Situated in the nation’s capital Canberra, the Australian National University is one of the world’s leading research universities, and attracts students and researchers from all over the world.  In 2006, the Times’ Higher Education Supplement ranked ANU as the top university not only in Australia but in the whole Southern Hemisphere.

The University of Melbourne was established in 1853, making it one of the ‘sandstone’ universities, an informal group including the oldest universities in Australia.  The University is highly regarded internationally in the fields of the arts, humanities and biomedicine.

Established in 1850, the University of Sydney is the oldest University in Australia, and a ‘sandstone’ university.  The university boasts ‘Oxbridge’- inspired grounds, and was established after explorer and politician William Wentworth persuaded the New South Wales parliament that a university was essential to the colony.

Another ‘sandstone’ university, UQ has gained recognition for its high standard of research, particularly in the area of bioscience.  The university has won more awards for university teaching than any other Australian university, and graduates include former Governor-General Bill Hayden and actor Geoffrey Rush.

Monash is Australia’s largest university, with around 55,000 students.  Monash is Australia’s premier medical research university, and also boasts a highly regarded law school. Established in 1958, Monash was the first Australian university to be named after a person, rather than a location.

The University of New South Wales was founded after World War Two demonstrated the need for more highly qualified engineers and technology-related professionals. Originally named the New South Wales University of Technology, UNSW was opened in Sydney in 1949.  It has since developed a strong reputation in a number of fields.

The University of Adelaide was established in 1874, and is the third oldest university in Australia and a ‘sandstone’ university.  The University was established after a grant from grazier and copper minor Walter Watson Hughes and the main campus is situated in the centre of Adelaide.

The University of Western Australia is the oldest university in Western Australia and also the only Western Australian university to be one of the prestigious Group of Eight.  The university has a strong focus on research, with over 80 research centres.

The Macquarie University was established in 1964 in response to the need for a third university in the rapidly-expanding city of Sydney.  The university originally required all students to undertake a single degree with a wide range of subjects and, while this is no longer the case, there remains a strong focus on inter-disciplinary study.

The Queensland University of Technology is located in Brisbane and is a member of the Australian Technology Network, a network of technology-focused universities in Australia.  QUT began life as the Central Technical College, before becoming the Queensland Institute of Technology and finally the Queensland University of Technology.