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The most affordable Australian universities for international students

Australia is not a cheap place to study, but the gap between the most and least expensive universities is wide. A year at a sandstone university in Sydney can cost more than double a year at a regional or specialist provider.

This list ranks universities by estimated first-year budget: the cheapest international tuition we have on record plus the indicative annual living cost for that city, plus a rough allowance for one-off setup costs. It is not ranked by prestige. Several of these universities are strong in specific fields and sit in cities where your money goes further.

  1. TAFE NSW

    A$46,000 first-year budgetMulti-campus, NSW. International tuition from A$18,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  2. TAFE Queensland

    A$46,000 first-year budgetMulti-campus, QLD. International tuition from A$18,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  3. Adelaide University

    A$49,000 first-year budgetAdelaide, SA. International tuition from A$19,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  4. South Metropolitan TAFE

    A$49,000 first-year budgetPerth, WA. International tuition from A$18,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  5. Avondale University

    A$52,000 first-year budgetCooranbong, NSW. International tuition from A$24,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  6. Australian Institute of Business

    A$54,000 first-year budgetAdelaide, SA. International tuition from A$24,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  7. CQUniversity Australia

    A$54,000 first-year budgetMulti-campus, QLD + national. International tuition from A$26,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  8. Federation University Australia

    A$54,000 first-year budgetBallarat, VIC. International tuition from A$26,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  9. Melbourne Polytechnic

    A$54,000 first-year budgetMelbourne, VIC. International tuition from A$19,000 a year.

  10. Victoria University Polytechnic

    A$54,000 first-year budgetMelbourne, VIC. International tuition from A$19,000 a year.

  11. Box Hill Institute

    A$55,000 first-year budgetMelbourne, VIC. International tuition from A$20,000 a year.

  12. Charles Sturt University

    A$55,000 first-year budgetMulti-campus, regional NSW. International tuition from A$27,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

  13. Greenwich College

    A$55,000 first-year budgetSydney, NSW. International tuition from A$18,000 a year.

  14. University of Divinity

    A$55,000 first-year budgetMelbourne, VIC. International tuition from A$20,000 a year.

  15. University of Southern Queensland

    A$55,000 first-year budgetToowoomba, QLD. International tuition from A$27,000 a year. Living costs here are below the Sydney and Melbourne average.

How this list was built

We took each university's lowest published international tuition (university-wide or its cheapest individual program), added our city-specific living-cost estimate and about AUD 4,000 in setup costs, then sorted low to high. Specialist and pathway-only providers are included where they grant degrees. Always confirm the fee for your specific course.

The full explanation: Why the cheapest tuition is rarely the cheapest degree

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