Adelaide University
Adelaide University opened in 2026 through the merger of the University of Adelaide (founded 1874) and the University of South Australia. A Group of Eight member on Kaurna Country, it teaches across Adelaide City, Magill, Mawson Lakes, Roseworthy, Waite, Mount Gambier and Whyalla.
- Group of Eight member
- QS World University Rankings 2027 - 79th
What student life looks like
Adelaide University began teaching in 2026, bringing together the former University of Adelaide and University of South Australia. The Adelaide City Campus stretches along North Terrace on Kaurna Country, taking in the historic University of Adelaide precinct (Bonython Hall and the Barr Smith Library) and the former UniSA city sites, with health and medical teaching next to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Other metropolitan campuses are Magill (education, social work and psychology), Mawson Lakes (engineering, IT and science), Waite (agriculture and wine science) and Roseworthy (veterinary and animal science), with regional campuses at Mount Gambier and Whyalla. Many degrees are taught across more than one campus. Residential colleges near North Terrace, such as St Mark's, St Ann's, Lincoln and Aquinas, house many students from interstate and regional South Australia. Semester one runs late February to early June and semester two late July to early November.
Known for
- Group of Eight research-intensive
- Heritage of the University of Adelaide (1874) and the University of South Australia
- Adelaide Medical School with Royal Adelaide Hospital teaching network
- Engineering, computing and IT at the Adelaide City and Mawson Lakes campuses
- Agriculture, food and wine science at the Waite campus
- Adelaide Veterinary School at Roseworthy
- Regional campuses at Mount Gambier and Whyalla
Research strengths
- Robinson Research Institute for reproduction and child health
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing
- Australian Centre for Cancer Genomics and Personalised Medicine
- Centre for Global Food and Resources
- Australian Institute for Machine Learning
- Stretton Institute for public policy
- Centre for Energy Technology
Cost of living (student estimate)
$21,000 - $29,000 per year
Adelaide is one of the more affordable Australian student cities. Includes shared rental in the city or inner north, groceries, public transport, utilities and modest entertainment. Excludes tuition.
Source: studyaustralia.gov.au. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
Student support
- Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education Unit
- Disability Support
- Counselling and Mental Health
- International Student Support
- Writing Centre and academic skills support
- Financial Assistance and emergency loans
- Safer Campus Community team
Is this the right uni for you?
You probably thrive here if
- You want a Go8 reputation in a compact walkable city
- You are aiming at medicine, veterinary science, wine science or agriculture
- You want low cost-of-living relative to Sydney or Melbourne
- You want a large, research-intensive university with regional campuses as well as a city base
- You are open to relocating between North Terrace, Waite and Roseworthy
It is probably not for you if
- You want a CBD with the scale of inner Sydney or Melbourne
- You depend on a large international airport with frequent direct flights
- You want a multi-campus university across multiple states
- You expect a large student nightlife precinct on the doorstep
The year at a glance
Semester one runs late February to early June with a mid-semester break in mid-April and exams in early June. Semester two runs late July to early November with a mid-semester break in late September and exams in early November. Results release follows in early July and mid-December. Summer school runs December to February in short condensed units. Orientation week sits in the week before semester one.
Faculties and courses
15 undergraduate courses across 8 faculties.
Arts and Humanities
Business and Economics
Engineering
Engineering and Information Technology
Health and Medicine
Science
Degrees no longer offered
These degrees do not take new students. Each page names the current degree to look at instead.
Sources
TEQSA registered Australian University. Member of the Group of Eight.