Brisbane's universities
Brisbane universities combine prestigious academic excellence with a lifestyle like no other.
Brisbane is home to some of the country’s finest higher education institutions, which have featured in the QS World University Rankings® 2023.
About University in Brisbane
Australia has a national regulatory agency for higher education, which monitors the quality of universities to achieve the highest global education standards. For this reason, degrees from Australian universities are recognised and respected around the world.
Brisbane’s university precincts are compact, walkable, well-serviced by public transport, and located close to the commercial heart of the city centre, giving students an opportunity to work near their place of study.
As an international student, you'll find a multicultural community in Brisbane that fosters global perspectives and provides opportunities for cross-cultural connections.
Brisbane is a safe and secure city, making it a friendly and welcoming place to study and launch your career.
What can I study at university in Brisbane?
Brisbane is home to some of Australia’s top academic institutions, and our universities offer a broad portfolio of subjects.
In Brisbane you can study many top professional fields, including:
- Law
- Business and Government
- Engineering
- Information Technology
- Science and Environment Studies
- Humanities and Languages
- Aviation
- Tourism
- Creative Industries
- Biotechnology
That’s just the beginning. Explore our various institutions to discover the full range of degrees on offer.
The academic year in Brisbane
Most university courses begin in February and run through to December, with dates varying for different courses and institutions.
Each university will publish calendars with important dates for enrolment, semester breaks and exam blocks.
Types of university qualifications
There are three main types of qualification you can study at university in Australia.
Bachelor’s degree
This is Australia’s fundamental level or base higher education qualification, and is intended to prepare you for a rewarding professional career in your chosen field.
Each institution’s specific admission procedures and requirements are different, but in order to be eligible to study for a bachelor’s degree at an Australian institution, you will need to have completed Year 12 (the final year of high school) or an overseas equivalent. Some courses will also require you to have completed specific prerequisite subjects as part of your previous education.
If you intend to study at a university in Australia but you can’t meet the entry requirements, you can consider taking a vocational education and training (VET) pathway to bridge the gap. Some pathway courses will gain you direct university entry.
Although a variety of different languages are spoken throughout Australia, English is the national language, and virtually all courses are delivered in English. It’s likely that you’ll be required to provide evidence of your English language proficiency to study at an Australian university.
If you are unable to pass an English language skills test, some institutions offer courses and workshops to help you improve. Brisbane is also home to a range of English language institutions to help you learn the language in an English-speaking environment.
A bachelor’s degree usually requires three or four years of full-time study, during which time you’ll be referred to as an undergraduate student. Depending on your prior work experience or study, you may qualify for recognition of prior learning (RPL), which would reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your degree. For more information about RPL, contact your institution of choice.
It’s often possible to study part-time, but this will extend the time needed to complete this qualification.
If you do well with your bachelor’s degree, you may be given the opportunity by your institution to graduate with honours. This usually requires an additional year of study.
Master’s degree
A master’s degree is a postgraduate qualification, and it requires a bachelor’s (or bachelor’s with honours) degree to be accepted to the course.
A master’s degree usually takes 18 months or two years of full-time study to complete. It can be based on coursework or on research, depending on the subject.
Doctoral programs and PhDs
The highest level of university qualification in Australia is a doctoral degree.
It usually requires three to four years of full-time study to achieve this qualification, and as a doctoral candidate you are required to make a substantial original contribution to knowledge in your chosen area.
You can apply to do a professional doctoral degree or a research doctoral degree, which is commonly called a PhD.
To achieve your doctoral degree you will need to finish a thesis or dissertation, which is usually examined by two or three external expert academics with an international reputation.