Australia is home to 43 universities, mostly public institutions and several other educational institutes. Around 15 universities for studying in Australia rank in the top 250 universities globally. There are several universities in Australia that provide courses ranging from undergraduate, postgraduate and research programs.

Studying in the top Australian universities can be expensive for international students but the cost is still economical in comparison to countries like the USA or UK. The average cost of a postgraduate program in Australia can cost around 30,000 to 40,000 AUD per year. For an Indian student, this cost ranges from 16-21.5 lakh INR.

Australia is home to many universities that carry out innovative research in various fields. With a research budget of 8.64 billion AUD, the country is one of the popular names offering research oriented education. As an international student, you need strong Statement of Purpose, multiple LOR, and professional experience along with academic excellence to secure seats in the universities in Australia.

Top Universities in Australia

Australia has about 38 global recognized universities in the world according to the QS World Rankings of University 2022. Among these, 7 universities rank among the top 100 universities in the world. Various parameters like research quality, faculties, teaching etc. are considered while ranking these universities globally.

The top ranking universities in Australia according to some reputed ranking institutions are as follows:

Universities QS 2022 THE 2022 US News 2022
The Australian National university 27 54 56
University of Melbourne 37 33 25
The University of Sydney 38 58 28
The University of New South Wales 43 70 41
The University of Queensland 47 54 36
Monash University 58 57 40
The University of Western Australia 93 132 78
The University of Adelaide 108 111 66
University of Technology, Sydney 133 143 127
University of Wollongong 193 201-250 203
Curtin University 194 251-300 156
The University of Newcastle 197 251-300 230
Macquarie University 200 192 207
RMIT University 206 301-350 244
Queensland University of Technology 213 193 176

Top Universities in Australia for Undergraduate Programs

A bachelor degree in Australia usually takes 3 or 4 years to complete. Bachelor degree programs are provided in programs across disciplines like arts, science, design, law, education etc. Some of the top universities providing bachelor degree programs in Australia are as follows:

Universities Top UG Courses
Torrens University BBA, B. Des, B.com
Monash University B.com, B.sc, B.A
Central Queensland University B.sc, B.A,
Charles Darwin University B.A, BBA
University of Tasmania BBA, B.Sc, B.A
University of New England B.A, B.sc, L.L.B
Federation University B.sc, B.ed
University of Southern Queensland BBA, B.com, B.sc
Cape Breton University B.sc
Curtin University B.sc, B.A, L.L.B
Deakin University B.sc, B.com
Macquarie University B.sc, B.ed
Southern Cross University B.sc,

Top Universities in Australia for Postgraduate Programs

Various types of postgraduate programs are offered by the top universities in Australia. Universities in Australia are some of the top destinations for international students to pursue postgraduate programs. A list of the top universities that offer postgraduate programs for international students are as follows:

Universities Popular PG Program Fees (AUD/year)
University of Melbourne MBA 92,250
Australian National university MS 91,200
University of Sydney Msc 52,250
University of Queensland MS 76,650
The University of New South Wales MBA 78,480
Monash University M.Tech 28,700
University of Technology, Sydney M.Tech 27,936
Macquarie University MBA 40,000
University of Wollongong MBA 60,192
RMIT University MS 74,880
University of South Australia MBA 36,000

Top Universities in Australia for PG Diploma

A graduate diploma degree is equivalent to the PG Diploma degree in Australia. The duration of the course is usually from 6 months to 1 year. Some universities also offer graduate diploma certificate courses for a shorter duration. Some of the universities that offer Graduate diploma courses are as follows:

University Total Fees (AUD)
University of Melbourne 42,917
The University of Sydney 38,422
University of Tasmania 53,143
The University of Queensland 41,240
The University of Adelaide 41,596
University of South Australia 34,884
Flinders University 53,352
La Trobe University 34,511
Macquarie University 43,075

Top Universities in Australia for MBA

Australia is one of the top destinations for international students who want to pursue a MBA abroad. Australia has some of the top ranked global business schools. The details of some of the top business schools in Australia and their tuition fees are given below:

University Name B-School Name Tuition Fee (AUD/Year)
University of Melbourne Melbourne Business School 92,250
The University of New South Wales Australian Graduate School of Management 78,480
Monash University Monash Business School 37,000
University of Technology, Sydney UTS Business School 21,375
RMIT University RMIT University School of Business and Law 45,120
The Australian National University ANU business school 28,020
Macquarie University Macquarie business school 40,000
The University of Western Australia University of Western Australia business school 59,700
University of Wollongong Wollongong Business School 60,192
La Trobe University La Trobe Business School 42,000
University of South Australia UNISA Business School 36,000

Note: The tuition fee given above may not include the total cost of living. This depends on the university and the business school. The fees may change every year.

Know More: MBA in Australia

Top Universities in Australia for MS

MS programs in Australia range from 1 to 2 years. There are many specializations from which the students can choose from. Some of the top universities offering MS programs in Australia are as follows:

Universities Total Fees (AUD)
The Australian National University 91,200
University of Melbourne 91,700
University of Sydney 69,000
University of Adelaide 59,000
RMIT University 74,880
University of Wollongong 68,000
The University of Western Australia -
Queensland University of Technology 69,400
Curtin University 62,000
The University of New castle 71,310
Monash University 67,000
University of Technology, Sydney 68,000
Macquarie University 39,800

Top Universities in Australia for Engineering

Top universities in Australia provide a wide range of options in engineering. Some of the disciplines which are popular in engineering are civil engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, Electrical engineering, ocean engineering etc.

The list of the top universities in Australia that provide education in engineering are as follows:

Universities Overall Global Score
The University of New South Wales 81.9
University of Melbourne 79.8
Monash University 79.1
The University of Sydney 78.7
The Australian National University 77.5
The University of Queensland 77
University of Technology, Sydney 73.8
The University of Adelaide 73.1
RMIT University 72.1
University of Wollongong 71.9
The University of Western Australia 71.1
Queensland University of Technology 70.8
Curtin University 70.7
The University of New castle 68
Deakin University 67.6
Macquarie University 63.6
University of South Australia 64.8
Western Sydney University -
Griffith University -

Universities in Australia for Computer Science and Information Systems

Computer science or information systems are the most sought after courses globally. This course has a global demand and is relevant anywhere. Some of the top universities in Australia for computer science and information systems are as follows:

Universities Global Score
The University of Sydney 74.5
University of Melbourne 76.3
The University of New South Wales 73.4
Monash University 70.5
University of Technology, Sydney 70.7
The University of Queensland 67.9
RMIT University 66.1
The Australian National University 74.4
The University of Adelaide 68.4
Queensland University of Technology 66.4

Top Universities in Australia for Doctoral Courses

A doctoral degree in Australia ranges for a period of around 3 to 5 years depending upon the college. Students need to have a master’s degree in order to apply for the doctoral programs. International Students have to pay for their doctoral degree programs. Some of the top universities in Australia providing doctoral courses are as follows:

Universities Fees (AUD/year) Popular PHD Courses
University of Melbourne 43,000-46,000 Biomedical engineering innovation, Child and Adolescent health, Medical biology
Australian National University 52,000 Natural science, health and medical science
University of Queensland 9,170-40,736 Agriculture and environmental studies, management and commerce , engineering
Monash University 35,800-48,800 Arts, clinical psychology, business and economics, Engineering
University of Sydney 50,000 Law, music, business
University of New South Wales 35,280 Art & design, law, engineering
University of Adelaide 43,000-53,000 Architecture, nursing, philosophy
The University of Western Australia 35,400-50,700 Architecture, education, Musical arts
University of Technology, Sydney 15,270-21,790 Science, fine arts, Engineering
University of Canberra 28,700-39,600 Philosophy, legal science, business administration

Top Universities in Australia by Employability

The universities in Australia provide great opportunities to the students in terms of employability and high salary. This is the reason many Australian Universities are ranked among the top universities in terms of graduate employability by QS World Rankings. The ranking of the top Australian universities are as follows:

Universities Graduate Employability Ranking
The University of Sydney 4
University of Melbourne 8
Australian Catholic University 301-500
The University of New South Wales 32
Monash University 54
University of Technology, Sydney 62
The University of Queensland 63
RMIT University 74
The Australian National University 79
Macquarie University 98

20 Australian universities are globally considered among the top universities for graduate employability. Among these, 9 universities are included in the top 100.

Admission to Top Universities in Australia

Australian universities accept applications mostly in fall, winter and summer semesters. The admission criteria for studying in the top universities in Australia include the following:

  • Application
  • High school or university transcripts
  • Scores of qualifying exams like GRE, GMAT
  • English language proficiency scores like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE etc.
  • SOPs
  • Resume
  • LOR for Australia
  • Student visa
  • Other documents specified by the university

Application Deadlines for Universities in Australia

The timeline for admission into Australian Universities is as follows:

Month Details
August/ September Online application form
November/December Documents submission
December Admission result sent by the university
December/January Apply for student visa
February/March Commencement of program

The first round of classes starts around February or March. There are also other intake rounds that continue till July. Getting admission into a top Australian university can be competitive but with proper documents you can make it.

Scholarships for Top Universities in Australia

Students who want financial support for studying in Australia can apply for the scholarships provided by the Australian government or by the universities. Some of the scholarships for international students in Australia are as follows:

Scholarship Eligibility Award Application
Australia Awards International Students Full tuition fee Online application on Online Australia Scholarships Information System
Destination Australia Domestic and International Students $15000 Apply with the list of providers
Australian Government Research Training Program International and Domestic students Varies Students of participating institute can apply
Australian Catholic University International Students Scholarship International Students based on merit Depends on the merit of student Students studying in the university can apply
Curtin University International Research Scholarships International Students taking master’s or PHD $10,000 AUD Students studying in the university

Top Universities in Australia by ROI

Studying in Australian Universities can be highly rewarding. The students get lucrative job offers and big packages from the employers. Some of the top universities providing higher salary to their graduates are as follows:

University Average Salary (AUD/year)
The University of Sydney 102,000-129,000
The University of New South Wales 101,000-153,000
The University of Queensland 82,000-162,000
Monash University 112,000-187,000
University of Adelaide 76,000-122,000
University of Newcastle 79,000-133,000
Curtin University 78,000-149,000
Macquarie University 91,000-152,000
Deakin University 84,000-93,000
The Australian National University 75,000-97,000

Check: Jobs in Australia for international students

Getting into a top Australian university can be rewarding for your career. With the ease of restrictions, students have started travelling to the Australian Universities for their programs. However getting admission into an Australian University can be competitive. The reputation of the universities, research facilities available, faculties, teaching facilities, infrastructure etc. make Australia a top destination for international students.