Monash University remains the largest university in Australia in 2024, with 93,227 students. Of these, 42,270 are international students, and 86,269 study on campus. Its size, global reach, and major campuses in Melbourne and Malaysia keep Monash at the forefront of Australian higher education, attracting students from every continent.
UNSW Sydney now ranks second, with 82,283 students and a strong international cohort of 38,444. The University of Sydney follows closely with 78,882 students, including 40,111 internationals — giving it one of the largest overseas student populations in the country.
RMIT University and the University of Melbourne round out the top five, each with around 75,000 students and more than 70,000 attending on campus. These four major universities — Monash, UNSW, Sydney, and Melbourne — dominate the sector in both scale and global engagement.
Further down, Deakin University continues to stand out for its extensive online enrolments, with 59,455 students but only 37,713 attending on campus. Swinburne University of Technology shows a similar trend, with nearly 45,000 students yet fewer than 30,000 on site. Both universities have leveraged digital delivery to expand their reach beyond traditional campus boundaries.
Biggest Uni Campus in Australia
Monash University - Clayton Campus
Monash University’s Clayton campus is its largest and central hub, hosting the majority of Monash’s 86,269 on-campus students. With multiple faculties based here, it’s estimated that around 80% of Monash’s total enrolment — roughly 75,000 students — attend Clayton. It provides a comprehensive academic environment with advanced facilities, research centres, and vibrant student life.
University of Sydney - Camperdown/Darlington Campus
The Camperdown/Darlington campus is among the biggest in Australia, housing most of the University of Sydney’s 76,454 on-campus students. Given its central location and wide range of academic offerings, it could accommodate around 90% of the on-campus population, which translates to approximately 69,000 students. This makes it a close competitor to Monash Clayton in overall campus size.
UNSW Sydney - Kensington Campus
UNSW’s Kensington campus is the main base for the university’s 74,676 on-campus students. With a broad academic offering and comprehensive facilities, approximately 90% of students could be attending this location — around 67,000. Kensington is the university’s largest teaching and research facility, serving most of its faculties.
University of Melbourne - Parkville Campus
Parkville is the flagship campus for the University of Melbourne, with the vast majority of the university’s 72,245 on-campus students based here. About 85% of these are likely at Parkville, equating to around 61,000. As the heart of Melbourne’s academic community, Parkville hosts a wide range of programs and is known for its strong research focus.
RMIT University - City Campus
RMIT’s City campus in Melbourne’s CBD hosts around 72,000 students across design, technology, and business disciplines. Deeply integrated into the city, it provides a dynamic urban learning experience closely connected to Melbourne’s professional landscape.
University of Queensland - St Lucia Campus
The St Lucia campus at the University of Queensland remains the university’s main location, with 55,161 on-campus students. Around 90% of these, or approximately 50,000, are likely based at St Lucia. This large and picturesque campus supports a wide range of disciplines and research activities.
Curtin University - Bentley Campus
Curtin University's main campus in Perth (Bentley) serves as the largest base, hosting around 42,700 students. This expansive campus offers a lively academic environment with comprehensive facilities and resources. Bentley remains a key hub for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, supported by Curtin's smaller Perth locations.
Macquarie University - Wallumattagal Campus (North Ryde)
Macquarie University’s Wallumattagal Campus at North Ryde hosts most of its 40,542 on-campus students. As the university’s primary location, it likely accommodates about 90% of Macquarie’s total student body, placing around 36,000 students on-site. The campus combines open parkland with modern learning facilities and is home to the Macquarie University Hospital and the Macquarie Park Innovation District.
Largest Schools and Faculties
The largest Australian business unit by 2024 enrolments is the RMIT University – College of Business and Law (Management & Commerce: 25,892 students).
Management and Commerce
Business faculties remain the biggest category by headcount.
- RMIT University – College of Business and Law – 21,234 undergraduate, 4,658 postgraduate (total 25,892)
- UNSW Sydney – UNSW Business School – 9,166 undergraduate, 14,532 postgraduate (total 23,698)
- Monash University – Faculty of Business and Economics – 14,017 undergraduate, 7,886 postgraduate (total 21,903)
Society and Culture
Arts, humanities, social sciences and law.
- University of Sydney – Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – 11,767 undergraduate, 5,533 postgraduate (total 17,300)
- Monash University – School of Social Sciences – 9,509 undergraduate, 6,608 postgraduate (total 16,117)
- University of Melbourne – School of Social and Political Sciences – 7,841 undergraduate, 7,135 postgraduate (total 14,976)
Engineering
Engineering and related technologies.
- UNSW Sydney – Faculty of Engineering – 6,958 undergraduate, 6,040 postgraduate (total 12,998)
- RMIT University – School of Engineering – 8,772 undergraduate, 2,012 postgraduate (total 10,784)
- Monash University – Faculty of Engineering – 7,798 undergraduate, 1,633 postgraduate (total 9,431)
Computer Science
Information technology, computing, software and data science.
- UNSW Sydney – School of Computer Science and Engineering – 6,193 undergraduate, 5,148 postgraduate (total 11,341)
- Monash University – Faculty of Information Technology – 4,763 undergraduate, 4,912 postgraduate (total 9,675)
- Deakin University – School of Information Technology – 3,141 undergraduate, 4,787 postgraduate (total 7,928)
Note: “Undergraduate” figures include all enrolments not classified as postgraduate, which may encompass enabling, non-award and microcredential courses.