Australian Catholic University is a public university with campuses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Ballarat, open to students of all faiths. It is best known for nursing, physiotherapy, education, business and IT, with placements built into health and teaching degrees. Choose it for a health or education degree with a choice of Australian cities.
Sydney, Australia
Official website: acu.edu.au
#901
Top 100 in the world (QS by Subject)
Among the top Australian universities for nursing and teaching employment
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Ballarat, plus Rome
A$28,000 – A$36,000
International students, undergraduate and coursework master's
A$20,000 – A$28,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on acu.edu.au before you apply.
Master of Information Technology
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Feb, Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Master of Business Administration
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Feb, Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Master of Nursing
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Feb, Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 94
Master of Teaching (Primary)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Feb
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.5, TOEFL: 100
Master of Public Health
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Feb, Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Bachelor of Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Feb, Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 94
Nursing — one of Australia's largest nursing schools, ranked in the world's top 100.
Physiotherapy and allied health — placements in hospitals across five cities.
Education — among the largest teacher-training providers in Australia.
Multi-city choice — study in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra or Ballarat.
Nursing graduates enter NSW Health, Victorian and Queensland hospitals, which recruit directly from ACU.
Graduates can stay and work in Australia for two to three years on a post-study visa, longer from Ballarat and Canberra.
Teaching graduates join Catholic and state school systems across Australia.
IT and business alumni work at Sydney's and Melbourne's consultancies and government agencies.
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Rolling
Postgrad
Rolling
The Sydney campus is in North Sydney's business district, Melbourne's in Fitzroy near the CBD, and Brisbane's in Banyo, each a compact site with libraries, clinics and student services.
Each city offers a different lifestyle and cost: Sydney and Melbourne have the biggest job markets and highest rents, while Brisbane, Canberra and Ballarat are cheaper and calmer.
Confirmation of Enrolment from ACU
Proof of funds for fees and living costs
IELTS or equivalent English test result
Overseas Student Health Cover for stay
Genuine Student statement
Health examination, if requested
Applications are rolling for both semesters. For a February start, apply by late November to leave time for your offer, deposit and visa; for July, apply by late April. Nursing, physiotherapy and teaching programmes have fixed earlier deadlines listed on their course pages.
ACU has two main intakes: Semester 1 in February and Semester 2 in July. Most IT, business, nursing and public health programmes admit for both, while teaching and physiotherapy are February only. Check the course page for the intakes open at your chosen campus.
You need a Student visa (subclass 500). After you accept your offer and pay the deposit, ACU issues a Confirmation of Enrolment. You then apply through ImmiAccount with proof of funds, Overseas Student Health Cover and a Genuine Student statement.
Information technology, the MBA, nursing, teaching and public health are the most applied-for programmes. Master's entry usually needs a bachelor's degree with a pass average (around 55% for Indian degrees) and IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0; nursing requires 7.0 and teaching 7.5.
Yes. ACU offers international merit scholarships that reduce tuition by a set percentage for eligible undergraduate and postgraduate applicants, with awards for students from India and other countries assessed automatically on application. Check the scholarships page for current eligibility and amounts.
