Curtin University

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 6 November 2026.

About Curtin University

Curtin was founded in 1966 as the Western Australian Institute of Technology. It became a university in December 1986 under the name Curtin University of Technology and dropped “of Technology” in 2010.^[1] Its main campus is in Bentley, Perth; it also has a Murray Street site, Kalgoorlie and the Muresk Institute, and campuses abroad in Colombo, Dubai, Malaysia, Mauritius and Singapore.^[2]

Curtin has four faculties (Business and Law, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science and Engineering) and the Centre for Aboriginal Studies.^[1] Its 2025 enrolment figure of 66,893 includes students at its overseas campuses. Of the 19,187 international enrolments, 10,489 were offshore.^[2] Curtin notes that its figures may differ from the 2025 annual report.^[2]

How is Curtin University ranked?

Curtin states that it is 189th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027.^[3] A national media list for the same edition shows Curtin at 12th in Australia with a global rank of 189.^[4]

On that list, UTS is 9th (equal 87th in the world), RMIT 10th (119th) and Macquarie University 11th (126th).^[4] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at Curtin University?

Curtin teaches in four faculties: Business and Law, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Science and Engineering.^[1] Examples of international courses we read, with their CRICOS codes (the national registration code for courses open to international students):

• Bachelor of Commerce: CRICOS 013905G.^[5]
• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours): indicative total course fee A$173,280 in 2026.^[6]
• Bachelor of Science (Advanced Nursing): CRICOS 118283D.^[10]
• Bachelor of Computing: indicative total course fee A$123,036 in 2026.^[8]

The total course fees equal the first-year fee multiplied by the length of the course (for example, 173,280 is four times 43,320, which suggests four years for the engineering degree; this is our inference).^[6]

How much does Curtin University cost for international students?

Curtin prices by course: all units within a study year are charged at the same rate. Your letter of offer gives an estimate for the whole course and an indicative price for the first semester, which you pay before accepting.^[11] Course pages show an indicative first-year fee and an indicative total course fee for each calendar year.

The amounts come from the fee data embedded in each course page (indicative year-1 and total fees); we read them from the page data, and the visible text may present them differently.^{[5][8][6][10]} The 2027 first-year figures are about 10% higher than for 2026 for engineering, computing and nursing.

What we could not confirm

We did not find international fee data on the course pages for the Master of Computing, the Master of Information Systems and Technology or the Master of Business Administration, and the Master of Architecture page says that fee information is not currently available. We therefore give no postgraduate coursework figure. Use the course page with the international view or Curtin’s student fee calculator.^[11]

Other costs

For living costs, health cover and visas see our Study in Australia guide and the Australia overview.

How do you apply to Curtin University?

International applicants apply directly through Curtin’s online application portal or through a Curtin registered agent.^[12] For a direct application you:

1. gather certified copies of your qualifications, proof of English and translations of documents not in English;
2. create an account and choose up to five course preferences (you can also ask to be considered for a Curtin English pathway; only your first preference is assessed unless you do not meet its entry requirements);
3. accept your offer, which triggers a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) showing your course, duration and tuition fees;
4. apply for an Australian student visa. For the visa, Curtin tells applicants to select the study mode “Full-time – Internal” only.^[12]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year. Check your course page for the intake and see the Study in Australia guide for visa basics.

Which English level do you need?

Curtin’s table of accepted English tests lists IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.0 in listening, reading, writing and speaking. For PTE Academic the overall score is 58, with component minimums that differ for tests taken before and from August 2026.^[7] Scores must come from a test taken within two years of the application.^[7] Some courses have higher requirements, so check the admission criteria of your course.^[7]

If you fall short, completing the Curtin English Language Bridging (ELB) program can meet the requirement, with exceptions for some courses such as education, nursing and psychology degrees.^[7]

More about studying in Australia

• Australia: best universities
• Study in Australia: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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