The University of Adelaide vs. Monash University: Which University is Right for You?

If you’re considering studying in Australia, two universities that may be on your radar are the University of Adelaide and Monash University. Both universities offer a range of courses and have excellent reputations, but there are some key differences between them that may make one a better fit for you than the other.

About the University of Adelaide

mba online university adelaide
The University of Adelaide Bridge. Credit: canva

The University of Adelaide (commonly known as Adelaide University) is a public research university in Adelaide, South Australia. It was founded in 1874 and is the third oldest university in Australia.

The university is a member of the Group of Eight and the Association of Commonwealth Universities. The university is also a member of the Sandstone universities, which mainly comprise Australian colonial-era institutions.

About Monash University

Monash University is a public institution in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1958 and is the second-oldest educational institution in the state of Victoria.

The university has one of the country’s most extensive portfolios of programs, with over 140 distinct double-degree options, including bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees.

The number of alumni who are CEOs in the 500 largest worldwide businesses that come from Monash is one of the reasons why Monash ranks among the top Australian institutions, according to Mines ParisTech (Mines ParisTech).

The University of Adelaide Vs. Monash University

The City and Cost of Living

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Melbourne City Map. Credit: canva

The QS Best Student Cities ranking analyzes a range of criteria to provide an overview of the world’s greatest places to live and study, including affordability, attractiveness, and student reviews.

According to QS Best Student Cities 2022, Melbourne is Australia’s and the world’s sixth-best student city. While Adelaide comes in number four in Australia and 35 in the world.

As for the cost of living, it depends on the living style and the choice of accommodation.

With the assumption of students with cheap to moderate living styles and shared house accommodation, the estimation of the cost of living for both cities is below (2022).

Adelaide: from $AUD 632/week

  • Accommodation: from 198/week
  • Transport: from $AUD 40/week
  • Food: from $AUD204 /week
  • Personal: from $AUD 20/week
  • Clothing: from $AUD 35/week
  • Entertainment: from $AUD 135/week

Melbourne: from $AUD 667/week

  • Accommodation: from 225/week
  • Transport: from $AUD 53/week
  • Food: from $AUD 1204/week
  • Personal: from $AUD 23/week
  • Clothing: from $AUD 35/week
  • Entertainment: from $AUD 127/week

Source: cost of living calculator

University Rankings

Adelaide Univ vs. Monash University Rankings

The University of Adelaide

  • #8 in Australia (QS World University Ranking / QS WUR 2022)
  • #108 in the world (QS World University Ranking / QS WUR 2022)
  • #7 in Australia (Times Higher Education / THE 2022)
  • #111 in the world (Times Higher Education / THE 2022)
  • #12 in Australia (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022)
  • #171-180 in the world (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022)

Monash University

  • #6 in Australia (QS World University Ranking / QS WUR 2022)
  • #58 in the world (QS World University Ranking / QS WUR 2022)
  • #4 in Australia (Times Higher Education / THE 2022)
  • #57 in the world (Times Higher Education / THE 2022)
  • #4 in Australia (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022)
  • #54 in the world (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022)

Rankings by Subjects

The rankings are based on QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022 (Australia).

Adelaide Univ vs. Monash University Rankings by Subjects

The University of Adelaide

  • Art & Humanities: #11
  • Life Science & Medicine: #7
  • Engineering & Technology: #8
  • Natural Sciences: #8
  • Social Sciences & Management: #11
  • Computer Science & Information System: #7
  • Art & Design: –
  • Accounting & Finance: #12
  • Business & Management Studies: #16
  • Law & Legal Studies: #9

Monash University

  • Art & Humanities: #4
  • Life Science & Medicine: #4
  • Engineering & Technology: #3
  • Natural Sciences: #5
  • Social Sciences & Management: #5
  • Computer Science & Information System: #5
  • Art & Design: #3
  • Accounting & Finance: #4
  • Business & Management Studies: #4
  • Law & Legal Studies: #5

Campus Location

The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide has four campuses, three in South Australia: the North Terrace campus in the city, the Roseworthy campus at Roseworthy, and the Waite campus at Urrbrae. A fourth is located in Melbourne, Victoria.

The North Terrace campus is located in the Adelaide city center, adjacent to the Art Gallery of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, and the State Library of South Australia.

The university has additional offices in Thebarton, the National Wine Centre in Adelaide Park Lands, and Singapore through the Ngee Ann-Adelaide Education Centre.

Monash University

The university has four major campuses in Victoria (Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula, and Parkville) and a campus in Malaysia.

Monash University has a research and teaching center in Prato, Italy, as well as graduate schools in Mumbai, India, and Suzhou, China. Monash University’s courses are also offered at various locations throughout the world.

Faculties/Schools and Programs

The University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide comprises five faculties, each containing constituent schools. These include the Faculty of Engineering, Computer, and Mathematical Sciences (ECMS), the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Professions, and the Faculty of Sciences.

Undergraduate

The undergraduate degrees span five faculties and include the following subject areas:

  • Faculty of Arts: music, teaching, languages, media, international studies and development, and social sciences;
  • Faculty of Engineering, Computer, and Mathematical Sciences: engineering, computer, and mathematical sciences;
  • Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences: dentistry and oral health, nursing, medicine, health and Medical Sciences, and psychology;
  • The Faculty of the Professions: law, business, economics, finance, architecture and innovation, and entrepreneurship
  • Faculty of Sciences: biology, agriculture, food science, and enology

Postgraduate

Coursework postgraduate degrees are efficient, and the courses are delivered via lectures and tutorials. Areas of study for postgraduate coursework include:

  • Architecture
  • Arts
  • Business, Economics, and Finance
  • Computer Science/IT 
  • Education 
  • Engineering 
  • Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation, and Innovation 
  • Health and Medical Sciences 
  • Law 
  • Music 
  • Science and Agriculture

Monash University

Undergraduate

An undergraduate course usually is your first degree. We have many courses in diverse areas of study:

  • Arts, humanities, and social sciences
  • Art, design, and architecture
  • Business
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Information Technology
  • Law
  • Medicine, nursing, and health sciences
  • Pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
  • Sciences

Postgraduate

Monash University offers a wide range of research and coursework postgraduate degrees, including:

Cost (Tuition Fee)

Estimation tuition fees for both universities are:

  • University of Adelaide: from $AUD 36,000 to 79,000 per year
  • Monash University: from $AUD 36,000 to 79,000 per year

Acceptance Rate and Admission

The University of Adelaide

Adelaide University announced the acceptance rate for its fall semester of 2022. The rate this year is about the same as last: about 50%, which is competitive.

The reason for the high acceptance rate at AU is that they have comprehensive standards, accepting students based on several factors, including GPA, test scores, and even whether or not they “fit” with the campus personality. 

Monash University

Monash University has an acceptance rate of 40%, which is highly competitive. Entry is competitive because there are likely to be more applicants than places available.

You must meet the minimum entry requirements for your course listed. However meeting the minimum entry requirements won’t guarantee entry into a course.

Application

The University of Adelaide

Here is an easy step-by-step guide to starting your career with a degree from the University of Adelaide.

Monash University

Contact us to get help with your application and answers to your questions.

Which University is for You?

The University of Adelaide is for You

The University of Adelaide is for you if you are looking for: 

  • Lower cost of living
  • Enjoy colder climate
  • Easier entry (higher acceptance rate)
  • Study in specific areas:
  • Computer Science and Information System
  • Medicine and Nursing
  • Science

The Monash University is for You

The Monash University is for you if you are looking for: 

  • Living in a diverse and multicultural environment in one of the most liveable cities in the world
  • Experiencing the famous 4 seasons in one day in the Melbourne area
  • Study in specific areas:
  • Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: the best university in Australia and 18th in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2021)
  • Nursing: 3rd best in Australia and 6th in the world (Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2021)
  • Medicine: Monash medicine graduates perform better in career prospects and their ability to get into ‘competitive’ specialties.
  • MBA: Monash is famous for its Monash Business School and MBA programs.
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