
Australia is a friendly country towards foreigners and has a lot of government funded universities that also have a high global ranking. If you are on a budget and still want to pursue quality education while studying abroad, a lot of people might have suggested a list of universities in Australia to research for your options. It all gets too overwhelming at some point so to save you from the hassle, we are sharing a list of affordable Australian universities that we have found to be a very good choice for international students on a budget.
Who says you can’t enjoy and learn in a beautiful country without the stress of finances?
1. University of Tasmania
Bachelor’s Tuition: 12,000 AUD to 37,950 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 29,950 AUD to 39,950 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.0
University of Tasmania is a public university in Australia and is ranked 303 on QS ratings. It offers a wide variety of Bachelors and Masters courses related to almost every field. Located on the island of Tasmania, it has a beautiful campus that welcomes curious minds from all cultures.
2. University of Divinity
Bachelor’s Tuition: 14,112 AUD to 16,620 AUD per year
Master’s Tuition: 16,392 AUD to 18,384 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 5.5
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
As the name suggests, the University of Divinity has partners with around 30 churches, and it specialises in theology, spirituality and philosophy. These are mainly studies related to religion and counselling.
3. Federation University Australia
Bachelor’s Tuition: 18,000 AUD to 32,700 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 22,700 AUD to 31,100 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.0
Federation University has nine campuses that offer degrees in a wide variety of subjects. Students from 100 different countries are studying at the beautiful campus in Victoria. According to the Good Universities Guide 2023, they have the highest undergraduate starting salary.
4. Central Queensland University
Bachelor’s Tuition: 18,960 AUD to 36,960 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 26,400 AUD to 35,520 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
This is one of the largest as well as cheapest universities in Australia. With a QS rating of 601 and a wide variety of subjects to choose from, it is a top option for international students as it increases the graduate employability rate. After completing their bachelors, more than 83% of the students find full-time work within four months.
5. Charles Sturt University
Bachelor’s Tuition: 20,800 AUD to 32,128 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 20,800 AUD to 33,216 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.0
According to the Good Universities Guide 2020, Charles Sturt has the highest graduate employability rate (86%). There is a long list of cutting-edge programs being offered here for you to choose from. It ranks 801 on the QS ratings list and is renowned for its sustainable practices.
6. Australian Catholic University
Bachelor’s Tuition: 23,400 AUD to 40,656 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 23,400 AUD to 32,320 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
This university is among the top 2% of the world and enrols around 33,000 students per year. It has seven campuses all over Australia and has a very inclusive environment. Scholarships are also offered for international students and they are overall very helpful towards accommodating students from abroad.
7. University of the Sunshine Coast
Bachelor’s Tuition: 24,400 AUD to 29,600 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 26,000 AUD to 29,800 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
They cover a range of courses from creative and design to business and medical sciences. It is the second ranked public university in Australia and not only this, they are making notable changes for sustainability which ranked them 5th in the world for their global impact on Clean Water and Sanitation.
8. Torrens University Australia
Bachelor’s Tuition: 25,120 AUD to 30,880 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 22,800 AUD to 34,480 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
Torrens is a private university in Adelaide that was founded in 2012 and already has a total of 19,000 students enrolled. It aims to give students hands-on learning with the expert industry lecturers and partners that open doors for the graduates. According to the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching, 2021, it is ranked number 2 for international graduate employment.
9. Charles Darwin University
Bachelor’s Tuition: 25,328 AUD to 32,336 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 28,104 AUD to 34,680 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
According to the 2020 Graduate Outcomes Survey National Report, CDU graduates earn at least 5% more and are 10% more likely to land a job compared to other university graduates. This is an excellent indicator for international students planning to study and settle there. It also has a very strong research support that helps in the conception and execution of projects.
10. Avondale University
Bachelor’s Tuition: 13,028 AUD per year (you can calculate the exact amount here and here for Master’s tuition )
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.5
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
Avondale University is a private university associated with the Adventist Church and offers a wide range of accredited programs. It aims to nurture the spirituality and psychological growth of its students along with their professional growth as well.
11. Western Sydney University
Bachelor’s Tuition: 27,552 AUD to 34,696 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 8,400 AUD to 36,604 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.5
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
Western Sydney University is a public university located in the western region of Australia that is committed to providing facilities, inclusiveness, innovation and teaching to students (awarded 5 stars by QS Star Ratings 2022). They are also working towards reaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Explore the different courses offered here at their arts and humanities, social sciences, cultural studies, computing and business management.
12. University of Southern Queensland
Bachelor’s Tuition: 2,975 AUD to 4000 AUD per unit
Master’s tuition: 3,600 AUD to 4,700 AUD per unit
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
This is a great university for engineering students as it has the highest engineering graduate salary due to its support through the global partnerships and industry connections. It also has a range of flexible study options which will be a great option for international students.
13. University of Wollongong
Bachelor’s Tuition: 26,500 AUD to 36,800 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 16,920 AUD to 240,960 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.5
95% of the courses are rated ‘high’ or ‘medium’ for research impact which means the campus is equipped with cutting-edge research facilities for students. It has excellent teaching quality that develops your skills, and engages you in the process.
14. University of New England
Bachelor’s Tuition: 26,880 AUD to 31,600 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 26,880 AUD to 33,856 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.0
The three main faculties provide a number of courses for international students to choose from. It is a university that keeps in mind the ever-changing trends and challenges of the modern world so students can go for full-time or part-time study and even design their own courses. That is why this university has been awarded 5 stars for Overall Experience for 16 years in a row by the Good Universities Guide 2023.
15. Murdoch University
Bachelor’s Tuition: 27,112 AUD to 32,880 AUD per year
Master’s tuition: 28,080 AUD to 34,920 AUD per year
Minimum IELTS Score for Bachelors: 6.0
Minimum IELTS Score for Masters: 6.0
Murdoch University is a public university located in Perth and has campuses all over the world as well. It provides students with the facilities to conduct research that will deal with complex challenges.
Conclusion
Now that you know your options for the cheapest universities in Australia, perusing through the university’s websites and finding the course should be much easier. If the process is still seeming too heavy to start, you can talk to our expert mentors here.