The University of Melbourne
Australia's top university in THE and ARWU, where you take a broad degree first and specialise at graduate level.
- Students
- 58,000
- International
- 46%
- of students
- Tuition
- A$44,356
- From · 2027
- Founded
- 1853
About Melbourne Uni
Founded in 1853, the University of Melbourne is Victoria's oldest university and the top-ranked Australian university in both the Times Higher Education (37th) and Shanghai ARWU (37th) tables; in QS 2027 it placed 22nd. Its main campus in Parkville sits on the northern edge of Melbourne's CBD, beside one of the world's densest clusters of hospitals and medical research institutes.
What sets Melbourne apart is its curriculum. Instead of dozens of narrow bachelor's degrees, undergraduates choose one of seven broad three-year degrees (Arts, Biomedicine, Commerce, Design, Fine Arts, Music or Science) plus specialist degrees in Agriculture and Oral Health. You pick a major, take breadth subjects outside it, and can add a concurrent diploma in computing, languages, mathematics or music. Professional qualifications such as law (the Juris Doctor), medicine (the Doctor of Medicine), engineering and teaching are mostly taken as graduate degrees afterwards.
About 46% of students are international, drawn from more than 150 nationalities, and the university has more than 58,000 students overall. Melbourne suits students who like to explore before committing and who are prepared to plan for a graduate degree if they are aiming at a profession.
Postera Crescam Laude
“I shall grow in the esteem of future generations” — university motto
Why students choose Melbourne Uni
The Melbourne curriculum lets you major in one field and take breadth subjects in another, for example commerce plus genetics or philosophy, before specialising in a graduate degree.
Melbourne Law School, a graduate-entry law school, is ranked 8th in the world in the THE subject table, and the Melbourne Medical School teaches the graduate-entry Doctor of Medicine.
The Parkville campus borders the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct, with partners such as the Peter Doherty Institute, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and CSL.
Melbourne says it ranks 1st in Australia for graduate employability, citing Times Higher Education data for 2026.
Admissions
Semester 1, 2027 entry (starts late February 2027)
Selectivity
Melbourne does not publish an acceptance rate. Domestic applicants are ranked by ATAR or selection rank through VTAC against a minimum entry score set in advance. The 2026 lowest selection rank was 92.00 for Commerce, 91.00 for Science, 90.00 for Biomedicine and 85.00 for Arts and for Design. The published 2027 entry scores (guide) are 90 for Commerce, 89 for Biomedicine, 85 for Science, 80 for Design and 75 for Arts.
Typical entry requirements
| ATAR (domestic, 2027 entry score guide) | Commerce 90, Biomedicine 89, Science 85, Design 80, Arts 75 (2026 lowest selection ranks: 92, 90, 91, 85, 85) |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma (international, 2027 guide) | Commerce 34, Biomedicine 34, Science 31, Design 29, Arts 27 |
| GCE A-levels (international, 2027 guide) | Commerce ABB, Biomedicine ABB, Science BBB, Design BBB, Arts BBC |
| US High School Diploma (international, 2027 guide) | Commerce: GPA 3.4 and SAT 1270 or ACT 27 or AP aggregate 17. Biomedicine: GPA 3.3 and SAT 1260 or ACT 26. Science: GPA 3.2 and SAT 1210 or ACT 25 |
| NCEA (international, 2027 guide) | Science and Biomedicine 0.83, Design 0.80, Arts 0.76 for international applicants (Melbourne's NCEA score scale); Commerce lists 0.87 for domestic applicants |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 81 Band 1 degrees (Arts, Biomedicine, Commerce, Design, Fine Arts, Music, Science and others): IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0, or TOEFL iBT 81 (writing 19, speaking 19, reading 16, listening 16). PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and LanguageCert are also accepted. |
Deadlines
- VTAC timely applications close Non-binding Passed28 September 2026
Standard fee A$83 for current Year 12 students.
- VTAC equity schemes (SEAS / Access Melbourne) and scholarships Non-binding Next deadline · In 3 days9 October 2026
Supporting documents must be submitted by the same date.
- VTAC late applications close Non-binding In 24 days30 October 2026
Late fee A$166.
- VTAC very late applications close (December offer round) Non-binding In 59 days4 December 2026
December round offers are released on 23 December 2026; January round 1 on 12 January 2027.
- VTAC January round 2 applications close Non-binding In ~3 months13 January 2027
Offers released 27 January 2027. Fee A$104. Only for courses still open in January.
VTAC key dates 2026-27 (last updated 21 September 2026). Some courses have early closing dates. International applicants apply directly to Melbourne, and applying well before the February intake is recommended. Check the course page for the current direct-application closing date.
How to apply
Domestic students, including Australian Year 12 and IB students in Australia and New Zealand, apply through VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre). International students apply directly to the University, online or through an authorised education agent (required for applicants who studied in some countries). Equity access is through Access Melbourne, via a VTAC SEAS application.
What admissions looks for
- Academic merit, measured by the ATAR or a notional ATAR calculated by the relevant tertiary admissions centre.
- The prerequisites listed for each course; minimum entry scores are only applied once prerequisites are met.
- For Access Melbourne, evidence of disadvantage or under-representation through a VTAC SEAS application, which lets the university select below the standard entry score.
Tips for applying to Melbourne Uni
- 1 Choose your bachelor's degree with a graduate pathway in mind: at Melbourne, law, medicine, most engineering and teaching are graduate degrees, so Science, Biomedicine or Commerce is often step one.
- 2 Look at Melbourne's published 'Entry score 2027' for each degree. It is set in advance, so you know the target before results come out.
- 3 International applicants from countries with GDP per capita of US$10,000 or less are automatically considered for the Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship (20% fee remission from 2027).
- 4 Use breadth subjects to test a graduate field such as law or urban design before you commit to a master's or JD.
Costs & financial aid
2027 · figures in AUD
Domestic students in Commonwealth supported places can defer their contribution through HECS-HELP. International undergraduates from eligible lower-income countries are automatically considered for the Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship, a 20% fee remission for the whole course from 2027 (225 awards). The affiliated residential colleges offer more than A$8.3 million in scholarships and bursaries.
- 20% fee remission for course duration (from 2027), 225 awards
- Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship
- Over A$8.3 million
- Affiliated residential college scholarships and bursaries
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (February and July intakes)
Bachelor of Commerce
Majors in areas such as finance and management; Melbourne is ranked 1st in Australia for Business and Economics in the THE 2026 subject rankings.
Bachelor of Biomedicine
The main undergraduate route towards Melbourne's graduate-entry Doctor of Medicine and biomedical research careers.
Bachelor of Science
The broadest science degree, and the usual stepping stone to Melbourne's graduate engineering and IT master's degrees.
Juris Doctor (Melbourne Law School)
Graduate-entry law at a school ranked 8th in the world (THE 2026 subject ranking).
Bachelor of Fine Arts / Bachelor of Music
Taught at the Victorian College of the Arts and the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in the Southbank arts precinct.
Research
- Scientists in the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, were the first outside China to grow the virus that causes COVID-19 and shared it with the WHO.
- The precinct brings together more than 40 research, education and industry partners, including WEHI, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Florey Institute and CSL, and receives more competitive national biomedical funding than any other precinct in Australia.
- Melbourne reported A$671.5 million in research income (unaudited HERDC) in 2025 and more than 70 research centres and institutes.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
- Faculty of Fine Arts and Music
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- Melbourne Law School
Melbourne says it ranks 1st in Australia for graduate employability, citing Times Higher Education data for 2026.
Student life
Parkville is a traditional walkable campus with sandstone buildings around the Old Quad and the South Lawn, and is a tram ride from the CBD's laneways and cafes. Many first-years live in a residential college: the university lists eleven, from university-run International House and Wilam Hall to independent colleges such as Trinity, Ormond, Queen's and Newman, which offer catered meals, academic support and a strong inter-college sporting and cultural scene. The Southbank campus houses the Victorian College of the Arts and the Conservatorium, so performers and artists are part of the student body.
- Eleven residential colleges (including Trinity, Ormond, Queen's, Newman, International House and Wilam Hall) plus university apartments such as Little Hall and Lisa Bellear House.
- An Accommodation Offer for all commencing students who are new to Melbourne, subject to availability.
- Southbank campus in Melbourne's Arts Precinct, home to the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
- 20% of undergraduates completed an international experience (as of December 2025).
Housing. Options range from catered residential colleges to university apartments near Parkville, and commencing students new to Melbourne are offered university accommodation subject to availability.
Location
Melbourne is Australia's second-largest city, known for its trams, laneway cafes, live music and major sporting events. Parkville sits just north of the CBD, next to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct's research institutes, and the Southbank campus is in the city's arts precinct. QS ranks Melbourne 4th in its Best Student Cities 2027 table.
Nearest airport: Melbourne Airport (MEL), Tullamarine
Notable alumni
- JG Julia GillardPrime Minister of Australia
- RM Robert MenziesPrime Minister of Australia
- EB Elizabeth BlackburnNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2009)
- FM Frank Macfarlane BurnetNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1960)
- GG Germaine GreerWriter and public intellectual
- CB Cate BlanchettActress
- PS Peter SingerPhilosopher
- BH Barry HumphriesComedian
Frequently asked questions
What is the Melbourne Model or Melbourne curriculum?
You complete a broad three-year bachelor's degree (Arts, Biomedicine, Commerce, Design, Fine Arts, Music or Science) with a major and breadth subjects, then specialise through a graduate degree. Law, medicine and most engineering are studied at graduate level.
What ATAR do you need for Melbourne Commerce?
The 2026 lowest selection rank for the Bachelor of Commerce was 92.00, and the published 2027 entry score guide is 90.
What IB score does Melbourne need for international students?
The 2027 guides are IB 34 for Commerce and Biomedicine, 31 for Science, 29 for Design and 27 for Arts.
How much does Melbourne cost for international students?
First-year fees for 2027 range from about A$44,356 (Arts, lower end) to A$65,344 (Science, upper end). Commerce is A$56,451 to A$62,464.
Can I study law or medicine straight from school at Melbourne?
Generally no. Law is taught through the graduate Juris Doctor and medicine through the graduate Doctor of Medicine, usually after a Melbourne bachelor's degree such as Biomedicine, Science or Arts.
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.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to Melbourne Uni in the QS World University Rankings 2027.