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
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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
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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:

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:

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.

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.