• UNSW Global COVID-19 response

UNSW Global COVID-19 response

Helping you return to campus safely.

Students at a workshop inside the MCIC.

COVID-19 information 

We’re excited to be able to offer the fully immersive university pathway experience once again, by welcoming students back on campus to live and study in Sydney. Students like you bring such vibrancy to the UNSW campus, with rich culture, insight and enthusiasm that benefits the wider Sydney community. Exemptions to travel are no longer required for fully vaccinated international students with eligible visas. 


Face-to-face classes have now resumed and the energy on campus has been revitalising for the members of our global community, who have been learning and teaching online over the past year. We would love to see all international students arriving in Sydney to join their classes in person by July 2022 – but don’t worry, we will continue provide you with the digital support you need in the meantime. UNSW Global is incredibly excited, and we cannot wait to welcome you to our beautiful campus! 

Our priority for the safety of both students and staff remains paramount, so we will be continuing to operate with COVID-19 health and safety measures in all that we do and as we navigate 2022. This will always remain our top priority. 

We understand there is a lot of information on this topic and that it can be quite confusing. We will regularly update this page with the information most relevant to you. 

To register for your face-to-face classes on campus please visit our website and select your program. 

To ensure you have the right information, we suggest you stay up to date with the latest official Government announcements. 

For further information and updates, visit Study NSW.  

Our top tips for existing/future international students
  • Stay up to date with information from UNSW Global. We will communicate the latest information on this webpage and via email, so it is important that you check your email account regularly. 
  • Don’t delay your studies. Start studying from home and get prepared. We will continue to deliver our world-class education online until you can travel to Sydney. 
  • Apply for your student visa as soon as possible. Once you have enrolled at UNSW Global and received your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), start your student visa application immediately. We recommend you apply early even if you begin your studies online because visa processing times vary. 
  • Book your Sydney accommodation. Once you have your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) in hand, the next step will be to book your accommodation in Sydney. You can do this by visiting UNSW Accommodation to see options on campus, or email our accommodation team to support you with this task. 
  • And if you are under 18 years old, you must email our Under 18 team who will direct you to approved accommodation. 
  • Get excited!  We are! Sydney is a vibrant city full of culture and adventure. Our Sydney campus is where you’ll meet new friends and have amazing new experiences. We cannot wait to welcome you. 
  • Follow us on social media. Make sure you’re following us on social media to see what our staff and students are up to. 

Information for Under 18s 

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our under 18 students, students must contact us before they travel, to discuss and confirm accommodation arrangements and arrival into Sydney. Please remember that having appropriate arrangements for your accommodation and welfare before travelling to Australia is a requirement of your student visa. 

How can you start preparing? 

To meet the requirements for appropriate accommodation and welfare monitoring there are two options: 

  • Travel to Australia and live in Sydney with a parent or nominated guardian. This arrangement must be approved by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). 
  • Obtain a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter from UNSW Global. 

Whether you are applying for CAAW now, or have already been issued with CAAW, before you can travel to Sydney, you must complete the steps below: 

Once UNSW Global approves your accommodation, you will be asked to provide a copy of your flight and confirmation of airport transfer. You can request an airport transfer from UNSW Global. Final approval from UNSW Global will be sent to you via email after your accommodation, flight details and airport transfer has been confirmed. 

What if I travel to Australia without confirming U18 Care Arrangements? 

If you travel to Australia, without receiving written approval from UNSW Global your CAAW will be cancelled and this may result in the cancellation of your student visa. 

Need help with accommodation and travel arrangements? 

If you have any questions or need advice or support making your student accommodation and travel arrangements, please contact our Under 18 team. 

FAQs

  • Fully vaccinated international students with eligible visas can now travel to Sydney without having to apply for an exemption. Upon arrival in Sydney, all fully vaccinated international travellers must do a COVID-19 rapid antigen test approved in Australia within 24 hours after arriving in NSW. You must self-isolate until you receive a negative result from your test. A follow up rapid antigen test is required on or after six days of arriving in NSW.

  • It is important to submit your application to UNSW Global, accept your offer and enrol as soon as possible. Once you have enrolled, you will receive your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for your student visa application. Visa application processing times vary and when you can jump on a plane will be dependent on receiving your visa first, so we recommend that you apply for your visa as soon as you can. 

    If you cannot arrive in Sydney by the beginning of your program, don’t worry, you can start online until you can join us on campus.  

    We encourage you to focus on your application to UNSW Global, accept your offer and enrol as soon as possible to begin your student visa application process. Your student visa is essential for travel to Australia. 

    Before you travel, you must ensure that you meet the requirements for entry to Sydney.

    For more pre-departure and arrival information, visit the Study NSW website. Remember, you must have a valid visa before travelling, so submit your visa application as soon as possible. 

  • With international borders now open, and all NSW universities and schools also open, our teaching and learning is increasingly being delivered face-to-face. More classes will be scheduled for face-to-face delivery as the year continues with 100 per cent face-to-face classes available by July. However, to ensure we meet the needs of our diverse, international student population, recordings of lectures, tutorials and labs, as well as assessments will be available online.

    For anyone who can’t be on campus at the beginning of their program, we will make provisions for online learning to be available however we do encourage all students to try to arrive in Sydney by July 2022 for their on-campus experience.

  • Read more information and travel requirements.

    We will keep you informed on announcements for international students by the Australian Government. We recommend you also bookmark the Study Australia website for the latest travel advice.  

    We strongly recommend you start your studies online so you can stay on track with your goals and get prepared for travelling to Sydney. 

  • Yes. You will be required to provide proof of vaccination with a TGA-approved vaccine. The current list of approved or recognised vaccines include:

    • AstraZeneca (VAXZEVRIA), 

    • AstraZeneca/Serum Institute of India (COVISHIELD)

    • BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) 

    • Covaxin (Bharat Biotech)

    • Janssen-Cilag (Johnson & Johnson) 

    • Moderna (SPIKEVAX)

    • Pfizer (COMIRNATY) 

    • Sinovac (CORONAVAC)

  • You can present a vaccination certificate in a format that meets the following:  

    • Issued by a national or state/provincial-level authority or an accredited vaccination provider   

    • Written in English or accompanied by a certified translation  

    • Containing at a minimum:   

    • name as it appears in the traveller’s passport  

    • either date of birth or passport number   

    • the vaccine brand name, and  

    • the date of each dose or the date on which a full course of immunisation was completed.   

    Information on vaccination certificates is available on the Australian Passport Office website. 

  • Fully vaccinated international travellers arriving in Sydney will be required to get a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result. They will no longer be required to self-isolate for the full 72 hours. For up-to-date pre-departure and arrival information, visit the Study NSW website.

  • Yes. We encourage you to apply for your student visa as soon as possible to ensure you are ready when it’s time to travel.  
    1. Accept your offer
      Accept your offer and enrol in your UNSW Global program. 
    2. Get vaccinated
      Get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and be able to provide a translated copy of your official COVID-19 vaccination record. Refer to the TGA website to check approved vaccines for Australia. 
    3. Be travel ready
      Ensure you have a valid passport. 
    4. Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare Arrangements (CAAW)
      Under 18 students who are planning to live in Australia without their own parent or guardian must submit a CAAW form from UNSW Global in order to confirm student welfare and accommodation plans before a Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) can be issued. Click here for the CAAW document.
    5. Confirmation of Enrolment (COE)
      To apply for a student visa, you need to provide a COE for all your enrolled programs. For example: your current Foundation Studies Program and your future UNSW undergraduate degree program. 
    6. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
      To apply for a student visa, all international students must have health cover for the entire duration of their study. Medibank is the preferred OSHC provider for UNSW and UNSW Global. Students who wish to apply for OSHC with Medibank Private should contact UNSW Global Admissions for detail.
    7. Submit your student visa application
      If you have an education agent who helped you apply to UNSW Global, you can ask the agent for assistance to submit the student visa application. 

  • After you have accepted your offer and paid your required tuition fees, UNSW Global will issue you with the relevant CoE that you need to apply for your student visa.

  • After July 2022, online learning will continue for students who are unable to arrive in Australia for circumstances that are beyond their control. These circumstances include countries maintaining strict COVID management policies, extended quarantine protocols for returned travellers, or logistics that may impede travel.  

    Please contact Student Support if you are unsure or unable to travel to Sydney.  

    If you are an existing student, please try to plan your travel to Sydney as soon as possible and register for face-to-face classes.

  • If a student is not on campus, then laboratory and practical sessions such as design studios will be presented as virtual sessions. Exams will be conducted online.

  • If you are unable to travel to Sydney to join face-to-face classes, you can continue to study online. Teachers may change as you move from one term to the next or based on a new timetable.

  • We recommend that you book flights when you: 

  • Once you have your visa and have booked flights and accommodation, you can register for your face-to-face classes.

  • After July 2022, online learning will continue for students who are unable to arrive in Australia for circumstances that are beyond their control. These circumstances only include countries maintaining strict COVID management policies, extended quarantine protocols for returned travellers, or logistics that may impede travel. 

    Please contact Student Support if you are unsure or unable to travel to Sydney. 

  • Whilst we continue the transition to 100% face-to-face, on-campus learning, we will also continue to offer online learning and support to any international students who cannot travel to Sydney in the coming months. Those students will continue to have a dedicated online timetable and will be expected to meet our 90% + overall attendance requirement. Lectures, classes, tutorials, labs, exams and assessments will continue to be offered online and will be recorded where appropriate.