🏅 QS World Rank #28
The University of Sydney — Full Profile & Ranking 2026
Australia’s oldest university, a sandstone icon — QS World Rankings 2027 #28
The University of Sydney is a public research university in Sydney, Australia, founded in 1850 — the country’s oldest university. In the QS World University Rankings 2027 (released June 2026), Sydney was ranked 28th in the world, one of nine Australian universities in the global top 100. A founding Group of Eight member, Sydney is best known for medicine, law, and architecture, centred on its historic sandstone Quadrangle. This guide covers Sydney’s faculties, undergraduate admission, 2026–27 tuition fees, scholarships for international students, advice for applicants from Pakistan, and the questions prospective students ask most. Every figure is labelled with its year or source.
University of Sydney Overview
Founded in 1850, the University of Sydney is Australia’s oldest university and a founding member of the Group of Eight, the country’s leading research-intensive universities. Its main campus is built around the historic sandstone Quadrangle, one of Australia’s most recognisable university buildings, located close to Sydney’s central business district. Sydney is particularly well known for medicine, law, architecture, and veterinary science, and it attracts a large international student population from across Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia, including Pakistan.
Sydney Rankings — QS World University Rankings 2027
The University of Sydney is ranked 28th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) in June 2026. It is one of nine Australian universities in the global top 100, behind UNSW Sydney (19th) and the University of Melbourne (22nd), and ahead of the Australian National University (29th).
QS ranks universities using academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, student-to-faculty ratio, and measures of international faculty and students. This is a QS-specific result, not a universal ranking — Times Higher Education, U.S. News, and ARWU use different methods and can order the same universities differently.
Source: QS TopUniversities, QS World University Rankings 2027 (released 18 June 2026).
Faculties & Key Strengths
Sydney is organised into faculties and schools, and is particularly known for:
- Medicine — Sydney Medical School, offering a graduate-entry Doctor of Medicine
- Law — Sydney Law School, one of Australia’s oldest and most respected
- Architecture — Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning
- Engineering — Faculty of Engineering, including civil, mechanical, and software engineering
- Veterinary Science — among Australia’s leading programs in the field
For the full list of faculties and degrees, see Sydney’s official website.
Explore Related Guides & Rankings
Admission Requirements
Sydney admission details below were checked in October 2026. Confirm them on Sydney’s admissions site before applying.
Undergraduate Admissions
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Application Method | Direct application to the university (no centralised national portal for international applicants) |
| Entry Basis | Secondary school results equivalent to the Australian ATAR system (e.g. A-Levels, IB, or local examination boards) |
| Semester 1 (Feb) Intake | International applications typically close around early December the previous year, with earlier cut-offs once course capacity is reached |
| Semester 2 (Aug) Intake | International applications typically close in the preceding May |
| Medicine (Doctor of Medicine) | Graduate-entry only, requiring a completed Bachelor’s degree and a competitive GAMSAT score |
| English Requirement | IELTS, TOEFL, or an approved equivalent for applicants whose prior education was not in English |
Graduate Admissions
Postgraduate applicants need a relevant Bachelor’s degree in most programs; coursework and research postgraduate deadlines vary by faculty and intake.
Official sources: Sydney International Applicants.
Sydney Acceptance Rate
The University of Sydney’s overall acceptance rate is commonly estimated at around 30%, based on third-party aggregated admissions data rather than a single official university figure. Sydney does not publish one headline acceptance rate the way some U.S. universities do, since admission is assessed per-course against ATAR-equivalent entry scores that vary by faculty and by year.
Figures are aggregated estimates; always check current entry requirements per course on Sydney’s official admissions pages.
Practical Application Checklist
- Identify your target intake — Semester 1 (February) or Semester 2 (August) — and its application deadline
- Confirm your secondary school result’s ATAR-equivalent score for your chosen course
- Book an IELTS/TOEFL test early if your prior education was not in English
- If applying for Medicine, plan separately for the GAMSAT and a completed Bachelor’s degree
- Apply for the Sydney Scholars International Scholarship or Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship alongside your course application, where eligible
- Plan for the full cost of attendance, including living costs in Sydney
- Check Australian student visa (subclass 500) requirements
- Verify every date, fee, and requirement on Sydney’s official website before submitting
Tuition & Costs
International undergraduate tuition at Sydney varies widely by faculty — roughly AU$49,200–97,000 per year for 2026–27, with Medicine and other specialised programs at the top of that range. There is no single flat tuition figure, since Sydney charges per course and per faculty.
Source: Sydney’s international student tuition fee schedule, cross-checked against third-party fee aggregators, October 2026. Always confirm the exact fee for your specific course on Sydney’s official fees page, since amounts are set annually and vary by program.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
- Sydney Scholars International Scholarship — up to 50% tuition reduction for high-achieving international undergraduate applicants
- Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship — tuition fee reductions, up to full tuition for top-performing applicants in some cycles, based on academic results
- Faculty-specific research scholarships — available for postgraduate and research students
Scholarship terms, values, and eligibility change year to year — confirm current offerings on Sydney’s scholarships page. Funding is not automatic or guaranteed for every applicant.
Sydney for Pakistani Students
Pakistani applicants apply directly to Sydney as international students; there is no separate country-specific quota. Practical points:
- Intermediate/A-Level or equivalent results are assessed against ATAR-equivalent entry requirements per course
- IELTS and similar English tests are available in major Pakistani cities, including Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad
- Apply for the Sydney Scholars International Scholarship alongside your course application if your academic profile is strong but funding is a concern — this is assessed individually and is not guaranteed
- An Australian student visa (subclass 500) is required only after a formal offer; visa decisions are made solely by the Australian government, not by Sydney
- Applicants do not need a paid agent to apply — applications are submitted directly through Sydney’s online portal
- Always verify current deadlines, fees, and requirements on Sydney’s official website before applying
Campus & Student Life
- Sydney’s main campus is centred on the historic sandstone Quadrangle, close to Sydney’s central business district
- Students have access to the city’s harbour, beaches, and cultural attractions
- Dozens of clubs and societies cover academic, cultural, and sporting interests
- On-campus and nearby accommodation options are available for domestic and international students
Research & Career Opportunities
- Sydney is a major research university with particular strength in medicine, law, and architecture
- Sydney graduates work across law, medicine, government, business, and academia in Australia and internationally
- Sydney does not guarantee employment, salary, or visa outcomes after graduation
Notable Alumni
- Multiple Australian Prime Ministers
- Numerous High Court of Australia judges and senior legal figures
Contact & Location
The University of Sydney
Camperdown Campus, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia
Admissions email: international.office@sydney.edu.au
Official website: sydney.edu.au
Contact details can change year to year — check the official website for the most current information.
Frequently Asked Questions
The University of Sydney is ranked 28th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027, released in June 2026.
Yes, founded in 1850, the University of Sydney is Australia’s oldest university.
Yes, Sydney’s Doctor of Medicine is a graduate-entry program requiring a completed Bachelor’s degree and a competitive GAMSAT score.
Sydney is best known for medicine, law, and architecture.
Sydney’s acceptance rate is commonly estimated at around 30%, based on aggregated third-party data; Sydney does not publish one single official acceptance rate.
International undergraduate tuition for 2026–27 is roughly AU$49,200–97,000 per year, varying by faculty, with Medicine and specialised programs at the higher end.
Yes. Pakistani applicants follow the standard international process; IELTS testing is available in major Pakistani cities.
Check Sydney’s official admissions and fees pages, since deadlines, charges, and entry requirements are set annually per course and can change.
Compare Sydney With Other Top Universities
Disclaimer: This page is based on the QS World University Rankings 2027, the University of Sydney’s official admissions and fees pages, and other publicly available sources, last checked in October 2026. Fees, rankings, deadlines, and admission rules change, and no admission, funding, visa, or employment outcome is guaranteed. Always verify current details directly with the University of Sydney before applying.