Melbourne has been crowned Australia’s best student city and the fifth in the world, as the number of international students in the city continues to increase.
The QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023 sees Melbourne climb one position from its global rank in 2022, beating out Sydney in ninth place, Brisbane in 24th and Adelaide in equal 31st. London took out top place, followed by Seoul and Munich in equal second.
Melbourne ranked third in the world for ‘student voice’, which is based on former students recommending the city to their peers as a destination of choice for student experience.
It comes as the City of Melbourne doubles down on its commitment to deliver the world’s best student experience by providing a range of initiatives to attract and retain international students, including:
- Welcome activities and free tickets to key attractions and events
- Employment and mentoring programs
- Wellness outreach to address mental health, legal and food security issues
- Conversation clubs and language classes at city libraries
- Support services and programs at ‘The Couch’ International Student Centre
- Collaborations with Study Melbourne, educational institutions and student groups to support wellbeing.
Council is also advocating to the Federal Government for an automatic four-year post-study work visa for international students who complete their studies in Australia to enhance Melbourne’s attractiveness as a study destination and to deliver more talent and skilled labour.
Last month, there were more than 85,000 international students in Melbourne – a 25 per cent increase from December 2021, and the highest level since March.
Students from India are Melbourne’s biggest international cohort, making up 22 per cent of all international students, followed by China, Nepal and Vietnam.
