Best Universities in Melbourne for 2019
Melbourne is known as Australia’s culture capital, where you can smell coffee and find art in every corner of the city. The multicultural hub is well known for being the most liveable city in the world, but it is also the home to eight universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2019.
The city itself is ranked the best student city in Australia by QS due to its extremely high student mix and desirability. Clearly the city has a lot to offer students, so we’ve created a list of universities in Melbourne to help you get to know these institutions better.
Melbourne University #1 The University of Melbourne
Melbourne University #2 Monash University
Melbourne University #3 The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
Melbourne University #4 Deakin University
Melbourne University #5 La Trobe University
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY #1 THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
Founded in 1853, The University of Melbourne is ranked as Melbourne and Australia’s top university. The university has 48,000 students and international students make up 36% of the student body. The university offers nine undergraduate degrees and more than 400 graduate courses under the ‘Melbourne Model’. The model is structured so that students first complete a broad undergraduate degree in Agriculture, Arts, Biomedicine, Commerce, Design, Fine Arts, Music, Oral Health or Science and then specialise their studies by completing a postgraduate degree.
The University of Melbourne’s main campus is located in Parkville, just a short walk from the city centre. The campus is surrounded by cafes and restaurants in the trendy suburbs of Parkville and Carlton, meaning it’s an ideal location for students!
Four Australian prime ministers have actually attended the university, including the country’s first female prime minister, Julia Gillard.
Entry Requirements
- For domestic students, the average required ATAR score is 92.23
- For international students, The University of Melbourne has listed Minimum Requirements for Entry for each course by country
- Students need an overall IELTS score of 6.5 and all English language requirement options are listed online. To apply at Australian universities or for the Australian Student Visa you will need to sit the IELTS Australia Exam or an alternative to prove your English language proficiency.
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY #2 MONASH UNIVERSITY
Monash University is second on Melbourne’s best institutions list! Founded in 1958, Monash has over 73,000 students attend this top university in Melbourne and 26% of these students come from abroad. The university offers its students a large degree of choice with 126 undergraduate degrees and 59 double degrees. This university is ranked #1 in Australia for Engineering and Technology by Times Higher Education and #2 worldwide for Pharmacy and Pharmacology by QS.
Monash University’s main campus is located in Clayton, 23 kilometres outside of Melbourne’s city centre. Students describe the campus as its own city because it has everything students need, including convenience stores, a post office and even a bank.
Entry Requirements
- For domestic students, all courses require a minimum ATAR of 70.00 and the average required ATAR is 81.95
- International students should refer to page 106 of Monash’s 2019 International Undergraduate Guide which lists entry scores for all courses
- A minimum 6.5 overall IELTS score is required. Alternative English Language requirements are also accepted.
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY #3 RMIT
RMIT is one of Melbourne’s best universities on offer. Established in 1887, the university focusses on being a leader in Art and Design; Architecture; Education; Engineering; Computer Science and Information Systems; Business; and Communication and Media Studies. Over 84,000 students currently attend RMIT. The university is ranked the best university in the country for Art and Design by QS and is renowned for its Fashion and Textiles courses.
RMIT does not have a traditional university campus. Instead the university is integrated into high-rise buildings in Melbourne’s city centre. Therefore, RMIT students are always immersed in the lively city environment and are surrounded by food options and shops.
Entry Requirements
- For domestic students, the average required ATAR is 61.50
- Browse their full list of courses online to find course-specific entry requirements
- International students should refer to Country Equivalency information to find entry requirements specific to their country
- A minimum 6.5 overall IELTS score is required for undergraduate and postgraduate studies. See their English Language Proficiency Tests for more information.
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY #4 DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
Melbourne’s great Deakin University was founded in 1974, making it the youngest out of the top universities in Melbourne. Around 50,000 students are enrolled at Deakin, with 22% of the student body being international students. Deakin is structured into four faculties – Arts and Education; Business and Law; Health; and Science, Engineering and Built Environment. Deakin is well regarded for its Health courses and its Nursing program is ranked #24 in the world by QS. Deakin offers 116 undergraduate courses and 153 postgraduate courses, which you can explore through their Course Finder.
Deakin’s main campus is located in the suburban area of Burwood, which is a 30-minute drive from the centre of Melbourne.
Entry Requirements
- For domestic students, the average required ATAR is 65.15
- International students should refer to their 2019 Undergraduate Course Guide to find course-specific admission scores for each country
- The minimum accepted IELTS score for Deakin courses is an overall 6.0, however requirements a course dependent. Students should refer to their Undergraduate English language requirements and Postgraduate English language requirements.
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY #5 LA TROBE UNIVERSITY
Melbourne’s La Trobe University was established in 1967 and is ranked fifth on the list of universities in Melbourne. In comparison to the other top universities in Melbourne, this university has a smaller student body of 36,000 and La Trobe students enjoy smaller class sizes. Students can take undergraduate courses within the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Commerce or the College of Science, Health and Engineering. Last year QS ranked this university in the global top 100 for Archaeology, Hospitality and Leisure Management, Nursing, Sociology, and Sports-related subjects.
La Trobe is located in Bundoora, just 14km outside of Melbourne’s centre, where students enjoy a quiet, urban campus with plenty of outdoor spaces.
Entry Requirements
- For domestic students, the average required ATAR is 55.15 and all required ATAR scores are listed in Courses and Degrees
- International students can see Academic Entry Requirements to convert the required ATAR into an equivalent score relevant to their country
- Undergraduate students require a minimum overall 6.0 IELTS score for La Trobe University, however equivalent qualifications are also listed in their English Language Requirements
FINAL WORDS
QS ranks universities depending on indicators such academic reputation, employer reputation, student to faculty ratio and international student mix. Which makes Melbourne’s top universities leading global institutions with strong reputations and multicultural student bodies. Studying at any of these universities in a dynamic and cosmopolitan city makes student exchange in Melbourne an unbeatable student experience.
If you think you are interested in studying in Melbourne check out The Student Housing Company University Square for accommodation in the heart of the city.