Australia has become one of the most famous study abroad destinations for international students and justifiably so. The beautiful country offers world-class research opportunities, has great infrastructure, a competing curriculum and plenty of opportunities for employment.
The downside?
It can burn a hole in your pocket.
There are many factors that determine the cheapest universities in Australia for international students. We have listed all those costs.
| Cost type | Range covered in the article |
| Colleges costs | $15,500 – $47,000 |
| City costs | $2100/month – $2250/month |
| Other costs | $2620/year – $3250/year |
| OSHC cost | $478 – $529 |
We also have a list of the cheapest universities in Australia for international students. As per UNISTUDYNEWS, here are the 13 cheapest universities in Australia for international students.
- University of Melbourne
- The Australian National University
- University of Sunshine Coast
- University of Southern Queensland
- Western Sydney University
- Federation University Australia
- Charles Darwin University
- Victoria University
- Griffith University
- University of Newcastle
- University of Tasmania
- University of Wollongong
- Flinders University
| Cheapest universities in Australia for international students | City | Undergraduate fees | Graduate fees | Popular courses |
| University of Melbourne | Melbourne | $37,200 | $44,700 | Top ranked courses Agricultural Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Biology and Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology, Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems, Cell Biology, Chemical Engineering |
| Australian National University | Canberra | $35,200 | $43,700 | Popular colleges – medicine, biology and environment, engineering and computer science, arts, and social sciences. |
| University of Sunshine Coast | Sunshine Coast | $18,500 | $38,000 | Study areas – Arts and International Studies, Business and Commerce, Communication, Creative Industries, Design, Education, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Law and Criminology, Medical and Health Sciences, Nursing and Midwifery |
| University of Southern Queensland | Toowoomba | $15,500 | $18,000 | Popular courses – business, education, law and arts, health, engineering and sciences, indigenous studies, and education |
| Western Sydney University | Sydney | $26,800 | $30,200 | Schools – engineering, design and built environment, Business, Computing, Data, and mathematical sciences, Education, Law, Medicine, Nursing & Midwifery, Social Science & Psychology, Science & Health, Humanities, and communication arts, and graduate research school. |
| Federation University Australia | Ballarat, Victoria | $17,335 | $37,000 | Programs – Humanities, Engineering, Business, Science, Math, Nursing, Midwifery, Paramedicine, Psychology, Performing or Visual Arts, Information Technology, Occupational Health, and Physical Education |
| Charles Darwin University | Darwin | $17,000 | $47,000 | Offers vocational and university courses in the areas of Business & Law, Education, Engineering & IT, Health & Human Science, Indigenous Society, and Nursing & Midwifery. |
| Victoria University | Victoria | $25,000 | $29,000 | Colleges – College of Art & Education, Business, Engineering & Science, Health & Biomedicine, Law & Justice, or Sports & Exercise Science |
| Griffith University | South East Queensland | $28,000 | $32,000 | Programs – science and environment, humanities, languages and social sciences, engineering, IT and Aviation, Business and government, Architecture. |
| University of Newcastle | Newcastle | $30,000 | $37,000 | Programs – education, humanities, social science, and the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM), and nursing and health |
| University of Tasmania | Hobart | $27,000 | $31,000 | Majors – Business and law, Creative arts and design, Earth, sea, Antarctic and environment, education, humanities, and social sciences, health and medicine and science, technology and engineering. |
| University of Wollongong | Wollongong | $30,000 | $47,000 | Programs – Business, Engineering & Information Science, Law & Humanities, Science & Medicine, and Social Science. |
| Flinders University | Adelaide | $29,200 | $34,000 | Leader in research, an innovator in contemporary education, and the source of Australia’s most enterprising graduates. |
Unsure of how to pick between the cheapest universities in Australia for international students? This article also breaks down other costs that will help you make the decision. Or, you can just visit SelectRight. SelectRight uses 6 million data points across programs to give you transparent and unbiased recommendations on programs as per your requirements.
Cheapest cities for international students
More often than not, students forget that there are costs beyond tuition. While you are deciding upon the cheapest universities in Australia for international students, there are several other city-specific costs that you need to consider like:
- Accommodation
- Groceries
- Utilities
- Entertainment
- Public Transport
- Cell phone
1. City of Adelaide
This is the 5th largest city in the country also known as the food and wine capital. It is also home to one of the cheapest universities in Australia for international students, Flinders.
The estimated cost of living in Adelaide is 2100 AUD/month.
Estimated Weekly Costs:
| Affordable universities in Australia for international students | University of South Australia, Flinders University |
| Cheapest Single Accommodation | $250 |
| Groceries | $97 |
| Utilities | $50 |
| Leisure | $15 |
| Public Transport | $25 |
| Cell phone plan | $3 |
2. Cairns
Situated in northern Queensland, the city is known to be the gateway to the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.
The estimated living costs are 2125 AUD/month.
Estimated Weekly Costs:
| Affordable universities in Australia for international students | Central Queensland University |
| Cheapest Single Accommodation | $290 |
| Groceries | $125 |
| Utilities | $70 |
| Leisure | $25 |
| Ticket for Public Transport | $27 |
| 8 mbps internet | $16 |
3. Sunshine Coast
Just north of Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast is the third cheapest city to live in Australia.
The estimated living costs are 2175 AUD/month.
Estimated weekly costs:
| Affordable universities in Australia for international students | University of Sunshine Coast |
| Cheapest Single Accommodation | $300 |
| Groceries | $122 |
| Utilities | $50 |
| Leisure | $30 |
| Public Transport | $25 |
| Internet | $20 |
4. Geelong
Geelong, Victoria’s Second City, is arguably best known in Australia as a sports-crazy nation since it is the home of the renowned Aussie Rules team.
Estimated living costs are still cheap at 2175 AUD/month.
| Affordable universities in Australia for international students | Deakin University |
| Cheapest Single Accommodation | $350 |
| Groceries | $150 |
| Utilities | $75 |
| Leisure | $40 |
| Public Transport | $45 |
| Internet | $20 |
5. Perth
Perth is especially recommended for artists and art enthusiasts. The city is a leading center for arts and culture with a vibrant music scene as well as a wide range of theaters and galleries.
The living costs are 2200 AUD/month.
| Affordable universities in Australia for international students | Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University |
| Cheapest Single Accommodation | $400 |
| Groceries | $95 |
| Utilities | $55 |
| Leisure | $57 |
| Public Transport | $125 |
| Internet | $20 |
6. Darwin
Darwin is a young, energetic, regional town with one of the highest employment rates in the nation, making it the perfect place for students to find employment. You won’t be surrounded by skyscrapers in this city, which is ideal for students who enjoy a laid-back atmosphere, but there are still lots of things to do on weekends and during vacations between semesters.
The living costs are 2250 AUD/month.
| Affordable universities in Australia for international students | Charles Darwin University |
| Cheapest Single Accommodation | $450 |
| Groceries | $104 |
| Utilities | $49 |
| Leisure | $72 |
| Public Transport | $22 |
| Internet | $22 |
7. Hobart
The safest city in Australia and the region with the cleanest air is Hobart.
Hobart residents are highly kind and pleasant, so you can tour the city and go around freely without worrying.
The average cost of living in Hobart is around 2250 AUD/month.
| Affordable universities in Australia for international students | University of Tasmania |
| Cheapest Single Accommodation | $400-500 |
| Groceries | $100 |
| Utilities | $66 |
| Leisure | $57 |
| Public Transport | $20 |
| Internet | $10 |
The costs mentioned above are approximate. Costs will vary depending on the source you refer to. This is because different sources will have different brackets of what falls into groceries, leisure and utilities. These costs will greatly affect your choice of the cheapest universities in Australia for international students.
Hence, we recommend that you go to SelectRight. The platform will calculate the total cost that you will be required to pay for your program based on your specific needs. This includes tuition fees, living expenses and miscellaneous expenditure. It’s like having Ramanujan crunch the numbers for you, so you go to a massive-RoI university.
The accommodation prices can vary greatly depending on the kind of accommodation you have taken. The prices listed above are for a single person accommodation. You can find shared rooms for students like a hostel which would be considerably cheaper than a single room. A shared room should come around $185-$300.
If you don’t plan on moving into a dorm room, you will also have to plan for initial set up costs. Some dorm rooms will also ask for a deposit which would typically be advance rent.
Initial establishment cost
| Rental bond | $760- $1,200 |
| 2 weeks rent in advance | $370- $600 |
| Electricity, gas & telephone | $260 – $510 |
| Household items (furniture, linen etc.) | $680 – $740 |
| Approximate total cost | $2,070 – $3,050 |
Often students choose accommodation that is far away from their universities to cut down on accommodation costs. If you plan on doing the same, calculate how much extra you would have to spend on accommodation to decide if it is worth it.
Other costs that determine the cheapest universities in Australia for international students
Apart from these basic costs, there are other academic and non-academic costs that you will have to incur.
These costs are usually the same across the university. However, you can find more detailed costs at your university.
| Text books | $1,320 per annum |
| Clothing | $200 – $280 per 6 months |
| Haircut | $15 – $75 per month |
| Shoes | $60 – $100 per 6 months |
| Doctor’s (GP) consultation fee | $50 – $80 per month (1 visit per month) |
| Infant child care | $133 – $147 per day |
Overseas Student Health Cover
You have to obtain OSHC for the proposed duration of your student visa. The provider you select will determine the cheapest universities in Australia for international students.
| Medibank | $516 |
| ahm Health Cover | $478 |
| Bupa | $516 |
| nib | $479 |
| Allianz Global Assistance | $529 |
When you are picking a college it is not enough to pick the highest ranked university. You also need to think about the financial liability you are shouldering. This guide of the cheapest universities in Australia for international students will help you pick an affordable option.
We know all this can be a lot.
With SelectRight, you can share the burden with experts. They won’t just shortlist the cheapest universities in Australia for international students but help you find the best university.
