University of Wollongong (UOW): Admission, 2027 Fees and Student Visa for International Applicants

UOW, the University of Wollongong, is a public university in New South Wales. Its main campus is in Wollongong, a coastal city south of Sydney, with further sites in Sydney and regional NSW. It ranks 195th in the QS World University Rankings 2027. For school leavers with a Russian certificate, UOW offers a single route into a bachelor's degree: Foundation Studies at UOW College Australia, which takes seven months and costs $21,070 (A$30,240) in 2027, with a minimum certificate average of 3.2 out of 5. UOW has already published 2027 fees for commencing international students; business, for example, costs $14,530 (A$20,856) per session, or roughly $29,060 a year across two sessions.

This profile covers UOW in Australia. The University of Wollongong in Dubai is a separate campus with its own fees, admission rules and UAE visa, described on its own page. For the wider choice of universities, see study in Australia.

Who UOW suits

UOW suits applicants who want a degree from a large Australian university, life in a smaller city and a path to work through the 485 visa with a regional bonus. If a big city and a higher ranking matter more, compare it with the options in our universities in Sydney guide and with UNSW.

Entry after school: foundation only

UOW's international entry requirements give one line for Russia: the Certificate of Secondary General Education with an average of at least 3.2 out of 5 qualifies for Foundation Studies (2 sessions). The diploma and bachelor's columns for Russia are empty, so the certificate alone does not lead to a UOW College diploma or to first year. UOW makes the admission decision.

If your English is below the required level, UOW College packages English for Academic Purposes or English for Tertiary Studies with the foundation program. Its 2027 guide shows, for example, that moving from IELTS 5.5 (reading and writing 5.0) to 6.5 takes 18 weeks of ETS. A separate 20% bursary applies to these English courses when they are a required step before foundation. For how foundation compares with other school-leaver routes, see studying in Australia after Year 11.

Applicants from Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan does not appear in UOW's equivalency table, so the certificate is assessed individually. Apply early and ask which level (foundation or diploma) your application is being considered for.

Bachelor's fees for 2027

UOW quotes a full-time rate per session. There are two main sessions a year, Autumn at the start of the year and Spring in the middle, so the annual cost is roughly twice the session rate.

UOW reviews fees every year, so later years can cost more. A full first-year budget with housing and insurance is set out in our guide to the cost of studying in Australia.

Master's programs

Graduates of Russian and Kazakh universities can apply directly when their degree and English meet the course requirements. UOW has no single English threshold: each course page sets the score, and courses with professional accreditation set it higher. UOW accepts IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge, LanguageCert and Duolingo (coursework only), but not IELTS Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition or PTE Academic Online, which matters if you plan to test remotely. 2027 rates for commencing students:

The Postgraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship gives 30% off for the minimum course duration if your previous degree result is 85% or equivalent; it is applied at offer without a separate application. More on formats in our master's in Australia guide.

Scholarships

• University Excellence Scholarship: 30% off the minimum duration of an undergraduate degree at an Australian campus, issued automatically with offers made from 12 June 2026 for 2027 starts. Outstanding results in a foundation program approved for direct entry to UOW also count.
• Postgraduate Academic Excellence Scholarship: 30% for master's coursework (see above).
• UOW Country Scholarship: 20%, limited to citizens of listed countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America; Russia and Kazakhstan are not on the list.
• UOW Future Leaders Scholarship: 100% of tuition for up to four years for school leavers with results of 75 WAM or equivalent; it requires an application with a CV and personal statement, places are limited, and the published terms cover 2026 starts.

Scholarships cannot be combined with other discounts on the same course, and UOW decides every award. Broader options are covered in scholarships in Australia.

Housing in Wollongong

UOW Accommodation Services runs several residences near campus. 2026 rates:

Applications for 2027 opened on 27 June 2026, with offers sent later on UOW's timeline. Places for the second 2026 session are very unlikely, so mid-year starters should also look at private rentals.

Student visa and enrolment caps

You apply for the subclass 500 visa online in ImmiAccount once you hold a CoE, and the Department of Home Affairs decides. Settings as of 1 October 2026:

• charge from $1,740 (A$2,500) for the main applicant;
• living costs of $20,700 (A$29,710) a year, plus the first 12 months of tuition and $1,390 (A$2,000) for travel, or a parental income of at least $61,220 (A$87,856) shown in tax documents;
• Genuine Student answers in the form, in English, up to 150 words each, with evidence;
• English for the visa: IELTS 6.0, or 5.5 with a foundation program or at least 10 weeks of English before the main course;
• biometrics on request, with centres in six Russian cities including Moscow and St Petersburg, and in Almaty for Kazakhstan.

Enrolment is managed through processing priority. The National Planning Level for 2027 is 295,000 new international students, unchanged from 2026 (announced on 3 July 2026). Offshore applications lodged on or after 14 November 2025 fall under Ministerial Direction 115: Priority 1 while a provider is below 80% of its indicative allocation (Home Affairs' guide, based on 2025 lodgements, is to commence processing within 1–4 weeks), Priority 2 from 80% (5–8 weeks), and Priority 3 above 115% of the allocation (9–12 weeks). Priority changes speed, not the outcome. The Department of Education report with data as at 25 September 2026 shows UOW with a 2026 allocation of 3,550 new overseas students and Priority 1 status. Applications lodged between 15 November and 31 December are prioritised against the following year's allocation. More in our Australian student visa guide.

Work and the graduate visa

While classes are running, the student visa caps work at 48 hours per fortnight. After a bachelor's or coursework master's degree, graduates aged 35 or under can apply for a two-year 485 visa. Wollongong and the Illawarra are a Category 2 regional area: a graduate of the Wollongong campus who then lives only in designated regional areas for two years on the first 485 visa may qualify for a Second Post-Higher Education Work visa of one more year. Study at UOW's Sydney site does not count towards this. Home Affairs decides 485 applications; see work rights and the 485 visa.

Application plan

1. 10–12 months before the start: take IELTS Academic, translate the certificate or transcript, choose the target bachelor's degree.
2. 5–6 months before: apply for a foundation-plus-bachelor's package; UOW College and UOW issue a combined offer and CoE for the package.
3. After the offer: pay the deposit and OSHC, apply for a residence.
4. 2–3 months before: lodge the subclass 500 visa, checking UOW's MD115 status on the day.
5. After seven months: complete foundation with the required result and move into first year.

Legal payment routes from Russia are described in how to pay for studies abroad from Russia; applicants from Kazakhstan can start with study abroad from Kazakhstan.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up UOW and UOW Dubai. Fees, admission rules and visas differ, and you apply separately.
• Reading the session rate as an annual fee. A$20,856 for business covers half the academic year.
• Applying for a diploma with a Russian certificate. UOW's table allows foundation only.
• Choosing the Sydney site for the 485 bonus. Only study and residence in a regional area such as Wollongong count.
• Applying late for housing. 2026 places are gone and 2027 applications are already open.

FAQ

Can I get into the University of Wollongong straight after Year 11?

Yes, but only through Foundation Studies at UOW College Australia, with a certificate average of at least 3.2 out of 5, over seven months. Students then progress to first year if they meet the requirements, and UOW makes the admission decision.

How much does UOW cost in 2027?

Bachelor's degrees cost $13,090–17,780 (A$18,792–25,512) per session, with two sessions a year: about $29,060 a year for business, $31,240 for computer science and $35,550 for engineering. Foundation costs $21,070 (A$30,240) for the whole program.

How is UOW in Australia different from UOW in Dubai?

They are separate campuses of one university with their own fees, requirements and visas. Dubai requires a UAE visa, Wollongong an Australian subclass 500 visa. We describe the Dubai campus on a separate page.

Are there scholarships for Russian or Kazakh students at UOW?

There are no country scholarships for Russia or Kazakhstan. The realistic options are the University Excellence and Postgraduate Academic Excellence scholarships (30%), which UOW awards automatically on grades, and the UOW College bursary of 10–25%.

Does studying in Wollongong help with the 485 visa?

Yes. Wollongong is a Category 2 regional area, so a graduate who then spends two years on the first 485 visa living only in regional areas may seek one more year. Home Affairs decides.

How do the international student caps affect a UOW application?

As at 25 September 2026 UOW had Priority 1 status, and Home Affairs' guide for Priority 1 is to commence processing within 1–4 weeks of lodgement. The allocation affects the queue, while visa approval remains a Home Affairs decision.

Sources

• UOW: International entry requirements by country, English language requirements
• UOW: 2027 International Commencing Student Tuition Fee Schedule (PDF), International student fees
• UOW College Australia: 2026 and 2027 fees, International Quick Guide 2027 (PDF)
• UOW: International scholarships, University Excellence Scholarships, Postgraduate Academic Excellence, Country Scholarship, Future Leaders
• UOW Accommodation: Campus East, Kooloobong Village, Bangalay
• UOW: International students, QS 2027: UOW
• Home Affairs: Student visa subclass 500, Genuine Student requirement, Processing priorities, Biometrics, 485 visa, Second 485, Regional areas
• Department of Education: National Planning Level 2027, Visa Prioritisation Status

US dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 30 September 2026 (A$1 = $0.6968), rounded to $10. Information checked on 1 October 2026.

If you want to see whether the Wollongong foundation route is realistic for you and what to choose after it, send a request: document preparation and submission are provided under an agreement with StudyU, and the university makes the admission decision.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.