Key takeaways
- UNSW is first in Australia in QS 2027 at 19, the University of Sydney is 28, UTS 87 and Macquarie 126.
- The program’s Australia page lists ACU, Macquarie, Sydney and UTS in Sydney; UNSW is not shown on it as at September 2026 despite appearing in the guide’s field lists.
- The student visa requires A$29,710 a year for living costs; UNSW puts actual Sydney costs at A$28,860 to A$40,820 a year.
- Median asking rent for Sydney units was A$750 a week in the December quarter of 2025, the highest of any Australian capital.
- Adult Opal fares are capped at A$19.30 a day and A$50 a week; international students get concessions only on specific Australian scholarships.
- The Saudi Student Club in Sydney is open to all Saudi students and welcomes new arrivals; its email is [email protected].
In this article
Sydney has Australia’s two highest-ranked universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (ABC News) and the country’s highest rents at the same time. For a Saudi scholarship student it offers four universities on the Ministry of Education’s list inside the city, a recognised Saudi student club, and a KD office. This is a practical guide with figures: universities, cost, housing, transport, and who to turn to on arrival.
Which universities are in Sydney and how are they ranked?
| University | QS World University Rankings 2027 | On the Australia page of the scholarship program site | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNSW Sydney | 19 | Not shown on the page as at September 2026; check in Safeer | First in Australia in QS 2027 |
| University of Sydney | 28 | Yes | Third in the world for sports-related subjects in the QS Subject Rankings 2026 |
| University of Technology Sydney (UTS) | 87 | Yes | Highest in Australia for nursing in the QS Subject Rankings 2026 |
| Macquarie University | 126 | Yes | 18th in the world for philosophy in the QS Subject Rankings 2026 |
Overall ranks for UNSW, Sydney and UTS are from ABC (ABC News – QS 2027, 18 June 2026); Macquarie’s rank is from its official page (Macquarie University – Reputation and rankings, June 2026); subject details are from Study Australia – QS Subject Rankings 2026 (7 April 2026). The Ministry’s page lists Australian Catholic University, Macquarie, Sydney and UTS in Sydney, plus Western Sydney University in Penrith and the University of Wollongong south of the city (Ministry of Education – Australia, as at September 2026). Note that UNSW does appear in the field lists of the 2026–2027 guide (engineering 16, ICT 33 on the Emdad list) (Ministry of Education – Guide), so confirm it is listed for your track and major in Safeer before applying.
Sydney itself ranked sixth in the QS Best Student Cities 2026 (, 15 July 2025) and held sixth in the 2027 edition (, 21 July 2026). New South Wales hosts more than 200,000 international students from over 160 countries and has six universities in the world’s top 200 (Study Australia – New South Wales (Sydney), as at September 2026).
To choose a university by your major rather than its overall rank, see Arruaad track: conditions, majors and universities.
How much does living in Sydney cost?
The student visa requires at least A$29,710 a year in living funds for a single student since 10 May 2024, but UNSW estimates actual living costs in Sydney at roughly A$28,860 a year for a modest on-campus lifestyle and upwards of A$40,820 for an off-campus apartment with frequent dining out, that is A$2,645 to A$4,166 a month (UNSW – Cost of living in Sydney, as at September 2026).
Monthly breakdown
| Item | UTS monthly estimate | University of Sydney monthly estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 1,200–3,400 | 980–3,500 |
| Food and groceries | 400–800 | 1,000–2,500 |
| Utilities and internet | 150–400 | not itemised |
| Transport | 130–800 | 130–800 |
| Mobile phone | 30–100 | 30–100 |
| Lifestyle and entertainment | 350–650 | 350–650 |
Figures in Australian dollars from UTS – Cost of living and University of Sydney – Living costs (as at September 2026); the University of Sydney adds about A$500 a semester for textbooks. A scholarship student receives a monthly allowance, so the value of these figures is knowing where most of it goes: housing.
Where do students live in Sydney, and for how much?
Shared accommodation near UTS in the city centre runs A$370 to A$550 a week (UTS – Cost of living). Across the city, the median asking rent in the December quarter of 2025 was A$750 a week for units and A$800 for houses, the highest of any Australian capital, against A$580 for units in Melbourne and Canberra (ABC News – Domain rent report, 15 January 2026). The practical rule: a room in a share house or university accommodation costs far less than renting an apartment alone, and suburbs further from campus on a train line lower the rent but raise the transport bill; cost both together.
KD lists accommodation assistance among its services and has an announced partnership with Scape student accommodation; ask about options near your university through contact us.
How do you get around Sydney, and what does it cost?
Public transport (train, metro, bus, ferry and light rail) runs on the Opal card or a bank card. Adult fares are capped at A$19.30 a day Monday to Thursday, A$9.65 on Fridays, weekends and public holidays, and A$50 a week, with a 30% discount off-peak (, as at September 2026). Transport for NSW notes that international students are eligible for concession fares only if they hold specific Australian Government scholarships (Endeavour, Australia Awards or RTP) , so budget the full adult fare.
The Saudi Student Club in Sydney and the KD office
Saudi students in Sydney have a student club that works with the Saudi Cultural Mission. Membership is open to "all Saudi students", whether government-sponsored, self-funded or company-sponsored, and its stated goals include welcoming new students and introducing them to the city, national and religious celebrations, academic workshops and sports competitions; its email is [email protected] (Ministry of Education – Saudi Cultural Mission in Australia: Student clubs, as at September 2026). Contact the club before you fly; welcoming new students is one of its published tasks.
KD has an office in Sydney alongside its Riyadh office, offering admissions and visa advice, accommodation assistance and NAATI-certified translation. It wrote about the city in 2019 that its study options are "excellent" and its lifestyle "suits Saudi students" (KD on X, 5 November 2019).
Steps to plan your study in Sydney
- Choose the major first, then the university from your field’s list in the Ministry’s guide, and confirm it is listed for your track in Safeer.
- Secure a final unconditional offer; it is a scholarship condition in every track (Ministry of Education – Conditions).
- Apply for the student visa from Saudi Arabia; the application charge is A$2,500 from 1 July 2026 (Study Australia).
- Book temporary accommodation near campus for the first weeks, then look for a permanent place once you have seen the suburbs yourself.
- Register with the Saudi Student Club and tell it your arrival date.
- Set a monthly budget of A$2,645–4,166 (UNSW) and track it for the first three months.
To start an application to a Sydney university, begin with the application form and read how the process works; to compare every track, see the guide to Saudi scholarship programs.
Frequently asked questions
The program’s Australia page lists Australian Catholic University, Macquarie, the University of Sydney and UTS in Sydney, plus Western Sydney University and Wollongong. UNSW is not shown on that page as at September 2026 although it appears in the guide’s field lists, so check in Safeer.
UNSW estimates A$2,645 to A$4,166 a month depending on housing and lifestyle, about A$28,860 to more than A$40,820 a year. The visa minimum is A$29,710 a year.
Shared accommodation near UTS costs A$370 to A$550 a week, and the city-wide median asking rent for units was A$750 a week in the December quarter of 2025. A room in a share house or university housing is cheaper than a standalone apartment.
No, unless they hold a specific Australian Government scholarship such as Australia Awards or RTP. Adult fares are capped at A$19.30 a day Monday to Thursday and A$50 a week.
UNSW is 19th in the world and first in Australia, the University of Sydney 28th, UTS 87th and Macquarie 126th. Sydney itself is sixth in the QS Best Student Cities 2026 and 2027.
Through its email [email protected], published on the student clubs page of the Saudi Cultural Mission. Membership is open to all Saudi students, and welcoming new students is one of its tasks.
Official sources
- UNSW top performer in QS World University Rankings 2027 — ABC News
- Our reputation and rankings — Macquarie University
- QS Rankings by Subject 2026 released — Study Australia (Australian Government)
- أستراليا – قائمة جامعات الابتعاث — وزارة التعليم – برنامج خادم الحرمين الشريفين للابتعاث
- الدليل الاسترشادي لقوائم الجامعات حسب المجالات 2026–2027 — وزارة التعليم
- New South Wales (Sydney) — Study Australia (Australian Government)
- Cost of living in Sydney as an international student — UNSW Sydney
- Cost of living — University of Technology Sydney
- Living costs — The University of Sydney
- Sydney rents hit record highs as affordability ceiling looms (Domain Quarterly Rent Report) — ABC News
- الأندية الطلابية – الملحقية الثقافية السعودية في أستراليا — وزارة التعليم
Ready to start?
KD International helps you choose a university, prepare your admission and visa file, and answers your questions about Saudi scholarships and studying in Australia. Apply now or message us on WhatsApp.
Last updated: 14 September 2026. Fees and requirements change; always confirm with the official source before deciding.
