University
Nationals

University nationals

UniSport Nationals events provide University of Newcastle student-athletes with the opportunity to represent the University and compete against the nation's best university athletes. Students enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate and foundation studies are all eligible to participate.

The 2026 UniSport Nationals will be held in Perth, Western Australia, from 26 September to 2 October 2026. The event will bring together more than 5,000 student-athletes from universities across Australia to compete for national championship honours across a wide range of sports.

The University of Newcastle has a proud history of strong performances at UniSport Nationals and will once again be represented by competitive teams across multiple sports. Following strong participation at trials, teams have now been selected and are preparing for an exciting week of competition in Perth.

To learn more about the event, visit the UniSport Nationals website.

If you have been selected to represent the University of Newcastle and have any questions, please contact the Elite Athlete Program team at eliteathletes@newcastle.edu.au.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - 2026 UNIVERSITY NATIONALS

Expressions of Interest are now CLOSED for UniSport Nationals in Perth, with trials having been held across March 2026. If you have any questions, please email eliteathlete@newcastle.edu.au.

To express your interest in individual National Championship events* (e.g. Cross Country), please complete the form HERE.

*Please note minimum qualifying standards may apply.

For updates, follow us on Instagram: @nusport.sport

CALENDAR - 2026 UNIVERSITY NATIONALS

The following UniSport Nationals programs are supported by NUsport in 2026.

Sport	Details
Triathlon*	Wollongong, NSW - Dharawal 19 April
Athletics*	Gold Coast, QLD - Kombumerri 22 - 24 April
Swimming*	Sydney, NSW - Gadigal 15 - 17 May
Indigenous Nationals	University of Newcastle, NSW - Awabakal & Worimi 29 June - 3 July
Distance Running*	Gold Coast, QLD - Kombumerri 4 - 5 July
Cross Country*	Ballarat, VIC - Wathaurong 22 - 23 August
UniSport Nationals	Perth, WA - Noongar 26 September - 3 October

*Minimum qualifying standards apply.

2026 INDIGENOUS NATIONALS

National Indigenous Tertiary Education Student Games (NITESG) began in 1996 as a joint class project between 13 students enrolled in a Diploma of Aboriginal Studies (Community Recreation) at the then Wollotuka School for Aboriginal Studies, The University of Newcastle.

Now referred to as Indigenous Nationals, the event is a week-long multi-sport competition for indigenous student-athletes. The annual event aims to bring together student-athletes from universities across Australia to compete in a variety of sports and ultimately crown one university team the champion of the games. Indigenous Nationals is an amazing environment to not only celebrate the rich sporting culture of indigenous Australia but to also acknowledge the heritage and history of the participating student-athletes.

In 2026, the University of Newcastle will proudly host the Indigenous Nationals, marking the 30th anniversary of this landmark event, set to take place from 29 June to 3 July. This celebration of athleticism and culture will feature a mixed competition across four sports: touch football, basketball, netball, and volleyball.

The University of Newcastle, having claimed victory in the past two years, is poised to uphold its legacy of excellence as the host of this highly anticipated event.

For more event details visit www.unisport.com.au

WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES AND CHAMPIONSHIPS

World University Games are the pinnacle sporting events for elite University athletes. The World University Summer and Winter Games (Universiades) are held every 2 years, and are elite multisport events second only to the Olympic Games.

All World University Games and Championship teams are selected by the relevant National Sporting Organisation. Contact the High Performance arm of your sport's governing body to access selection policies and more information, or visit www.unisport.com.au/uniroos-international-events

Some funding may be available to selected athletes to assist with the cost of attending these elite events. Contact NUsport's Elite Athlete Support Officer for more information.

For all event details and more on Unisport Australia visit www.unisport.com.au

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Am I eligible to compete?
Eligibility rules are available to view here. Students who have deferred study, dropped enrolments, taken a leave of absence etc, over the time of the event, are not eligible to compete. Competitors at the World University Games and Championships may be eligible to compete up to 12-months following completion of their degree.

Do I need to meet selection criteria?
Certain sports have specific criteria – for example Swimming and Athletics. Competitors in these sports MUST be able to demonstrate recent attainment of minimum qualifying times/distances etc. This can generally be shown via online results at events such as State Championships or similar. If you are not able to demonstrate qualifying standards you will not be permitted to compete.
For team sports, selections will be made via trials. If NUsport believes a team will not be competitive at a given event, it reserves the right to refuse entry for that team.

Will there be random anti-doping testing?
Yes. As an ASADA certified organisation there will be random anti-doping testing at Nationals. Athletes are encouraged to complete the ASADA Level 1 Anti-Doping Course to familiarise themselves with anti-doping processes and prohibited substances.

2025 UniSport nationals update

In 2025, 170 University of Newcastle students represented Newcastle with pride across 12 sports, with 20 teams assembled. Highlights of the tournament include Gold in Men’s Para Single Rowing, Silver Medals in Men’s Golf and Women’s Single Sculls (Rowing) and Bronze Medals in Men’s Hockey and Rowing, while Men’s Football claimed the Division 2 Gold Medal.

Check out more results from Nationals in 2025 >

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