How Much Does It Cost to Study in Australia

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

TOPUNIVERSITIES(/)
Worldwide university rankings, guides & events

ergraduate Studies (/undergraduate-studies)

Postgraduate Studies (/postgraduate-studies)

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia?
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at 12am

94

shares

(https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?

u=http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-australia)
(https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/studentfinance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-australia)

(http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?

mini=true&url=http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-coststudy-australia)

(https://plus.google.com/share?url=http://www.topuniversities.com/student-

info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-australia)

According to a recent HSBC report (http://www.hsbc.com.au/1/2/about/news/13/130813), the cost to study in Australia is
higher than any other country. But the same report says that Australia has a higher ratio of international students to
overall student population (21%) than in Canada (13%), the UK (18%) and the US (3%), indicating that its popularity as a study
destination remains extremely high.
And, considering the falling value of the Australian dollar (HSBC predicts it will drop by 9% in 2014
(http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013/10/hsbc-australian-dollar-to-fall-9-in-2014/)) – it seems the cost of living and
studying in Australia is likely to fall, good news for international students!
The report says that the average cost per year of study in Australia for international students is AU$41,480 (US$38,516),
which breaks down to AU$27,320 (US$25,375) for fees and AU$14,148 (US$13,140) for cost of living. But tuition fees in
Australia vary considerably depending on where and what you study, and the level you will be studying at.

Tuition fees and course costs for international students
According to Study in Australia (http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/global/australianeducation/education-costs/education-costs-in-australia), the official government site for
international students, tuition fees per year for international students for an
undergraduate bachelor’s degree range from AU$15,000 (US$14,005) to AU$33,000
(US$30,810); a postgraduate master’s degree ranges from AU$20,000 (US$18,673) to
http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

1/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

(US$30,810); a postgraduate master’s degree ranges from AU$20,000 (US$18,673) to
$37,000 (US$34,546); and a doctoral degree from AU$14,000 (US$13,071) to $37,000

(US$34,546). These figures do not include high-value courses such as veterinary or medical.
Tuition fees are generally calculated per unit, not per degree. Each unit falls into a fee band, and most students will be
studying a combination of units from different bands, which means that the fees will be different for everybody.
But some universities publish estimates, such as Australian National University (ANU – the top-ranking Australian university
in 2013). For an international undergraduate degree per year, ANU charges from AU$24,746 (US$22,830) for many Bachelor
of Arts programs, to AU$59,573 (US$55,551) for Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. For graduate level programs,
annual fees are from AU$24,746 (US$22,830) for a few master’s programs and up to AU$31,601 (US$29,466) for the majority
of PhD programs.
Another cost to consider is the Student Services and Amenities fee
(http://www.innovation.gov.au/HIGHEREDUCATION/STUDENTSUPPORT/Pages/StudentServicesAndAmenities.aspx), which is a
charge for services and amenities of a non-academic nature, up to a maximum of AU$281 (US$263) in 2014. Not all
institutions charge this, so it’s worth checking.

Tuition fees and course costs for domestic students
Of course, it’s cheaper to study in Australia for domestic students, especially if you avail
yourself of a Commonwealth supported place
(http://studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassist/helppayingmyfees/csps/pages/commonwealthsupported-places), which is subsidized by the government to the point where you only have
to pay a student contribution. Commonwealth supported places are available at all public
Australian universities and some private ones, but private institutions usually only offer feepaying places.
Student contribution amounts vary dependent on where and what you study, but are capped by the government. The
government sets the minimum and maximum range for each fee band
(http://studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassist/helppayingmyfees/csps/pages/student-contribution-amounts), which, for 2014, is
AU$0-6,044 (US$5,658) for Band 1; AU$0-8,613 (US$8,062) for Band 2; and AU$0-10,085 (US$9,441) for Band 3.
You will need to work out your tuition costs by identifying which subjects/units go in which bands, and how many credits
(expressed as a fraction) for each unit. Multiply by band fee for the answer. For example, a Bachelor of Science student in
2014 might enroll in eight units, six of which are science related (Band 2) and two of which are humanities related (Band 1). If
each unit is worth 12.5 credits, this would work out to AU$7,970 (US$7,459) for the year. Or just use the online calculator that
most institutions provide.
Tuition fees for domestic graduate students and above are worked out in a similar way. Some institutions publish estimates
of the yearly fee for graduate students. For example the University of Melbourne lists prices for 2014
(http://futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/admissions/fees/grad-dom/aust-fee-place-fees/australian_graduate_fees_table#b)
ranging from AU$10,944 (US$10,248) per year for arts-related subjects, to AU$45,888 (US$42,971) for a Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine. Some graduate programs also offer commonwealth assisted places, so check with the institution.
Unlike international students, domestic students are eligible for the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). There are five
types of government loans
(http://www.innovation.gov.au/highereducation/TertiaryEducation/StudentInformation/Pages/HELPLoans.aspx) available to
Australian citizens and permanent humanitarian visa holders. HECS-HELP pays the student contribution amount; FEE-HELP
pays tuition fees; SA-HELP pays the student services and amenities fee; OS-HELP pays some overseas study expenses; and
VET-HELP pays vocational education and training fees.

Fellowships and scholarships in Australia
Australia Awards (http://australiaawards.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx) are international
scholarships and fellowships funded by the government, and are available to nationals and
citizens from eligible countries. The list of eligible countries is extensive, covering the
Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific area and Asia.
The Australia Awards Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships

http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

2/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

The Australia Awards Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships

(http://www.innovation.gov.au/InternationalEducation/Endeavour/InformationForInternationalApplicants/Pages/default.aspx)
are mainly for postgraduate-level study and research. Out of the five available for international applicants, two are
fellowships for research (four to six months for a maximum of AU$23,500 or US$21,909) and professional development (up
to four months for a maximum of AU$18,500 or US$17,247), two are for a master’s degree or PhD (financial support up to
four years for a maximum of AU$263,500 or US$245,674), and the other is for vocational education and training (financial
support for up to 2.5 years for a maximum of AU$119,500 or US$111,414).
It is recommended that you apply early for all fellowships and scholarships in Australia – applications for the coming
academic year are now closed, but you can apply in April 2014 for the 2015 round.
If you’re a graduate student from the UK, you can apply for the Northcote Graduate Scholarship (http://britainaustralia.org.uk/about/strategic-partners/northcotetrust/) from the Britain-Australia Society. It pays for your travel there and
back, tuition fees and charges, and also provides a basic allowance for three years while you study.
For all undergraduate and postgraduate students, check with the universities you are interested in, as many offer
scholarships open to both domestic and international students at both levels.

Students’ cost of living in Australia
Although HSBC says the average cost of living in Australia is AU$14,148 (US$13,140) per
year, DIBP (http://www.immi.gov.au/students/student-visa-living-costs.htm) puts a much
more specific figure on the costs for international students. In order to study in Australia,
you will need to show you have AU$18,610 (US$17,325) per year. Add AU$6,515 (US$6,063)
for your partner, AU$3,720 (US$3,464) for one child and another AU$2,790 (US$2,596) for
every other child. You also need to show you have return air fare for yourself and every
family member you take with you, plus your tuition fees and AU$8,000 (US$7,471) per year
for school fees for any children aged 5-18.
But you may not need to spend that much once you arrive. Study in Australia says you will need between AU$70 (US$65) and
AU$400 (US$373) per week for accommodation, dependent on where you stay.
Other expenses per week include: groceries and eating out from AU$80 to AU$200 (US$75 to US$186); gas and electricity
from AU$60 to AU100 (US$56 to US$93); phone and internet from AU$20 to AU$50 (US$19 to US$47); public transport from
AU$10 to AU$50 (US$9 to US$47); and entertainment from AU$50 to AU$100 (US$47 to US$93). To simplify, this works out to
a minimum of around AU$300 (US$280) per week.
Most Australian universities have detailed breakdowns of the cost of living in Australia on their websites, including student
accommodation and sometimes even local area prices. For example, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (which has
the highest proportion of international students out of all the QS-ranked universities in Australia) has a handy ‘Shopping
Smarter (http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=xmwp2ibrhvyg)’ page with links and tips for discounted shopping.
Remember the costs listed by the university will usually be for an academic year (about 40 weeks), rather than a calendar
year, so you will need to budget extra if you want to stay longer.

Student visas for Australia
There are many different kinds of student visas for Australia, ranging in price from nil to
AU$535 (US$499). The Department of Immigration and Border Protection
(http://www.immi.gov.au/fees-charges/visa-pricing-table.htm) (DIBP) provides all the
information you need on prices and types.
As a visa requirement, you will need to organize Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for
yourself and any accompanying family, and it needs to be valid for the length of your stay.
You don’t have to go with the provider that your university recommends, but whichever you
choose, ensure that it is government-approved – there are currently only five that fulfill international student visa
requirements.
OSHC Australia (https://oshcaustralia.com.au/en) has a search function to compare quotes for medical insurance from

http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

3/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

OSHC Australia (https://oshcaustralia.com.au/en) has a search function to compare quotes for medical insurance from
authorized providers. We found the cheapest option for a standard undergraduate student (duration three years, starting in
March, finishing in December) with no accompanying family to be AU$1,016, and the most expensive was AU$1,449
(US$1,347). Reducing the timescale to a year (postgraduate degrees are usually between one and two years) brought up a
quote of AU$290.46 (US$270), and two years was AU$660.50 (US$614).
Apart from showing evidence of OSHC insurance when you apply for a visa, DIBP also requires you to show evidence that you
have enough funds before you leave, or will have access to enough funds, to cover the cost of living in Australia for the first
one or two years.

Read more about studying in Australia

Written by Jane Playdon (/users/jane)

94

shares

(/users/jane)
(https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?

u=http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-australia)
(https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/studentfinance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-australia)

(http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?

mini=true&url=http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-coststudy-australia)

(https://plus.google.com/share?url=http://www.topuniversities.com/student-

info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-australia)
Jane Playdone is TopUniversities.com author and blogger.

7 Comments
Comment *
Join the discussion...

No HTML tags allowed.

More information about text formats (/filter/tips)

Lines and paragraphs break
automatically.

Save

Justin G., 1 year ago

(/comment/6246#comment-6246)

lamrana b., 1 year ago

(/comment/6706#comment-6706)

What the tuition fees. For law undergratue

arenibafo f., 8 months ago

(/comment/9846#comment-9846)

Please what is the tuition fee or summary fee for an Architectural student for the first year, for
postgraduates(master level)

http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

4/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

Laura Bridgestock (/users/laura-bridgestock), 8
months ago

(/comment/9881#comment-9881)

Hi Arenibafo. It will depend which university you choose to study at. To find out more about
some of Australia's leading universities, you can search by location in the latest QS World
University Rankings: http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-universityrankings/2013 Then click on each university to find out more.

Beckie M., 7 months ago

(/comment/10596#comment-10596)

fatin i., 5 months ago

(/comment/12111#comment-12111)

how can i apply for university in Australia and how can i get full scholarship in Australia
because i'm not from a richer family

Odebiyi Damilola p., 3 months ago

(/comment/14771#comment-14771)

Wow interesting but the fee is too much

Most Shared
Top Ten Universities in Latin America 2013 (/university-rankings-articles/latin-american-universityrankings/top-ten-universities-latin-america-2013)

(/universityrankingsarticles/latinamericanuniversityrankings/toptenuniversitieslatinamerica2013)
Top 10 Universities in Latin America 2014 (/university-rankings-articles/latin-american-universityrankings/top-10-universities-latin-america-2014)

(/universityrankingsarticles/latinamericanuniversityrankings/top10universitieslatinamerica2014)

http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

5/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

London (/university-rankings-articles/qs-best-student-cities/london)

(/universityrankingsarticles/qsbeststudentcities/london)
Exam Preparation: Ten Study Tips (/student-info/health-and-support/exam-preparation-ten-studytips)

(/studentinfo/healthandsupport/exampreparationtenstudytips)
Top Universities in the World 2014/15 (/university-rankings-articles/world-university-rankings/topuniversities-world-201415)

(/universityrankingsarticles/worlduniversityrankings/topuniversitiesworld201415)

Related Articles
Top Universities in Australia by Region 2014/15 (/where-to-study/oceania/australia/topuniversities-australia-region-201415)

(/wheretostudy/oceania/australia/topuniversitiesaustraliaregion201415)

Recent Articles
What Can You Do With an English Literature Degree? (/student-info/careers-advice/what-can-youdo-english-literature-degree)

(/studentinfo/careersadvice/what-

http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

6/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

advice/whatcanyoudoenglishliteraturedegree)
International Graduate Scholarships for Canadian Students (/student-info/scholarshipadvice/international-graduate-scholarships-canadian-students)

(/studentinfo/scholarshipadvice/internationalgraduatescholarshipscanadianstudents)
Comparing the Top Universities in Switzerland: ETH Zurich or EPFL? (/student-info/choosinguniversity/comparing-top-universities-switzerland-eth-zurich-or-epfl)

(/studentinfo/choosinguniversity/comparingtopuniversitiesswitzerlandethzurichorepfl)
Graduate Study in the UK: Guide for International Students (/where-to-study/europe/unitedkingdom/graduate-study-uk-guide-international-students)

(/wheretostudy/europe/unitedkingdom/graduatestudyukguideinternational-

Featured Article

students)

International
Scholarships to Study
in Australia (/studentinfo/scholarshipadvice/internationalscholarships-studyaustralia)
Need a scholarship to study in Australia?
Take a look at the range of scholarships

http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

7/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

Take a look at the range of scholarships
on offer...

Read now (/student-info/scholarshipadvice/international-scholarshipsstudy-australia)

Top 10 Articles
1

Top Universities in New York City (/where-to-study/north-america/united-states/top-universitiesnew-york-city)

2

Top Tech Schools: MIT or Caltech? (/student-info/choosing-university/mit-or-caltech)

3

Graduate Study in the US: Guide for International Students (/where-to-study/northamerica/united-states/graduate-study-us-guide-international-students)

4

Top Universities in New York City: Columbia or NYU? (/student-info/choosing-university/columbiaor-nyu)

5

Top 10 Student Cities in Europe 2015 (/university-rankings-articles/qs-best-student-cities/top-10student-cities-europe-2015)

6

Top 100 Universities in Emerging Europe & Central Asia (/student-info/university-news/top-100universities-emerging-europe-central-asia)

7

Top Universities in Australia by Region 2014/15 (/where-to-study/oceania/australia/topuniversities-australia-region-201415)

8

Study in Massachusetts (/where-to-study/north-america/united-states/massachusetts/studymassachusetts)

9

Graduate Study in the UK: Guide for International Students (/where-to-study/europe/unitedkingdom/graduate-study-uk-guide-international-students)

10

Graduate Study in Canada: Guide for International Students (/where-to-study/northamerica/canada/graduate-study-canada-guide-international-students)

Most Commented
University Applications and Admissions: Expert Advice (/student-info/admissions-advice/universityapplications-admissions-expert-advice)

(/studentinfo/admissionsadvice/universityapplicationsadmissionsexpertadvice)
http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

8/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

advice)

Leadership Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies (/student-info/qs-scholarships/leadershipscholarship-postgraduate-studies)

(/studentinfo/qsscholarships/leadershipscholarshippostgraduatestudies)
Masters in Germany: International Student Guide (/where-to-study/europe/germany/mastersgermany-international-student-guide)

(/wheretostudy/europe/germany/mastersgermanyinternationalstudentguide)

Applying for a Scholarship: The Basics (/student-info/scholarships/applying-scholarship-basics)

(/studentinfo/scholarships/applyingscholarshipbasics)

Where to Study (/where-to-study/home)
US & Canada (/where-to-study/region/usa-canada/guide)
Europe (/where-to-study/home)
Asia (/where-to-study/home)
Australia & New Zealand (/where-to-study/home)
Latin America (/where-to-study/home)
Middle East (/where-to-study/home)
Africa (/where-to-study/home)

Courses (/node)
Arts & Humanities (/courses/arts-humanities/guide)
Business & Management (/courses/business-management/guide)
Engineering & Technology (/courses/engineering/guide)
Life Sciences & Medicine (/courses/life-sciences-medicine/guide)
Natural Sciences (/courses/natural-sciences/guide)
Social Sciences (/courses/social-sciences/guide)

University Rankings (/university-rankings)
QS World University Rankings (/qs-world-university-rankings)
QS World University Rankings by Subject (/subject-rankings)
QS World University Rankings by Faculty (/faculty-rankings)
QS University Rankings: Asia (/asian-rankings)
http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

9/11

1/30/2015
How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities
QS University Rankings: Asia (/asian-rankings)
QS University Rankings: Latin America (/latin-american-rankings)
QS University Rankings: BRICS (/brics-rankings)
QS Best Student Cities (/best-student-cities)
QS Top 50 Under 50 (/top-50-under-50)

Events (/events)
QS World Grad School Tour (/events/qs-world-grad-school-tour)
QS World University Tour (/events/qs-world-university-tour)

QS Stars (/qs-stars/home)
QS Stars University Ratings (/qs-stars)
QS Stars Methodology (/qs-stars/qs-stars-methodology)

Student Info (/student-info)
QS Scholarships (/scholarships)
Scholarship Advice (/student-info/scholarship-advice)
QS Guides (/student-info/qs-guides)
Application Assistance (/qsadvance)
Choosing a University (/student-info/choosing-university)
Admissions Advice (/student-info/admissions-advice)
Student Finance (/student-info/student-finance)
Careers Advice (/student-info/careers-advice)
Studying Abroad (/student-info/studying-abroad)
University News (/student-info/university-news)

Forum & Blog (/community)
Forum (/forum)
Blog (/blog)

Members (/user)
Join Now (/user)
My Account (/user)
Login (/user)

About (/about-qs) Contact (/contact-us) Privacy (/privacy-policy) Users (/user-agreement) Cookies (/cookies-policy)
Media Partners (/partners)
© QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited 1994 - 2015. All rights reserved.

(http://www.youtube.com/qstopuniversities?
sub_confirmation=1)
(https://plus.google.com/113074138589353724717/posts)
(http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=64115)
(https://twitter.com/TopUnis)
(https://www.facebook.com/topuniversities)
http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

10/11

1/30/2015

How Much Does it Cost to Study in Australia? | Top Universities

http://www.topuniversities.com/student­info/student­finance/how­much­does­it­cost­study­australia

11/11