Best universities in Melbourne 2024

Top three universities in Melbourne

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in Melbourne.

Melbourne is the capital of the state of Victoria, and has a population of 5.2 million, making it Australia’s biggest city. It is considered a great place to live based on its clean environment, cost of living and quality of housing and education.

It has seven universities in total with nearly 300,000 students - more than a third of whom come from overseas. It is one of the biggest study abroad destinations in the world. Six of these universities are ranked in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.

Known for its music scene, cultural festivals, excellent restaurants, stunning parks and gardens and plethora of entertainment venues, there is no shortage of things to do in Melbourne.

The city itself is a multicultural melting pot, with residents from all over the world – which is also reflected in its globetrotting cuisine. 

Below are some of the best universities to study at in Melbourne based on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.

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Best universities in Australia

3. Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne University of Technology, based in Melbourne, Australia, was founded in 1908 as a technical college and gained official university status in the early 1990s.

It is known for its strong performance in rankings for universities under 50 years old and is recognised for preparing graduates for the workforce and conducting notable research in science and technology.

The university collaborates closely with industry, business, and government organisations to ensure practical applications of its research.

Swinburne offers a range of courses across 17 subject areas at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, along with professional development courses.

The university has three campuses in Melbourne and one in Sarawak, Malaysia, with notable facilities and centres at each location. The Melbourne campuses include Hawthorn, Wantrina, and Croydon, each serving different academic and training purposes, while the Malaysian campus in Kuching provides state-of-the-art facilities and education in various fields.

2. Monash University

Founded in 1958, Monash University is the second oldest university in the state of Victoria and the largest university in Australia. It is named after the engineer, military leader and public administrator Sir John Monash.

It is one of Australia’s leading research universities and has five campuses in Victoria (Clayton, Caulfield, Berwick, Peninsula and Parkville), as well as one in Malaysia, a research and teaching centre in Prato, Italy, a graduate research school in Mumbai and a graduate school in Suzhou, China.

There are more than 6,000 courses spread over 10 faculties. It is home to over 120 research centres and institutes and some of the university’s most notable research achievements include the world’s first IVF pregnancy, the first seatbelt legislation, the discovery of the anti-influenza drug Relenza and the development of a single-use oral anti-malaria drug.

Famous alumni include musician Nick Cave, Booker Prize-winning novelist Peter Carey and playwright David Williamson.

1. University of Melbourne

Founded in 1853, the University of Melbourne has seven campuses located across Melbourne and in other areas of Victoria, Australia. The main campus is at Parkville, located on the fringe of Melbourne’s business district, and the 54,000-strong student body also study at Southbank, Burnley, Creswick, Dookie, Shepparton and Werribee campuses.

The University of Melbourne has one of the largest cohorts of graduate researchers in Australia, with more than 15,000 PhD, research doctorate, masters by research and postgraduate coursework candidates.

There are five research institutes, one of which was responsible for the development of the cochlear implant in the 1970s. 

Notable alumni include four Australian prime ministers, five governor-generals and nine Nobel Laureates, the most of any Australian university – as well as many other distinguished judges, academics, politicians and industry leaders.

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The best universities in Melbourne 2024

Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024 profile