Australian University Intakes and Deadlines: When to Apply and Start

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Most Australian universities start twice a year: Semester 1 in February or March and Semester 2 in July or August, with some institutions adding a third term or running trimesters. The working rule for a Saudi scholarship student is to apply six to nine months before the semester starts, because admission, the scholarship decision and the student visa each take their own time.

When does the academic year start in Australia?

Australia’s academic year starts in February or March and ends in November, and most institutions split it into two semesters, according to Study Australia (as at September 2026). The calendar is the reverse of Saudi Arabia’s: the long summer break falls in December and January.

Semester 1: February or March

This is the main intake, and almost every course opens in it. At the University of Sydney, Semester 1 2026 began on 23 February 2026 according to the University of Sydney. Other universities start in early March, so check your own university’s calendar.

Semester 2: July or August

Mid-year entry starts in July, and applications usually open around April of the same year according to Study Australia. At the University of Sydney, Semester 2 2026 began on 3 August 2026 according to the University of Sydney. Not every course opens mid-year; medicine, health sciences and some sequential master’s programs are often February-only.

Trimesters and a third term

Some providers run trimesters or term-based calendars according to Study Australia, which gives you three entry points a year instead of two. UNSW Sydney is a well-known example of a three-term calendar, with Term 1 in February as its primary intake according to UNSW.

When do international applications close?

There is no national deadline. Each university sets its own dates, and some use offer rounds rather than a single closing date. Here are three Sydney universities as at September 2026:

University	February/March entry	July/August entry	Source
University of Sydney	International applications close 1 December of the year before	International applications close 29 May of the commencing year	University of Sydney
UNSW (undergraduate, Term 1 2027)	Rounds close 14 May, 16 July, 20 August and 24 September 2026	Further rounds by program	UNSW
UNSW (postgraduate, Term 1 2027)	First round 28 May 2026, final round 17 December 2026	Further rounds by program	UNSW
University of Technology Sydney (UTS)	30 November for applicants outside Australia	30 April for applicants outside Australia	UTS

Notice the spread: Sydney closes about three months before the start, while UNSW’s rounds begin nine months out. Competitive courses (medicine, dentistry, some engineering and business programs) fill before the published date, so applying early is not optional.

How far ahead of the semester should I apply?

Count backwards from the first day of classes. The stages are sequential; none starts before the one before it is complete.

1. Admission: two to eight weeks

The university assesses your application and issues a conditional offer or an unconditional offer. A conditional offer usually asks you to meet the English score or supply final transcripts. Turnaround varies by university and level, so check your university’s admissions page.

2. The scholarship decision needs an unconditional offer

The tracks of the King Salman Scholarship Program (برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث) require a final, unconditional offer from the admissions office of an approved university, lodged through the Safeer platform, according to the Saudi Ministry of Education’s pages for the Emdad track and the Arruaad track (as at September 2026). The scholarship stage cannot start until the admission stage is finished, which is the first reason a Saudi scholarship applicant must apply earlier than everyone else. Track conditions are set out in our guide to the Arruaad track and the overview of Saudi scholarship programs.

3. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and fees

Once you accept the offer and pay the first instalment (or provide the scholarship financial guarantee), the university issues an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), the document your visa application is built on.

4. Student visa (subclass 500)

Study Australia advises lodging the visa application as early as possible and checking current processing times first, and notes that student visa fees start from AUD 2,500 per application from 1 July 2026 (unless exempt). Processing times move month to month, so check the Department of Home Affairs processing times tool before booking flights.

5. Travel, housing and orientation

Orientation week usually runs the week before classes, and attending it makes unit enrolment and campus navigation much easier. Allow two to three weeks before classes to arrive and settle housing.

Add these stages together and the rule explains itself: six months is the comfortable minimum, and nine months is better for a scholarship applicant waiting on a ministry decision.

How should a Saudi scholarship student plan the timeline?

The difference between a self-funded student and a scholarship student is the ministry step in the middle. The order that works:

1. Choose your field and shortlist universities from the approved list on the Australia page of the King Salman Scholarship Program, and confirm each one is recommended through the Ministry of Education’s recommended universities enquiry service.
2. Sit your English test early; the English score is the condition that delays most conditional offers.
3. Apply to three or four universities, nine months before the semester starts, not to one.
4. Secure the unconditional offer, then lodge the scholarship application on Safeer within your track’s window.
5. Make sure the offer letter is issued by the university directly; the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in Australia (الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا) requires that when it attests an offer, according to the Cultural Mission’s FAQ (as at September 2026).
6. Once the scholarship decision and CoE are in hand, lodge the visa immediately.

KD helps you sequence these stages and choose universities that fit your track. Our admissions service is free for students applying to scholarship-program fields at universities approved by the Saudi Ministry of Education; start with the application form or read how we work.

February or July: which intake is better?

Criterion	February/March intake	July/August intake
Courses available	Widest	Limited in some programs
Application window	May to December of the previous year	April to May of the same year
Suits	Students finishing school or a bachelor’s in the Saudi summer with time to spare	Students whose English score or decision came late and who do not want to lose a year
Where you start	Beginning of the academic year	Mid-year

Neither intake is better in the abstract. The better one is the one preceded by an unconditional offer, a scholarship decision and a visa, all without a rush. If you miss February, July is a real option in many fields; if you miss both, some universities open a third term.

Start today by fixing the intake you are aiming for, then work backwards from its date. If you want a written timeline for your own case, contact us and we will map the stages with dates.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Understanding mid-year entry — Study Australia (Australian Government)
• Application and semester dates — The University of Sydney
• International Student Admissions — UNSW Sydney
• Application dates — University of Technology Sydney
• Student visa (subclass 500) — Study Australia (Australian Government)
• Global visa processing times — Department of Home Affairs
• مسار إمداد — برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث — وزارة التعليم السعودية
• مسار الرواد — برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث — وزارة التعليم السعودية
• أستراليا — قائمة دول الابتعاث — وزارة التعليم السعودية
• استعلام عن الجامعات الموصى بها — وزارة التعليم السعودية
• الأسئلة المتكررة — الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا
• منصة سفير — وزارة التعليم السعودية

Last updated: 14 September 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.