Best Universities Ranking 2024
Latest
These three scenarios show how HECS debt hits your borrowing capacity
Instead of paying his student loan down faster with extra repayments, this 26-year-old chose to divert his savings to build a house deposit. It paid off.
- Updated
- Bianca Hartge-Hazelman and Lucy Dean
The uni degree that set this household name on her career path
Journalist Cheng Lei is among the University of Queensland’s notable alumni. A degree in commerce was not her first choice, but she has zero regrets.
- Julie Hare
- Overall Winner
- University
Here’s the overall winner in the AFR’s Best Universities Ranking
For the second year in a row, UQ has taken out pole position in The Australian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking.
- Julie Hare
- Equity Winner
- AFR Reports
How these unis help overcome student disadvantage
The University of Wollongong is the top ranked university in the Equity category in this year’s The Australian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking.
- Christopher Niesche
- Opinion
- Opinion
A student-centric guide to the best universities
We highlight the strengths and weaknesses of institutions beyond the traditional global rankings of research and reputation.
- Victoria Thieberger
November
- Teaching Winner
- University of Adelaide
Bond University rides crest of the wave for teaching
Bond University has been named the top university for Teaching in this year’s The Australian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking.
- Tess Bennett
- Career Impact Winner
- AFR Reports
Two unis walking the career path alongside graduates
University of NSW and University of Sydney, joint winners of the Career Impact category, guide students on landing their dream job.
- Nina Hendy
- Research Winner
- AFR Reports
Stellar records on research at risk from funding shortfall
Melbourne University, ranked No.1 in the Research category, has created an ecosystem with industry partners and policymakers.
- Alexandra Cain
Monash University’s new boss says don’t call us elite
Despite coming in third overall in The Australian Financial Review’s Best Universities Ranking, it has long had a chip on its shoulder about rival Melbourne.
- Patrick Durkin
- Analysis
- AFR Reports
How we ranked Australia’s best universities
The Australian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking evaluates performance under four pillars: Teaching, Research, Career Impact and Equity, writes Tim Brown.
- Tim Brown
Why do arts students pay more than medical students?
Australia’s university sector will mark an expensive milestone with the $50,000 arts degree, but the changes might not be helping students or the economy.
- Tom McIlroy
‘We are being sacrificed’: Foreign students hit back at caps
Kepuyan Wu, from China, is frustrated by the federal government’s move to cap new foreign students at 270,000 in 2025 as a response to the housing crisis.
- Gus McCubbing
October
- Opinion
- Best Business Schools
How we ranked the business schools
BOSS Best Business Schools showcases the strength and depth of schools across diverse institutions.
- Tim Brown
November 2023
Students hold key to riding high on AFR’s Best Universities Ranking
There’s a rule of thumb in Australia’s tertiary education sector that the bigger a uni is, the poorer the student experience is. It doesn’t need to be this way.
- Julie Hare
Revealed: Australia’s best universities 2023
The inaugural Australian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking is the first that recognises traditional notions of excellence.
The winner of the Financial Review’s Best Universities Ranking
The Australian Financial Review’s Best Universities Ranking is the first time the full diversity of Australian institutions has been recognised, producing a very different league table.
- Updated
- Julie Hare
How to juggle work and study
To cope with high living costs, almost 90 per cent of students are taking on part-time jobs. Here’s how to find one.
- Bianca Hartge-Hazelman
- Opinion
- Opinion
Why it’s time to move on from global uni rankings
With The Australian Financial Review’s Best Universities Ranking, we can see more clearly the relative strengths of our institutions on dimensions that matter.
- Stephen Parker
The courses that create job-ready graduates
Internships and industry placements are embedded into degrees to give students a head start on their career.
- Christopher Niesche
When it comes to reputation, Group of Eight dominate
A solid reputation is a vital asset for any modern university, and it’s where Australia’s historic institutions do best.
- Sian Powell
Grads should look to these sectors for top starting salaries
Want to graduate into a highly paid job? These degrees and industries consistently outperform.
- Agnes King
‘A sense of belonging’: the secret to boosting equity and access
From help with food supplies and textbooks to personal attention from peer support groups, regional universities top the rankings for equity.
- Alexandra Cain
Melbourne earns top marks for research
The vice-chancellor’s pedigree and the blossoming of the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct help to explain why Melbourne University has ranked number one in both the research and reputation categories.
- Patrick Durkin
- Analysis
- AFR Reports
The Financial Review’s ranking of best universities explained
The Australian Financial Review’s Best Universities Ranking evaluates performance under five pillars: student satisfaction, research performance, global reputation, career impact, and equity and access.
- Tim Brown
- Opinion
- Opinion
What to look for in the Financial Review’s Best Universities Ranking
By providing a balanced scorecard across five measures, students can hone in on what matters most to them.
- Victoria Thieberger
