Best universities in Melbourne

The vibrant, multicultural hub of Melbourne is an attractive study destination for almost 300,000 students every year (.id, 2021). Ranked by The Economist’s Global Liveability Index (2023) as the world’s third most liveable city, Melbourne is Australia’s second-largest city and the state capital of Victoria.

Unlike other popular destinations in Australia, Melbourne boasts a relatively temperate climate, with warm, sunny summers and cool winters. Surrounded by natural beauty, ocean scenery, and areas of historic and cultural importance, it offers something for everyone.

Located on Australia’s picturesque south coast, the city is famed for its arts and culture scene, incredible food, and excellent universities. Every year, Melbourne hosts over 170,000 international students from over 70 countries. This figure represents almost 40 per cent of the total university population in the entire state of Victoria (Study Melbourne, 2024).

Melbourne is especially popular with Indian students, with over 40 per cent of all Indian learners in Australia located in the city (Australian Department of Education, 2022). Direct flights between Delhi and Melbourne make travel easy, taking only 12 hours.

Why study in Melbourne

Melbourne is ranked the fourth-best student city in the world and the best in Australia (QS Best Student Cities, 2024). This ranking is based on cultural diversity, academic excellence, quality of life, and employment opportunities, as well as affordability.

Melbourne is home to eight of the state of Victoria’s ten universities, spread across several campuses throughout the city. These institutions are globally renowned for their exceptional standards of teaching and research, with a significant amount of their research rated as outstanding and ‘above world standard’ in the Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) (2018) rankings.

Universities in Melbourne

Melbourne is home to eight universities and several TAFE institutes for vocational studies.

Melbourne’s top five universities all rank in the top 250 universities globally (QS World University Rankings [QS], 2024).

1. University of Melbourne

Australia’s top university, and one of the best in the world (QS, 2024), the University of Melbourne is home to more than 1,300 Indian students. It offers undergraduate degrees in over 100 study areas and majors, alongside a broad selection of taught and research postgraduate courses.

Top performing subject areas (QS World University Rankings by Subject [QSbS], 2024) include:

• Law and legal studies: 10
• Anatomy and physiology: 12
• Education and training: 13
• Engineering (petroleum): 15
• Medicine: 18

Undergraduate tuition fees*: AUD 34,800 – AUD 105,472
Postgraduate tuition fees*: AUD 39,040 – AUD 101,952

International student population: 20,000

Academic student-staff ratio: 25:1

QS Graduate Employability ranking (2022): 8

2. Monash University

Australia’s largest university, with locations in six countries, including India, Monash University offers an expansive range of flexible undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including specialist courses and double degrees. The university boasts one of the largest selections of scholarships in the country, with nearly 80 open to eligible international students.

Top performing subject areas (QSbS, 2024) include:

• Pharmacy and pharmacology: 2
• Anatomy and physiology: 17
• Engineering (mineral and mining): 17
• Nursing: 21
• Education and training: 23

Undergraduate tuition fees*: AUD 38,100 – AUD 53,200

Postgraduate tuition fees*: AUD 37,000 – AUD 55,500

International student population: ~30,000

Faculty-student ratio: 43:1

QS Graduate Employability ranking (2022): 54

3. RMIT University

Ranking in seventh place globally in the Times Higher Education World Impact Rankings (2023), RMIT University has also received a prestigious 5* QS Stars rating (2024). A world leader in technology, design, and enterprise, it offers an extensive range of degree courses across 20 subject areas, with all curricula placing a focus on career prospects and employability. In 2023, its students benefited from nearly 20,000 industry placements.

Top performing subject areas (QSbS, 2024) include:

• Architecture and built environment: 18
• Art and design: 18
• Communication and media studies: 45
• Engineering (civil and structural): 51-100
• Accounting and finance: 100

Undergraduate tuition fees*: AUD 33,600 – AUD 63,200
Postgraduate tuition fees*: AUD 32,640 – AUD 47,040

International student population: ~19,000

Faculty-student ratio: 24:1

QS Graduate Employability ranking (2022): 74

4. Deakin University

Ranking in 42^nd place in the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings (2023), Deakin University is the second-best university in Victoria for graduate employment (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2023), and the top in the state for student and course satisfaction, student support, and facilities and resources (Student Experience Survey, 2022). It offers world-leading research facilities (ERA, 2018) and a broad selection of study programmes across 22 subject areas. 

Top performing subject areas (QSbS, 2024) include:

• Sports: 11
• Education and training: 41
• Nursing: 41
• Architecture and built environment: 101-150
• Accounting and finance: 101-150

Undergraduate tuition fees*: AUD 33,000 – AUD 43,000
Postgraduate tuition fees*: AUD 34,400 – AUD 80,600

International student population: ~10,000

Faculty-student ratio: 33:1

5. La Trobe University

With a 5* QS Stars rating (2024), La Trobe University offers an extensive range of career-focused courses across nine core disciplines. Its research is rated at and above world standard across all its research areas (ERA, 2018), and its graduates are ranked third in Australia for overall employer satisfaction (Employer Satisfaction Survey, 2022).

Top performing subject areas (QSbS, 2024) include:

• Nursing: 44
• Sports: 46
• Anthropology: 51-100
• Archaeology: 51-100
• Sociology: 101-150

Undergraduate tuition fees*: AUD 32,600 – AUD 76,000
Postgraduate tuition fees*: AUD 33,200  – AUD 45,600

International student population: ~9,000

Faculty-student ratio: 28:1

*Typical annual tuition fees for international students in the 2024/25 academic year. Some courses may be excluded from this range.

Student life in Melbourne

Melbourne is a vibrant, diverse, and exciting city where students enjoy fantastic entertainment options. With its world-famous food scene, there’s no shortage of eateries, from coffee shops to restaurants to gelato bars.

During the day, students can enjoy Melbourne’s internationally renowned cultural scene, with galleries, theatres, and comedy dotted all over the city. Live music events take place throughout the city, and nightlife options include a fantastic selection of bars, pubs, and nightclubs.

Visit Melbourne’s laneways for independent shops and boutique cafés or the suburbs for a more cosmopolitan experience. Alternatively, leave the city centre to explore picturesque beaches, try surfing, spot local wildlife, or run along the breathtaking local network of trails.

Career opportunities in Melbourne

If you hope to work in Melbourne after graduation, a popular visa option is the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485). This visa enables international graduates to live and work in Australia for a further one to four years.

Median salaries for graduates in Melbourne are in the region of AUD 60,000 – AUD 67,900 (Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2021). Students in Melbourne enjoy strong employability after graduation, with both the University of Melbourne and Monash University ranking in the top 10 in Australia for graduate employability (Times Higher Education, 2024).

Melbourne is a thriving hub of economy and innovation, with several multinational corporations choosing the city’s CBD for their headquarters, including Alibaba, BP, GlaxoSmithKline, Mitsubishi, Siemens, and UniQlo.

If you are interested in a career in technology, Melbourne is a top location for tech companies. The city ranks 22nd globally in the Savills UK Tech Cities in Motion report (2023).