RMIT University

RMIT began in 1887 as the Working Men's College, an evening school teaching practical skills to Melbourne's workers, and became RMIT University in 1992. It is a dual-sector university, teaching both vocational and higher-education programmes, and enrols around 95,000 students across its Melbourne campuses, its campuses in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, and online. The main City campus is spread along Swanston and La Trobe Streets, around the bluestone walls of the Old Melbourne Gaol. RMIT is a member of the Australian Technology Network.

Teaching is applied and industry-facing, with strengths in art and design, architecture, engineering, communication, business and computing. The campus displays its design culture, from the green-patterned facade of Storey Hall to the RMIT Design Hub at the corner of Swanston and Victoria Streets and the New Academic Street precinct that opened up the older buildings. Research focuses on advanced manufacturing, design, sustainability and digital technology, often in partnership with industry.

Students at the City campus are in the middle of Melbourne: State Library Victoria, Melbourne Central station and the Queen Victoria Market are a few minutes' walk away, and much of the central city sits inside the free tram zone. RUSU, the student union, runs clubs and events. Further campuses at Brunswick and Bundoora host some design, health and engineering programmes.

Because RMIT offers certificates, diplomas, associate degrees and bachelor's degrees, international students can sometimes start at a lower level and transfer with credit, and Foundation Studies prepares school leavers for first-year entry. City rents are high, though purpose-built student apartments are plentiful around the campus. Semester 1 begins in late February and Semester 2 in July. You will need a student visa (subclass 500), Overseas Student Health Cover and evidence of funds, and RMIT accepts IELTS, TOEFL and PTE Academic scores.