Accessing University

Enhancing educational outcomes 

At Access and Equity (Students) our aim is to improve the educational outcomes for students who are underrepresented in higher education, particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds.  

Specifically, we:  

  • Establish equitable admission pathways and seek to remove structural barriers to higher education for underrepresented students  

  • Contribute expertise and student-centric perspectives to guide programs of support within UNSW across the student lifecycle 

  • Provide expert advice on Commonwealth student equity policies and funding models 

  • Develop collaborative partnerships to design and deliver innovative and educationally enriching educational outreach programs that improve access and support across the student life cycle: pre-tertiary, tertiary and beyond 

Learn more

Priority initiatives

A student with bright green hair working with another student

Gateway Admission Pathway and Program (Years 10 – 12) 

The UNSW Gateway Admission Pathway and Program (GAPP) aims to make university entry more equitable. It provides under-represented students’ academic guidance, support in making post-school decisions, and an alternative pathway into university with a reduced ATAR.   

Learn more

A teacher helping high school students

NSW Equity Consortium: Imagined Futures (Years 7 – 9) 

The NSW Equity Consortium is an alliance led by UNSW with UTS and Macquarie University which works to build student capacities for accessing tertiary education and improving learning outcomes beyond school.   

Over five years (2020-2025), each university will deliver a component of the Imagined Futures program – an outreach program jointly designed with schools and teachers. The Program uses literacy as a vehicle to encourage students from underrepresented backgrounds to conceptualise their "imagined futures" and positively impact their learning trajectory.

Learn more