Cheap Universities in Australia for International Students

Mar 4, 2024 | 9 min read

Most Australian universities are government-funded which means international students can get quality education at low affordable tuition fee and cost of attendance.

There are several cheap universities in Australia for international students that offer quality education at affordable tuition rates. These universities offer a wide array of courses at undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels. High-value courses such as veterinary or medical degrees cost a lot more than other fields such as arts, humanities, etc.

International students should bear both the tuition fees and living costs in Australia for the duration of their course. The average cost of living in Australia comes up to AU$20,290 per year and the average tuition fees depend on the university, chosen course, and the level of study. The estimated tuition fee for international undergraduate students is AU$30,840 per year, and for international graduate students, it is AU$31,596 per academic year.

Table of Contents

List of Cheap Universities in Australia for International Students
Why Choose Australia for Higher Studies?
Cheap Courses in Australia for International Students
Affordable Universities for Pursuing Bachelor's Degree in Australia
Affordable Universities for Pursuing Master's Degree in Australia
Cost of Living in Australia
Scholarships in Australia for International Students

List of Cheap Universities in Australia for International Students

Australia is one of the most sought-after study destinations after the USA and the UK and is popular among international students despite its high living costs. However, there are several Australian universities that are an ideal choice for international students willing to pursue low-cost undergraduate and graduate courses in different fields. Some of the cheap universities in Australia for international students are listed below:

University of Southern Queensland
University of Queensland
University of Sunshine Coast
University of Canberra
Charles Darwin University
Southern Cross University
Australian Catholic University
Victoria University
University of New England
James Cook University

University of Southern Queensland

The University of Southern Queensland is a medium-sized university located in Queensland, Australia. It is known for its courses in the fields of law, health, engineering, science, business, education, and arts. The average tuition fee per year is AUD 24,000. Some of the main courses offered at the University of Southern Queensland along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Aviation: $16,008
Bachelor of Business and Commerce - Marketing: $16,008
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A] in Strategic Marketing: $17,215
Master of Arts [M.A] in Creative Arts: $16,780
Master of Law [L.L.M] in Commercial Law: $14,848

Read More: University of Southern Queensland

University of Queensland

The University of Queensland is a public research university located in Queensland, Brisbane. It is one of the cheap universities in Australia for international students and is ranked the 48th most reputable university in the world. The average tuition fee is AUD 25,800. Some of the main courses offered at the University of Queensland along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Engineering [B.Eng] Software Engineering: $32,380
Bachelor of Business Management: $29,167
Master of Engineering [M.Eng]: $31,132
Master of Computer Science [M.C.S]: $31,132
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]: $55,757

Read More: University of Queensland

University of Sunshine Coast

The University of Sunshine Coast one of the cheap universities in Australia in terms of programs it provides in business, IT and tourism, communication education, etc at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The tuition fees range from AUD 23,000- 29,000 per year. Some of the main courses offered at the University of Sunshine Cost along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Nursing Science: $19,065
Bachelor of Business [B.Bus]: $17,460
Master of Business [M.Bus]: $18,800
Master of Education [M.Ed]: $18,800
Master of International Business [M.I.B]: $18,400

Read More: University of Sunshine Coast

University of Canberra

The University of Canberra is a public university located in Bruce, Canberra. It offers affordable bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in the fields of education, science, and technology, health, art, and design. The average tuition fee at the University of Canberra is AUD 26,800/ year. Some of the main courses offered at the University of Canberra along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Engineering Technology: $20,907
Bachelor of Engineering [B.Eng] in Software Engineering: $19,803
Master of Engineering [M.Eng]: $22,080
Master of Data Science: $22,770
Master of Nursing [M.N]: $18,492

Read More: University of Canberra

Charles Darwin University

Charles Darwin University is a public university in Australia that offers a wide range of higher degree and vocational programs and training courses with flexible study options both on-campus and online. The average tuition fee is AUD 26,760/ year. Some of the main courses offered at Charles Darwin University along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Nursing [B.N]: $20,902
Bachelor of Accounting [B.Acc]: $20,885
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]: $22,430
Master of Information Technology [M.I.T] Information Systems and Data Science: $20,111
Master of Engineering [M.Eng]: $23,550

Read More: Charles Darwin University

Southern Cross University

Southern Cross University is a public university with campuses in New South Wales and at the end of the gold coast. It is globally recognized for its MBA programs and is rated 4 out of 5 stars by the Graduate Management Association of Australia (GMAA). The average tuition fee for international students is AUD 27,600/ year. Some of the main courses offered at Southern Cross University along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Engineering [B.Eng] in Mechanical Engineering: $21,741
Bachelor of Environmental Science [B.Env.Sc]: $20,771
Master of Engineering Management: $20,328
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]: $22,484
Master of Business in Global Hotel Leadership: $21,628

Read More: Southern Cross University

Australian Catholic University

Australian Catholic University is a public university with seven campuses all over Australia including Rome. It is one of the cheapest higher education universities in Australia offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in various disciplines. The tuition fees range from AUD 23,000- 28,000 per year. Some of the main courses offered at Australian Catholic University along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Nursing [B.N]: $22,730
Bachelor of Accounting and Finance: $22,391
Master of Social Work [M.S.W]: $18,560
Master of Philosophy [M.Phil]: $19,816
Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology: $18,560

Read More: Australian Catholic University

Victoria University

Victoria University is a public university located in Melbourne, Australia. In addition to the regular undergraduate and graduate programs, it offers TAFE (Technology and Further Education) programs to students from all over the world. The tuition fees start at 21,800 AUD/ year. Some of the main courses offered at Victoria University along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Engineering [B.Eng] Mechanical Engineering: $23,115
Bachelor of Psychological Studies/Bachelor of Business [B.Bus]: $18,906
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]: $22,356
Master of Engineering [M.Eng]: $22,908
Master of Education [M.Ed]: $17,940

Read More: Victoria University

University of New England

The University of New England is a public university in Australia with its main campus in New South Wales. It is one of the cheap universities in Australia for international students in terms of research in various fields. It offers $5 million worth of scholarships, bursaries, and grants for both incoming and continuing students pursuing studies at different levels. The tuition fees start at 19,100 AUD/ year. Some of the main courses offered at the University of New England along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Arts [B.A]/Bachelor of Science [B.Sc]: $24,332
Bachelor of Accounting [B.Acc]: $21,726
Master of Information Technology [M.I.T]: $24,332
Master of Health Management: $20,286
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]: $23,173

Read More: University of New England

James Cook University

James Cook University is a public university based in North Queensland, Australia. It offers affordable tuition in research fields like marine sciences, biodiversity, sustainable management of tropical ecosystems, genetics and genomics, tropical health care, tourism, and engineering. The average tuition fees for international students are AUD 28,000 per year. Some of the main courses offered at James Cook University along with their fee details for international students are given below:

Bachelor of Business [B.Bus] Management (Major): $20,976
Bachelor of Information Technology [B.I.T]: $20,976
Master of Business Administration [M.B.A]: $22,600
Master of Professional Accounting: $22,600
Master of Information Technology [M.I.T]: $21,528

Read More: James Cook University

Why Choose Australia for Higher Studies?

Australia is one of the most popular study destinations for students from all over the world mainly for the high-quality education offered at Australian universities and also for other factors like flexible study options, return on investment, student assistance, and scholarships available. It houses over 9,00,000 international students as of 2019 and is one of the most preferred study destinations in spite of being expensive. Some reasons for choosing to study in Australia for international students are shown below:

International students pursuing education in Australia get great returns on investment according to research by International Alumni Job Network (IAJN)
The Australian government offers a tuition protection service that protects any fees paid by international students. This is to ensure that the students do not face any loss if the education provider is not capable of delivering the education that has been paid for. In such a case, students are compensated wither monetarily or through substitute services
Several Australian universities are included in the top universities of the world. Around 8 Australian universities rank in the top 150 universities of the world according to Times Higher Education, QS Rankings, and Academic Ranking of World Universities
Australian degrees are recognized internationally by employers and other leading educational institutions. Most of the courses and training sessions that are undertaken by international students are covered under the Australian Qualification Framework that is authorized by the Australian government
Australia has one of the highest standards of living in the world and offers value for money in terms of living costs for international students
International students can work part-time for up to 20 hours per week during the course of their study to bear a part of the living expenses
There are several grants and scholarships available for international students in Australia under the schemes of ‘Australia Awards Scholarships’ and ‘Endeavour Scholarships’
The Australian study visa process is comparatively easier and straightforward for international students. There is an option of spouse visa too that allows the spouse to work part-time in Australia
Australia offers a wide range of innovative courses and programs in various fields of study. The courses incorporate the latest trends in the market and technology that make education more intensive and practical and lead to limitless job opportunities in the future.

Cheap Courses in Australia for International Students

There is a wide range of affordable courses offered by Australian Universtiies in multiple subject areas. Some of the popular courses are offered in fields like arts, science, law, business, information technology, medicine, philosophy, etc. Tabulated below are some of the cheapest courses available in Australia, along with their fee details:

Course	Average Coure Fees
Master of Law [L.L.M] in Commercial Law	$14,848
Master of Business [M.Bus]	$18,800
Master of Education [M.Ed]	$17,940
Master of Arts [M.A] in Creative Arts	$16,780
Bachelor of Business [B.Bus]	$17,460
Bachelor of Business and Commerce - Marketing	$16,008
Bachelor of Aviation	$16,008

Affordable Universities for Pursuing Bachelor's Degree in Australia

Some of the Australian universities are known for their high-quality and low-cost bachelor's programs. The list of the cheapest universities for studying bachelor's courses in Australia is given below:

University of Divinity
Southern Queensland University
Griffith University
University of Sunshine Coast
Western Sydney University
Charles Darwin University
Charles Strut University
Australian Catholic University
Victoria University
Central Queensland University

Affordable Universities for Pursuing Master's Degree in Australia

Several Australian universities offer master's degrees in fields like arts, law, science, medicine, etc. Listed below are the cheapest universities for pursuing master's degree programs in Australia:

Edith Cowan University
Victoria University
Central Queensland University
University of New England
James Cook University
Griffith University
Federation University
Southern Cross University
University of Southern Queensland
University of Canberra

Cost of Living in Australia

Students from abroad need to bear living expenses like accommodation costs, travel expenses, food/groceries, etc., while pursuing their studies in Australia. The average weekly living expenses for international students in Australia are as follows:

Expense Type	Average Expense per Week (in AUD)
Accomodation	100 – 300
Food/Groceries	140 – 180
Transportation	30– 60
Recreation	80– 150
Utilities	10– 20
Course-related expenditure	15– 20

Scholarships in Australia for International Students

In Australia, students can apply for a variety of scholarships provided by the government, universities, and private as well as public organizations. These scholarships usually cover tuition fees and living costs for students, though some are partially funded and others are fully funded. Here is a list of some of the most popular scholarships available for international students in Australia: