International students pay tuition fees to study in Australia. Here are tables showing the cheapest (lowest fee) universities for students from abroad in 2019.
- Fees shown are annual (per year) tuition costs for popular degrees: Business / Commerce, Engineering / Science (STEM), and Arts / Education.
- The figures are sourced from university websites. Fees may vary depending on course and unit choices.
- Most bachelor degrees take 3 years of study. Professional (or honours) bachelor degrees take 4 years. Masters degrees represent 1-2 years of full-time study.
Note for Australian students: Fees for Australian (domestic) students are subsidised by the Australian Government. For bachelor degrees, student contributions are broadly similar across the public university system. Postgraduate fees are variable (and generally higher). For all study levels, HECS-HELP government loans are available to Australian citizens.
Bachelor Degree Annual Fees – 2019
| University | Business | STEM | Arts |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Sunshine Coast | $23,200 | $28,600 | $23,200 |
| University of Southern Queensland | $24,400 | $32,000 | $24,400 |
| Charles Sturt University | $24,800 | $29,760 | $19,200 |
| Federation University Australia | $25,100 | $28,800 | $21,300 |
| Southern Cross University | $25,200 | $30,800 | $25,200 |
| Australian Catholic University | $25,248 | $22,936 | $22,720 |
| Charles Darwin University | $25,500 | $33,480 | $24,120 |
| University of New England | $26,250 | $29,400 | $24,990 |
| Western Sydney University | $26,760 | $31,440 | $25,000 |
| Victoria University | $27,400 | $31,600 | $24,200 |
| Griffith University | $27,500 | $34,000 | $27,500 |
| CQUniversity | $27,600 | $33,360 | $24,000 |
| University of Newcastle | $27,875 | $33,845 | $27,505 |
| Murdoch University | $28,560 | $32,160 | $25,920 |
| Curtin University | $28,600 | $34,700 | $28,600 |
| University of Tasmania | $28,950 | $33,950 | $29,450 |
| Flinders University | $29,200 | $34,500 | $27,600 |
| James Cook University | $29,400 | $35,800 | $29,080 |
| Swinburne University of Technology | $29,600 | $35,720 | $27,400 |
| University of Wollongong | $29,616 | $36,768 | $26,064 |
| University of Notre Dame Australia | $29,900 | $28,000 | $28,000 |
| Queensland University of Technology | $29,900 | $38,000 | $30,200 |
| Edith Cowan University | $30,650 | $27,600 | $30,950 |
| University of South Australia | $31,000 | $34,400 | $26,700 |
| La Trobe University | $31,600 | $34,000 | $28,800 |
| University of Canberra | $32,580 | $28,000 | $28,250 |
| Deakin University | $32,600 | $33,600 | $27,400 |
| RMIT University | $32,640 | $36,480 | $30,720 |
| University of Technology Sydney | $36,288 | $42,384 | $33,600 |
| Macquarie University | $36,450 | $37,500 | $32,700 |
| University of Western Australia | $37,300 | $39,700 | $31,100 |
| Bond University | $38,160 | $38,160 | $38,160 |
| University of Adelaide | $39,000 | $42,000 | $32,000 |
| University of Melbourne | $40,216 | $39,628 | $32,512 |
| University of New South Wales | $41,280 | $43,920 | $33,840 |
| University of Queensland | $41,392 | $42,768 | $32,432 |
| University of Sydney | $42,000 | $46,500 | $39,000 |
| Monash University | $43,400 | $44,400 | $31,500 |
| Australian National University | $43,680 | $45,600 | $41,280 |
Masters Degree Annual Fees – 2019
| University | MBA | STEM | Arts |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Sunshine Coast | $26,600 | $26,600 | $25,600 |
| Edith Cowan University | $26,950 | $31,850 | $31,100 |
| CQUniversity | $27,120 | $29,520 | $22,800 |
| Southern Cross University | $27,600 | $30,800 | $25,200 |
| Australian Catholic University | $27,960 | $22,720 | $22,720 |
| Federation University Australia | $28,000 | $28,800 | $25,400 |
| University of New England | $28,000 | $31,500 | $26,250 |
| University of Southern Queensland | $28,400 | $31,920 | $27,680 |
| University of Wollongong | $29,484 | $36,768 | $26,544 |
| Charles Sturt University | $29,712 | $28,160 | $16,000 |
| Western Sydney University | $30,200 | $31,680 | $26,760 |
| Victoria University | $31,200 | $31,600 | $23,800 |
| Charles Darwin University | $31,200 | $34,680 | $26,760 |
| James Cook University | $31,200 | $37,600 | $31,200 |
| Murdoch University | $32,160 | $33,360 | $29,760 |
| University of Tasmania | $32,450 | $34,155 | $28,950 |
| University of Canberra | $33,100 | $30,000 | $27,800 |
| Swinburne University of Technology | $34,480 | $36,760 | $29,800 |
| University of Notre Dame Australia | $34,800 | $37,767 | $29,900 |
| Flinders University | $35,000 | $36,000 | $15,000 |
| University of Newcastle | $36,535 | $38,000 | $30,855 |
| Griffith University | $37,500 | $32,500 | $28,000 |
| University of South Australia | $38,400 | $35,100 | $28,900 |
| University of Technology Sydney | $39,920 | $37,650 | $31,050 |
| Monash University | $40,000 | $44,400 | $33,300 |
| Macquarie University | $40,000 | $36,000 | $36,000 |
| Curtin University | $40,000 | $26,900 | $28,400 |
| La Trobe University | $40,200 | $36,800 | $30,400 |
| Deakin University | $40,400 | $35,800 | $30,000 |
| Bond University | $41,147 | $40,833 | $27,933 |
| RMIT University | $41,280 | $36,480 | $30,720 |
| Australian National University | $45,600 | $45,600 | $41,280 |
| University of Adelaide | $46,000 | $42,000 | $34,000 |
| University of Sydney | $46,500 | $44,500 | $40,000 |
| University of New South Wales | $47,040 | $45,840 | $35,280 |
| Queensland University of Technology | $47,100 | $32,900 | $28,700 |
| University of Western Australia | $49,000 | $39,800 | $31,600 |
| University of Melbourne | $59,667 | $43,008 | $36,192 |
| University of Queensland | $76,584 | $42,768 | $33,904 |
Lowest Tuition Fees for International Students
Tuition fees for international students are around $20,000 to $25,000 per year at Australia's cheapest universities. If you want to study at one of these low-fee universities, you will be probably be studying in country Australia or a suburban area. Tuition fees in the central business districts of big cities such as Melbourne and Sydney start at around $30,00 per year.
Low-fee universities in country Australia
Universities with low tuition fees are often regional universities. Being based away from major cities helps to keep costs down. Several low-cost universities also specialise in distance education.
The tuition fees list shows that the cheapest Australian universities for international students include:
- University of the Sunshine Coast (Sunshine Coast)
- University of Southern Queensland (Toowoomba)
- Southern Cross University (Lismore).
- Charles Darwin University (Darwin)
- University of New England (Armidale).
Low-fee universities in capital cities
The cheapest universities in Australian capital cities are often suburban universities. Tuition fees are lower compared to inner-city universities because there is less demand for places from students. The cheapest capital-city universities include:
- Australian Catholic University (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra)
- Western Sydney University (Sydney)
- Victoria University (Melbourne)
- Flinders University (Adelaide)
- University of Canberra (Canberra).
Cheapest universities in Melbourne
The cheapest mainstream Melbourne universities are Victoria University and Australian Catholic University. Both set tuition fees for international students starting from under $25,000.
- ACU is a multi-state university with a strong Melbourne presence. Despite the name, ACU is open to people of all religions.
- Victoria University is based in the western suburbs but has teaching facilities in the city centre.
Another Melbourne university with tuition fees often below $30,000 per year is Swinburne.
Cheapest universities in Sydney
Sydney has 6 universities based in the city, with two in the mid-to-low cost range.
- Australian Catholic University is the cheapest, with a typical tuition fee of around $23,000 per year.
- Western Sydney University is next, with fees for international students starting from $25,000.
Cheapest universities in Perth
The greater Perth area has 5 universities. The cheapest is Edith Cowan University. Average fees for international students are around $30,000. ECU is followed by Murdoch University.
Lowest fees for masters and MBAs
Tuition fees for masters degrees, including MBAs, vary between universities and courses. The tuition fees list is a good guide for comparing tuition fees for masters courses.
- Note that the fees are annual (2 semesters) and masters degree vary in length from 1-2 years of full-time study (2-4 semesters).
- A shorter course can save money on tuition fees and other study costs.
The cheapest MBAs (per year of study) are at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Edith Cowan University, and CQUniversity.