Top Universities in Australia 2019

Click here to view the most recent version of this article, based on the QS World University Rankings® 2020.

37 of the world's best universities in the 2019 edition of the QS World University Rankings® are based in Australia, including 15 in the global top 250. Each university was ranked based on six indicators, including its reputation among academics and graduate employers, as well as its research impact.

Read on for an overview of Australia's best universities in 2019, including a closer look at the country’s top 10, or watch the video below.

10. University of Newcastle

Up 10 places to rank joint 214^th in the world this year, the University of Newcastle was founded in 1965 and has its main campus in the Callaghan suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, and has a total of 26,615 students at six campuses, including one in Singapore.

9. University of Technology, Sydney (UTS)

The University of Technology, Sydney also improved its global rank this year, climbing 16 places to rank joint 160^th with Switzerland’s University of Basel. UTS is one of the youngest top Australian universities, established in its current form in 1988.

8. University of Adelaide

Ranked 114^th in the world in 2019, the University of Adelaide has been recognized for its innovations in various areas of research by the Excellence in Research Australia (ERA), a national research evaluation framework conducted by the Australian Research Council (ARC).

7. University of Western Australia (UWA)

The University of Western Australia, located in Perth, is up two places to rank 91^st in the world in 2019, achieving the strongest score out of the 10 best universities in Australia for its percentage of international faculty members.

6. Monash University

Ranked joint 59^th in the world with China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Monash University is mainly based in Melbourne but has five campuses in the state of Victoria and two overseas, in Malaysia and South Africa.

5. University of Queensland (UQ)

Next in our list of the best universities in Australia is the University of Queensland, ranked 48^th in the world in 2019. UQ is mainly based in state capital Brisbane and has been responsible for a number of recent research innovations, such as the cervical cancer vaccine.

4. University of New South Wales (UNSW)

The University of New South Wales, located in Sydney, retains its position of 45^th in the World University Rankings in 2019, and is a founding member of the Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensive universities.

3. University of Sydney

Staying in Sydney, the University of Sydney climbed eight places to rank 42^nd in the world in 2019, and is the oldest of these top Australian universities (established in 1850). Sydney was Australia’s highest-ranked entrant in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2018 at fourth in the world.

2. University of Melbourne

Up two places to rank 39^th in the world, the University of Melbourne achieved positions in the global top 20 for its reputation with both academics and employers. The university has a very diverse student body, with nearly 40 percent of its 50,270 students coming from outside Australia.

1. Australian National University (ANU)

Continuing to rank first among the top Australian universities, Australian National University is ranked 24^th in the world in 2019 and claims one of the country’s highest scores for research impact (citations per faculty member) and percentage of international student indicators. 

Thinking of studying at the University of Melbourne or ANU? Read a comparison of the two here.

The other 27 top Australian universities this year, in order of how they ranked, are:

11. University of Wollongong– ranked joint 218^th in the world.
12. Queensland University of Technology (QUT) – ranked joint 244^th in the world.

=13. Curtin University – ranked joint 250^th in the world.

=13. Macquarie University – ranked joint 250^th in the world.

=13. RMIT University – ranked joint 250^th in the world.

16. University of South Australia (UNISA)– ranked joint 264^th in the world.
17. University of Tasmania – ranked 287^th in the world, up 26 places this year.
18. Deakin University – ranked 309^th in the world.
19. Griffith University – ranked joint 329^th in the world.
20. James Cook University (JCU) – ranked joint 369^th in the world.
21. Swinburne University of Technology – ranked joint 387^th in the world, up from 421-430.
22. La Trobe University– ranked joint 397^th in the world.
23. Bond University– ranked joint 443^rd in the world.
24. Flinders University – ranked joint 478^th in the world, up from 551-600 last year.
25. Western Sydney University – ranked joint 498^th in the world, also up from 551-600.

After the global top 500, the remaining universities are ranked in ranges, starting from 501-510 and going up to 801-1000.

The remaining top universities in Australia are:

26. Murdoch University– ranked 591-600 in the world.

=27. Central Queensland University – ranked 601-650 in the world.

=27. University of Canberra – ranked 601-650 in the world.

=28. Charles Darwin University – ranked 651-700 in the world.

=28. Victoria University – ranked 651-700 in the world.

=31. Edith Cowan University (ECU) – ranked 751-800 in the world.

=31. University of Southern Queensland – ranked 751-800 in the world.

The final five top universities in Australia are all ranked 801-1000 in the world, making them joint 33^rd in Australia:

=33. Australian Catholic University

=33. Charles Sturt University

=33. Southern Cross University

=33. University of New England

=33. University of the Sunshine Coast

Get ready to study in Australia with our complete guide, which includes advice on applications, tuition fees, funding, student visas and more.