Melbourne has a legacy of being a student hot spot, with people moving from all over the country and even overseas to study in our city. Now, the latest annual rankings from esteemed higher education experts have been revealed, cementing Melbourne as truly the place to be for students eager to sharpen their minds in Australia.
Our city was ranked as the fifth best location for students globally by QS Top Universities, the platform behind the prestigious university list which recently ranked Melbourne University in the top 15 worldwide. The top cities for students in 2025 were determined by factors considered most important to international students, like affordability, employment opportunities, diversity, the quality of universities and student feedback. 150 cities were surveyed, so it's quite an impressive achievement to crack the top five in the world.
Out of a 100-point maximum score, Melbourne was awarded a near-perfect 97.1, with cultural diversity and the large number of international students in Melbourne (which according to QS, is around 94,000) being major contributions to our city's high ranking. The extensive public transport network was another big win, as many students don't typically own cars.
However, our city ranked poorly for affordability, at a grim 131st in the world. This is based on both the high cost of living and the average fees for international students. But Melbourne did rank well for employment opportunities, as our city is home to the headquarters of many international companies, has business links to several Asian countries and allows those from overseas to work up to 40 hours on a student visa. Melbourne also has a very positive student view, praised for its thriving cultural scene, multicultural dining and overall liveability.
So which cities beat us for the top spots? London was crowned as the best city in the world for students, due to its high number of quality universities, large international community and employment opportunities. But once again, its major let down was a lack of affordability. In second place was Tokyo, followed by Seoul and Munich. Sydney came in just behind Melbourne in sixth place.
These are the ten best cities for students in the world:
1. London, UK
2. Tokyo, Japan
3. Seoul, South Korea
4. Munich, Germany
5. Melbourne, Australia
6. Sydney, Australia
7. Paris, France
8. Zurich, Switzerland
9. Berlin, Germany
10. Montreal, Canada
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