Direct links
 
Home → International Students → Study Options → Academic Requirements

Academic Requirements

To enrol in undergraduate study at the University, you must demonstrate that you meet both academic and English language proficiency admission requirements as set out below.

 

Academic Requirements

To enrol in an undergraduate course, you must have completed an appropriate school-leaving examination or a recognised post-secondary qualification

Here are some examples:

Australia
Year 12 examinations

Canada
Ontario Secondary School Diploma

Fiji
A two-year Foundation program at the University of the South Pacific, or acceptable results in the New Zealand Bursary Examination or the Fiji Seventh Form Examination.

Hong Kong
Three subjects in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination or University of London GCE A Level examination.

India
A first class pass from the Central All India Senior School Certificate (CBSE).

Indonesia
SMA examination or one year at a recognised university.

Malaysia
Three separate subjects in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STMP) examination.

Taiwan, Republic of Korea, China, Thailand
First-year standing at a recognised university or excellent senior high school results (top 30%); completion of Diploma courses in junior colleges.

United Kingdom
University of London GCE A Level examination or Cambridge Higher School Certificate (from countries other than Britain) with three subjects at Advanced Level.

United States
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or at least one year at university or college studying subjects appropriate to the course applied for.

International Baccalaureate

 

English Language Proficiency

All applicants for admission to a University of Newcastle undergraduate or postgraduate program, either in Australia or overseas, whose first language is not English and whose previous educational qualifications were undertaken in a language other than English, must provide evidence that their English language ability meets one of the following requirements for admission. Such evidence must be current, ie. has been undertaken within the two years prior to commencement of the University of Newcastle program.

****Students must demonstrate that they have an adequate level of English language proficiency. Evidence of this proficiency can be shown through satisfactory performance in one of the following;

  1. Completed International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum requirement of English A2 at the higher level;

  2. C Pass in the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English;

  3. Great Britain General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) - GCE’A’ - C pass in General Paper English, or other Humanities subjects;

  4. C Pass in the “Use of English” in Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination;

  5. C Pass in English 920, 914 STPM (Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia-Malaysian Higher School Certificate);

  6. Combined Universities Language Test (CULT) - score of 70;

  7. International English Language Testing (IELTS) score of 6.5 or higher with no individual subtest score less than 6.0 in the Academic Module;
    Bachelor of Laws score 7.0 (min 6.0 in each subtest);
    Bachelor of Medicine score 7.0 (min 6.0 in each subtest);

  8. American Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 550 or more (minimum score of 4.5 in the TWE) – paper based test. Computer based test requires score of 213 or more (minimum score of 4.5 Essay Rating)
    Note:
    Bachelor of Laws 600 (TWE 4.5) paper based. Computer based 250 (min 4.5 Essay Rating);
    Bachelor of Medicine 600 (TWE 4.5) paper based. Computer based 250 (min 4.5 Essay Rating);
    Scholarship Applications for Research a score of 575 is required (TWE4.5) paper based. Computer based is 230 (minimum score of 4.5 Essay Rating);

  9. Completion of the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) with an overall score of 152;

  10. Pass in "English" at University, for students from Scandinavian countries who do not meet the following standards:
    Grade of "4" in English in the final year of the Norwegian Vitnemal: den Vidergaende Skole
    Grade of "3" in English in the final year of the Swedish Avgangsbetyg < 1997 Upper Secondary Leaving Certificate. Offer letters are to recommend students enrol in ESL101 in their first semester of study. (NB: This should be reviewed in July 2003);
    A grade of "G" in English in the final year of the Swedish Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskolan > 1997 Upper Secondary Leaving Certificate;
    Grade of "9" in English in the final year of the Danish Studentereksamen

  11. Grade of "4" in English in the final year of the Norwegian Vitnemal: den Vidergaende Skole

  12. Grade of "3" in English in the final year of the Swedish Avgangsbetyg < 1997 Upper Secondary Leaving Certificate. Offer letters are to recommend students enrol in ESL101 in their first semester of study. (NB: This should be reviewed in July 2003);

  13. A grade of "G" in English in the final year of the Swedish Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskolan > 1997 Upper Secondary Leaving Certificate;

  14. Grade of "9" in English in the final year of the Danish Studentereksamen

  15. Successful completion of the University’s ELICOS program at a Higher Pass level (65% or more in three of the four examinations. One exam may be in the 60%-64% range);

  16. Successful completion of the University’s Open Foundation Course;

  17. Successful completion of the University’s Newstep program;

  18. Successful completion of the University’s Foundation Studies or UNIPATH Program;

  19. Australian TAFE Studies – completion of an Advanced Certificate or AQF Certificate 1V;

  20. Completion of the TAFE Tertiary Preparation Certificate;

  21. Completion of the TAFE English for Academic Purposes - AQF Certificate 1V;

  22. Completion of the University of NSW Foundation Studies Certificate with a C grade in English;
    (In addition the Bachelor of Laws requires a B grade in English and the Bachelor of Medicine requires an A grade in English);

  23. Two years of successful tertiary study in an overseas tertiary institution, in a non-English speaking country, where the medium of instruction and examination is English;

  24. Successful completion of one year of full-time, or equivalent, higher education level study in an English speaking country. To be considered current this study must have been undertaken within the previous two years.

  25. Completion of a one year full time equivalent Tertiary Preparation/Bridging Program as listed in the UAC Tertiary Preparation Schedules.
    Note: Applicants who have undertaken an undergraduate program of three years or a postgraduate program of two years at an Australian University, where the sole language of instruction is English, will not be required to undertake an English language test if the program was completed within the ten years prior to the commencement of the University of Newcastle program.
Formally Approved by the Student Equity, Access And Progression Committee on: 11 May 1999
Academic Senate 98/5 Approved 26 May 1999
Amended: Academic Senate 29 November 2000, 15 October 2003, 7 December 2004, 16 February 2005

The complete policy document is contained within the University's Policy Library.