With over 250 languages spoken and an immigrant strength of over a million people, international students will feel at home while studying in Sydney. A multicultural hub with world-class universities, pleasant year-round weather and a welcoming atmosphere, Sydney deserves to be considered for graduate programs as well as undergraduate degrees by every international student.
Read on to find out more about the city, Sydney’s top-ranked universities, the cost of study in Sydney for international students and the events & activities international students can enjoy while studying in Sydney!
Sydney is the capital of the Australian state of New South Wales and is Australia’s most populous city with about 5.5 million people. Featuring the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, Sydney is one of Australia’s most famous cities with a high immigrant population and rich cultural heritage.
Sydney is located by the sea in eastern Australia, and is well-connected by road, train and flights to most Australian cities. For international students, flights from Sydney to New Delhi take approximately 12.5 hours, while direct flights from London to Sydney take 21 hours. For African international students, flights from Cape Town to Sydney take 12 hours. Sydney follows Australian Eastern Daylight Time which is 11 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +11).
Sydney is home to 6 public universities for international students. The University of Sydney is the largest university in Sydney and the 4th largest in Australia with 61,200 international and domestic students enrolled. Australian Catholic University, meanwhile, is a multi-state university which allows international students to transfer between its multiple campuses across Australia after one year of study.
The University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales are members of the prestigious “Group of Eight”, an organisation which comprises Australia’s “leading research-intensive universities.” The Group of Eight was formed in 1999 and all of its 8 universities are ranked in the world’s top 100 universities.
In addition to world-class universities for international students, Sydney also offers 8 TAFE institutes. These are government-run Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) offering vocational degrees in healthcare, construction and many other fields.
Find out more about Universities in Sydney.
Listed below are the five reasons why so many international students decide to call Sydney home for their education:
Due to over 1.5 million residents of Sydney being immigrants, the city has naturally become a melting pot of cultures and a global hub where international students from all countries are made to feel welcome. With nearly 40,000 international students currently living and studying in Sydney, you will find it easy to make new friends and quickly integrate yourself into city life in Sydney both inside and outside of the classroom.
Sydney offers university education for international students that is world-class and internationally-recognised, but unlike more expensive universities in Europe and North America, there are graduate and undergraduate degrees at affordable prices. International students looking for shorter and specific job-oriented programs will find plenty of suitable degrees and certificates offered at TAFE institutes and specialist universities.
There are also a wide variety of scholarship and funding opportunities available to international students. For more information about the specific options you can access, contact your chosen university.
Sydney offers a wide range of activities outside the classroom which are suitable for international students with all kinds of interests. From high-quality sporting facilities to world-class restaurants, a lively nightlife and beautiful beaches, Sydney engages and enriches international students during their time away from academics.
With a two-year post-study work visa guaranteed for international students in Sydney, you will have the opportunity to look for the ideal job after studying in Sydney. Indeed, nearly 80% of international students find jobs within three years of graduation. As Australia’s largest manufacturing hub and one of Asia-Pacific’s leading financial centres, Sydney offers a wide variety of jobs for international students across industrial and executive levels.
Studying abroad can help to improve your career prospects in many different ways. Employers will be attracted to your experience of dealing with new situations alongside new people, showing adaptability and teamwork abilities.
Last but not least, Sydney universities provide top-ranked teaching faculty, advanced research facilities and a hassle-free university experience for international students. The University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney, for example, are ranked in the top 50 of QS World Rankings 2025. Together with Macquarie University and the University of Technology Sydney, there are 4 Sydney universities for international students in the QS World top 200. This shows the city’s high-quality educational ecosystem and the possibility of learning from sources outside the classroom as well.
Tuition costs for international students in Australia are decided according to the amount and level of courses taken for a degree. Tuition costs in Sydney can vary for international students depending on the program selected, also on the courses chosen. As a result, tuition costs can vary between $20,000 and $45,000 for an undergraduate degree in Sydney. Specialised professional programs and postgraduate degrees are slightly more expensive, and start at $15,000-$20,000 per year.
Accommodation for international students in Sydney can be expensive as Sydney has the highest average rental prices in Australia. Average monthly cost of a shared accommodation for international students varies between $500 and $650 per month. Public transport is convenient but the monthly cost of public transport is relatively expensive at around $175 a month. International students can keep monthly costs low for food and utilities at around $400. In addition to these costs, international students should keep at least $200 for emergency issues on hand.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) Insurance is a must for international students in Sydney universities, and health insurance prices vary depending on health circumstances and level of insurance cover desired. Finally, international students should estimate a spend of about $75-$100 every week in order to enjoy the vibrant Sydney nightlife and entertainment venues.
Many international students decide to financially support themselves in Sydney through part-time employment. This is because international students in Sydney can legally work upto 20 hours every week during the academic semester, and they can be full-time employees during summer and winter breaks.
Many international students in Sydney find part-time employment in various university venues such as research labs, campus magazines, cafes and sporting facilities. Sydney also has many entertainment and administrative institutes which offer part-time work and competitive wages to international students.
With Sydney placing fifth on the Economist Safe Cities index 2019, it is easy to understand why international students find the city so comfortable and homely. Iconic seaside spots such as the world-famous Bondi Beach encourage you to relax and soak in views of the beautiful ocean, while nearby regions such as the Blue Mountains enable you to experience genuine Australian bush country lifestyle only a few miles from your home in Sydney.
Sydney is one of the world’s cultural centres and boasts a variety of world-renowned event spaces which are a must-see for international students. Some of these locations include:
International students can also make short trips to other major cities in Australia, all of which are a short flight away. These include Melbourne, Australia’s second-most populous city. Meanwhile, the Great Barrier Reef is the country’s most popular tourist destination, and international students wanting to visit the Reef can also tour nearby Brisbane. Politics and international affairs students will be interested in visiting Canberra, Australia’s political capital. Other major Australian cities include Perth, which has a population of about 2.2 million, and Adelaide which hosts nearly 1.4 million people.
A combination of top-ranked universities, world-class sporting and cultural facilities, high-quality urban infrastructure and safety, and an endless list of activities and places to explore mean that international students flock to Sydney in larger numbers every year. If you are searching for a culturally and academically enriching experience while ensuring that you are in a safe and welcoming environment as an international student in Australia, you will surely find Sydney an ideal fit for your college degree!
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