Melbourne remains Australia’s Best Student City for 2026

Published: 22 July 2025
Students posing for a photo

Melbourne has once again been recognised as Australia's best student city in the latest rankings from Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). This announcement highlights the state’s unparalleled education opportunities, affordability, liveability and cultural diversity.

Melbourne ranks as the 5th best student city globally and achieved the highest rating in the “Student Mix” category, which evaluates the diversity of the student population - with 330 ,000 international students from around 175 countries!

Additionally, Melbourne excels in providing employment and work experience opportunities, highlighting Victoria as a job market leader. It ranks 4th for Student Voice, the highest in Australia, measuring student experience across eight categories: tolerance and inclusion, diversity, friendliness, transport, affordability, nightlife, employment opportunities, arts and culture, and sustainability.

Victoria is home to two universities in the QS top 50, with The University of Melbourne ranked as Australia's best, followed closely by Monash University at 36th globally.

These rankings are just some of the reasons why students choose to study in Melbourne.

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