In 1934 Olga J. Sangwell passed the final examinations in the Faculty of Law, Sydney University, with second-class honours, becoming the first woman student to secure honours from the Sydney University Law School. She had a brilliant career at school, having passed the Leaving Certificate from Fort-street Girls' High School with honours in Latin and French, and was awarded a University exhibition and the Ada Partridge prize for the best pass in the Leaving Certificate examination secured by a student of the school. She entered the Faculty of Arts in 1928, and in 1930 she entered the Faculty of Law and secured the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In addition to securing second class honours in Law, Miss Sangwell won the Rose Scott prize for women students in private International law.