The University of Sydney Foundation Program

Your pathway to the University of Sydney

Take the most effective pathway to the University of Sydney. The University of Sydney Foundation Program (USFP) is a rigorous, focused program. It provides you with the training you need to succeed at Australia's most prestigious university.

We offer a range of start dates and programs throughout the year to suit your timing, your academic level and your planned university degree. The combined educational expertise of both the University of Sydney and Taylors College has been employed to create this foundation program.

Number of semester:2
Number of subjects per semester: 5
Total hours in class per week: 25
Intake start dates: January, July 

University of Sydney Foundation Program - Standard Course. CRICOS Course Code: 022310D.

Number of semester: 3
Number of subjects per semester: 6
Total hours in class per week: 30
Intake start dates: April, October

Note: you need a higher level of English for this program. View our entry requirements.

University of Sydney Foundation Program - Standard Intensive. CRICOS Course Code: 036126M.

Number of semester: 3 
Duration: 59 weeks
Intake start dates: February, August

The Extended Program consists of two parts:

  1. In the first 19 weeks you will study Extended English, Australian Identity, and the Essential Computing Skills and Study life Skills Course, PLUS two subjects from the 40 week Standard Program; 
  2. At the end of the first 19 weeks you must pass Extended English, and meet the academic requirements of the elective subjects to continue with the remaining 40 weeks of the program.

University of Sydney Extended Foundation Program. CRICOS Course Code: 048302A.

Did you know...?

In 2016, 93% of students graduated from our Foundation Program received an offer from the University of Sydney.

Course structure

You will have the choice of five Streams to study, which will be dependent on the undergraduate degree that you wish to study:

  • Science / Engineering and IT / Health Science
  • Economics / Commerce
  • Arts / Media
  • Music
  • Visual Art and Design

As part of each stream you will study a number of subjects. To determine which subjects you should study in relation to your chosen undergraduate degree, see below for more details.

Standard and Intensive Programs

Standard and Intensive Programs

Compulsory Core Subjects

  • English A & B
  • Mathematics (Science) A & B

Group 1 Elective Subjects (choose 1 subject)

  • Advanced Mathematics A# & B
  • Biology A# & B#
  • Chemistry A# & B 
  • Information Technology A# & B#
  • Physics A# & B# 

Group 2 Elective Subjects (choose 1, 2 or 3 subjects)

  • Accounting A# & B
  • Advanced Mathematics A# & B#
  • Australian Studies A# & B#
  • Biology A# & B#
  • Chemistry A# & B
  • Foundations of Social Science A# & B
  • Foundations of Visual Art and Design Elective A# & B
  • Government and Law A# & B#
  • Information Technology A# & B#
  • International Studies A# (Politics)
  • Mathematics (Humanities) A# & B
  • Media Studies and Communication A# & B
  • Music Elective A# & B
  • Physics A# & B

Subject Minors:  Subjects marked with a # can be taken as one semester long minors. Only 2 minors can be taken for each program.
Note: Subjects offered are conditional on student numbers/preferences.

Compulsory Core Subjects

  • English A & B
  • Mathematics (Humanities) A & B

Group 1 Elective Subjects (choose 1 subject)

  • Accounting A# & B
  • Economics A# & B#
  • Government and Law A# & B 

Group 2 Elective Subjects (choose 1, 2 or 3 subjects)

  • Accounting A# & B
  • Advanced Mathematics A# & B#
  • Australian Studies A# & B#
  • Biology A# & B#
  • Chemistry A# & B
  • Economics A# & B#
  • Foundations of Social Science A# & B
  • Foundations of Visual Art and Design Elective A# & B
  • Government and Law A# & B
  • Information Technology A# & B#
  • International Studies A# (Politics)
  • International Studies B# (Economics)
  • Mathematics (Humanities) A#& B
  • Media Studies and Communication A#& B
  • Music Elective A# & B
  • Physics A# & B#

Subject Minors:  Subjects marked with a # can be taken as one semester long minors. Only 2 minors can be taken for each program.
Note: Subjects offered are conditional on student numbers/preferences.

Arts/Media*

Compulsory Core Subjects

  • English A & B

Group 1 Elective Subjects (choose 1 subject)

  • Australian Studies A# & B#
  • Economics A# & B#
  • Foundation of Social Science A# & B
  • Government and Law A# & B
  • International Studies A# (Politics)
  • International Studies B# (Economics)
  • Media Studies and Communication A# & B

Group 2 Elective Subjects (choose 1, 2 or 3 subjects)

  • Accounting A# & B
  • Advanced Mathematics A# & B#
  • Australian Studies A# & B#
  • Biology A# & B#
  • Chemistry A# & B
  • Economics A# & B#
  • Foundations of Social Science A# & B
  • Foundations of Visual Art and Design Elective A# & B
  • Government and Law A# & B
  • Information Technology A# & B#
  • International Studies A# (Politics)
  • International Studies B# (Economics)
  • Mathematics (Humanities) A# & B
  • Media Studies & Communication A# & B
  • Music Elective A# & B
  • Physics A# & B#

Subject Minors:  Subjects marked with a # can be taken as one semester long minors. Only 2 minors can be taken for each program.
Note: Subjects offered are conditional on student numbers/preferences.

*April and October intakes not available.

Music*

Compulsory Core Subjects

  • English A & B
  • Music Core Theory and Performance
  • Music Core Theory and Performance B

Group 1 Elective Subjects (choose 1 subject)

  • Australian Studies A# & B#
  • Economics A# & B#
  • Foundations of Social Science A# & B
  • Government and Law A# & B
  • International Studies A# (Politics)
  • International Studies B# (Economics)
  • Media Studies and Communication A# & B

Group 2 Elective Subjects (choose 1, 2 or 3 subjects)

  • Accounting A# & B
  • Advanced Mathematics A# & B#
  • Australian Studies A# & B#
  • Biology A# & B#
  • Chemistry A# & B
  • Economics A# & B#
  • Foundations of Social Science A# & B
  • Foundations of Visual Art and Design Elective A# & B
  • Government and Law A# & B
  • Information Technology A# & B#
  • International Studies A# (Politics)
  • International Studies B# (Economics)
  • Mathematics (Humanities) A# & B
  • Media Studies & Communication A# & B
  • Music Elective A# & B
  • Physics A# & B#

Subject Minors:  Subjects marked with a # can be taken as one semester long minors. Only 2 minors can be taken for each program.
Note: Subjects offered are conditional on student numbers/preferences.

*January intake only.

Visual Art/Design*

Compulsory Core Subjects

  • English A & B
  • Foundations of Visual Arts and Design Core A&B
  • Foundations of Visual Art and Design Elective A &B

Group 1 Elective Subjects (choose 1 subject)

  • Australian Studies A# & B#
  • Economics A# & B#
  • Foundations of Social Science A# & B
  • Government and Law A# & B
  • International Studies A# (Politics)
  • International Studies B# (Economics)
  • Media Studies and Communication A# & B

Group 2 Elective Subjects (choose 1, 2 or 3 subjects)

  • Accounting A# & B
  • Advanced Mathematics A# & B#
  • Australian Studies A# & B#
  • Biology A# & B#
  • Chemistry A# & B
  • Economics A# & B#
  • Foundations of Social Science A# & B
  • Foundations of Visual Art and Design Elective A# & B
  • Government and Law A# & B
  • Information Technology A# & B#
  • International Studies A# (Politics)
  • International Studies B# (Economics)
  • Mathematics (Humanities) A# & B
  • Media Studies & Communication A# & B
  • Music Elective A# & B
  • Physics A# & B#

Subject Minors:  Subjects marked with a # can be taken as one semester long minors. Only 2 minors can be taken for each program.
Note: Subjects offered are conditional on student numbers/preferences.

*January intake only

Extended Program semester 1

Compulsory Subjects (all streams)
All compulsory subjects are available for each stream

  • Australian Identity
  • Extended English
  • Essential Computing Skills (ECS)
  • Essential Student Skills (ESS)

Elective Subjects (choose 2 subjects)
All subjects are available for each stream

  • Accounting A
  • Australian Studies A
  • Chemistry A
  • Economics A
  • Mathematics for Humanities A

Then Semester 2 and 3 with English A and B and a choice from all Standard subjects
♦January Standard and Extended August intake only.

Note: These courses are delivered by Study Group Australia Pty Limited trading as Taylors College on behalf of the University of Sydney

Subjects

We recognise that you are most likely to do well in the subjects that interest you, so after completing your compulsory subjects, you can choose different elective subjects to study towards your chosen stream, which can help build the foundation for your future undergraduate degree at the University of Sydney.  

Learn more about our subjects. 

A Taylors College Sydney graduate Andrew.

“USFP is a really good program designed not only to allow you to study at a prestigious uni, but also to be able to do well in it.”

Andrew, from Taiwan
Graduated from USFP
Now studying a combined degree – Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws at the University of Sydney

Entry requirements

Learn about the required level of English and academic grades you need to achieve to be accepted into our foundation program.

View entry requirements.

Term dates

2018 dates

Orientation: 06 February 2018

Intake: February
Term 1 6 February - 13 April 2018
Term 2 30 April - 06 July 2018
Term 3 23 July - 28 September 2018
Term 4 15 October - 21 December 2018

Orientation: 23 July 2018

Intake: July
Term 1 23 July - 28 September 2018
Term 2 15 October - 21 December 2018
Term 3 05 February 2019 - 12 April 2019
Term 4 29 April 2019 - 05 July 2019

2019 dates

Intake February July
Duration 40 weeks 40 weeks
Orientation 5/02/2019 22/07/2019
Term 1 5/02/2019 - 12/04/2019 22/07/2019 - 27/09/2019
Holiday 13/04/2019 - 28/04/2019 28/09/2019 - 13/10/2019
Term 2 29/04/2019 - 5/07/2019 14/10/2019 - 20/12/2019
Holiday 6/07/2019 - 21/07/2019 21/12/2019 - 3/02/2020
Term 3 22/07/2019 - 27/09/2019 4/02/2020 - 9/04/2020
Holiday 28/09/2019 - 13/10/2019 10/04/2020 - 26/04/2020
Term 4 14/10/2019 - 20/12/2019 27/04/2020 - 3/07/2020

2018 dates

Orientation: 30 April 2018

Intake: April
Term 1 30 April - 06 July 2018
Term 2 23 July - 28 September 2018
Term 3 15 October - 21 December 2018

Orientation: 15 October 2018

Intake: October
Term 1 15 October - 21 December 2018
Term 2 05 February 2019 - 12 April 2019
Term 3 29 April 2019 - 05 July 2019

2019 dates

Intake April October
Duration 30 weeks 30 weeks
Orientation 29/04/2019 14/10/2019
Term 1 29/04/2019 - 5/07/2019 14/10/2019 - 20/12/2019
Holiday 6/07/2019 - 21/07/2019 21/12/2019 - 3/02/2020
Term 2 22/07/2019 - 27/09/2019 4/02/2020 - 9/04/2020
Holiday 28/09/2019 - 13/10/2019 10/04/2020 - 26/04/2020
Term 3 14/10/2019 - 20/12/2019 27/04/2020 - 3/07/2020

2018 dates

Orientation: 12 February 2018

Intake: February
Term 1 12 February - 13 April 2018
Term 2 30 April - 06 July 2018
Term 3 23 July - 28 September 2018
Term 4 15 October - 21 December 2018
Term 5 05 February 2019 - 12 April 2019
Term 6 29 April 2019 - 05 July 2019

Orientation: 13 August 2018

Intake : August
Term 1 13 August - 28 September 2018
Term 2 03 October - 21 December 2018
Term 3 05 February 2019 - 12 April 2019
Term 4 29 April 2019 - 05 July 2019
Term 5 22 July 2019 - 27 September 2019
Term 6 14 October - 20 December 2019

2019 dates

Intake February August
Duration 59 weeks 59 weeks
Orientation 11/02/2019 12/08/2019
Term 1 11/02/2019 - 12/04/2019 12/08/2019 - 3/10/2019
Holiday 13/04/2019 - 28/04/2019 4/10/2019 - 7/10/2019
Term 2 29/04/2019 - 5/07/2019 8/10/2019 - 20/12/2019
Holiday 6/07/2019 - 21/07/2019 21/12/2019 - 3/02/2020
Term 3 22/07/2019 - 27/09/2019 4/02/2020 - 9/04/2020
Holiday 28/09/2019 - 13/10/2019 10/04/2020 - 26/04/2020
Term 4 14/10/2019 - 20/12/2019 27/04/2020 - 3/07/2020
Holiday 21/12/2019 - 3/02/2020 4/07/2020 - 19/07/2020
Term 5 4/02/2020 - 9/04/2020 20/07/2020 - 25/09/2020
Holiday 10/04/2020 - 26/04/2020 26/09/2020 - 11/10/2020
Term 6 27/04/2020 - 3/07/2020 12/10/2020 - 18/12/2020
Holiday 2018 2019 2020
New Year's Day Monday 1 January Tuesday 1 January Wednesday 1 January
Australia Day Friday 26 January Monday 28 January Monday 27 January
Good Friday Friday 30 March Friday 19 April Friday 10 April
Easter Saturday Saturday 31 March Saturday 20 April Saturday 11 April
Easter Sunday Sunday 1 April Sunday 21 April Sunday 12 April
Easter Monday Monday 2 April Monday 22 April Monday 13 April
ANZAC Day Wednesday 25 April Thursday 25 April Saturday 25 April
Queen's Birthday Monday 11 June Monday 10 June Monday 8 June
Labour Day Monday 1 October Monday 7 October Monday 5 October
Christmas Day Tuesday 25 December Wednesday 25 December Friday 25 December
Boxing Day Wednesday 26 December Thursday 26 December Saturday 26 December
Additional Day     Monday 28 December

Assessments

Whether you wish to understand how your English and academic progress are graded, or what GPA is required for you to get into the degree program of your choice at the University of Sydney, learn more about assessments today. 

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