Your Guide to the Upcoming Trimester Changes

You may have heard something through the grapevine about UNSW changing the current trimester model, but not about what that actually means for you.

As all current and incoming students know, UNSW structures its academic year into three teaching periods, or trimesters, plus an optional 5-week summer term, which they promote heavily as one of the unique benefits of studying here. The current “3+” model came into full effect back in 2019, so most current students have only experienced the rollercoaster that is our rapid and crammed 10-week terms. This current system is somewhat controversial amongst staff and students alike; something that is being taken into consideration by the university as it makes its review of the last 5 years.

As of now, the academic calendar moving forward has been narrowed down to two potential options: an updated trimester model, and a semester model that overhauls the current system entirely. The webpage for the “Academic Calendar Project” on the UNSW website has two graphics that compare the differences between these options and the current model in full, but to save you the time of comparing each, the key changes are listed below as follows:

Modified trimesters

• An extra week of student holidays after Flex Week during Term 2, which coincides with the start of NSW school holidays
• 5 days of study vacation before final examination periods, instead of 6
• Final exam period reduced to 10 days from the current 12

Semesters

• 12 teaching weeks during semesters, instead of 9
• 2 weeks of break in the middle of terms
• Optional summer and winter terms between semesters, which will be 6 weeks long, as opposed to the current 5-week summer term only
• Study vacation reduced to 5 days before exams, and exam periods become 14 days long

These timetables are subject to minor changes before they are applied. Another important thing to note is that, due to the easier shift to a slightly tweaked trimester model, the trimester model would be applied universally in 2027, whereas the semester model would not be live until 2028. If you are graduating before 2027, these changes will not impact the rest of your studies. The decision on which system will be adopted will be made early Term 1 of this year.

The Academic Calendar Project has been overseen by multiple committees of university officials, including staff from the Provost’s Office, with the Student Representative Council (SRC) and teaching staff being taken as advisory bodies. While the President of the SRC has been consulted on this change, the rest of the SRC has not been part of the advisory process so if you would like to make your own thoughts about the future of UNSW be heard, you can submit your feedback below: