Founded in 1946 by an act of the Australian Parliament, ANU is the country’s only national university, ranking 29th in the QS World University Rankings 2027. Based in the national capital Canberra, it holds particular strength in international relations, public policy, and physics, benefiting from proximity to Australia’s federal government.

International undergraduate applicants apply directly with secondary school results, while ANU’s Bachelor of Philosophy program requires a separate, more selective application for high-achieving students seeking a research-intensive undergraduate experience.

ANU’s Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) program admits students purely on academic merit into a small, research-intensive cohort, distinct from standard undergraduate admission which relies primarily on secondary school grades.

ANU offers the Chancellor’s International Scholarship, covering 100% tuition for a small number of exceptionally high-achieving international undergraduate applicants each year, alongside numerous need-based bursaries for postgraduate researchers.

ANU’s parkland campus sits in the heart of Canberra, Australia’s purpose-built capital city, giving students close proximity to Parliament House, national museums, and numerous government and diplomatic institutions relevant to its policy-focused programs.