The Complete Guide To The University Of Newcastle, Australia

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Starting as one of the University of New South Wales colleges in the 1950s, the University of Newcastle, Australia came to be in 1965 after relentless campaigning from the Newcastle natives. 

Following the relentless spirit to become more than just an institution, the university has evolved over the years, welcoming students from all over the world, and offering various courses in STEM, medicine, and arts!

Total Student Population	24,608 students
Percentage of International Students	16%
Teaching Faculty-to-Student Ratio	1:31
Graduate Employability Rate	Top 10 in Australia for Graduate Employability (The Australian Review Best Universities For Career Outcomes 2023)

1.2 University of Newcastle Rankings 2025

The University of Newcastle is part of the QS World University Rankings Top 200, placing at #179. This is partly due to its 14 subjects that rank in the Top 200 of the subject rankings!

QS Subject Category	Ranking For 2025
Nursing	#47
Sports-Related Subject	#51 – 100
Engineering – Mineral and Mining	#51 – 100
Architecture and Built Environment	#101 – 150
Education and Training	#101 – 150
Pharmacy and Pharmacology	#101 – 150
Engineering – Civil and Structural	#151 – 200
Environmental Sciences	#151 – 200
Geography	#151 – 200
Law and Legal Studies	#151 – 200
Psychology	#151 – 200
Engineering and Technology	#164
Medicine	#172
Life Sciences and Medicine	#193

2. Student Life & Living Cost

2.1 University of Newcastle Campuses

The University of Newcastle consists of 4 campuses, scattered across Newcastle, Central Coast, and Sydney. The 4 campuses are the Newcastle City, Callaghan, Central Coast, and Sydney CBD campuses. 

Newcastle City Campus

Key Highlights

• Home of the Business, Law, and Creative Industries courses. 
• Also known as the hive of innovation in the city centre. 
• Home to NUSpace, an innovation hub that harnesses the power of the latest technologies. 

How To Get There
🗺️Located 10km from the Newcastle CBD

• The NUSpace shuttle transports students between the Callaghan and Newcastle City Campuses. 
• The Civic light rail station is the nearest stop to the campus. 

Callaghan Campus

Key Highlights

• The central hub for a majority of the University of Newcastle’s courses, such as Engineering, Architecture, and Health Education. 
• The campus consists of a mix of award-winning, architecturally designed buildings across 140 hectares in a natural setting

How To Get There
🗺️Located 10km from the Newcastle CBD

• The NUSpace shuttle allows you to travel between the Callaghan and Newcastle City campuses. 
• The Warabrook train station is within walking distance of the campus.

Central Coast Campus

Key Highlights

• The campus offers business, education, humanities, oral health, podiatry, nursing, and science courses. 
• Within the campus, there are also research and testing facilities that have strong ties with the Central Coast Local Health Districts. 
• Students on this campus can also partake in specialised health degrees thanks to the collaboration with the district.

How To Get There
🗺️Located 3km away from the Ourimbah 

• The campus is located a 10-minute walk away from the Ourimbah Train station. 
• Local buses have a direct stop at the university’s main quadrangle. 

Sydney CBD Campus

Key Highlights

• Offers Business and IT postgraduate courses from the University of Newcastle. 
• The campus is purpose-built with world-class facilities and services, consisting of study areas, and collaborative spaces that leverage the latest technology.

How To Get There
🗺️Located in the heart of the Sydney CBD

• The campus is near the Martin Place train station, can be accessible via a short walk.

2.2 Learning Resources

The University of Newcastle has constantly invested on making sure that their facilities are up-to-date, ensuring students and research are always able to produce results for the present and the future. 

2.3 Recreational Facilities

The University of Newcastle governs its sports and recreation activities under NUSport, which handles The Forum sports centres at the City and Callaghan Campuses. At most campuses, you can find these facilities: 

2.4 Student Activities

The University of Newcastle Students’ Association (UNSA) is your go-to for student activities and representation services. Their goal is simple: to help students make the most of their time at university with student events, clubs, advocacy, and more!

2.5 Student Services

Have a hard time coping or need some assistance with administrative tasks? The University of Newcastle has some student support services available to students at any time!

• Academic Support
• Counseling and Psychological Services
• Career Services
• Disability Support
• Financial Support
• Health and Wellbeing Services
• International Student Support

2.6 University of Newcastle, Australia Accommodation and Costs

Students at the University of Newcastle can enjoy the various styles of on-campus accommodations that are available to them. Students at the Newcastle City and Callaghan campus share the same set of residences, while the Central Coast (Ourimbah) Campus has its own options. 

There are currently no on-campus accommodation options available at the Sydney CBD campus, but there are student villages and private rentals in nearby suburbs that students can select from. 

Let’s have a look at what the Newcastle City, Callaghan, and Ourimbah Campus accommodations look like!

Newcastle City and Callaghan Campuses

Central Coast (Ourimbah) Campus

On-campus	Off-campus
Blue Gum House (from AUD 234.56/week)	Nearby towns – Ourimbah, Palm Dale

Cost of Living in Newcastle

According to Study Australia, the cost of living for both Sydney and Newcastle have similar living costs. Based on the calculations, students at the campuses of the University of Newcastle can expect to spend approximately AUD 531 – 1,530 per week.  

Costs above include accommodation, transport, groceries, personal expenses, and social activities. The costs also depend on the student’s lifestyle. 

3. Courses, Fees & Scholarships

3.1 Courses You Can Study At The University of Newcastle

Fields of Study	Courses
Architecture & Construction	Architecture, Construction Management
Business & Management	Business Analytics, Commerce, Tourism, Hospitality & Events
Computing, Maths & Technology	Computer Science, Data Science, Information Technology, Mathematics
Creative Industries & Communication	Communication, Media & Communication, Music & Performing Arts, Visual Communication Design
Education	Early Childhood, Primary Studies, Secondary Studies
Engineering	Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Surveying
Health & Medicine	Biomedical Science, Exercise & Sport Science, Nursing
Humanities & Social Sciences	Development Studies, Psychological Science, Social Science
Law	Criminology, Laws
Science & Environment	Biotechnology, Coastal & Marine Science, Environmental Science, Food Science & Human Nutrition

3.2 Course Fees At The University Of Newcastle

We have also saved you the hassle and compiled the full list of the university’s detailed course fees into one article below. Check it out and share it!

Coming Soon!

3.3 University Of Newcastle Scholarships

These are some of the scholarships offered by the University of Newcastle to international students. Check out the full list here. (Coming Soon)

International Student Award	Receive AUD 4,000 – 8,000 per year for the duration of the degree.
University of Newcastle – Malaysian Australia Columbo Plan Commemoration (MACC) Scholarship	Receive AUD 10,000 each year of study for the duration of the degree.

3.4 Popular Courses At The University of Newcastle

Nursing

Studying Nursing at the University of Newcastle, Australia means opening yourself up to various opportunities to learn and practice to be a professional Nurse, ready to provide care across all walks of life and backgrounds. 

The course is inclusive, disregarding a student’s background, instead leveraging on it to drive innovative solutions to healthcare challenges and to encourage patients to seek healthcare assistance. This is also boosted with a curriculum that is contemporary, evidence-based, and in collaboration with Indigenous and local Australian communities. 

Students of the University of Newcastle also have a large geographic footprint, where they can search for a diverse range of opportunities to gain professional experience and learn in various clinical settings. To do so, the School of Nursing has ties with 3 local health districts:

• Central Coast Health District
• Hunter New England Health District
• Mid North Coast Health District 

Within these health districts, students will find teaching hospitals that are equipped with simulation laboratories containing wards with beds, mannequins, and state-of-the-art medical equipment to enable students the opportunity to gain confidence and competence in practice, in the safety of a simulated healthcare setting. 

With the presence of teaching hospitals, students will also be exposed to multidisciplinary learning, where they will work together with medical students of other disciplines, just like how it would be when they are out in the workforce!

Students will also have the opportunity to give back to the community while gaining employability skills with the help of the university’s Manning Education Centre, a teaching hospital based in a rural health setting. 

Exercise & Sports Science

The Exercise and Sports Science course at the University of Newcastle has garnered popularity as it consistently ranks in the Top 100 of the QS World University Rankings for the subject, making it one of the best institutions in Australia to study in!

With the demand for sports and exercise practitioners increasing due to the rise in health issues and elite athletic performance, there’s no better time to pick up your interest in the discipline. At the University of Newcastle, the course encompasses all aspects of physical health, as well as offers electives in alternative health areas if students are keen to specialise.

Here’s what you could select in your electives: 

• Nutrition
• Anatomy
• Podiatry
• (Sports) Psychology

Students in the field can expect to graduate as biomechanists, exercise physiologists, strength conditioning coaches, and sports scientists. How would the university meet such expectations? 

Here is where practical comes into play. Knowing the importance of a hands-on approach to learning with sports and exercise science, the university has prepared a curriculum that enables students to be career-ready. Students will undergo 140 hours of clinical placement in clinics, hospitals, or sports organisations (such as the Central Coast Mariner and Newcastle Jets football clubs!)

On campus, students can find an Exercise Physiology Clinic, with state-of-the-art equipment, and the opportunity to work with real private clients in running assessments, consultations, and programme planning. Students can also work with university athletes to further enhance their knowledge and skills!

Media and Communications

Media and communications have gained popularity at the university due to the re-emergence and growth of the arts scene in the Newcastle CBD district. The course, and the School of Humanities, Creative Industries, and Social Sciences of the university currently play an important role in bringing a sense of vibrancy to the city. 

At the university, students are taught through practical learning to develop skills to produce ground-breaking, thought-provoking, and engaging work, especially in today’s communications landscape. The curriculum prepares students to create content for the various forms of media available. 

Students are also free to tailor their skills to specific skills of interest, such as public relations, strategic communications, corporate communications, drama and documentary, gaming and lifestyle, and more. 

The course is also designed as a creative journey. Students are given opportunities to gain the skills and confidence to produce content and connect with industry networks to thrive in their future careers. One platform to provide this creative journey is what the University of Newcastle has invested heavily in; its facilities. 

Here are just 2 of the key buildings for the media and communications students:

• University House – Home to design studios and innovative teaching spaces. Also equipped with the latest digital tools for creating professional-quality work.  
• Q Building – Home to conference rooms, boardrooms, event spaces, and rooms ideal for networking events, pitches, and more.

Engineering Subjects

At the University of Newcastle, they make you feel like an Engineer from day 1. The courses rank high in the QS World University Rankings, making it a popular option. The following subjects are listed in the Top 150 of the rankings

• Mineral and Mining Engineering (29th)
• Civil and Structural Engineering (101-150th)

Students at the University of Newcastle develop work readiness by undertaking four core courses in professional practice, including working in teams, project management, and critical thinking. This unique structure offers opportunities and experiences that cannot be found in any other Australian university. 

11 engineering disciplines are offered at the University of Newcastle, ranging from Aerospace Engineering to Surveying. Students are also encouraged to take up elective pathways with four courses in an area or interest that can help strengthen their desired pathway or learn an entirely new field of study!

The School of Engineering at the University of Newcastle is a very strong research-intensive school, with research encompassing the 11 disciplines mentioned above. The research revolves around energy management, intelligent manufacturing, nanomaterials, and more. There are specialist labs that support research and learning, with state-of-the-art equipment to boot!

The following are research centres that support engineering subjects in the university: 

• Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources 
• Central Analytical Facilities
• BioResearch Building

4. Entry Requirements & Intake Dates

4.1 University of Newcastle Requirements 2025

Minimum entry requirements for Foundation:

• SPM:  5 pass grades
• UEC: Completion of Senior Middle 2 with passing grades

Minimum entry requirements for Degree:

• UEC: 5B6 
• STPM: 2C+ 1C of 3 Advanced Level subjects
• A-Level: AA
• SACE / WACE : ATAR 62
• IB Diploma: 26 points
• Foundation: Completion of Foundation
• Diploma: Completion of Diploma

Minimum language proficiency requirements (IELTS):

• Foundation: 5.5 overall
• Undergraduate: 6.0 overall
• Postgraduate: 6.5 overall

Some courses may require you to earn higher entry requirements and additional qualifications.

4.2 University of Newcastle Intake Periods For 2025

The intake period for the courses are as follows:

• Foundation: February, June, August, October
• Degree: February, July
• Postgraduate: February, July

Please note that the intake periods may vary depending on the courses. For specific intake periods and dates, click here (Coming Soon!).

4.3 Admission Process For Studying In Australia

Never stop learning, and that applies to when you are researching about your higher education options! Here are some more articles that can help you learn more about studying abroad in Australia!

• Your Essential Study In Australia Guide For Malaysian Students
• Top 10 Benefits Of Engaging A Higher Education Consultant 
• 7 Vital Questions To Ask Before Choosing Your Educational Consultant 

5. Student Testimonials & Alumni

The students at the University of Newcastle, Australia have a few words to say to you! 

If our guide isn’t doing your decision justice, here are some videos that would!

6. Conclusion

Ready to make an impact? It’s time to apply to the University of Newcastle! With high-quality teaching, great learning experiences, and various practical learning opportunities, you are bound to graduate career-ready anywhere in the world! 

Get your application process started with our study abroad consultants at Uni Enrol while you’re at it, too!

SEE OTHER UNI GUIDES

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