DRAFT

Choosing A University

Historically students from the Riverina High Schools have predominantly chosen Charles Sturt University, The University of New England and Wollongong University. 

However, with families coming to the Riverina from various locations across Australia and the increasing interest of students in travelling and trying new experiences, universities outside these popular locations should be researched and considered.

The Riverina Compendium offers a compressive list of universities and courses related to Agriculture and Primary Industries. 
Early career pathway consideration is crucial to ensure a smooth transition from high school education to further studies.



For more information on Studying at University, please refer to the tertiary Summary page.
For more information on universities and the courses they offer please use the link below.

ATAR Requirements

ATAR stands for Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, and it's different from your VCE or HSC result. The ATAR is a number between 0 and 99.95 that measures your Year 12 results against other students in your age group.
Universities use the ATAR as a minimum entry requirement for various courses, alongside other criteria such as portfolios, auditions, interviews, and more – depending on the course.
For more information on ATAR scores for university courses, visit Uni Reviews.
ATAR Scores for Uni Courses 2022 | Uni Reviews (universityreviews.com.au)


Things to Consider When Choosing a University?

Students (and their parents) should use several criteria to select the university they wish to attend. These may include:
Career Pathway: Alignment of the chosen career pathway with the courses offered by the university.
Entry Score: The required entry score for the chosen course and university.
University Reputation & Rankings: The university's reputation in terms of the courses offered and employment opportunities upon course completion.
Location and Accommodation: Proximity to home and the availability and cost of accommodation.
This may include preferences for a city, regional town, or staying at home.
Studying Options: Availability of online study options and the balance between online and on-campus tuition.
Educational Goals: Whether the focus is on research, academic pursuits, or hands-on experience.
Resources and Facilities: Availability of resources and facilities to support your studies.
Family History: Whether family members have attended a particular university.  
Peer Influence: Locations chosen by school friends and colleagues.

Ranking of Universities

The number next to each university represents its global ranking according to the QS World University Rankings for 2024, which evaluates around 1,500 universities. The ranking considers factors such as academic reputation, faculty-student ratios, employer reputation, research impact and citations, and the proportion of international to domestic students and staff.
The following are the top ten Australian universities ranked by the QS World University Rankings for 2024:
1.University of Melbourne (14)
2. University of New South Wales (19)
3. University of Sydney (19)
4. Australian National University (34)
5. Monash University (42)
6. University of Queensland (43)
7. University of Western Australia (72)
8. University of Adelaide (89)
9. University of Technology Sydney (90)
10. Macquarie University (130)


The top five ranked Australian Universities for the number of students undertaking and undergraduate and postgraduate courses in agricultural science are:
1. Melbourne
2.Queensland
3. Charles Sturt Universities
4. UNE
5. Adelaide
Charles Sturt University leads the rankings on the numbers of undergraduate students who can study on-line courses, at 52% studying online followed by the University of New England.
QILT Graduate Survey Ranking: This measures graduate feedback about the course of study, employment and salary achieved. Using this ranking system for universities providing agricultural training the top-ranking universities are:
1. Charles Sturt
2. Melbourne
3. University of New England
4. Queensland
5. Sydney
6. Adelaide