Home to Australia's top ranked university

Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027

2 universities in the world's top 50

Source: QS World University Rankings 2027

16 subjects rank in the world's top 20

Source: QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026

10 universities, 12 TAFEs and 400+ private providers

Victoria offers a global education where graduates are equipped to meet the challenges of a complex world, excel in their chosen field, and establish a global network of peers. This is where global careers are launched!

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Speaker, Zuzanna Kaczynska, International Student, Poland: Victoria is known as Australia's Education state and it's capital city Melbourne is consistently ranked as Australia's and one of the world's best student cities. [Visuals of Zuzanna speaking to camera in a library, the Yarra River, Flinders Street Station, trams and laneways]

Whatever your dream, passion or inspiration, there's a course for you here and an enormous range of incredible educational institutions to help you launch your global career. [Visuals of students reading books, exploring green spaces and around campus]

If your goal is hands-on work ready learning, Victoria's vocational education and training providers are committed to providing world class skills and training that meet the needs of employers, industries, and communities. [Visuals of lecturer and students in class, Zusanna walking on campus, mechanics class, trainee chefs in the kitchen, students watering plants]

English language schools provide the perfect ecosystem for international students to study.

Experience Australian culture and practice your English skills in day-to-day life. [Visuals of students studying together and speaking together]

While the state's world-class universities and research and development hubs generate a wealth of brilliant talent and ideas fostering independent and critical thinking.

Did you know Victoria is home to Australia's number one university and has two universities ranked in the world's top 50? [Visuals of students exploring university campus]

It also has two universities with 40 or more subjects in the world's top 100.

All of Victoria's educational institutions work in partnership with overseas providers to design and deliver customised education and training programs.

Whether you study in Melbourne or Country Victoria, you will be well prepared for a successful career anywhere in the world. [Visuals of Melbourne skyline, high rise buildings]

Plus, all of our institutions have outstanding sustainability achievements and are at the cutting edge of sustainable practice - shaping international students, like you and I, into socially responsible leaders of the future. [Visuals of wind farm at sunset, researcher in lab]

Are you ready to find your perfect cause? [Visuals of student using the Study Melbourne course search on laptop]

Use the study Melbourne cause finder to start searching today.

[Study Melbourne, Victoria, Australia logo]

World-class institutions

Victoria’s universities are renowned for their academic excellence, cutting-edge research and innovative teaching. They offer a wide range of courses and opportunities for students to excel in their chosen fields that prepare graduates for successful international careers.

Victoria is home to Australia's top-ranked university, The University of Melbourne, which ranked #22 globally in the QS World University Rankings and #1 in Australia in both the Times Higher Education and Academic Ranking of World Universities rankings. Monash University also ranked among the world's leading institutions at #31 globally in the QS rankings, while six Victorian universities were placed in the world's top 300 universities across the major global rankings.

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027

Evaluates 2,297 institutions across 118 countries and territories using 18 performance indicators.

University

Rank 2027

The University of Melbourne

#=34 in the world and #1 in Australia

Monash University

#61

Deakin University

#218

RMIT University

#=239

La Trobe University

#291

Swinburne University of Technology

#294

See full list of rankings

QS World University Rankings 2027

The rankings assess over 1,500 universities across more than 100 countries using nine performance indicators.

UniversityGlobal rank
The University of Melbourne#=22 
Monash University#31
RMIT University#119
Deakin University#227
La Trobe University#241
Swinburne University of Technology#291
Victoria University#=696
Australian Catholic University#851-900

See full list of rankings

Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2026 – ShanghaiRanking

Evaluates more than 2,500 higher education institutions worldwide. Universities are ranked using a range of academic and research performance indicators, including Nobel Prize and Fields Medal-winning alumni and staff, highly cited researchers, papers published in Nature and Science, papers indexed in major citation databases, and an institution's per capita academic performance.

UniversityGlobal rank
The University of Melbourne#37 in the world and #1 in Australia
Monash University#76 
Deakin University#201-300
Swinburne University of Technology#201-300

See full list of rankings

Victoria’s Education Ecosystem

Victoria offers a strong education system beyond universities. This includes government-funded TAFE institutes providing industry-focused vocational training, along with independent providers offering higher education, research, vocational training, English language courses, and professional development programs. These diverse offerings are supported by collaborations with industry partners to deliver customised global education and training solutions.

World-class subject performance

Victoria’s universities are globally recognised for their world-class performance across a wide range of academic disciplines, consistently excelling in subject-specific rankings.

Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2026 – ShanghaiRanking

Ranks global universities across 57 subjects, evaluating institutions in the fields of Natural Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Social Sciences.

University

Rank 2026 

Deakin University

  • #28 in the world and #1 in Australia for Metallurgical Engineering

Monash University

  • #5 in the world and #1 in Australia for Pharmacy and Pharmacological Sciences
  • #6 in the world and #1 in Australia for Education
  • #6 in the world and #1 in Australia for Mining & Mineral Engineering
  • #11 in the world and #1 in Australia for Business Administration
  • #15 in the world and #1 in Australia for Management
  • #33 in the world and #1 in Australia for Economics
  • #37 in the world and #1 in Australia for Finance
  • #42 in the world and #1 in Australia for Medical Technology
  • #47 in the world and #1 in Australia for Earth Sciences

RMIT University

  • #26 in the world and #1 in Australia for Civil Engineering
  • #32 in the world and #1 in Australia for Food Science & Technology
  • #34 in the world and #1 in Australia for Aerospace Engineering

Swinburne University of Technology

  • #8 in the world and #1 in Australia for Automation & Control

The University of Melbourne

  • #13 in the world and #1 in Australia for Geography
  • #17 in the world and #1 in Australia for Veterinary Sciences
  • #18 in the world and #1 in Australia for Sociology
  • #20 in the world and #1 in Australia for Clinical Medicine
  • #22 in the world and #1 in Australia for Human Biological Sciences
  • #30 in the world and #1 in Australia for Public Administration
  • #32 in the world and #1 in Australia for Law
  • #33 in the world and #1 in Australia for Psychology
  • #38 in the world and #1 in Australia for Mechanical Engineering
  • #40 in the world and #1 in Australia for Statistics

See full list of rankings

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026

Universities are ranked across 55 narrow subjects across five broad subject areas, evaluated from over 1,900 institutions.

University

Global rank

Deakin University

  • =#11 in the world for Sport-related Subjects

La Trobe University

  • #29 in the world for Sport-related Subjects

Monash University

  • #2 in the world for Pharmacy & Pharmacology
  • =#11 in the world for Engineering – Mineral & Mining
  • #18 in the world for Education
  • =#19 in the world for Nursing
  • #36 in the world for Economics & Econometrics

RMIT University

  • #15 in the world for Architecture / Built Environment
  • =#19 in the world for Art & Design
  • #29 in the world for Library & Information Management

Swinburne University of Technology

  • #101–150 in the world for Art & Design

The University of Melbourne

  • #11 in the world for Law
  • =#11 in the world for Sport-related Subjects
  • #13 in the world for Anatomy & Physiology
  • #14 in the world for Life Sciences & Medicine*
  • #15 in the world for Education
  • #16 in the world for Arts & Humanities*
  • #16 in the world for Geography
  • #18 in the world for English Language & Literature
  • #18 in the world for Sociology
  • #19 in the world for Social Sciences & Management*
  • #20 in the world for Environmental Sciences
  • #20 in the world for Medicine
  • #20 in the world for Psychology
  • #20 in the world for Veterinary Science
  • #24 in the world for Accounting & Finance

Victoria University

  • #51–100 in the world for Sport-related Subjects

* Broad subject area

See full list of rankings

World-Class Achievements in Sustainability

These rankings highlight Victoria’s leadership in advancing sustainable practices and impactful education. By championing sustainability, Victoria sets a benchmark for how governments, organisations and individuals can collaborate to protect our shared future.

QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026

Assesses how 1,994 higher education institutions address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges.

UniversityGlobal rank
The University of Melbourne#=16 globally
Monash University#37 globally
RMIT University#=95 globally
Deakin University#112 globally
La Trobe University#=191 globally

See full list of rankings

Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2025

A global ranking of 2,526 universities from 130 countries evaluates their contributions to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UniversityGlobal rank
RMIT University#56 globally
Australian Catholic University#101–200 globally
Victoria University#101–200 globally

See full list of rankings

World-class research

Universities are not only centres for learning but also essential hubs for cutting-edge research that drives scientific discovery, technological progress, and evidence-based solutions to real-world challenges.

ERA recognised Monash University and The University of Melbourne for outstanding performance well above world standard in Medical and Health Sciences and Engineering and Technology, with Deakin University also rated well above world standard in Medical and Health Sciences.

Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) 2018

Australia's national research evaluation framework assesses research quality in higher education, with 96 disciplines rated 'above standard'.

University

Field of Research

ERA Rating

Deakin University

Medical and Health Sciences

Well above world standard

Monash University

Medical and Health Sciences

Well above world standard


Engineering and Technology

Well above world standard


Medical and Health Sciences

Outstanding performance well above world standard


Engineering and Technology

Outstanding performance well above world standard

The University of Melbourne

Medical and Health Sciences

Well above world standard


Engineering and Technology

Well above world standard


Medical and Health Sciences

Outstanding performance well above world standard


Engineering and Technology

Outstanding performance well above world standard

Learn more

From outstanding research outputs to exceptional contributions in sustainability and education quality, Victorian institutions consistently set a benchmark for higher education. These rankings reflect the impactful work of universities in advancing knowledge, addressing global challenges, and shaping future generations of leaders, thinkers and innovators.

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