There are 35 Australian universities now ranked among the world’s best in the 2016-2017 edition of the QS World University Rankings® – two more than in last year’s edition. Six of these are in the top 100, while a further nine are in the top 300. Read on to find out the positions of the top universities in Australia this year, including information on each of the top 10.
1. Australian National University (ANU)
Australian National University is ranked 1st in Australia and 22nd in the world this year, and is located in Canberra, the country’s capital. The only university to be created by the Parliament of Australia, ANU is home to over 22,500 students and counts six Nobel Laureates among its alumni and faculty.
2. University of Melbourne
Retaining its positon of 42nd in the world, the University of Melbourne is the second-oldest university in Australia (founded in 1853). Its alumni community includes four Australian prime ministers, and it’s also been associated with nine Nobel Laureates.
Trying to decide between Melbourne and ANU? Click here to read a comparison of these two top Australian universities.
3. University of Sydney
Ranked 3rd among Australian universities and joint 46th in the world along with New York University in the US, the University of Sydney is Australia’s first university, founded in 1850. It’s particularly strong in the fields of law, education, medicine, accounting and finance.
4. University of New South Wales (UNSW)
The University of New South Wales is ranked joint 49th in the world this year and is a founding member of the prestigious Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research universities. UNSW is located in Sydney and has produced more millionaires than any other Australian university.
5. University of Queensland (UQ)
Ranked joint 51st in the world this year, alongside the UK’s University of Warwick, the University of Queensland is primarily located in the state capital of Brisbane. It’s another founding member of the Group of Eight and is renowned for research innovations, recently including vaccines to help prevent cervical cancer.
6. Monash University
Located in Melbourne, Monash University climbs two places this year to now rank 65th. It’s named after the prominent Australian general Sir John Monash, and has around 70,070 students currently enrolled, of which 26,200 come from outside Australia.
7. University of Western Australia (UWA)
Located on the opposite side of Australia in Perth, the University of Western Australia is ranked joint 102nd in the world in 2016-2017. A Group of Eight member, UWA’s campus is highly regarded for its beauty.
8. University of Adelaide
Ranked 125th in the world this year, the University of Adelaide is the third-oldest of Australian universities and has five campuses throughout the state of South Australia, as well as one campus in Singapore.
9. University of Technology, Sydney (UTS)
The University of Technology, Sydney climbs 25 places to rank 193rd in the world this year. It is a member of the Australian Technology Network, a group of five Australian universities with a heritage of working closely with industry.
10. University of Wollongong
The University of Wollongong also improves its rank this year, climbing from joint 243rd to 218th. Located in the coastal city of Wollongong in New South Wales, it has around 32,200 students currently enrolled.
More top universities in Australia…
11. University of Newcastle – ranked joint 245th in the world, up from joint 256th.
12. Macquarie University – ranked joint 247th in the world.
13. RMIT University – ranked joint 252nd in the world, up from joint 273rd.
14. Queensland University of Technology (QUT) – ranked 276th in the world.
15. University of South Australia (UNISA) – ranked joint 288th in the world.
16. Curtin University – ranked joint 306th in the world.
17. Griffith University – ranked 336th in the world.
18. James Cook University (JCU) – ranked joint 340th in the world.
19. Deakin University – ranked 355th in the world.
20. University of Tasmania – ranked joint 370th in the world.
21. La Trobe University – ranked joint 386th in the world.
After the top 400, the remaining universities do not receive a precise rank but are ranked in a range, starting with 401-410, up until 701+.
The Australian universities that share these ranges can therefore be considered equal to the others in that range – click here for a more detailed explanation.
22. Swinburne University of Technology – ranked 441-450 in the world.
23. Bond University – ranked 461-470 in the world.
24. Murdoch University – ranked 501-550 in the world.
The next four top universities in Australia are all ranked in the 551-600 range:
=25. Charles Darwin University
=25. Flinders University
=25. University of Canberra
=25. Western Sydney University (a good leap from last year’s ranking of 651-700).
29. Central Queensland University – a new entrant this year, ranked 601-650 in the world.
30. Victoria University – ranked 651-700 in the world.
The five remaining top universities in Australia are all ranked in the 701+ range:
=31. Australian Catholic University (new entry to the rankings this year).
=31. Charles Sturt University
=31. Edith Cowan University (ECU)
=31. University of New England
=31. University of Southern Queensland
