Key Points
- The Victorian capital was in the fifth position in 2023 and sixth in 2022
- Sydney jumped from the ninth position in 2023 to seventh in 2024
- Brisbane, Adelaide, and Canberra were ranked 22nd, 26th, and 30th, respectively in 2024
Indian national Hriti Jerath arrived in 2019 to pursue a bachelor's degree in media communication at Monash University. She "loves everything about Melbourne."
"My father did his master's in Melbourne in the late '90s, so for me, it was a kind of legacy issue," Ms Jerath said.
Ms Jerath said she never had any major issues except when the city was in COVID lockdown.
"Sometimes finding the right house could be a challenge," she added.
Indian national and international student at Monash Univeristy Hriti Jerath.
Melbourne was ranked fifth in 2023 and sixth in 2022. The ranking is based on several factors, including affordability and desirability.
Acting Minister for Trade and Investment Danny Pearson said the global rankings highlight Victoria's unmatched educational opportunities, affordability, and cultural diversity.
“Melbourne is Australia’s best city, and it’s fantastic that the official rankings say we’re also number one in the country for international students,” Mr Pearson said in a statement.
“We welcome international students with open arms – they contribute so much to our community,” he added.
Source: LinkedIn Credit: Sahil Makkar
"International education is Victoria’s biggest service export, generating $8.4 billion in revenue last year and supporting more than 40,000 jobs across the state," it said.
Sydney also performed better on the index this year.
Its position improved from ninth in 2023 to seventh in 2024.
Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said it was great to see competition between Melbourne and Sydney to win the affection of international students.
"Our universities continue to attract students from over 144 countries who choose Australia not only for a world-class education but also for the enviable lifestyle our cities and regions offer," Ms Jackson told SBS.
"We know cost-of-living pressures are making life tough, including for international students, who we encourage to reach out to their university if they need support," Ms Jackson added.
Trent Wiltshire, Deputy Program Director, Migration and Labour Markets at Grattan Institute, told SBS that rapidly rising housing costs are one of the biggest threats to Melbourne and Sydney remaining a top destination for students.
"Students consider cost of living when choosing their study destination. But reputation and personal security are also very important," Mr Wiltshire said.
"Delivering a high-quality education will continue to be the most important factor attracting students to Australia, and to the prestigious universities in Melbourne and Sydney in particular."
Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, and Perth were ranked 22nd, 26th, 30th, and 36th respectively on the list.
