Institutes / Universities
University of Sydney
Ranking
3Established in
1850Famous For
Law, Veterinary Science, Sports-Related Subjects
- Overview
- Services
- Rankings
- Accommodation
- Location
- Courses
- Scholarships
Overview
The University of Sydney is Australia’s first university, founded in 1850, and one of the country’s leading research and teaching institutions. With more than 400 areas of study and over 70,000 students, it offers courses across fields including business, law, engineering, medicine and health, and arts and social sciences. Its community includes more than 350,000 alumni in over 170 countries, and international students make up 38% of its undergraduates.
A member of the Group of Eight, Sydney is known for its research and its facilities. These include the Charles Perkins Centre, a research and education hub for obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, named after the University’s first Indigenous Australian graduate. Others are the Sydney Nanoscience Hub, with academic laboratories, nanofabrication facilities and teaching spaces, and the Business School’s Abercrombie Building.
Sydney was one of the first universities in the world to admit students on academic merit alone, and to open its doors to women on the same basis as men. Today, students can also take advantage of student exchange programs, career services, clubs and societies, and sports centres.
The main Camperdown/Darlington campus mixes historic sandstone buildings with newer learning and research spaces, close to Sydney’s city centre.
CRICOS code: 00026A
Services
New students are welcomed through Sydney’s Welcome Program, which includes an International Student Welcome Day. Peer Support Advisors at the Welcome Hub (Level 3, Wentworth Building) can answer questions about student life, and international students have their own International Student Lounge on Level 4 of the same building.
For ongoing support, the free Learning Hub helps students build academic communication, maths and research skills. The Student Counselling Service offers free counselling, and the Careers Centre runs workshops and consultations. International students can also access 24/7 wellbeing support through Sonder, wherever they are in the world. The University of Sydney Union adds fortnightly G’Day Gatherings, a Language Exchange Program and Welcome to Sydney day trips, all designed to help international students make friends quickly.
Rankings
The University of Sydney performs strongly in the major global rankings:
- 28th in the QS World University Rankings 2027
- 51st in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027
- 31st in the US News Best Global Universities 2026–2027, and 2nd in Australia
- 79th in the ShanghaiRanking Academic Ranking of World Universities 2026
- 15th in the world for sustainability (QS Sustainability Rankings 2026)
- Top 50 in the world for more than 40 disciplines, including 3rd for Sports-Related Subjects, 16th for Veterinary Science and 17th for Law (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026)
Accommodation
Sydney offers three types of accommodation. Its self-catered university residences are Abercrombie, with studio-style living, Regiment, the Queen Mary Building, and Darlington House, where students share apartments. Residential colleges, including St Andrew’s, St John’s, St Paul’s, Wesley, Women’s, Sancta Sophia and Mandelbaum House, offer fully furnished rooms, three catered meals a day and laundry services.
Off campus, there is independently operated student housing, homestay and privately managed share houses. The Accommodation Support team is based at Superintendent’s House on City Road, Darlington.
Location
The University of Sydney’s main Camperdown/Darlington campus is less than four kilometres from Sydney’s city centre, between Redfern, Newtown and Broadway and bordered by Parramatta Road and City Road. The closest train stations are Central, Newtown and Redfern, with buses running along both roads. The campus is also close to Darling Harbour and the CBD. Sydney Airport is around 13 minutes by train from the city centre.
Beyond campus, Sydney is known for its harbour and landmarks such as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, as well as beaches including Bondi, Coogee and Manly.
Courses offered at University of Sydney
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