University of Sydney

The University of Sydney (USyd) is Australia’s oldest university and a major research-intensive institution with a global reputation for research and teaching. It positions itself as a leading global university tackling major world challenges and offers extensive student services, research centres and industry links.

 

Why choose Sydney (for international students)

  • World-class research opportunities and strong industry connections — great for CVs and internships.

  • Highly multicultural campus and ranked 1st in Australia for international student diversity.

  • Central Sydney location: vibrant city life, excellent transport, and many placement/employment opportunities nearby

 

Rankings (quick snapshot)

  • Times Higher Education: recently recorded a strong global position (University jumped to 53rd in THE World University Rankings 2026). This is a useful headline metric for global reputation.

 

Campus locations & key facilities

Main campus: Camperdown / Darlington (the historic “Quadrangle” area) — central teaching & research hub with libraries, labs, galleries and residential colleges.


Other teaching/research locations include Cumberland, Camden (agriculture/field facilities), and field stations (including the Great Barrier Reef research site).

Types of courses & study levels

  • Undergraduate (Bachelor, Honours), Postgraduate coursework (Master’s, graduate certificates), and Research degrees (MPhil, PhD).

  • Also: short courses, professional development and enabling/preparation pathway programs (e.g., Direct Entry Course with Taylors/Navitas).

 

Mode of learning (onsite / online / blended)

  • USyd offers on-campus, online and blended delivery depending on the program. The institution has an active Teaching & Learning strategy (2023–25) that explicitly supports blended and flexible learning approaches. Short-courses and some master’s units are available fully online.

 

Number of programs offered

  • The University advertises 450+ courses across 10 study areas (undergraduate, postgraduate and research offerings across many disciplines). Course search and faculty pages list hundreds of specific degrees, majors and combined/dual degrees — plenty of choice across arts, sciences, engineering, medicine, business, law and more.

 

Highlights & student support

  • Strong support services for international students: orientation, accommodation help, counselling, academic support and visa/study-advice resources.

  • Excellent campus life: clubs, student societies, residential colleges, career services and a range of extracurricular activities. The Quadrangle and campus architecture are iconic — handy for social media and student life storytelling.

Scholarship

  • Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships (VCIS) — flagship scheme for high-achieving international students; up to A$60,000 (new expanded amounts from 2026 intakes). Eligibility: international student with an unconditional offer to a CRICOS-registered undergraduate or coursework master’s degree. No separate application — eligible students with an unconditional offer by the relevant cut-off are automatically considered. Key 2026 updates change some caps and termination thresholds — check the close dates for the intake you want.

  • Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship — full tuition + SSAF (for the published full-time duration of a single undergraduate degree) for outstanding school-leavers from priority markets. Requires an online application (link on the scholarship page); applicants must be international students who have applied for but not yet commenced an eligible undergraduate degree.

  • Research scholarships (RTP / USYDIS / Tuition Fee Scholarships) — for international postgraduate research students (Higher Degree by Research): RTP Stipend, University of Sydney International Stipend Scholarship (USYDIS), and tuition fee offsets. Typical stipend ~ A$42,700 p.a. (2026 rate shown on site) plus relocation/thesis allowances and a tuition fee waiver for the length of candidature (subject to rules). Application is via admission + scholarship form; many are competitive and have strict deadlines.

  • Faculty & course-specific international scholarships — every faculty (Engineering, Business, Arts, Medicine, etc.) runs discipline-specific awards (values and eligibility vary widely — many require a minimum WAM or specific achievements). Use the University’s scholarship search and faculty pages to find these.

 

Details, eligibility & application steps

1) Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarships (VCIS)

  • Value: up to A$60,000 (there are multiple award bands: A$60k, A$40k, A$20k, A$10k, A$5k — availability of each amount varies by cohort). Starting 2026 intakes the scheme includes a $60k scholarship value and some revised caps/termination thresholds.

  • Who’s eligible: international students who have applied for — but not yet commenced — a CRICOS-registered bachelor’s or coursework master’s degree delivered onshore at USyd, and who have received an unconditional offer by the VCIS close date.

  • How to apply: No separate application — automatic consideration if you have an unconditional offer by the published round close dates (VCIS has round deadlines per intake — see the VCIS page). Offers are subject to funds and ranking criteria.

 

2) Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship

  • Value: 100% tuition + SSAF for the published full-time duration of one undergraduate degree.

  • Eligibility: international applicants who have applied for (but not yet commenced) a single eligible undergraduate course; applicants must be school leavers (no prior tertiary study) per the terms; not available for some combined degrees/dual programs (check the exclusions on the webpage).

  • How to apply: there is an online application form linked on the scholarship page (applications open for 2026 — note semester closing windows). Read selection criteria (academic merit, nationality diversity, degree diversity).

 

3) Research scholarships (RTP / USYDIS / Tuition Fee Scholarships)

  • Main benefits: stipend (RTP/USYDIS) at the published rate (the page lists ~A$42,754 p.a. as the 2026 rate), relocation and thesis allowances, 100% tuition fee offset for eligible HD-research students, and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) in some awards.

  • Who’s eligible: international students commencing or enrolled in a Higher Degree by Research (HDR). Many awards are competitive and require admission plus a scholarship application by the scholarship deadlines.

  • How to apply: apply for admission through Sydney Courses and submit the scholarship application form by the scholarship deadlines. Some HDR scholarships automatically include tuition fee offsets when a stipend is awarded.

 

4) Faculty, program & smaller scholarships

  • Faculties publish discipline-level awards (travel grants, internships, project scholarships, placement scholarships, etc.). Typical criteria: specific course enrollment, minimum WAM (often 73 or 75 for many competitive awards), research experience or demonstrated leadership. Always check the faculty’s scholarship page for exact WAM thresholds and application steps.

 

Application timeline & practical tips

  • Check automatic vs. applied scholarships. VCIS is automatic (if you meet the unconditional-offer cut-offs). Many large awards (undergraduate full tuition scholarship) require an online application — don’t miss faculty or general scholarship closing dates. (VCIS rounds and dates are published on the VCIS page.)

  • Get your unconditional offer early. For VCIS and other offers that use the admission offer as the eligibility trigger, securing an unconditional offer before the relevant round is critical.

  • English & academic evidence: meet the University’s English entry requirements and supply certified transcripts and evidence of awards; many postgraduate scholarships ask for a WAM (Weighted Average Mark) or equivalent. See the University WAM page if you need to confirm conversion.

  • HDR applicants: contact potential supervisors and discuss funding early — many faculty scholarships are project-linked and supervisors can advise on competitiveness and application material.

 

Recent context you should know (affects international applicants)

  • The Australian government’s 2026 allocations and policy changes are affecting how many international places universities can grow by. The University of Sydney was recently denied extra international student places for 2026, which may affect intake planning and competition for high-value scholarships/places. This is broader policy news — it does not change scholarship terms but could affect intake availability and competitiveness

 

Actionable checklist for an international applicant (step-by-step)

  1. Decide program & check CRICOS code — confirm the program is eligible for scholarship types (VCIS requires CRICOS coursework degrees).

  2. Apply for admission through Sydney Courses and aim for an unconditional offer before the scholarship nomination deadlines.

  3. Search the University scholarship finder (filter “International” + your faculty) and note deadlines — some need separate applications (e.g., Sydney International Undergraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship).

  4. Prepare documents: certified transcripts, proof of English proficiency, CV, referee names, any faculty-specific docs (research proposal for HDR).

  5. Contact faculty or regional admission advisors if you’re unsure about course eligibility or country priority markets for certain scholarships (the undergrad excellence scholarship lists priority markets).

Programs

Sydney, Australia