Australia has 42 recognised universities. While they operate within a single national system, they differ widely in scale, research output, selectivity, and global standing.
For readers looking for a rigorous, data-driven comparison of Australian universities, the most authoritative reference is Best Universities in Australia at Australian Universities. That page consolidates results from multiple global ranking systems into a single composite ranking, covering all Australian universities with transparent methodology.
The quick profiles below summarise each university using the same core signals: composite world ranking, indicative ATAR for mainstream degrees, and total student numbers. These figures are drawn from the Australian Universities analysis to provide consistency and comparability.
Australian universities (alphabetical list)
- Australian Catholic University
- Australian National University
- Avondale University
- Bond University
- Charles Darwin University
- Charles Sturt University
- CQUniversity Australia
- Curtin University
- Deakin University
- Edith Cowan University
- Federation University Australia
- Flinders University
- Griffith University
- James Cook University
- La Trobe University
- Macquarie University
- Monash University
- Murdoch University
- RMIT University
- Southern Cross University
- Swinburne University of Technology
- Torrens University Australia
- University of Adelaide
- University of Canberra
- University of Divinity
- University of Melbourne
- University of New England
- University of Newcastle
- University of Notre Dame Australia
- University of Queensland
- University of South Australia
- University of Tasmania
- University of the Sunshine Coast
- University of Western Australia
- University of Wollongong
- UNSW Sydney
- University of Technology Sydney
- Victoria University
- Western Sydney University
Quick profiles
Australian Catholic University
World rank: 656
Indicative ATAR: 59+
Students: ~34,800
Profile: National multi-campus university with a teaching-focused profile and limited research scale.
Australian National University
World rank: 79
Indicative ATAR: 80
Students: ~22,900
Profile: Research-intensive Canberra university with strong global research visibility.
Avondale University
World rank: 3,846
Indicative ATAR: 60
Students: ~1,100
Profile: Small specialist institution with a very limited global footprint.
Bond University
World rank: 703
Indicative ATAR: 70
Students: ~5,900
Profile: Private university with intensive teaching delivery and low research scale.
Charles Darwin University
World rank: 675
Indicative ATAR: 50+
Students: ~12,800
Profile: Northern Territory’s primary university, focused on regional and applied education.
Charles Sturt University
World rank: 804
Indicative ATAR: 55+
Students: ~35,100
Profile: Regional and online-focused university with limited global research presence.
CQUniversity Australia
World rank: 650
Indicative ATAR: 60+
Students: ~22,000
Profile: Large regional university with broad access and moderate reputation-based signals.
Curtin University
World rank: 230
Indicative ATAR: 70
Students: ~56,800
Profile: Perth-based university with an applied focus and strong international enrolments.
Deakin University
World rank: 215
Indicative ATAR: 56+
Students: ~59,500
Profile: Large university with strong online delivery and mid-tier global research standing.
Edith Cowan University
World rank: 535
Indicative ATAR: 70
Students: ~30,900
Profile: Professionally oriented Perth university with limited global research visibility.
Federation University Australia
World rank: 981
Indicative ATAR: 50+
Students: ~12,500
Profile: Small regional university with minimal global ranking signal.
Flinders University
World rank: 377
Indicative ATAR: 60
Students: ~25,000
Profile: Mid-tier Adelaide university with stable research output.
Griffith University
World rank: 278
Indicative ATAR: 63
Students: ~44,700
Profile: Large Queensland university with consistent research performance.
James Cook University
World rank: 419
Indicative ATAR: 51+
Students: ~19,900
Profile: Regional research university in Northern Queensland.
La Trobe University
World rank: 286
Indicative ATAR: 55+
Students: ~37,500
Profile: Melbourne-based university with regional reach and moderate research scale.
Macquarie University
World rank: 185
Indicative ATAR: 75
Students: ~45,000
Profile: Large Sydney university positioned just outside the Go8.
Monash University
World rank: 58
Indicative ATAR: 70+
Students: ~93,200
Profile: Australia’s largest university by enrolments with strong global research output.
Murdoch University
World rank: 479
Indicative ATAR: 70
Students: ~24,800
Profile: Smaller Perth university with a teaching-focused profile.
RMIT University
World rank: 234
Indicative ATAR: 65+
Students: ~75,900
Profile: Large Melbourne university with strong performance on reputation-based rankings.
Southern Cross University
World rank: 691
Indicative ATAR: 60+
Students: ~18,400
Profile: Regional NSW university with online reach.
Swinburne University of Technology
World rank: 294
Indicative ATAR: 60+
Students: ~45,400
Profile: Melbourne university with mixed ranking performance by methodology.
Torrens University Australia
World rank: 1,282
Indicative ATAR: 60
Students: ~25,400
Profile: Private provider with minimal research footprint.
University of Adelaide
World rank: 126
Indicative ATAR: 65
Students: ~30,600
Profile: Go8 university merging with the University of South Australia to form Adelaide University from 2026.
University of Canberra
World rank: 631
Indicative ATAR: 60
Students: ~16,800
Profile: Teaching-oriented university serving Canberra and surrounding regions.
University of Divinity
World rank: 3,983
Indicative ATAR: n/a
Students: ~1,200
Profile: Specialist theological institution with a very small academic scope.
University of Melbourne
World rank: 32
Indicative ATAR: 85+
Students: ~75,600
Profile: Australia’s highest-ranked university on composite global measures.
University of New England
World rank: 994
Indicative ATAR: 73
Students: ~19,400
Profile: Regional NSW university historically focused on distance education.
University of Newcastle
World rank: 315
Indicative ATAR: 50+
Students: ~32,100
Profile: Regional university with improving research visibility.
University of Notre Dame Australia
World rank: 1,168
Indicative ATAR: 68+
Students: ~12,000
Profile: Small private university with limited global research scale.
University of Queensland
World rank: 59
Indicative ATAR: 75+
Students: ~57,200
Profile: Large Go8 university with strong global research performance.
University of South Australia
World rank: 530
Indicative ATAR: 60+
Students: ~34,000
Profile: Applied university merging into Adelaide University from 2026.
University of Tasmania
World rank: 315
Indicative ATAR: 50+
Students: ~32,100
Profile: Tasmania’s only public university with a mid-tier global ranking.
University of the Sunshine Coast
World rank: 906
Indicative ATAR: 55
Students: ~18,900
Profile: Young regional Queensland university with limited global research presence.
University of Western Australia
World rank: 123
Indicative ATAR: 80
Students: ~29,600
Profile: Western Australia’s Go8 university with stable global rankings.
University of Wollongong
World rank: 252
Indicative ATAR: 70+
Students: ~34,900
Profile: Regional NSW university with consistent research output.
UNSW Sydney
World rank: 55
Indicative ATAR: 80+
Students: ~82,300
Profile: Go8 university with strong engineering and technology research performance.
University of Technology Sydney
World rank: 160
Indicative ATAR: 72+
Students: ~50,400
Profile: Large non-Go8 university with strong employer-facing reputation.
Victoria University
World rank: 709
Indicative ATAR: 50
Students: ~34,600
Profile: High-access metropolitan university with integrated vocational pathways.
Western Sydney University
World rank: 355
Indicative ATAR: 60+
Students: ~47,900
Profile: Large metropolitan university serving Greater Western Sydney.