Australian universities roll out ChatGPT to tens of thousands of students

Several Australian universities are giving students and staff access to ChatGPT Edu, OpenAI's version of ChatGPT built for schools. UNSW Sydney is bringing it to more than 80,000 students and staff. The University of Sydney plans access for all students in Semester 1, 2027, after a trial. La Trobe and Adelaide University are also involved.

What changed

OpenAI is expanding access to ChatGPT Edu and Codex, its tool for writing software code. The universities are tying that access to courses, teacher training, industry projects and new rules for assessments. UNSW is rolling out in stages. La Trobe already gives all 3,500 staff access and plans access for its 45,000 students and staff in the first quarter of 2027.

Students are already using AI

An OpenAI-commissioned survey of 1,018 Australian university students, run by Pureprofile in early August 2026, shows why. Of those surveyed, 81% used AI several times a week and 33% used it multiple times a day. Another 28% had built an AI agent or assistant for study, work or personal life.

• 79% wanted more chances to use advanced AI tools on real-world projects.
• 61% believed AI skills would be essential to success in their career.
• 76% were interested in starting a company or working for themselves.
• 68% believed AI would make starting a business easier.

How schools are setting rules

UNSW uses a framework called Can, Can't, Must. Educators decide AI's role in each assessment. Students may be allowed to use AI, banned from using it, or required to show how they used it. The University of Sydney will have students prove their own skills in supervised settings, then show how they use AI in open assessments.

What it looks like in class

At La Trobe, future teachers practice giving feedback to parents with a social robot named Fletch, which runs on OpenAI language models. Paramedicine students use ChatGPT-built activities to read heart readings and sort patients after a mass casualty incident. Adelaide is one of the first higher education institutions using OpenAI Daybreak Blue for authorized defensive security work.

Who it affects

Anyone who hires or trains young people should expect new graduates to arrive already comfortable with AI tools. La Trobe also plans an AI Business Studio that aims to give more than 1,000 students experience by 2028 helping small and medium-sized businesses adopt AI.