Deakin University
A multi-campus Victorian university with Australia's highest-ranked sport science school and three intakes a year.
- Students
- 61,704
- 39,766 undergraduates
- International
- 27%
- of students
- Tuition
- A$38,200
- From · 2027
- Founded
- 1974
About Deakin
Deakin University was formed in 1974 from the merger of the State College of Victoria at Geelong and the higher education courses of the Gordon Institute of Technology, and is named after Alfred Deakin, an early Prime Minister of Australia. It had 61,704 enrolments in 2025, 16,862 of them international students, spread across the Melbourne Burwood, Geelong Waterfront, Geelong Waurn Ponds and Warrnambool campuses plus a large online cohort (16,713 students).
Teaching is organised into four faculties (Arts and Education; Business and Law; Health; and Science, Engineering and Built Environment) with 14 schools. Health is the largest faculty, and Deakin's sport science school is ranked first in the world by ShanghaiRanking. Where many universities offer two intakes a year, Deakin runs three trimesters, with intakes in March, July and November for many degrees.
Deakin suits students who want practical, placement-heavy degrees, a choice between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Geelong or Warrnambool, and a flexible start date. It has ranked first among Victorian universities for undergraduate overall satisfaction for 15 years running in the national QILT survey.
Why students choose Deakin
Deakin is ranked 1st in the world for sport science in ShanghaiRanking's 2025 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.
Nursing, ranked 14th in the world, includes 800 hours of clinical placements starting in your first trimester.
Three trimesters mean many degrees, such as the Bachelor of Commerce, can start in March, July or November.
International students with an 85% average (or 32 IB points) can be considered for the Vice-Chancellor's International Scholarship, worth 50% or 100% of tuition for the whole degree.
Admissions
2027 intakes (Trimester 1 from March 2027, Trimester 2 from July 2027, Trimester 3 from November 2027)
Selectivity
Deakin does not publish an overall offer rate. Its admissions transparency report gives the ATAR profile of Trimester 1, 2026 entrants. Median ATARs (before adjustments) at Melbourne Burwood: Law 89.30, Commerce 80.75, Engineering (Honours) 72.15, Exercise and Sport Science 72.45, Nursing 69.95, Information Technology 63.85; many courses admitted students with ATARs in the 50s and 60s.
Typical entry requirements
| ATAR (Australian Year 12, via VTAC) | Median ATAR of 2026 entrants (Burwood): Law 89.30; Commerce 80.75; Engineering (Honours) 72.15; Exercise and Sport Science 72.45; Nursing 69.95; Psychological Science 66.85; IT 63.85. Minimum for IT: unadjusted ATAR 50 plus English prerequisites |
|---|---|
| International qualifications | Course-specific minimum scores by country, shown on each international course page; as a benchmark of strong results, Deakin's top international scholarship looks for 85% in Indian Year 12 (CBSE, ICSE or State Board) or 32 IB points |
| English language | IELTS 6 Deakin's minimum for undergraduate courses is IELTS 6.0 (CEFR B2), e.g. IELTS 6.0 with no band below 6.0 for Commerce and Information Technology. Some courses are higher: Law 7.0 overall (6.5 bands) and Nursing 7.0 (7.0 in speaking, reading and listening, 6.5 in writing). PTE, TOEFL, Cambridge C1/C2 and OET are also accepted. |
Deadlines
- VTAC late applications (Australian Year 12, 2027 entry) Non-binding Next deadline · In 23 daysOctober 30, 2026
VTAC timely applications for 2027 courses closed 28 September 2026 (5pm AET); late applications close 30 October 2026 and very late applications 4 December 2026, with higher fees.
- Trimester 1, 2027 (March start) Non-bindingClosing dates vary by country
Deakin sets application closing dates by country to allow time for visas; as of 29 September 2026 the Trimester 1, 2027 closing dates and teaching start date were not yet published. Year 12 students apply through VTAC.
- Trimester 2, 2027 (July start) Non-bindingClosing dates vary by country (2026 example: 5 June for China and Vietnam, 12 June for Malaysia and Singapore)
In 2026, onshore applicants in Australia had until 15 July.
- Trimester 3, 2027 (November start) Non-bindingCheck Deakin's start-in-November page
Only some degrees admit in November, e.g. the Bachelor of Commerce. For the November 2026 intake, closing dates ran from 14 August 2026 (Sri Lanka) to 9 October 2026 (Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan), and 11 November 2026 for onshore applicants.
Deakin had not published country-specific closing dates for Trimester 1, 2027 as of 29 September 2026. The Trimester 2 and 3 dates shown are the 2026 dates and indicate the typical timing, roughly one to two months before teaching starts. Australian Year 12 applicants follow VTAC's dates.
How to apply
International students apply directly to Deakin through the StudyLink application portal or through an authorised Deakin agent (students from some countries must use an agent for visa reasons). Deakin emails within two days and usually gives an outcome within two to three weeks once all documents arrive. Students with an Australian Year 12, in Australia or overseas, apply through VTAC and StudyLink so Deakin can make a conditional offer before ATARs are released.
What admissions looks for
- A secondary qualification that meets the course's minimum score for your country (or an ATAR for Australian Year 12).
- Course prerequisites, such as a minimum study score in English for Victorian Year 12 applicants.
- English proficiency at the course's level, from IELTS 6.0 for most degrees to 7.0 for Law and Nursing.
- For some degrees, supporting material such as a portfolio, police check, resume or personal statement.
Tips for applying to Deakin
- 1 Look at the admissions transparency report: it shows the highest, median and lowest ATAR of last year's entrants for each course and campus, which varies a lot (Law at Burwood had a median of 89.30).
- 2 Consider the July or November intake if you miss March: many degrees run in Trimester 2, and Commerce also starts in Trimester 3.
- 3 You don't need a separate application for most international scholarships: you are considered automatically when your course application is assessed.
- 4 If you are taking Australian Year 12, apply through both VTAC and StudyLink so Deakin can make a conditional offer before your ATAR arrives.
- 5 Compare campuses: the ATAR profile for the same degree can differ between Burwood, Geelong and online (e.g. Information Technology had a median of 66.60 at Waurn Ponds and 63.85 at Burwood).
Costs & financial aid
2027 · figures in AUD
Domestic bachelor's students are typically in Commonwealth Supported Places, with fees set by government contribution bands. International students are automatically considered for merit scholarships: the Vice-Chancellor's International Scholarship (50% or 100% tuition reduction for the whole degree, 85% average), the International Scholarship for Excellence (25%) and the International 20% Merit Scholarship (65% average, 60% for applicants from India).
- 50% or 100% tuition reduction; at least 85% average (e.g. 32 IB points)
- Vice-Chancellor's International Scholarship
- 25% tuition reduction
- International Scholarship for Excellence
- 20% tuition reduction; at least 65% average
- International 20% Merit Scholarship
Academics
Academic calendar: Trimesters (three intakes: March, July, November)
Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science
Deakin is ranked 1st in the world for sport science by ShanghaiRanking; AU$45,400 a year for international students in 2027.
Bachelor of Nursing
Ranked 14th in the world for nursing, with 800 hours of placements from the first trimester; IELTS 7.0 required.
Bachelor of Laws
One of Deakin's most selective degrees: the single LLB at Burwood had a median ATAR of 89.30 for 2026 entry, and Law double degrees there had medians of about 90 to 91.
Bachelor of Commerce
Offered at Burwood, Geelong Waterfront and online with three intakes a year; median ATAR 80.75 at Burwood.
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Civil, electrical and renewable energy, mechanical and mechatronics majors at Burwood and Waurn Ponds.
Bachelor of Information Technology
Three-year degree at Burwood, Waurn Ponds or online, with IELTS 6.0 entry and AU$43,800 annual international fees.
Research
- Deakin reports ranking in the top 5 in Australia for research quality, with AU$185.0 million in research income in 2025.
- Ten Deakin researchers were named among the top 0.1% worldwide in their field (Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers 2025).
- Researchers at the Queenscliff Marine Science Centre helped restore golden kelp in Port Phillip Bay, with 500,000 juvenile kelp deployed in 2025.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts and Education
- Faculty of Business and Law (Deakin Business School, Deakin Law School)
- Faculty of Health
- Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment
9 out of 10 Deakin undergraduates are in full-time employment three years after graduation (QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey - Longitudinal 2024, as reported by Deakin).
Student life
Deakin feels different depending on the campus: Burwood is a large suburban Melbourne campus, Geelong Waterfront is in the city centre on Corio Bay, Waurn Ponds is a green campus on the edge of Geelong, and Warrnambool is small and coastal. More than 150 clubs and societies run across campuses, and Deakin reports being first in Australia for international student satisfaction. Sport has a strong presence, helped by the university's sport science reputation.
- More than 150 clubs and societies.
- Ranked 1st among Victorian universities for undergraduate overall satisfaction for 15 years running (QILT).
- Four physical campuses in Melbourne, Geelong and Warrnambool, plus 16,713 online students.
- About 44% of international students come from India, followed by Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China.
Location
Deakin's largest campus is at Burwood in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, a big city with a strong food, sport and arts culture. Its Geelong campuses sit in Victoria's second-largest city, about an hour south-west of Melbourne on Corio Bay and close to the Surf Coast, while Warrnambool is on the Great Ocean Road coast. Geelong and Warrnambool offer lower living costs and a more regional pace than Melbourne.
Nearest airport: Melbourne Airport (MEL)
Notable alumni
- LS Leigh SalesABC journalist and former host of 7.30; Master of International Relations
- JB Jeremy BurgeFounder of Emojipedia; Deakin graduate
- MY Mandawuy YunupinguYothu Yindi frontman and 1992 Australian of the Year; first Aboriginal person from Arnhem Land to earn a university degree (BA in education, 1988)
- SY Stella YoungComedian, journalist and disability rights activist; BA in journalism and public relations
- DN Denis Napthine47th Premier of Victoria; MBA
- JB Jimmy BartelBrownlow Medal-winning Geelong footballer; studied social work
- JS Jim StynesBrownlow Medallist, youth worker and Melbourne Football Club chairman; Bachelor of Education
Frequently asked questions
What ATAR do you need for Deakin?
It depends on the course and campus. For Trimester 1, 2026 entrants at Burwood, the median ATAR was 89.30 for Law, 80.75 for Commerce, 72.15 for Engineering (Honours) and 69.95 for Nursing, and many courses admitted students with ATARs in the 50s and 60s.
How much does Deakin cost for international students?
For 2027, annual tuition for bachelor's degrees ranges from about AU$38,200 (e.g. Arts) to AU$48,800 (Occupational Therapy), with Commerce and Engineering at AU$46,800 and Information Technology at AU$43,800.
When can I start at Deakin?
Deakin has three trimesters, starting in March, July and November. Many undergraduate degrees admit in March and July, and some, such as Commerce, also in November.
What IELTS score does Deakin require?
The undergraduate minimum is IELTS 6.0 (no band below 6.0 for courses such as Commerce and IT). Law requires 7.0 overall and Nursing 7.0 with at least 7.0 in speaking, reading and listening.
Does Deakin offer scholarships to international students?
Yes. You are automatically considered for merit scholarships worth 20%, 25%, 50% or 100% of tuition; the 100% or 50% Vice-Chancellor's International Scholarship requires at least an 85% average (e.g. 32 IB points).
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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