Universities & Courses in Australia

Your guide to finding the best universities and courses in Australia tailored to your academic and career goals.

Finding the Right Course

Use these government tools to compare courses.

How to Start

Three simple steps.

Pick your area of study.
Choose a city or region.
Shortlist courses that match your marks and English score.

Official Tools

Run by the Australian Government.

Study Australia course search: Search courses, fees, start dates, length and scholarships.
CRICOS: CRICOS is the government list of courses open to international students.

Shorten Your List

Use these to make a shortlist.

Filter by area of study.
Filter by location.
Filter by start date.

Tips for International Students

Read the whole course page, including what you need to get in.

Check the course is on CRICOS.

Compare the yearly fee and the course length.

Check the English test score the course asks for (such as IELTS).

See the rules for getting in on our page about who can apply.

Types of Institutions

Australia has universities, other degree colleges, job-training colleges and English schools.

Universities

Offer degrees at every level.

Key Characteristics:

Many campuses
Research degrees with supervision

Best For:

Bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees

Examples:

Monash UniversityUniversity of Queensland

Other higher education providers

Some private colleges and TAFEs also give degrees.

Best For:

Some degrees, graduate diplomas and associate degrees

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

VET means job-training courses. They are taught by TAFE (government colleges) and other approved training colleges.

Key Points:

Practical, job-ready courses
Often include work placements

Examples: TAFE colleges

English language courses (called ELICOS)

English courses for overseas students.

Key Points:

Courses last 5 to 60 weeks
Start throughout the year

Note for International Students:A Student visa only lets you study courses on the CRICOS list.

Areas of Study

Here are some areas of study that students often choose.

Engineering, IT and Science

Engineering, automation and technology

Information technology and computing

Sciences and mathematics

Technical and science courses.

Why Australia?

Monash is the only one of the Group of Eight (8 top research universities) with its own IT school

Business

Business, management and entrepreneurship

Business and management courses.

Health

Health, medicine and psychology

Health and medicine courses.

Society and Law

Society, culture and humanities

Law and paralegal studies

Teacher education and training

People-focused courses.

Creative and Media

Creative arts and design

Media and communications

Architecture, construction and planning

Design and media courses.

How Australian Degrees Are Built

A degree is split into subjects. Each subject earns points (credit points, also called units). The year is split into 2 or 3 study terms.

Bachelor's degree

Usually 3 years, or 4 years with an extra research year (honours)

Common Examples

Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Bachelor of Information Technology

Program Structure

thesis

The honours year usually includes a big research project, called a thesis.

credits

At Monash, a full year of study is 48 points. Each subject earns some points.

internships

specialization

You pick a main subject (major) and, if you want, a smaller one (minor). Some students take a double degree.

You start after finishing school (Year 12 in Australia).

Master's degree

1 to 2 years

Common Examples

Master of Information Technology
Master of Computer Science

Program Structure

thesis

A master's with classes (coursework) may include a long project of 12,000 to 20,000 words.

credits

Monash Master of Information Technology: 96 points (2 years) or 72 points (1.5 years).

internships

specialization

Some master's degrees let you stop part way and get a smaller award, such as a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma.

Follows a bachelor's degree.

Doctoral degree (PhD)

3 to 4 years

Common Examples

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program Structure

thesis

Often a major thesis of 40,000 to 60,000 words.

credits

defense

research

Original, in-depth research.

coursework

Most PhD students do not go to classes.

internships

supervision

A guide called a supervisor helps your research the whole time.

specialization

Start dates are agreed with your supervisor.

Original research with a supervisor.

The Study Year

Most universities split the year into 2 terms (semesters). A semester is half a study year. Some split it into 3 (trimesters).

Semester 1

At UQ in 2027, this term starts on 22 February.

The main start of the year

Semester 2

At UQ in 2027, this term starts on 26 July.

The second start

Grades

Check your university's grading rules.

Scale: Each university grades in its own way. The University of Queensland (UQ) gives a score out of 7 (GPA, grade point average).

Linking Your Course to a Career

Think about what job and visa you can get after the course, not only about the course.

Questions to Ask

Use these questions when you compare courses.

Professional accreditation

The Master of Information Technology at RMIT University (RMIT) and Monash University (Monash) is approved by the Australian Computer Society (ACS), a body for computer professionals.