Australia · Victoria

Melbourne city

Victoria’s capital on the Yarra River, and home to some of Australia’s best-known universities.

#3 in the worldEIU Global Liveability Index 2026

2 universitiesin the QS 2027 world top 100

18,510Nepal-born people in Greater Melbourne (2021 Census)

Feb and Julmain university intakes

In short

Studying in Melbourne: the short answer

Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and was ranked the world’s third most liveable city in 2026. It has two world top-100 universities (Melbourne and Monash), a large Nepali community and good public transport. Students can work up to 48 hours a fortnight during study. You need to show at least AUD 29,710 a year for living costs for your visa. The main intakes are February and July.

Universities

Universities in Melbourne

Ranks are from the QS World University Rankings 2027.

University	QS 2027	Main Melbourne campus
The University of Melbourne	#22	Parkville (inner north)
Monash University	#31	Clayton (south-east) and other campuses
RMIT University	#119	City (CBD)
Deakin University	#227	Burwood (east), plus Geelong
La Trobe University	#241	Bundoora (north)
Swinburne University of Technology	#291	Hawthorn (east)
Federation University Australia	Not ranked	Berwick and Melbourne City
Holmesglen Institute	TAFE (not ranked)	Chadstone, Moorabbin, Glen Waverley

Source: QS World University Rankings 2027. Checked 14 November 2026.

Living in Melbourne

Costs, transport and work

Money to show

AUD 29,710

a year for living costs, the student visa minimum. Rent is usually the biggest cost, and sharing is cheapest.

Transport

50% off

a 90, 180 or 365-day myki Pass with the International Student Travel Pass, for eligible students. Check on PTV.

Work while you study

48 hours

a fortnight during study periods, and full-time during scheduled breaks.

Where to live

Live near your campus

Most students live within an easy train, tram or bus ride of their campus. Start your search close to where you will study.

City and Carlton

Close to RMIT and the University of Melbourne (Parkville). Central, busy and usually the most expensive.

Clayton and the south-east

Around Monash Clayton and Holmesglen’s Chadstone, Moorabbin and Glen Waverley campuses.

Burwood and Hawthorn

Eastern suburbs near Deakin Burwood and Swinburne Hawthorn.

Bundoora and Berwick

Bundoora in the north for La Trobe; Berwick in the outer south-east for Federation.

Landmarks

Melbourne in pictures

Places you will get to know in your first few weeks.

Flinders Street Station, Melbourne — **Flinders Street Station**The city’s best-known landmark and its main train station, right in the centre.

State Library Victoria, Melbourne — **State Library Victoria**Free to visit and study in, under the famous domed La Trobe Reading Room.

Federation Square, Melbourne — **Federation Square**The city’s meeting place, with free events, galleries and big screens.

Hosier Lane, Melbourne — **Hosier Lane**Melbourne’s famous street-art laneway, always changing.

Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne — **Queen Victoria Market**A historic market for fresh food, cheap eats and night markets.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne — **Royal Botanic Gardens**Free gardens by the Yarra, a favourite spot for picnics and walks.

Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne — **Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)**The city’s great stadium, home of AFL football and big cricket matches.

St Kilda, Melbourne — **St Kilda**A beach suburb with a pier and city views, reachable by tram.

Photo credits

Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Flinders Street Station, Queen Victoria Market, MCG and St Kilda by Dietmar Rabich (CC BY-SA 4.0); State Library Victoria by Diliff (CC BY 2.5); Federation Square by DXR (CC BY-SA 4.0); Royal Botanic Gardens by Gary Houston (CC0); Hosier Lane by Linda Xu (CC0).

Student life

Things students love about Melbourne

🚃

Free Tram Zone

Trams are free when your whole trip stays inside the city centre and Docklands zone. Check the map on PTV.

📚

Free places to study

State Library Victoria is free and open to everyone, with Wi-Fi and quiet reading rooms.

☕

Laneways and coffee

The city centre is full of small laneways with cafés, street art and cheap places to eat.

🍜

Food from everywhere

From Queen Victoria Market to Nepali, Indian and Asian restaurants, you will find food from home.

🏖

Beaches and parks

St Kilda and other bayside beaches are a tram or train ride away, and the city has big free parks.

🏈

Sport culture

Watch AFL football or cricket at the MCG. Melbourne is often called Australia’s sporting capital.

What’s on

Festivals, sport and concerts through the year

Melbourne has something on almost every week. These are the big ones.

January

Australian Open

The Grand Slam tennis tournament at Melbourne Park.

March

Moomba Festival

Free festival along the Yarra River over the Labour Day weekend.

March to April

Comedy Festival

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, with hundreds of shows.

March or April

Formula 1 Grand Prix

The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.

March to September

AFL season

Australian football every weekend, with the Grand Final at the MCG in September.

August

Film Festival

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF).

Throughout the year

Concerts

Big international tours play Rod Laver Arena, Marvel Stadium and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

Community

Nepal Festival Melbourne

Nepali food, music and culture at Federation Square. The 2025 festival was held in March. Momo Fest also returned to Footscray in 2026.

Months are usual timings; check each event’s website for exact dates.

Questions

Questions about studying in Melbourne

Is Melbourne good for Nepali students?

Yes, for many. Melbourne ranked third in the world in the EIU Global Liveability Index 2026, has a large Nepali community (18,510 Nepal-born people in Greater Melbourne at the 2021 Census) and several world-ranked universities. Costs are high, so plan your budget carefully.

Which universities in Melbourne are in the world top 100?

The University of Melbourne (#22) and Monash University (#31) in the QS World University Rankings 2027. RMIT, Deakin, La Trobe and Swinburne are also ranked.

Which Melbourne institutions does NEC work with?

Monash University, Federation University Australia (Berwick and Melbourne City campuses) and Holmesglen Institute. See our partner universities.

How much money do I need to live in Melbourne?

For a student visa you must show at least AUD 29,710 a year for living costs. Rent is usually the biggest cost, and sharing a house or flat is the cheapest option. See the full money-to-show guide.

Is there a public transport discount for international students?

Yes, for eligible students. The International Student Travel Pass gives 50% off a 90, 180 or 365-day myki Pass. Check eligibility on the Public Transport Victoria website.

Can I work while studying in Melbourne?

Yes. International students can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during study periods and full-time during scheduled breaks.

Next step

Planning to study in Melbourne in 2027?

Get a free plan from an NEC counsellor: the right course and university, the money to show and a timeline for February or July 2027.

Get my free 2027 plan Back to Study in Australia

More cities

Other cities in Australia

Not sure Melbourne is right for you? Compare the other main student cities.

New South Wales

Sydney

Australia’s largest Nepali community

Sydney city guide →

Western Australia

Perth

Free buses and trains in the city centre

Perth city guide →

Queensland

Brisbane

50-cent fares on all public transport

Brisbane city guide →

South Australia

Adelaide

Free city trams and buses

Adelaide city guide →

Compare all five cities side by side → · Study in Australia guide →

Last updated: 14 November 2026, by the NEC counselling team in Kathmandu. Sources: QS World University Rankings 2027; EIU Global Liveability Index 2026; Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census; Department of Home Affairs, Student visa (subclass 500) for the AUD 29,710 living-cost figure. City photos: Sydney by Benh LIEU SONG and Adelaide by Yu Chu Chin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Fees, rules and event dates change, so check official sites before you apply.

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