The super fund for Australia's higher education and research sector.
UniSuper is an industry superannuation fund regulated by APRA. Established in 2000, the fund is headquartered in VIC and operates under RSE Licence L0000317. The trustee responsible for managing the fund is UniSuper Limited.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| ABN | 54 006 027 121 |
| RSE Licence | L0000317 |
| Trustee | UniSuper Limited |
| Legal Name | UniSuper Limited |
| Established | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Level 35, 60 Margaret Street, Sydney NSW 2000 |
| Fund Type | Industry |
| USI | UNI0058AU |
| Member Services Phone | 1800 331 685 |
| Website | https://www.unisuper.com.au |
UniSuper manages $130 billion in assets under management, serving approximately 650 members across approximately 60 employers. This makes it a large fund in the Australian superannuation landscape.
As one of Australia's largest super funds, UniSuper benefits from significant economies of scale. Larger funds can typically negotiate lower investment management fees and access institutional-grade investments including direct infrastructure, private equity, and unlisted property that smaller funds cannot. This scale advantage often translates to lower costs for members and broader diversification across asset classes.
UniSuper's MySuper option charges a total fee of $280 per year on a $50,000 balance (0.49% of a $50,000 balance). On a $100,000 balance, annual fees come to $500. The fee structure includes a fixed administration component plus percentage-based investment and indirect cost charges.
| Fee Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administration Fee (Flat) | $60 p.a. |
| Administration Fee (%) | 0.04% |
| Investment Fee (MySuper) | 0.36% |
| Indirect Cost Ratio | 0.04% |
| Buy/Sell Spread | 0.09% |
| Performance Fee | No |
The table below shows how UniSuper's total annual fees scale with your account balance. Funds with a higher flat fee component tend to be proportionally more expensive at lower balances.
| Balance | $10,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee ($) | $104 | $170 | $280 | $500 | $1,160 | $2,260 |
| Fee as % of Balance | 1.04% | 0.68% | 0.56% | 0.50% | 0.46% | 0.45% |
With a 10-year annualised return of 8.5%, UniSuper's Balanced option has delivered above-average performance relative to the broader industry. This places the fund in the upper tier of MySuper products tracked by APRA.
| Period | Return (p.a.) |
|---|---|
| 1 Year | +12.0% |
| 3 Years | +8.3% |
| 5 Years | +8.5% |
| 7 Years | +8.6% |
| 10 Years | +8.5% |
The following table shows the annual returns for UniSuper's Balanced option for each financial year. This allows you to see how the fund performed during both strong market years and downturns, including the COVID-19 sell-off in FY2020 and the inflation-driven correction in FY2022.
| Year | FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | +10.8% | +4.5% | +12.9% | +10.8% | +8.8% | -0.8% | +21.2% | -3.0% | +10.8% | +9.2% |
UniSuper offers 16 investment options spanning pre-mixed diversified portfolios and single-sector choices. Each option carries a different risk profile and fee structure. The asset allocation doughnut charts below show the mix of growth and defensive assets within each option.
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 5 — Medium to High | 0.49% | +12.0% | +8.5% | +8.5% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 6 — High | 0.52% | +14.2% | +9.5% | +10.0% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 3 — Low to Medium | 0.42% | +5.5% | +3.2% | +4.0% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 5 — Medium to High | 0.55% | +11.5% | +8.0% | +8.0% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sector | 6 — High | 0.42% | +12.8% | +8.8% | +9.5% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sector | 6 — High | 0.45% | +17.2% | +10.5% | +12.0% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sector | 1 — Very Low | 0.12% | +4.1% | +1.7% | +1.4% |
UniSuper provides default insurance cover through AIA Australia. Most members are automatically enrolled in death and TPD cover when they join, while income protection is typically opt-in. Insurance premiums are deducted directly from your super balance, which means you do not pay out of pocket but your retirement savings are reduced over time.
| Cover Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Insurer | AIA Australia |
| Death Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| TPD Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| Income Protection | Yes — opt-in, 75% of salary |
| Default Death Cover (age 30) | $450,000 |
| Default TPD Cover (age 30) | $350,000 |
| Maximum Cover Age | 70 |
The following table shows estimated annual premiums for UniSuper's default death and TPD cover at various ages. Premiums increase significantly with age as the risk of claims rises. These are indicative figures for a standard occupation category.
| Age | Age 25 | Age 30 | Age 35 | Age 40 | Age 45 | Age 50 | Age 55 | Age 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Premium | $120 | $205 | $350 | $540 | $850 | $1,320 | $1,950 | $2,800 |
Occupation categories: Professional, White Collar
IP waiting periods: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days
IP benefit periods: 2 years, 5 years, To age 65
APRA (the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) publishes an annual MySuper Product Heatmap that assesses each fund across fees, investment returns, and sustainability. The heatmap uses a traffic-light system to flag products that may be underperforming relative to peers. Here is where UniSuper's MySuper option sits on the latest heatmap:
A "Below median" fee rating means the fund's fees are lower than the typical MySuper product — which is positive for members. An "Above median" return rating indicates the fund has delivered stronger returns than the median fund. A "Performing" sustainability rating means APRA has not identified any concerns about the product's long-term viability.
UniSuper is led by CEO Peter Chun. The board comprises 11 directors, with equal representation of 5 member-elected and 5 employer-appointed directors, plus 1 independent director. As an APRA-regulated fund, UniSuper must meet strict governance standards including director fitness and propriety requirements, risk management frameworks, and regular independent audits.
| Role | Details |
|---|---|
| CEO | Peter Chun |
| Chief Investment Officer | John Pearce |
| Member-Elected Directors | 5 |
| Employer-Appointed Directors | 5 |
| Independent Directors | 1 |
UniSuper maintains a formal ESG policy and has committed to a net-zero emissions target by 2050. As a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI), the fund has committed to incorporating ESG factors into its investment decision-making.
| ESG Criteria | Status |
|---|---|
| ESG Policy | Yes |
| Net Zero Target | 2050 |
| UN PRI Signatory | Yes |
| ACSI Member | Yes |
| Fossil Fuel Exclusion | Partial |
| Tobacco Exclusion | Full |
| Weapons Exclusion | Controversial weapons |
The UniSuper app is highly rated by members, with a 4.7 rating on iOS and 4.5 on Android — placing it among the best-rated super fund apps in Australia.
| Service | Details |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | 4.7/5.0 |
| Android App Rating | 4.5/5.0 |
| Financial Advice | Included personal advice; comprehensive fee-for-service; campus consultants |
| Call Centre Hours | 8am-8pm AEST Mon-Fri |
| Languages Supported | English |
| Branch Network | No physical branches |
During the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, UniSuper lost 12.5%, roughly in line with the industry average. The GFC remains the most severe market downturn in recent memory and tested every super fund's risk management framework.
In the COVID-19 year (FY2020), UniSuper limited losses to just -0.8%, recovering strongly through the second half of the year.
How a fund performs during market downturns can be as revealing as its long-term returns. Funds that limit losses during crashes tend to have more conservative asset allocations or better risk management, though this can sometimes come at the cost of lower returns during boom periods.
With 3.2 complaints per 10,000 members, UniSuper's complaint rate is around the industry average. This level is typical for a fund of its size and does not indicate any systemic service issues.
AFCA is the independent complaints body for financial services in Australia. Members can escalate complaints to AFCA if they are unable to resolve a dispute directly with their super fund. The complaints-per-10,000-members ratio is the most meaningful comparison metric as it adjusts for fund size.
See how UniSuper stacks up against every other fund in our database with a detailed side-by-side comparison.