The University of Notre Dame Australia

About The University of Notre Dame Australia

The University of Notre Dame Australia is an independent Australian higher-education institution rather than a branch of the similarly named university in the United States. TEQSA registers it in the Australian University category, grants it self-accrediting authority and records its registration through 2 April 2032. Its audited 2025 financial statements identify it as a not-for-profit organisation, while university governance documents trace its establishment to Western Australian legislation enacted in 1989. Notre Dame describes itself as a national Catholic university. Its principal campuses are in Fremantle and Broome in Western Australia and Sydney in New South Wales. The database record’s Fremantle location therefore represents the university’s head office and foundation campus, not the full geographic extent of the institution. Prospective students should confirm the teaching campus for each program before applying. The university’s legislated objects connect higher education with Catholic faith and values, teaching, scholarship, research, professional training and pastoral care. Students do not need to infer that every course is theological, however: the academic portfolio includes professional and general disciplines. The Catholic character is visible through philosophy, theology, chaplaincy and community activities alongside mainstream university teaching. Fremantle is an integrated city campus spread through the historic West End. Its facilities include library and collaborative study areas, laboratories, classrooms and moot courts. This format offers close access to city amenities and public transport but differs from a large, self-contained suburban campus. Students seeking a specific facility, placement or research environment should check the relevant school and program page.

Admission is program- and applicant-specific. Domestic undergraduate applicants generally need to be at least 17 at enrolment or have completed Year 12 or an equivalent qualification. Applicants with the HSC, an ATAR-stream WACE, an interstate equivalent or the International Baccalaureate are assessed using a Selection Rank that combines the ATAR with applicable adjustment factors. Demand and available places can affect admission even when minimum requirements are met. Alternative pathways include prior higher education, eligible vocational qualifications, relevant work and life experience, the Special Tertiary Admissions Test for selected disciplines, and Notre Dame’s Tertiary Pathway Program. These routes do not apply uniformly: physiotherapy excludes some pathways, and completion of the Tertiary Pathway Program does not guarantee entry to several competitive or assured-pathway programs. Fremantle applicants may apply directly to Notre Dame or through TISC. International students requiring a visa must normally be 18 when they enrol. International undergraduate qualifications are assessed against country- and program-tier tables, and applicants must also satisfy English-language requirements. The university accepts prior English-medium education or approved tests in defined circumstances, but accredited teaching, medicine, nursing, midwifery and several allied-health programs have separate or higher standards. Postgraduate coursework normally requires an undergraduate degree, although relevant postgraduate study or work and life experience may support entry to some programs. Research degrees use separate application procedures. All applicants should check the current program page for prerequisites, supporting documents, professional standards, campus availability and intake dates; no single institution-wide deadline should be assumed.

Notre Dame awards qualifications at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. Its admissions material also lists master’s by research, Master of Philosophy options, professional doctorates and the Doctor of Philosophy among its higher-degree research provision. Individual offerings and delivery locations vary, so the national portfolio should not be assumed to be available in full at Fremantle. At the Fremantle campus, the university identifies study opportunities across arts and sciences, business and law, education, health sciences, medicine, nursing and midwifery, philosophy and theology, and physiotherapy. Undergraduate, postgraduate, research and double-degree pathways are available there. The campus also has tertiary pathways for eligible applicants and some vocational education provision in classroom-based education support. Professional preparation is a significant part of the curriculum. Facilities in Fremantle include laboratories supporting health and science teaching and moot-court spaces used in law. Many professionally accredited degrees include structured workplace placements, but their timing, eligibility conditions and logistical requirements are program-specific. Applicants should consult the current program requirements rather than treating placement access as uniform across disciplines. Academic entry and progression requirements can also differ substantially. Nursing, counselling and several health-related or accredited programs impose requirements beyond the university-wide minimums. Research applicants must examine the relevant school’s supervision capacity, research proposal expectations and degree-specific rules. Students comparing options should use the university’s program search to verify campus, intake, study mode, accreditation and required practical components for the intended year.

Key Highlights

• TEQSA registration in the Australian University category runs through 2 April 2032.
• Established under Western Australian legislation in 1989.
• Private, not-for-profit Catholic university with campuses in Fremantle, Broome and Sydney.
• Fremantle is the registered head office and foundation campus.

Student Life & Environment

Student life at Fremantle is organised around a compact city precinct rather than a conventional enclosed campus. The Notre Dame Student Association, clubs and societies, social sport, volunteering, mentoring and chaplaincy provide routes into campus life. Catholic worship and faith activities are available, while student organisations and general support services serve the wider student community. The Fremantle Student Support Hub operates from the Michael J M Wright Library. Available support includes enrolment and transcript assistance, library and study resources, Wi-Fi and IT help, academic-skills guidance, counselling, financial assistance, wellbeing services, career development and campus security. Access and Inclusion can arrange reasonable adjustments according to individual needs. Transition initiatives also support students arriving from overseas, interstate or rural Western Australia. Housing requires early planning. Port Lodge is the university’s small on-campus Fremantle residence, with shared facilities and access to study space, support staff and security. The university reported that its Fremantle on-campus accommodation was full for Semester 1, 2026 and directed students to contact the residence team about waitlists. Shared student apartments and private rentals are alternatives, but availability and costs are not guaranteed by the university. Students should secure housing independently and verify current residence capacity before committing to enrolment.

Location & Surroundings

The Fremantle campus stands on Whadjuk country in the historic West End of Fremantle, at the mouth of the Swan River and about 14 kilometres from central Perth. University spaces occupy multiple heritage buildings woven into the city, placing students close to cafés, shops, markets, museums, restaurants and the waterfront. Bathers Beach and Esplanade Park are within easy walking distance. This dispersed urban layout makes walking or cycling practical between teaching buildings, study areas and nearby services. The Fremantle train and bus station is a short walk from campus. The university states that trains run approximately every 12 minutes, while the journey to Perth takes roughly half an hour. Bus connections extend toward Perth, Rockingham and Mandurah. Parking near campus is limited and generally relies on surrounding streets or public car parks. Students who plan to drive should investigate municipal and commercial parking before classes begin. The location suits those who value public transport, a coastal environment and direct integration with city life; students seeking a self-contained residential campus should consider the small scale of university-operated housing.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Tuition depends on citizenship or residency status, program, discipline and study load. Notre Dame provides a 2026 fee calculator and separate indicative schedules for domestic and international students. International fees are calculated from the discipline and load of the courses taken, so an advertised discipline rate may not equal an individual invoice. Fees can change annually, and some programs add costs for uniforms, equipment, immunisations, field trips or other practical requirements. International students also pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee, with tuition generally due each semester at least four weeks before the program begins. The university’s 2026 international schedule lists indicative annual rates by discipline rather than one universal tuition figure. Domestic students may receive Commonwealth-supported places or use eligible Australian government loan arrangements depending on their course and personal eligibility. All students should use their formal offer and fee statement for budgeting. Accommodation, transport, meals and personal expenses are separate; the university suggests allowing approximately AUD 200–500 for textbooks in a full-time year, though actual spending varies. Scholarships exist for domestic and international students, with eligibility, value and application processes varying by award. Career support is available from first year through graduation and for up to 18 months afterward. CareerHub provides job listings, resources, workshops, event bookings and appointments with career officers. Professionally oriented programs may include placements, but students should verify whether these are mandatory, paid or unpaid, and whether travel or compliance expenses apply.