Brisbane is home to three major universities, each with a distinct character. Together they attract over 100,000 students from across Australia and around the world..
The University of Queensland (UQ)
Location: St Lucia (main), Gatton, Herston (medicine)
Students: ~55,000
Ranking: Top 50 globally (QS), #1 in Queensland
UQ is Brisbane's most prestigious university, a member of the Group of Eight (Australia's leading research universities). Known for strong programs in medicine, law, engineering, biological sciences, and business. Has the largest sandstone campus in Australia: the Great Court is a heritage-listed icon.
Campus life: UQ St Lucia is a 20-minute bus ride from the CBD. The campus has multiple colleges (St John's, St Leo's, Cromwell, etc.), over 200 student clubs, and the UQ Union runs bars, food courts, and events. The UQ Lakes busway and CityCat ferry connect the campus to the city.
Accommodation: On-campus colleges cost $450 — $800/week with meals. Shared houses in St Lucia, Toowong, and Indooroopilly range from $180 — $280/week per room.
Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
Location: Gardens Point (CBD), Kelvin Grove
Students: ~50,000
Ranking: Top 200 globally
QUT is known as the "university for the real world": strong industry connections and a focus on practical, career-ready graduates. Standout faculties include business, creative industries (journalism, film, fashion), law, and information technology. The Gardens Point campus is right in the CBD, a 5-minute walk from Central Station.
Campus life: QUT Guild runs events, bars, and support services. The Kelvin Grove campus shares a precinct with Kelvin Grove State College. The QUT Library at Gardens Point is one of the best study spaces in the city: great river views too.
Accommodation: Share houses in Kelvin Grove, Red Hill, and Petrie Terrace: $170 — $260/week per room. Student apartments at Kelvin Grove Urban Village from $250/week.
Griffith University
Location: Nathan, Mount Gravatt, South Bank (Queensland Conservatorium, Queensland College of Art), Gold Coast
Students: ~50,000
Ranking: Top 300 globally
Griffith is known for its strong arts, music, dentistry, and hospitality programs. The Nathan campus is set in bushland with incredible views of the city. The South Bank campus houses the prestigious Queensland Conservatorium of Music and Queensland College of Art (both world-class).
Campus life: Griffith's Nathan and Mount Gravatt campuses have a more relaxed, suburban feel. Free inter-campus buses connect Nathan, Mount Gravatt, and South Bank. The Student Guild runs events, clubs, and the campus bars.
Accommodation: Houses near Nathan/Mount Gravatt in MacGregor, Robertson, and Eight Mile Plains: $150 — $230/week per room. On-campus colleges available.
Student Life Tips
- Get a Student Go Card for discounted public transport
- Join student clubs: O-Week is the best time to find your people
- Brisbane's student-friendly suburbs: St Lucia, Toowong, Kelvin Grove, West End, Woolloongabba
- Part-time work is common: hospitality, retail, and tutoring pay $25 — $35/hour
- International students can work up to 48 hours per fortnight (2025 rules)
The Student Economy in Numbers
Brisbane’s three major universities — UQ, QUT, and Griffith — educate more than 150,000 students combined, including one of Australia’s largest international cohorts. The financial reality in 2026: domestic students pay HECS-HELP deferred fees ($8,000–$16,000 a year by degree), international students pay $35,000–$55,000 a year, and living costs add $450–$700 a week for rent, food, and transport.
Accommodation follows the campuses: UQ students cluster in St Lucia, Toowong, and Indooroopilly; QUT students across the CBD, Kelvin Grove, and Fortitude Valley; Griffith students in Nathan, Mount Gravatt, and the Gold Coast. On-campus colleges run $450–$800 a week with meals; shared houses cost $180–$280 a week per room.
Making University Work
Apply for scholarships early — UQ, QUT, and Griffith all run generous merit and equity schemes, and accommodation bursaries exist at the colleges. Use the student Go Card concession (half fares) and the free inner-city bus loop. Work rights: student visas allow 48 hours a fortnight during term, and Brisbane’s hospitality and tutoring markets pay $25–$40 an hour.
The Brisbane advantage: a smaller, friendlier student scene than Sydney with the same quality of education, and employers who hire locally — the big four banks, the resources companies, and the tech firms all recruit directly from the Queensland campuses. Join two or three societies in your first month; the network you build is the job market you’ll enter.