16 Best Global Universities in Australia and New Zealand

Schools in Australia and New Zealand with top-notch research

Australia and New Zealand are popular destinations for U.S. students. Of the 280,716 U.S. students who studied abroad during the 2022-2023 academic year, 6,135 studied in Australia and 2,389 studied in New Zealand, according to data collected by the Institute of International Education. Those numbers increased from 924 and 161 during the 2021-2022 academic year, respectively. Australia’s and New Zealand’s borders remained closed until late February and October 2022, respectively, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the top 16 Best Global Universities in Australia and New Zealand, including a tie, ranked by U.S. News based on their academic reputations and research performance.

15. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Best Global Universities overall rank: 198 (tie)

Known for technology, engineering, enterprise and design, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Of the 32,309 students enrolled during the 2024-2025 academic year, 12,426 were international students, according to U.S. News data. RMIT’s research centers and collaborations include the Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research, the ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures, the Food Agility Cooperative Research Centre and the China-Australia International Research Centre for Chinese Medicine.

14. Queensland University of Technology

Best Global Universities overall rank: 182 (tie)

Billing itself as a “university for the real world,” Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane is committed to “transforming the learning experience, embedding work integrated learning, and focusing on developing entrepreneurial skills,” according to the school’s website. QUT is known for applied research in climate change mitigation, water management and materials science, engineering and manufacturing, and digital media, as well as its strong links to industry and government. More than 52,000 students were enrolled in 2023, including more than 9,800 international students, according to the school.

13. Macquarie University

Best Global Universities overall rank: 178 (tie)

More than 44,000 students from more than 100 countries attend Macquarie University in Sydney, according to the school’s website. Known globally for its research, the school is home to the Australian Hearing Hub, which seeks to advance research in audiology, hearing health and speech pathology, and provides hearing services to the community. The main campus boasts the Macquarie University Space Research Centre, which focuses on satellite technology and space exploration and space debris management, as well as Australia’s largest campus-based wildlife sanctuary — home to koalas, kangaroos and native birds.

12. Deakin University

Best Global Universities overall rank: 173 (tie)

Established in 1974, Deakin University has emerged as a “progressive, innovative and open-minded” school and a leader in digital technologies and research in Australia. It enrolls nearly 38,000 students, including more than 9,300 international students, according to U.S. News data, and offers degrees in arts, science, sport, nutrition, architecture, medicine and other fields. Deakin’s strategic priorities are smarter technologies, sustainability, health and well-being, and building safe and secure communities. Its research centers include the Centre for Sustainable Bioproducts, the Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, and the Institute for Frontier Materials.

11 (tie). Curtin University

Best Global Universities overall rank: 152 (tie)

More than 61,000 students are enrolled at Curtin University in Western Australia, including nearly 16,000 international students, according to the school’s website. Curtin lays claim to particular strengths in resources-related fields, including mineral and mining engineering, geology and geophysics. Known for strong industry partnerships, the university’s research areas include agriculture and environment; data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence; biomedical and clinical science; and space. It’s home to the Space Science and Technology Centre, the National Drug Research Institute, the Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy and the Centre for Crop and Disease Management.

11 (tie). Swinburne University of Technology

Best Global Universities overall rank: 146 (tie)

Founded in 1908 as Eastern Suburbs Technical College, Swinburne University of Technology gained university status in 1992 and now has three campuses in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, and a fourth in Malaysia. In 2019, the school opened another location in Vietnam, offering select courses. Swinburne is known for research in astronomy, physics, engineering, materials science, computer science, neuroscience and mental health. With an enrollment of more than 38,000, roughly 35% are international students representing more than 100 countries, according to the school’s website.

10. University of Auckland

Best Global Universities overall rank: 128 (tie)

With 33,639 students — including more than 11,100 international students — the University of Auckland is the largest university in New Zealand, according to U.S. News data. Founded in 1883, the school offers 135 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and more than 30 conjoint programs, which allow students to complete two bachelor’s degrees simultaneously in a shorter time than if completing them sequentially. UoA prides itself on a commitment to sustainability through research, teaching and learning, partnerships and operations, and is dedicated to a vision of contributing to fair, ethical and sustainable societies. The university is home to the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, the James Henare Maori Research Centre and the Liggins Institute for research into lifelong health.

9. University of Adelaide

Best Global Universities overall rank: 99

The University of Adelaide is “home to the southern hemisphere’s largest cluster of agricultural research expertise,” according to the school’s website, along with outstanding research in health and biotechnology; defense, cyber and space; and environment, sustainability and climate change. It also offers a research and teaching microbrewery. Alumni include five Nobel laureates and 115 Rhodes scholars. More than 22,700 students are enrolled, including 7,104 international students, according to U.S. News data. The University of Adelaide and University of South Australia are combining to create a new “university for the future,” Adelaide University, opening in 2026.

8. University of Western Australia

Best Global Universities overall rank: 98

The University of Western Australia in Perth offers degrees in fields including architecture and design, education, data and computer sciences, law, engineering, music and fine arts, and health and biomedical sciences. About 19,900 students are enrolled, including more than 6,000 international students, according to U.S. News data. The school has produced more than 127 Rhodes scholars and two Nobel Prize winners. UWA is home to 36 collaborative research centers, including the Zero-Net Emissions CRC and the CRC for Blue Economy, as well as the International Space Centre and The UWA Oceans Institute.

7. Australian National University

Best Global Universities overall rank: 86 (tie)

Established in 1946, Australian National University in the capital city of Canberra offers 50 single degrees, 599 flexible double degrees and more than 160 postgraduate degree programs. Students can choose from 136 majors, 156 minors and 158 specializations. Research initiatives include the Tech Policy Design Centre, Agrifood Innovation Institute, Sustainable Farms, Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions and the Institute for Water Futures. More than 17,200 students attend the university, including 8,800 international students, according to U.S. News data. There are six Nobel laureates among its staff and alumni, according to the school’s website.

6. University of Technology Sydney

Best Global Universities overall rank: 83

The University of Technology Sydney enrolls about 51,000 students, including more than 13,800 international students, according to the school’s website. Known for industry-focused education, it offers 13 undergraduate study areas, including analytics and data science, business and engineering. Students can also study at more than 240 universities in about 40 countries as part of a UTS exchange agreement. UTS research centers “work across disciplines such as health, biomedical, artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, sustainability and water,” according to the university’s website, and include the Centre for Forensic Science and the Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection.

5. University of Queensland

Best Global Universities overall rank: 43

The University of Queensland is known for its research and teaching in science, medicine, engineering and technology and offers more than 300 undergraduate and postgraduate programs. It is home to the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the Heron Island Research Station on the Great Barrier Reef, the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, and researchers in more than 1,000 fields of study. UQ has an enrollment of 41,295, including 17,569 international students, according to U.S. News data. Its more than 340,000 alumni include a Nobel laureate, an Academy Award winner and 117 Rhodes scholars.

4. Monash University

Best Global Universities overall rank: 38

With almost 56,300 students enrolled at its main campus in the suburbs of Melbourne, according to U.S. News data, Monash University is one of the largest universities in Australia. It offers 104 undergraduate majors and minors and 237 graduate programs, and enrolls more than 20,300 international students. Monash has “150 active fields of research, 10 faculties and over 4,700 Higher Degree by Research students,” according to its website. Its research institutes include the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, the Sustainable Development Institute and the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health.

3. University of New South Wales Sydney

Best Global Universities overall rank: 34

The University of New South Wales Sydney was founded in 1949 and offers more than 450 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. UNSW enrolls more than 47,100 students, including 20,821 international students, according to U.S. News data, and is home to the Global Water Institute, the Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, the Institute of Global Finance, and the Kirby Institute, which works to eliminate infectious diseases worldwide. Its research is “underpinned by three longstanding concerns: social justice, technological transformation, and the global dimensions of legal thought and practice,” according to the university’s website.

2. University of Melbourne

Best Global Universities overall rank: 30

The University of Melbourne enrolls more than 53,000 students, including about 24,000 international students from more than 150 countries, according to the school’s website. Undergraduate students can choose from more than 100 majors and study areas, and graduate level research is available in 49 disciplines, including law, marketing and veterinary science. Founded in 1853, the university is home to 15 international research training groups, four research precincts designed to encourage cross-discipline collaboration, and interdisciplinary research institutes where areas of study include biodiversity, social equity and energy.

1. University of Sydney

Best Global Universities overall rank: 29

Founded in 1850, the University of Sydney is the oldest university in Australia. It has more than 51,500 students, including more than 27,100 international students, according to U.S. News data. Domestic undergraduate students can choose from 179 degree options, while international students can choose from 164. The university has “significant capability in more than 20 major areas of research,” according to its website, and its 150 research centers and networks include the Brain and Mind Centre, the Charles Perkins Centre for research on chronic diseases, the Nano Institute and the China Studies Centre.

Learn more about studying in Australia and New Zealand

See how graduate programs in Australia compare to those in the U.S. and U.K., and learn what factors to highlight in international university applications. Follow U.S. News Education on Facebook and X/Twitter for more higher education news and tips.

Top Universities in Australia and New Zealand

— University of Sydney

— University of Melbourne

— University of New South Wales Sydney

— Monash University

— University of Queensland

— University of Technology Sydney

— Australian National University

— University of Western Australia

— University of Adelaide

— University of Auckland

— Curtin University

— Swinburne University of Technology

— Deakin University

— Macquarie University

— Queensland University of Technology

— Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

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16 Best Global Universities in Australia and New Zealand originally appeared on usnews.com

Update 07/17/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.

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