The best student cities in Australia – what does each have to offer?
Australia is renowned for offering high-quality education and a great standard of living. According to the QS Best Student Cities 2024, all Australian capital cities are ranked in the Top 20 best student cities in the world.
In each city there are high-quality education providers whose degrees are globally recognised and will help you enhance your employability on the international stage. Many universities and local governments offer students extensive support services such as orientation programs, academic and language support, career guidance and job connections.
Other benefits include:
Great weather
An active outdoor lifestyle
Safety
Welcoming and multicultural communities
Free or discounted public transport
Variety of international food and
Exciting community events throughout the year.
If each city offers similar benefits, how do you choose which one to live and study in? In this blog, we will highlight the unique aspects of each city to help make your decision easier.
ADELAIDE
Adelaide is a planned city with a simple grid layout. The city centre is compact and easy to get around. It is often referred to as the ‘20-minute city’ because of its proximity to so many diverse attractions.
Adelaide lies between white sandy beaches to the west and the scenic Hills region to the east, offering stunning views, nature trails and wildlife encounters. It is the world’s only ‘city in a park’ as it is bordered by 760 hectares of spacious green parklands. Adelaide is leading sustainability efforts with aims to reach 100 per cent new renewables by 2030.
Adelaide has an exciting line-up of events every year, with highlights including the world’s second largest arts festival, the Adelaide Fringe Festival, as well as Adelaide Festival and WOMADelaide. It is Australia’s first, and only, UNESCO City of Music.
Adelaide is known as the Food and Wine Capital of Australia due to its expansive wine regions including Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. The city is known for farm-to-table dining and multicultural cuisine with Adelaide Central Market being one of the largest undercover fresh produce markets in the Southern Hemisphere.
Adelaide is becoming a city of innovation and is making breakthroughs in technology, medical research and space industries and is a centre for education and defence. Significant investment has given rise to innovation districts such as Lot Fourteen and Adelaide BioMed City.
Universities in Adelaide have strong ties between industry and education which creates many job opportunities such as internships and graduate roles. Since Adelaide is a regional destination, students may be offered extended post-study work rights after graduation.
Resources:
Top reasons to live and study in Adelaide
BRISBANE
As the capital city of Queensland, the Sunshine State of Australia, Brisbane is popular for its active outdoor lifestyle. With a subtropical climate all year round, it is an ideal place for activities such as swimming, surfing, kayaking and hiking. Brisbane was recently named one of the 50 greatest destinations in the world by Time Magazine.
Brisbane has a thriving arts and culture scene, a busy festival line-up, a wide variety of food and vibrant shopping districts. The city is walkable and bike-friendly with scenic river pathways and green spaces. It is safe, stable and culturally diverse with 1 in 3 residents born overseas.
Brisbane is one of the world’s fastest-growing capital cities with an economy that is forecast to grow to $239 billion by 2041 with more than AUD $7 billion to be invested into infrastructure projects.
Brisbane is now ranked in the Top 40 most innovative cities in the world. It’s innovation hubs and research centres focus areas are technology, renewable energy and medical research. The city is committed to being sustainable with initiatives in renewable energy and green urban planning.
Brisbane universities have strong ties with industries and offer internships, networking opportunities, casual or part-time work and graduate employment. Brisbane’s status as a regional city means international students can access extended post-study rights.
Resources:
Top reasons to live and study in Brisbane
GOLD COAST
The Gold Coast is Australia’s sixth largest city and is renowned for its warm climate throughout the year and beautiful white sandy beaches. It boasts a great outdoor lifestyle where you can engage in a wide variety of water sports, recreational activities and a lively nightlife.
The Gold Coast is the most biologically diverse city in Australia, home to more than 1,300 animal species and 1,730 species of native plants. With a short drive from the city centre, you will reach Gold Coast’s green hinterland where you will find rainforests, mountains, waterfalls and abundant wildlife.
The Gold Coast is a young vibrant city that is experiencing exponential growth. Its economy is worth over AUD $40 million and over the next 5 years is expected to grow more than 3% per year and employment is forecasted to grow at rate of 2% per year.
The Gold Coast was reliant on hospitality and tourism as its main export, but now advanced manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade, healthcare, screen, mining, finance and education are growing sectors.
The Gold Coast is the most affordable student city in Australia. As a regional city, the Gold Coast offers students extended post-study work rights.
Resources:
Top reasons to live and study on the Gold Coast
MELBOURNE
Melbourne has a distinctive, edgy and modern vibe. It is Australia’s largest capital city famous for its thriving arts, sport, fashion, food and artisan coffee culture as well as its multicultural community. Each year, Melbourne welcomes over 230,000 international students from around the globe. It’s set to be the nation’s most populous city by 2032.
Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city where you can wander into laneways and discover street art, rooftop bars, cafes and award-winning restaurants. Melbourne has more live music venues per resident than anywhere else in the world with numerous museums and art galleries to explore. The city plays host to major sporting events like the Australian Open, the Formula One Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup.
Many global companies from a variety of industries have selected Melbourne to set up their headquarters such as BP, Alibaba, GSK and Mars. Melbourne’s startup ecosystem has experienced significant growth especially in areas of Health Technology, Finance Technology and Artificial Intelligence. Victoria has over 3,500 startups valued at AUD $130 billion. Notable mentions include Airwallex, Linktree and JudoBank.
By 2041, the number of jobs in the city of Melbourne is expected to increase by 41% (i.e. by around 660,000 jobs). Jobs currently in demand are in the healthcare and community services, construction, clean energy, manufacturing, retail and tourism.
Education providers in Melbourne can help you access job opportunities during and after your studies (e.g. graduate programs) and build professional networks with some of the biggest global businesses.
Resources:
Top reasons to live and study in Melbourne
PERTH
Perth is Australia’s sunniest capital city; averaging about 9 hours of sunlight per day throughout the year so you can enjoy a great outdoor lifestyle. Perth has a laid-back culture with plenty of open spaces and natural scenery to explore. It has pristine beaches across 12,000km of its coastline and is home to Kings Park – one of the world’s largest and most beautiful inner-city parks. With many cycle lanes and paths, Perth is a great place to get around on a bike.
It is a safe, secure and welcoming city. The community is diverse with 32% of the population born overseas and over 35% of people speaking a language other than English. Perth shares a time zone with 60% of the world’s population and is a direct flight away from many capital cities in Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world.
Western Australia’s (WA) is expected to grow by 3.25% in 2024-2025 – ahead of other Australian states – and has the lowest unemployment rate at 3.4% with wages growing at their fastest rate in a decade. Perth’s economy is experiencing significant growth with an economic output of AUD $151 billion and the city is the corporate headquarters of more than 30% of businesses on the Australian Stock Exchange.
With a strong economy, there are a wide range of work opportunities during and after graduation. As a regional city, Perth can offer students extended post-study work rights.
Resources:
Top reasons to live and study in Perth
SYDNEY
Sydney is one of Australia’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities packed with history, nature, art, culture and food. Sydney is recognised for its beautiful harbour, diverse communities and sunny climate. More than 50% of residents are born overseas, making Sydney one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Over 200,000 international students call Sydney home.
Sydney’s iconic landmarks include the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Taronga Zoo and famous beaches such as Bondi Beach and Manly Beach. You can access beautiful natural green spaces such as the Royal Botanic Gardens and hiking trails just outside the city centre.
Sydney has a busy line-up of events throughout the year such as the Sydney Festival, the Royal Easter Show,Vivid and Sculpture by the Sea.
Sydney is considered to be Australia’s financial and business capital. The city hosts 1 in 3 of the top 100 Australia Stock Exchange listed companies and is the top startup ecosystem in Oceania. According to the 2019-2020 ABS Australian Industry report, NSW has the highest percentage of employment at 3.8 million persons nationwide (33.3%).
By 2036, there will be around 200,000 new jobs in Sydney with 70% of new jobs in knowledge and innovation industries. Sydney is investing $31 million in Greenhouse Climate Tech Hub supporting innovation to accelerate the transition to net zero.
Many education providers in Sydney have strong industry partnerships so students can access internships and networking opportunities before they graduate. The NSW Government runs the NSW Jobs Connect program which connects employers with international skills and talent.
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Top reasons to live and study in Sydney
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