Group of Eight (Go8) Universities in Australia – Everything You Need to Know

Thinking of a world-class university in Australia? There’s a good chance it’s in the Group of Eight. Here's why that matters.

Did you know eight universities in Australia drive around 70% of the nation’s university research output—and secure the lion’s share of competitive research funding? That’s the Group of Eight (Go8). 

In this guide, we’ll cover rankings (QS, THE, ARWU), the Go8 credit transfer agreement, fees and scholarships, popular courses, campuses, careers—and how PickMyUni can help you pick and switch with confidence.

💡 PickMyUni has helped thousands of students compare Go8 universities and successfully transfer credits through the Go8 credit transfer agreement.

 

🎓 What is the Group of Eight (Go8) in Australia?

The Group of Eight is a coalition of Australia’s leading research-intensive universities. They are globally recognised for high research performance, graduate outcomes and international reputation. The eight members are:

• University of Melbourne
• University of Sydney
• University of Queensland
• University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney)
• Monash University
• Australian National University (ANU)
• University of Western Australia (UWA)
• University of Adelaide
  
  

According to the Go8, member universities conduct about 70% of Australia’s university research and receive close to 70% of Category 1 (ARC) competitive grant funding. 

 

Group of Eight Australian Universities Rankings 

Below is a quick cross-check of where each Go8 sits across the big three global rankings (latest available editions in 2025). We’ve also added a rough sense of student population (as reported to THE) to show campus scale.

Sources used: QS World University Rankings 2026 (released June 2025), THE World University Rankings 2025, and ARWU 2025 (released August 15, 2025).

 

University	QS 2026	THE 2025	ARWU 2025	Student total*
University of Melbourne	19	39	38	~50,300
University of Sydney	=25	61	72	~53,100
UNSW	20	83	Top 100†	~46,200
Queensland (UQ)	=42	77	65	~41,200
Monash University	=36	=58	76	~54,800
ANU	=32	=73	Top 100†	~17,100
UWA	77	=149	101–150†	~19,200
Adelaide University	=82	=128	151–200	~22,600

*Student totals are rounded from THE university profile pages. †Band shown where the exact ARWU rank wasn’t listed on institutional pages at time of writing but confirmed in the published ARWU 2025 tables/bands.

📊 According to PickMyUni’s 2025 university rankings breakdown, Go8 universities dominate across STEM, Business, Law, and Health.

 

Go8 Credit Transfer Agreement – What Students Should Know

What it is: A standing agreement among Go8 members to maximise credit recognition for students moving between these universities, based on the view that assessment standards are comparable across the group. 

Who benefits:

• Domestic and international students who started at one Go8 uni and wish to switch into another Go8 program or campus city.
  
  
• Example: Moving from Monash into an ANU master’s can attract advanced standing if your prior units match the target course rules—saving time and tuition. (Exact outcomes depend on course rules and your results.) 

PickMyUni advisors see three common use-cases:

1. City switches inside the same field (e.g., UNSW → UQ in engineering to be closer to home).
2. Course pivot within a cluster (e.g., Monash Biomed → Sydney Public Health).
3. Postgrad acceleration (e.g., Melbourne CS honours → ANU Master of Machine Learning with credit).

Thinking of switching your Go8 uni? PickMyUni’s course advisors handle credit mapping and transition paperwork for you.

 

When to contact PickMyUni:

• If you’re changing majors, moving from undergrad to postgrad at another Go8, or your GPA/WAM sits near the minimum cut-offs. Our advisors prepare your credit map, gather unit outlines, and lodge the transfer application at the right time in the semester.

Pro tip: Start 8–10 weeks before census dates so approvals land in time and you don’t pay for units that won’t count.

 

🎓 Thinking of switching your Go8 uni? PickMyUni’s course advisors handle credit mapping and transition paperwork for you—free.

 

📍 Go8 Campuses and Student Life

University of Melbourne (VIC) – Large city campus footprint; research-heavy culture; strong biomedical and data scenes.

Monash University (VIC) – Multi-campus (Clayton/Caulfield/City); big student body; strong health, engineering, and design ecosystems.

University of Sydney (NSW) – Historic sandstone campus near CBD; broad course mix; top clinical partners.

UNSW (NSW) – Kensington campus near beaches; known for engineering, CS, business; strong start-up culture.

UQ (QLD) – St Lucia’s riverbend campus; strong life sciences, environmental science and mining links.

ANU (ACT) – Canberra city campus; tight community; top tier in policy, IR, pure sciences.

UWA (WA) – Perth riverside campus; strength in earth sciences, oceans, agriculture.

Adelaide (SA) – City-centre North Terrace campus; home to the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML).

Popular Courses Across Go8 Universities (and why they’re hot)

 

Engineering & Computer Science	UNSW, Monash, Sydney and UQ carry deep lab capacity, major industry projects, and strong placements. UNSW and Sydney post consistent CS/Engineering rankings and employer demand.
Medicine & Health	Melbourne, Monash, Sydney and UQ are magnets for medicine, public health, pharmacy and biomed. Melbourne’s biomedical precinct is a standout.
Law & Business	Sydney, UNSW, Melbourne and Monash score well with global firms and internships.
Science & Environment	ANU for pure sciences, UQ for ecology and earth systems, UWA for oceans/mining/earth, Adelaide for AI/ML-enabled science.

 

💼 Careers & Graduate Outcomes from Go8 Australia

Nationally, graduate outcomes are strong and trending up. The 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey reported 

• 79% full-time employment for domestic undergraduates four to six months after graduation, 
• 88.9% overall employment, and a $71,000 median salary—all record levels at that time. Go8s typically sit at or above these benchmarks across many fields.
• Three years on, the GOS-Longitudinal shows full-time employment rising to ~92% for undergraduates, reflecting the value of experience plus a Go8 brand on your CV. 
• University-level data points also show salary premiums—for instance, UNSW has reported top median salaries across several GOS cohorts.
  
  

Industry partnerships & internships: The Go8’s research profile pulls in ARC/NHMRC grants, corporate labs and government projects. Students benefit through summer research, industry practicums and honours placements that often convert to entry-level roles. 

 

💬 According to PickMyUni’s graduate outcome tracking, Go8 alumni earn up to 20% more than the national university average within 3 years.

 

Fees & Scholarships at Go8 Universities

Tuition ranges (international, 2025 guides):

• Arts/Social Sciences: ~A$46,900–53,600
  
  
• Business/Economics/Law: ~A$51,500–58,800 (some business programs higher)
  
  
• Engineering/Computer Science: ~A$55,100–58,800 (UG often ~A$57,700)
  
  
• Health/Pharmacy: ~A$58,200–62,800+
  
  
• Medicine/Dentistry: higher and program-specific
  (Example guide: University of Sydney 2025 international fee tables.)

Tuition ranges (domestic): 

Most domestic undergrads study in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and pay a student contribution set by the Australian Government by discipline band; postgrads vary by course and funding. Check faculty pages for exact bands. 

Scholarships to watch:

• Melbourne International Undergraduate Scholarship – fee remission scholarships for high-achieving international students.
  
  
• ANU Chancellor’s International Scholarship – merit-based fee reductions for international students across many programs. 

 

FAQs about the Australian Group of Eight Universities