ANU is consistently placed among the best universities in the world by a range of international ranking systems. In 2009, the University was ranked first in Australia and 17th internationally by The Times Higher Education Supplement. In 2008, in the Institute of Higher Education rankings from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, ANU was ranked above all of its Australian peers. By a range of measures, ANU is clearly seen as a world leader in education and research.

Australia’s only national university was established in 1946 by the Australian Government to lead the country’s intellectual development through research and graduate study. The ANU began offering undergraduate programmes in 1960. Today, its graduates are playing important roles in society as politicians, business leaders, scientists, artists and policy advisors.

Facilities

ANU offers a unique, research-driven environment where bright, ambitious students thrive using world-class facilities, including the most powerful computer in Australia, modern laboratories and lecture theatres and libraries housing over two million traditional and 2 million electronic volumes.

Campus locations

The University is located on a beautiful 145-hectare campus in the heart of Canberra. Nicknamed the ‘Bush Capital’, Canberra is the political and administrative centre of Australia. A small, vibrant city some 280km southwest of Sydney, with a population of around 340,000, Canberra offers its residents the best of both worlds. No pollution, a low crime rate and minimal traffic congestion means that our students can breathe easy and focus on their studies. Home to important national institutions like the National Library, National Gallery, National Museum and National Archives, Canberra boasts excellent shopping, cinemas, restaurants, bars and cafes, many of which are a short walk from our parkland campus.  

Education

ANU attracts some of the best students and staff from Australia and around the world. Its reputation for distinctive research is widely recognised, and its teaching among the nation’s best. A culture of discovery and inquiry informs all aspects of research and education, including ANU’s links with the world’s top institutions. ANU offers undergraduate degrees and specialist graduate training through the ANU Colleges of Arts and Social Sciences, Asia and the Pacific, Business and Economics, Engineering and Computer Science, Law, Medicine, Biology and Environment and Physical Sciences.

Research links

ANU has international links with leading universities in the US, the UK, Europe and Asia. ANU is the only Australian member of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), which provides its students and staff with opportunities for collaboration and exchange that contribute to the rich intellectual climate. 

IARU is an international alliance of ten of the world’s leading research universities. They are ANU, ETH Zürich, the National University of Singapore, University of California, Berkeley, the University of Oxford, Peking University, the University of Cambridge, the University of Tokyo, Yale University and the University of Copenhagen. This alliance is a strategic drawing together of universities that share a similar vision and a commitment to educating future leaders, and it is fostering northern hemisphere internships, academic conferences, student exchange and the development of joint degrees. 

ANU has also forged close links with government, business and research institutions in Australia and abroad, and is involved in projects with organisations ranging from NASA to the European Union.

Student support

ANU offers a dynamic academic and social life. Some of the student support services include an award-winning Academic Skills and Learning Centre; a Careers Centre; on-campus childcare; a counselling centre; Disability Support Centre; the Graduate Information Literacy Programme; health services; the International Office; Postgraduate and Research Students’ Association (PARSA); and a Student Information and Guidance Network mentoring programme. The University also supports a network of over 100 clubs and societies on campus. 

Accommodation

ANU guarantees accommodation to all new undergraduate students from outside the Canberra region. The residences at ANU also cater for graduate students. All ANU residences are furnished, and have computer rooms, libraries, TV and reception rooms, laundries and academic and pastoral assistance. A choice of fully catered, self-catered and apartment accommodation is available to suit a range of different budgets. The Accommodation Service also offers help finding private rental accommodation. 

 

SCIENCE@ANU

The ANU College of Physical Sciences and ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment brings together hundreds of scientists, technicians and students on a single campus. This unique environment fosters some of the best scientific research in the world, much of which involves interdisciplinary collaborations. For undergraduate students, this creates two exciting benefits. First, coursework units are taught by leading scientists who incorporate the latest research developments into the syllabus. Second, it provides a fantastic choice of honours projects in advanced and highly relevant topics. Honours students participate in research programmes at the leading edge of current science and are often included in the author lists of important papers in prestigious scientific journals – a great way to kick off your research career if that’s the way you choose to go. For students with a particular interest in research and who can attain the highest academic standards, the ANU also offers a unique undergraduate PhB programme that mixes research and coursework. At a personal level, the Colleges provide the chance to live and work on a beautiful campus and develop social and intellectual associations with some of the world’s leading scientific minds.