Melbourne named Australia's best student city for 2025

Published: 16 July 2024
Students out a night in Melbourne city taking a group selfie, Arts Centre spire and high rise buildings in background

Melbourne has once again been named as Australia's Best Student City, and amongst the very best in the world, according to the latest QS Best Student City 2025 rankings.

Melbourne has held this prestigious title since 2015 thanks to its world-class institutions and the sector’s ongoing commitment to providing an exceptional experience for international students.

Key highlights include:

  • Melbourne ranks #5 in the world overall behind London, Tokyo, Seoul and Munich.
  • Melbourne ranks #1 in the world for Student Mix thanks to its rich cultural diversity and inclusiveness of its education providers. This vibrant mix of cultures and perspectives creates a unique and enriching experience for everyone.
  • Melbourne ranks #2 in the world for Student View based on a survey of students on important factors such as tolerance and inclusion, diversity, transport, affordability, nightlife, employment opportunities, arts and culture, and sustainability.

Additionally, it reflects the high proportion of students who choose to stay in Melbourne after graduation, indicating strong employment prospects and overall satisfaction with the city.

These rankings reflect the positive experiences shared by our current and former students, and underline why so many choose to make Melbourne their choice for study.Melbourne is not just a city to study in, it’s a city to thrive in.

View transcript

[Inspiring music, visuals of student walking through laneways, followed by aerial shots of Melbourne and regional Victoria]

Speaker 1: What if your student experience was more than just studying?

[On-screen text: Australia's Most Liveable City]

What if you could live in Australia's most livable city?

[Visuals of people enjoy life and culture in Melbourne]

A home away from home, surrounded by a global community of students. What if you could discover lifelong friendships and the world's friendliest city?

[On-screen text: Top Ranked University]

What if you could study at a top ranked university?

What if you could create memories that last a lifetime?

What if you could make lifelong industry connections and launch your global career?

You can have it all. Only in Melbourne.

[On-screen text: Melbourne. Australia's #1 Student City ranked #4 in the world (QS Best Student Cities 2024)]

2024 Best Student City in Australia and number four in the world.

[On-screen logo] Study Melbourne

[End transcript]

News recommendation
Image of Michelle Chen

Mental Jam: Michelle Chen’s entrepreneurial journey

Michelle Chen is a Study Melbourne Future Founders alum and RMIT University PhD graduate and founder of Mental Jam, Michelle recently returned to Future Founders Day as a panellist, describing it as a full circle moment in her start-up journey. Having once learned from other founders through the program, she was pleased to share her own experiences with current students, alumni and industry representatives.
View article
A person presenting at a meeting

Study Melbourne International Student Careers Fair 2026

Study Melbourne was thrilled to host more than 1,300 international students at the iconic State Library on 24 March for the 3rd Study Melbourne International Student Careers Fair. This popular event supported international students and recent graduates to connect with top employers, including Bupa, L’Oréal, Marriott Hotels and the AFL, as well as industry experts and professional bodies.
View article
Photograph of four people standing and conversing outdoors against a stone building wall. Three individuals wear casual jackets while one holds a green notebook, suggesting a casual or academic setting.

Victoria’s world class universities continue to shine in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026

Victorian universities continue to shine on the world stage in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject, reinforcing its reputation as a high-quality global study destination.
View article
students together in the city

Melbourne is the best city in the world for 2026

Melbourne has been officially crowned the Best City in the World for 2026 by Time Out's annual global ranking!
View article