The university offers a bonus points scheme, "HSC Plus", which awards up to a maximum of 5 points for performance in year 12 Australian Senior Secondary Certificate courses relevant to UNSW undergraduate degrees. Some programs also take into account, in addition to a particular ATAR mark, performance in specialised tests, such as the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test for medicine and the Law Admission Test for law. Entry to a particular undergraduate degree program for domestic students generally requires a certain Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, which varies by course. UNSW also offers a mature age entry scheme, the University Preparation Program for students aged 20 or older, that can provide the requirements for entry into UNSW or other universities. The original motto of the university, from 1952 was Scientia Manu et Mente ("Knowledge by hand and mind"), which used the earlier motto of the Sydney Technical College (Manu et Mente or 'by hand and mind') from which the university developed. The school was moved to Syracuse University in Syracuse in 1911, where it is now the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. A report commissioned by the university administration recommended that three of those organisations - the Student Guild of Undergraduates and Postgraduates, the University of New South Wales Union and the College of Fine Arts Students' Association - merge into a single student organisation, a structure in use at the University of Melbourne.

The initial full-time salary was A$75,000 for undergraduates and A$120,000 for postgraduates. While its name remains unchanged, in late 2013, the university adopted the business name "UNSW Australia" for branding and marketing. On 24 June 2016 the university registered and the business name "UNSW Sydney" which it adopted in January 2017 for branding and marketing of its Sydney campus and similarly registered and adopted the business name "UNSW Canberra" for its Australian Defence Force Academy campus in Campbell, ACT. Arc @ UNSW Limited is the student organisation at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and is a not-for-profit public company. Arc was established on 15 August 2006 and launched early the following year, taking over the functions of three existing student organisations, the UNSW Student Guild, UNSW Union, and COFA Students' Association. Arc also operates a student support service, providing legal and academic advocacy. In 2005, the Federal Parliament passed legislation making membership of student unions voluntary for the first time. This policy, known as voluntary student unionism (VSU), threatened the funding model behind the four UNSW student organisations with compulsory membership provisions.

On the head are mounted four silver shields, two engraved with the arms of the State of New South Wales and two with the original-design arms of the university. The lion and the four stars of the Southern Cross on the St George's Cross have reference to the State of New South Wales which established the university; the open book with scientia ("knowledge") across its pages is a reminder of its purpose. This competition is a three-hour open book Olympiad-style exam designed to assess mathematical insight and ingenuity rather than efficiency in tackling routine examples. Since 1962, the School of Mathematics and Statistics has run the UNSW School Mathematics Competition. Since 1997, The School of Computer Science and Engineering (UNSW COMPUTING) has run the UNSW COMPUTING ProgComp. UNSW School of Computer Science and Engineering (UNSW COMPUTING) has developed specialised robotic workshops for school students. The Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre is a centre for the faculties of science, medicine, and engineering. Each of the faculties has its respective board, which are responsible for the teaching and examining of subjects within their scope. UNSW Canberra Cyber is a cyber-security research and teaching centre.

UNSW engages with primary and secondary education, administering several national and international academic competitions for school age children. Prior to 2003, it was known as the Primary Schools Mathematics Competition and was targeted at primary schools. From 2003 to 2005, ICAS-Mathematics was called Australasian Schools Mathematics Assessment. Educational Assessment Australia (EAA) is a not-for-profit organisation previously owned by the University of New South Wales. In 1994, the university title was added to the arms, as was the abbreviation "UNSW", to create the UNSW symbol that is used for everyday and marketing purposes. In 2021, the motto was changed, with approval from the College of Arms, to its current form to reflect the university's brand concept of 'collective difference'. Raven going off to college. Following the rules of breaking news english mini lessons (check out your url) heraldry, the motto does not form part of the arms and consequently the alteration did not formally require approval of the College of Arms. Attila Brungs. The deputy vice-chancellors and pro-vice-chancellors form part of an executive team that are responsible for academic operations, research policy, research management, quality assurance and external relations, including philanthropy and advancement.