Because Australia is in the southern hemisphere, the school year begins in February except for a small number of universities with a mid-year intake in July. Applications are usually submitted in October, a few months after you have graduated from high school. If you are considering Australia, think about how you would occupy yourself from the time you graduate until university begins. With a little extra work, it is possible to enter Australian universities with an American high school diploma.
In 2024 there were 1,081,300 international students in Australia, enrolled in Australia’s 37 public and 6 private universities.
Roughly 12,000 US students enrolled in Australian institutions each year, a total that includes students participating in short-term study abroad programs and well as those enrolled in degree programs.
Australia’s Group of Eight (Go8) comprises Australia’s eight leading research-intensive universities: University of Melbourne, Australian National University, University of Sydney, University of Queensland, University of Western Australia, University of Adelaide, Monash University, and University of New South Wales. With 99% of Go8 research considered world-class or above, this group of universities leads postgraduate education in Australia.
The Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) is made up of five of the country’s most innovative and enterprising universities: University of Technology Sydney, RMIT University, University of South Australia, Curtin University, and Deakin University. Members are part of a new generation of universities focused on industry collaboration and research with real-world impact. ATN universities typically have deep expertise in the application and interpretation of the latest technologies and big data. Their objective is to produce employable graduates with the skills for tomorrow.
Innovative Research Universities (IRU) is a network of seven comprehensive universities: Charles Darwin University, James Cook University, Griffith University, La Trobe University, Flinders University, Murdoch University, and Western Sydney University. IRU members seek to lead the way in collaborative teaching, language, research, and policy initiatives. Eighty-nine percent of research at IRU universities is ranked at “world standard” or above, according to Excellence in Research for Australia 2018.
The Regional Universities Network (RUN) is a group of seven universities, each headquartered in regional Australia and each playing an influential role in its respective region. RUN universities are Central Queensland University, Southern Cross University, Federation University Australia, University of New England, Charles Sturt University, University of Southern Queensland, and University of the Sunshine Coast.
Annual tuition for a bachelor’s degree ranges from AUD$23,000 to AUD45,000 for international students, depending upon the program of study. This range does not include professional courses such as veterinary or medical degrees, which some Australian universities offer at the undergraduate level.
Overseas Australians qualify for domestic tuition fees, which are regulated by the Australian government and range from AU$3,500 to AU$15,000 per year.
US undergraduates may be eligible for scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial support offered by the Australian government, individual education institutions, and other public and private organizations.
Scholarships from Australian universities for international students are almost exclusively merit-based and eligible students are automatically considered.
Most Australian universities also accept US federal student and parent loans as well as US private loans. More information on financial aid for international students can be found on the Study Australia website.
In Australia, higher education institutions generally set their own admission requirements for domestic and international students. They will take into consideration whether the student has the academic ability to complete the course of study as well as the applicant’s English language proficiency. For a range of professional courses, additional admission requirements may be set, such as an interview with the university representative or an independent aptitude test, but this will depend on the institution students are applying to
If your qualifications are not sufficient to gain admission, you may enroll in a six to twelve-month “Foundation Year.” Success in this program usually gains entry into a university.
Many courses in Australia are three years long, so taking the Foundation Year still provides a comparable four-year US experience.
There is no national application system for international students. Students apply to a course of study within a university.
International students can apply directly to the university or through education agents. Education agents are vetted as official overseas representatives of a university and their services are normally free to international students. Under Australian law, a university must list all contracted agents on its website. For more information on agents in Australia, visit Study Australia.
Admission for international students is typically offered on a rolling basis. Many universities allow students to apply a year ahead of time, although applications are prioritized for the upcoming semester.
The granting of deferrals for one to two semesters tends to be a more automatic process in Australia.
For overseas Australians (including dual citizens), Tertiary Admission Centres (TACs) process applications for institutions within a particular state. Non-Australian citizens residing offshore are not permitted to apply through a TAC. Overseas Australians normally must apply through a TAC and only for the upcoming semester. A few Australian universities allow overseas Australians to apply directly to their university. TACs have specific application timeframes, as overseas Australians must apply at the same time as domestic Australian students.
Deadlines: Applications for international students are due usually in December or January for semester 1 and May or June for Semester 2. For overseas Australians, TAC applications for Semester 1 are due around September, with offers in January or February; for Semester 2, TAC applications close in either May or June, with offers in July.
Application Fee: Fees vary by university and TAC, ranging from no charge up to AU$100.