How Much Does University Cost in Australia?

My mind on my money and my money on my mind.

Before you start your new classes, one of the most important things you will need to consider (when you want to further your education) is the cost.

In Australia, there are so many different ways you can choose to study, places you can study from and ways that you can pay for it.

Whether you want to study online, internally or as an international student, there will be a lot of resources and (often confusing) information available to you on this topic.

So, to make it easier, we broke it down for you.

Types of courses and institutions

The cost of your course and other fees that may apply, will depend on the type of course that you enroll into, the qualification level and the type of institution you attend.

It's also worth noting that not all careers or jobs require a bachelor’s degree from a university, and not all degrees or certificates cost the same.

Sometimes, for instance, you can make the choice to instead study a TAFE or VET course in your preferred field. Or, if you’re a post graduate student, a master’s degree or doctoral degree are options you can choose from, but all will have varying costs that come with them.

The types of courses in Australia include:

• Certificate I, II, III or IV
• Diploma
• Foundation Courses
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Master’s degree
• Doctoral Degree
• An MBA

It is also important to consider that while most courses can fit into an average cost, the exact fees for each unit and course will vary from each university, TAFE, VET or private provider.

Course structure

Higher education costs are a tricky one to get exact because of the way that most courses are structured.

In most cases, universities and TAFEs work by two semesters per year with each student completing at least one unit (usually three or four) during that semester.

Each unit has a specific price associated and ultimately the full cost of your course will depend on what course you choose and what elective units you pick.

The Australian Government groups different areas of study into bands and student contributions will very on type of band.

Band one consists of humanities, behavioural science, social studies, education, clinical psychology, foreign languages, visual and performing arts and nursing.

Band two consists of computing, built environment, other health, allied health, engineering, surveying, agriculture, mathematics, statistics and science.

And finally, band three consists of law, medicine, veterinary science, accounting, administration, economics and commerce.

Study costs

Because the options for higher education are so broad, it’s almost impossible to give you an exact number for what your course will cost.

However, we can give you a general range of the costs you may be up for if you choose to study in Australia.

The courses that fall under student contribution band one generally cost around $AUD835 per unit or $AUD6,684 per equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL) for that year.

Courses in student contribution band two generally cost about $AUD1,190 per unit or AUD$9,527 per EFTSL.

And for courses in student contribution band three, costs are generally $AUD1,394 per unit or $AUD11,155 per EFTSL.

For Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses you can expect your average tuition cost to sit between $AUD4,000 to $AUD22,000 per year.

Technical and Further Education (TAFE) tuition fees also sit between $AUD4,000 to $AUD22,000 per year.

For foundation courses you can expect to pay between $AUD15,000 and $AUD39,000 in total.

Undergraduate bachelor’s degrees have average tuition costs of about $AUD15,000 to $AUD33,000 per year.

Whereas for postgraduate degrees you can expect to pay between $AUD20,000 and $AUD37,000 per year.

Doctoral degrees can cost anywhere between $AUD14,000 and $AUD37,000 per year.

MBAs are super hard to guess as they can start from $AUD11,000 and reach more than $AUD121,000 in total.

While these numbers are great way to get a generalised idea of course costs, you should contact your university or education provider for the exact costs of your course, and any additional fees you may incur.

It is also important to consider that if you are an international student, fees will usually be slightly higher than domestic students, but amounts can vary depending on the education provider and course.

If you are an international student looking for exact costs, check your education providers website with 'international student' filters selected or get in contact with your institution.

Financial help options

While most institutions allow for upfront payment of courses, most students can’t afford the full cost of study right away.

If you’re unsure how you’re going to cover the cost of your education, don’t worry, there are several options for financial help that you may be eligible for.

If you are a domestic student you will likely be eligible for government assistance that usually falls under a HECS, FEE, VET or OS-HELP loan.

HECS and FEE loans are for domestic university students who need assistance in covering parts or the full cost of their course.

VET loans apply to domestic VET or TAFE students who need assistance in covering parts or the full cost of their course.

OS-HELP loans are for domestic students who want to study some of their course overseas.

You can find out more about government assistance loans, eligibility and how to apply on the Study Assist website.

Unfortunately, international students wanting to study in Australia cannot get a HELP loan of any of the above and instead must pay the international student fees set by their education provider.

Despite not being eligible for government help, international students may instead be eligible for certain scholarships that their university offers.

To find out more about scholarships that may be available to you check out your institution's website or get in contact with them and apply.

Additional fees

Some universities and TAFEs in Australia also carry extra fees that most students will have to pay before or during their studies.

The most common fee at most universities is the student services and amenities fee (SSAF).

Unis charge this fee to cover the cost of recreation, wellbeing, career support and clubs.

This fee will vary from each university so contact yours to find out the exact cost.

If you’re also worried about the cost of this fee, you may also be eligible for a SSAF loan or SA-HELP loan, which you can find out more about on the Study Assist website.

If you’ve made it a fair way into your course (usually past the census date) and have changed your mind you may also be up for withdrawal fees if you choose to leave your course.

Keep an eye on your student calendar for key dates like the census date (or administration day) and contact your university to ask if they require withdrawal fees.

If we missed anything you might still have questions about be sure to check out the Open Universities Australia website or the Studies in Australia website.

Now that you’ve got all the information you need about the cost, it’s time to apply!

Header Image: wagnerokasaki via Getty Images