

Non-acceptance of an offer

If for any reason you are unable to accept an offer of admission, please notify the Postgraduate Student Administration Unit as soon as possible.

Please note: The Postgraduate Student Administration Unit is unable to keep unsuccessful applications or applications of students who do not accept an offer of admission. Therefore, if you wish to reapply in the future, you will be required to lodge a new application.

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Deferral of commencement

If you have been given an offer of admission but can't enrol for the semester of the offer, you can apply to defer your enrolment until the next intake. Note that deferrals are not automatically granted, particularly for research applicants as the funds to support the research project may only be available for a limited period.

Local research applicants
Please send an email to David Baxter stating your name, student number, the course you have received an offer for, which semester you wish to defer until (e.g. semester 2, 2009) and a brief reason why you are asking for the deferral.

Local coursework and all distance education students
Please send an email to Melinda Teoh stating your name, student number, the course you have been made an offer for, which semester you wish to defer until (e.g. semester 2, 2009) and a brief reason why you are asking for the deferral.

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Credit for previous study

Credit for previous study can be sought. Your previous study must be relevant to the course to which you are applying.

Credit for coursework should be requested by completing a Request for Advanced Standing and Exemption Form and submitting this with your application for admission to candidature. Such requests must be supported by documentary evidence of having enrolled and satisfactorily completed the relevant subject, such as certified transcripts, and course outlines to show the relevance of the subject.

Credit for prior study in a research degree should be requested in writing at the time of application for admission to candidature. Such requests must be supported by documentary evidence of having enrolled and officially discontinued from a previous research degree.

The granting of credit is limited and for further details please refer to both the Course Coordinator and the Credit Policy of the Combined Board of Postgraduate Studies for the Faculties of Dentistry, Medicine and Pharmacy.