Australian Universities — QS Rankings and Assessment Levels
Search any Australian university to instantly see its QS World University Ranking 2026, student visa Assessment Level under the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF), and the exact document checklist required for your subclass 500 application.
What is an Australian university Assessment Level?
An Assessment Level is a risk rating from 1 (lowest) to 3 (highest) assigned by the Australian Department of Home Affairs to every registered education provider. It determines exactly how much financial and English evidence an international student must submit when lodging a subclass 500 student visa application from countries like India and the UAE.
- There are 38 public universities in Australia, plus several major private providers.
- All 8 Group of Eight (Go8) universities are classified Assessment Level 1.
- Level 1 requires the least documentation at lodgement; Level 3 the most.
- Living-cost evidence requirement for 2026 is AUD 29,710 per year.
- Home Affairs reviews provider Assessment Levels every 6 months.
- A higher QS ranking does not automatically mean a lower Assessment Level.
At a Glance
Australian universities by Assessment Level — March 2026
A summary of how the 42 institutions in this database are distributed across Group of Eight membership and the three SSVF Assessment Levels.
8
Group of Eight
Australia's research-intensive Go8 universities — all sit at Assessment Level 1.
26
Level 1
Lowest visa scrutiny. Includes all Go8 plus 18 other major public universities.
12
Level 2
Standard visa scrutiny. Full financial and English evidence required at lodgement.
4
Level 3
Highest visa scrutiny. Most stringent financial, English, and GS requirements.
Searchable Database
Find your university, ranking, level, and document checklist
Search by name, or filter by Group of Eight membership or Assessment Level. The "Checklist" button on each row opens the exact document requirements for that university's Assessment Level — financial, English, GS, and academic evidence.
42 universities shown
| AU Rank | University | State | QS World 2026 | Assessment Level | Visa Scrutiny | Checklist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | The University of Melbourne | VIC | 19 | ★ GROUP 8 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #2 | UNSW Sydney | NSW | 20 | ★ GROUP 8 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #3 | The University of Sydney | NSW | 25 | ★ GROUP 8 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #4 | Australian National University (ANU) | ACT | 32 | ★ GROUP 8 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #5 | Monash University | VIC | 36 | ★ GROUP 8 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #6 | The University of Queensland | QLD | 42 | ★ GROUP 8 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #7 | The University of Western Australia | WA | 77 | ★ GROUP 8 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #8 | The University of Adelaide | SA | 82 | ★ GROUP 8 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #9 | University of Technology Sydney (UTS) | NSW | 96 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #10 | RMIT University | VIC | 123 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #11 | Macquarie University | NSW | 148 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #12 | University of Wollongong | NSW | 167 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #13 | University of Newcastle | NSW | 173 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #14 | Curtin University | WA | 174 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #15 | Queensland University of Technology (QUT) | QLD | 192 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #16 | Deakin University | VIC | 197 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #17 | La Trobe University | VIC | 217 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #18 | Swinburne University of Technology | VIC | 245 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #19 | Griffith University | QLD | 251 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #20 | University of South Australia (UniSA) | SA | 326 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #21 | University of Canberra | ACT | 461 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #22 | Bond University | QLD | 522 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #23 | Edith Cowan University (ECU) | WA | 581 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #24 | Flinders University | SA | 380 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #25 | Australian Catholic University (ACU) | NSW | 781 | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #26 | University of Notre Dame Australia | WA | Unranked | LEVEL 1 | Lowest | Checklist |
| #27 | James Cook University (JCU) | QLD | 388 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #28 | University of Tasmania | TAS | 322 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #29 | Western Sydney University | NSW | 432 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #30 | Murdoch University | WA | 477 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #31 | The University of New England | NSW | 581 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #32 | Victoria University | VIC | 601 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #33 | Charles Sturt University | NSW | 711 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #34 | Federation University Australia | VIC | 851 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #35 | Charles Darwin University | NT | 951 | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #36 | CQUniversity (Central Queensland) | QLD | 1001+ | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #37 | Southern Cross University | NSW | 1001+ | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #38 | University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) | QLD | 1001+ | LEVEL 2 | Standard | Checklist |
| #39 | Torrens University Australia | SA | Unranked | LEVEL 3 | Highest | Checklist |
| #40 | Excelsia College | NSW | Unranked | LEVEL 3 | Highest | Checklist |
| #41 | Alphacrucis University College | NSW | Unranked | LEVEL 3 | Highest | Checklist |
| #42 | Avondale University | NSW | Unranked | LEVEL 3 | Highest | Checklist |
No universities match your search
Try a different name or clear the filter to see all results.
Assessment Levels and rankings change without notice
The Australian Department of Home Affairs reviews provider-level immigration risk ratings regularly, and Assessment Levels can move up or down based on a provider's most recent visa refusal and cancellation rates. The data shown above reflects what is publicly available and verified by G2H as of 15 March 2026.
If you have any question or concern about your university's current Assessment Level — or you have spotted information here that needs correcting — please email our compliance team at compliance@guidetoheights.com and we will review and respond within one business day.
Need the master document checklist by level?
Each Assessment Level requires a different evidence pack — financial, English, Genuine Student, and academic. Open the interactive checklist to see exactly what's required for your level and country.
Key Facts For Indian & GCC Students
What every applicant from Kerala, India and the UAE should know
Direct, plain-language answers to the questions most asked by parents and students from Kerala, the GCC, and across India when choosing an Australian university and preparing the subclass 500 application.
India is currently classified as a higher-risk source country
Indian passport holders historically face stricter visa scrutiny than students from many other markets. Choosing a Level 1 university — especially a Group of Eight — meaningfully reduces the documentation burden at lodgement and shortens processing time.
Living-cost evidence requirement for 2026 is AUD 29,710
This is the annual single-applicant figure set by Home Affairs in 2026. Add AUD 10,394 for a spouse, AUD 13,502 per school-age child, and AUD 4,449 for each child below school age. Funds must be held for at least 28 days before lodgement.
All 8 Group of Eight universities are Assessment Level 1
The Go8 comprises Melbourne, UNSW, Sydney, ANU, Monash, Queensland, UWA, and Adelaide. These are Australia's research-intensive universities and are the safest choice for visa-scrutiny purposes for Indian and GCC students.
QS Ranking and Assessment Level are not the same thing
QS World Rankings measure academic and research performance. Assessment Levels measure immigration risk based on visa refusal and cancellation rates. A university can have a modest QS ranking but still be Level 1 — and vice versa.
Assessment Levels are reviewed by Home Affairs every six months
A provider's level can change without prior public notice. Your subclass 500 application is processed against the Assessment Level applicable on the date you lodge, not the date you accepted your offer — so lodging promptly matters.
G2H consultancy is 100% free for students
All university shortlisting, application processing, visa documentation, and pre-departure guidance is provided at no cost to students. G2H is paid directly by partner universities. Speak to a QEAC #10439 counsellor on +91 73065 83820 or book a free slot online.
Understanding Assessment Levels
What each level really means for your visa application
Under the Simplified Student Visa Framework, every Australian education provider is assigned an Assessment Level by the Department of Home Affairs. This determines how much financial and English-language evidence you must submit when lodging your subclass 500 application from India or the UAE.
Lowest Scrutiny
Level 1
Streamlined evidentiary requirements. You typically declare your financial capacity and English proficiency without lodging full supporting documents at application — but you must still hold them if requested. All Group of Eight universities and most major public universities sit here.
View Level 1 documentsStandard Scrutiny
Level 2
Regular evidentiary requirements. You will need to provide documentary evidence of financial capacity, English proficiency, and your Genuine Student credentials at the time of lodgement. Common for regional and newer public universities.
View Level 2 documentsHighest Scrutiny
Level 3
Enhanced evidentiary requirements. Full financial evidence covering 12 months of tuition and living costs, plus stricter English benchmarks and a detailed Genuine Student statement. Applied to higher-risk providers and some private institutions.
View Level 3 documents
Frequently Asked Questions