The University of Sydney was founded in 1850 and has gradually become one of the world’s most recognized and reputed universities. The University of Sydney, founded in 1850, is one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious universities. It is located in Sydney, Australia and is known for its world-class education and research programs. The university continues to tread on the path of its founding principles of courage, creativity, respect and integrity.
With a core value system based on the principle of diversity and inclusion, the University of Sydney endeavours to welcome international students with open arms and make them feel as comfortable as possible. This is the reason why today more and more international students are inclined towards studying at the University of Sydney and its campus has become a truly diverse campus with people from all over the world.
- The university was founded as a public institute of higher education and is the first university in Australia.
- In the year 1881, the university senate agreed to the admission of women to the university on the same footing as men. Subsequently, the first women at the university graduated in the year 1885. The University of Sydney is the first university in Australia and one of the first in the world to admit students regardless of race, religion, or gender.
- There are a total of 8 Prime Ministers of Australia who have graduated from The University of Sydney
- The University of Sydney is home to several world-renowned research institutions, including the Sydney Institute of Agriculture, the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, and the Charles Perkins Centre. The campus once housed the Nicholson Museum which held the largest collection of antiquities in the Southern Hemisphere.
- There are a total of 16 academic divisions within the university including agriculture, environment, social sciences, arts, business, etc.
- The University of Sydney offers a wide range of academic programs, including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in arts, commerce, education, engineering, law, medicine, science, and more. It is known for its strong programs in law, medicine, and engineering.
- The University of Sydney has a strong sporting culture, with over 40 sports clubs and a range of recreational and competitive opportunities for students.
- Staff and students from the university served in both World War I and World War II.
- The University of Sydney is one of Australia’s leading research universities and is consistently ranked among the top 50 universities in the world.
- The university has exchange programs with almost 300 universities located across the world including Fudan University and the University of British Columbia.
- The University of Sydney is home to Australia’s largest university library with more than 5.2 million items.
- The university is also a part of Australia’s Group of Eight which is a group of Australia’s most research-intensive universities.
- The University of Sydney is also known as one of Australia’s sandstone universities. The sandstone universities group is an informal group of Australia’s universities which were mostly founded in the colonial era. All the universities in the group have primarily been constructed of sandstone.
The above-noted facts are sometimes not even known to the most serious enthusiast or fan of The University of Sydney. However, not that we have made you aware of these facts, maybe you can flex your knowledge to your peers, seniors or even faculty members when you commence your study abroad journey at the University of Sydney.
Must Read: 5 Reasons to Study in Australia
Why Choose the University of Sydney?
The University of Sydney is one of the most sought-after universities in the world. Students from all across the world aspire to study at this university owing to the following reasons:
- The numerous courses offered to the students give them the flexibility to choose the course they are interested in pursuing.
- Sydney is a beautiful city with plenty of attractions and things to do for visiting international students.
- Location: The University of Sydney is located in the vibrant and culturally rich city of Sydney, Australia. With access to world-class museums, art galleries, beaches, and outdoor recreation, students can enjoy a dynamic and engaging lifestyle while they study. The people of Australia are warm, respectful and welcoming.
- Australia, as a country, and Sydney in particular is a very diverse place where people of all races, ethnicities and religions come together to live in peace and harmony.
- The University of Sydney is one of the top-ranked universities in the world and students studying here will surely make headway in their careers if they work hard.
The Motto of the University of Sydney
The motto of the University of Sydney is ‘Sidere mens eadem mutato’. The motto has different meanings. That is,
- The constellations change. However, the disposition stays the same
- Learning the same things under the new stars
- The mind remains the same although the stars change
The University of Sydney Ranking
The University of Sydney is one the best universities you can enrol in. This is very obvious from the rankings. The University’s rankings are provided below:
Source | Rankings |
QS World Rankings 2025 | 18th in the world |
QS World Rankings 2025 | 2nd in Australia |
QS Sustainability Rankings 2024 | 1st in Australia for sustainability |
US News & World Report 2024-25 | 29 globally |
The World University Rankings 2024 | 60 globally |
The University of Sydney Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate of the University of Sydney is around 30%. This acceptance rate means that it is a difficult university for you to be admitted to. It must be noted that the acceptance rate varies depending on your course. For example, the acceptance rate is higher for courses like BA than BS. Typically it would require you a minimum GPA of 3.8 for admission purposes. On the bright side, the university accepts international students. 29015 students at the university have an international fee status.
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FAQs
The University of Sydney was founded in 1850 and has gradually become one of the world’s most recognized and reputed universities.
There are various famous alumni from The University of Sydney such as Dolph Lundgren, Malcolm Turnbull, Clive James, Charles Perkins, etc.
The University of Sydney has a large and well-regarded library, with over 6 million books, journals, and other resources. The main library, the Fisher Library, is one of the largest academic libraries in the Southern Hemisphere.
The University of Sydney ranks 18th as per QS World Rankings 2025. The University has a total of 29015 international students and offers 125 undergraduate and 256 postgraduate programs. It has over 150 centres that are dedicated towards research. It is one of the most research-intensive universities in the world.
In this blog, we have discussed some interesting facts about The University of Sydney. We hope students who are interested in pursuing their studies at The University of Sydney find this blog useful and can gain some insight into the university which can help them with their study abroad process.
Reach out to our academic experts at Leverage Edu, who can guide you in choosing the perfect course at The University of Sydney and assist you with the application process. Call 1800 572 000 and sign up for a free session today!