Choosing your study city in Australia

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth all have universities on Kuwait's approved list, but the cities differ in transport costs, rent and pace of life. Choose the university and program Kuwait recognises first. Then let the city help you decide between the options that remain.

Recognition comes before the city

• Kuwait's Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) approved list names universities, not campuses. Study must be on campus with regular attendance, and the program must already have graduated its first cohort. Confirm your campus with the Kuwait Cultural Office (KCO).
• For a Student visa, Home Affairs currently asks you to show AUD 29,710 for 12 months of living costs. It also warns that actual living costs vary across Australia and may be much higher than this amount.
• Study Australia's Cost of Living Calculator is an approximate guide, and its costs were last updated in November 2023. Each city's own guide is usually more current.

Sydney

• Study NSW calls Sydney Australia's most popular study destination. It also says New South Wales has the nation's largest community of international students, from more than 190 countries.
• Approved universities in Sydney include the University of Sydney, UNSW, UTS, Macquarie and Western Sydney University.
• Transport: NSW tertiary concession fares are for citizens and permanent residents. International students qualify only if they hold an Endeavour, Australia Awards or Research Training Program scholarship. Most students from Kuwait should budget for full adult fares.

Melbourne

• Study Melbourne says Victoria has 10 universities. Approved Melbourne universities include the University of Melbourne, Monash, RMIT, Deakin, La Trobe, Swinburne and Victoria University.
• Transport: full-time undergraduate international students at participating institutions may get an International Student Travel Pass, which gives a 50% discount (Study Melbourne, page updated 16 June 2026). Trams are free inside the city-centre Free Tram Zone.
• Support: the government-run Study Melbourne Hub in the city centre offers study spaces, events and advice.

Brisbane

• Study Queensland names UQ, QUT and Griffith as the three major universities in Brisbane, and all three are on Kuwait's list. Torrens University also has a Brisbane campus, but it is not on the list.
• Transport: all fares on Translink services are 50 cents per journey (Translink, viewed 3 October 2026).
• Lifestyle: Study Queensland highlights Brisbane's sunny weather year-round and its mix of city life and a relaxed pace.

Adelaide

• StudyAdelaide lists three public universities in the city: Adelaide University, Flinders University and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
• Check this one with KCO: Adelaide University officially opened in January 2026, after the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia merged. On 3 October 2026, Kuwait's NBAQ search tool still listed the two former universities separately and had no entry for Adelaide University. Confirm with KCO before you apply. Flinders is on the list. Torrens University, which also has an Adelaide campus, is not.
• Rent: StudyAdelaide says rent in Adelaide is lower than in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, citing CoreLogic's January 2025 median weekly unit rent.
• Transport: full-time post-secondary students can get a concession metroCARD, and StudyAdelaide says this gives international students a 50% discount. Trams are free in the city-centre zone.

Perth

• StudyPerth lists five Western Australian universities: Curtin, Edith Cowan, Murdoch, Notre Dame and UWA. Notre Dame is the only one of the five not on Kuwait's list.
• Costs: StudyPerth's cost-of-living page (updated 9 September 2026) gives a sample student budget of AUD 595 a week. That includes AUD 350 for shared rent in the city.
• Transport: Transperth gives university and TAFE students concession fares with a Tertiary SmartRider, and StudyPerth says international students are eligible.
• Time zone: StudyPerth notes that Western Australia is on GMT+8. That is the smallest time difference from Kuwait of the five cities, which can make calls home easier.

How to compare your shortlist

• Check that the university is on the approved list, and confirm your campus with KCO.
• Budget with the city's own guide rather than the visa minimum.
• Check whether international students can get transport concessions in that state.
• Compare the types of accommodation. For private rentals, Study Australia says you usually pay a bond of about four weeks' rent, plus rent in advance.