Address: Northfields Avenue, Keiraville, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia
Arts, Society and Business, Engineering and Information Sciences, Science, Medicine and Health
The University of Wollongong was founded in 1951 as a division of the New South Wales University of Technology in Wollongong. It became the Wollongong College of the University of New South Wales in 1962, and an independent institution on 1 January 1975, under an Act of the New South Wales Parliament. In 1982 it merged with the Wollongong Institute of Education.
The main campus is at Northfields Avenue in Keiraville, Wollongong, about 80 kilometres south of Sydney. It covers 82.4 hectares and holds 94 permanent buildings. The university has nine campuses in Australia, among them Batemans Bay, Bega, Liverpool, Shoalhaven, the Southern Highlands at Moss Vale, and Sydney sites. Abroad, it operates in Dubai, in Malaysia at Shah Alam and in Hong Kong through UOW College, and it also has activity in India.
The figures for 2022 give 31,908 students: 22,741 undergraduates, 6,994 in postgraduate coursework, 1,482 in postgraduate research and 691 non-award students. International students numbered more than 12,300 in 2023, which is more than 37 percent of the total according to the history section of the record. The staff counted 2,491 people, with 1,103 academics and 1,388 administrative employees.
Teaching is organised in three faculties: Arts, Society and Business; Engineering and Information Sciences; and Science, Medicine and Health. The Dubai campus was established in 1993 as the Institute of Australian Studies and opened as the University of Wollongong Dubai Campus in October 2000. It counts more than 4,000 students from almost 100 countries.
The vice-chancellor is Max Lu. The university counts more than 176,000 alumni. Its rankings in recent lists are QS 2026 tied at 184th, Times Higher Education 2026 in the 201 to 250 band and the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2025 in the 301 to 400 band. The record also mentions that in the late 1970s the university reportedly supplied TCP/IP software that later became part of the World Wide Web. Fees differ for domestic and international students. Check the current tariff.
Domains taught:
Civil Engineering, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Engineering, Life Sciences, Materials, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Nine Australian campuses, Dubai campus, Malaysia campus, UOW College Hong Kong.
Research:
Engineering and information sciences, science, medicine and health, arts, society and business.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2491
Current students***:
31908
Foreign students***:
37%
Cumulative former students***:
176000
Pros
Main campus of 82.4 hectares near the sea, more than 37 percent international students, Dubai campus, more than 176,000 alumni.
Cons
Main campus about 80 km south of Sydney, regional campuses are small, competition for health places.
Best For
Students seeking a coastal Australian university with a large international community and campuses abroad.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Western Sydney University works in much the same fields, chiefly civil engineering, ecology and sustainability and life sciences, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
A good alternative in the same country is University of Newcastle Australia, which likewise covers civil engineering, ecology and sustainability and life sciences; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
Griffith University overlaps with this institution on ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics, so the two are easy to compare, and it is also a public institution and does not run the mba programmes found here.
On content, University of New South Wales and this institution are close, as both teach life sciences, data analytics and software engineering; it is larger, enrolling about 82,300 students against roughly 31,908 here, and is also a public institution.
Monash University follows much the same lines as this institution, with materials, life sciences and data analytics as common ground, and it is larger, enrolling about 86,600 students against roughly 31,908 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
University of Canterbury, in New Zealand, takes a similar route through civil engineering, ecology and sustainability and life sciences; it covers geotechnics and physics as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 27,121 students against roughly 31,908 here.
Beyond national borders, George Mason University stands out as a comparable school for ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics; it is slightly larger, at about 39,638 students against roughly 31,908 here, and is also a public institution.
Seen from abroad, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong) is a close relative on subject matter, since civil engineering, materials and life sciences are central to both, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly civil engineering, materials and life sciences; it is slightly smaller, at about 22,404 students against roughly 31,908 here, and is also a public institution.
For a study option in New Zealand with a comparable spread of ecology and sustainability, life sciences and data analytics, Victoria University of Wellington is the reference point: it is smaller, enrolling about 20,939 students against roughly 31,908 here, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Wollongong?
At Northfields Avenue, Keiraville, Wollongong, about 80 km south of Sydney.
When was it founded?
In 1951, and it became independent on 1 January 1975.
How large is the main campus?
82.4 hectares, with 94 permanent buildings.
How many students does it have?
31,908 in 2022.
How many international students does it have?
More than 12,300 in 2023.
How many faculties does it have?
Three.
Does it have a campus in Dubai?
Yes, opened in October 2000.
How many alumni does it have?
More than 176,000.
How is it placed in the ARWU 2025?
In the 301 to 400 band.
What does it cost?
Fees differ for domestic and international students. Check the current tariff.
Engineering, Environment, Innovation, Research and Development, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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