Currently ranked 34th in the world by academics, the ANU's prestigious reputation shows in the six Nobel laureates and 49 Rhodes scholars counted among its faculty and alumni. The university is known for politics in particular, with its location in Canberra, the seat of Australia's government, and with numerous officials having been educated there.

As of 2021, the university is ranked in the top 20 world-wide by QS for the following subjects: 

• Anthropology, Geography, Philosophy - #5
• Politics - #9
• Social Policy/Administration - #12
• Archaeology, Sociology - #13
• Development Studies #15
• History, Law - #17

The ANU offers scholarships for international students, which you can check your eligibility for.

The ANU is divided into seven academic colleges that also serve as research hubs for their specialised area. There are five campuses in total, with the main Acton campus in the centre of the capital, and the rest spread out across the country in different locations (some as far as the other end of the country!)

Other major facilities include the Australian National University Library. Holding a total of 2.5 million books, three of its branches are accessible 24 hours to students:

• The Chifley Library – Humanities/social science, ranges from classics/ancient history to film/drama.
• The Hancock Library – Science, technology and medicine, ranges from engineering to geology.
• The Law Library – Collection focused on public and international law.

The ANU offers support and opportunities to entrepreneurs in many fields through a variety of fantastic resources, including:

• ANU Makerspace – Are you looking to build a prototype or develop a design idea? ANU MakerSpace provides access to workshop space and a range of tools for making and designing, from hand-held power tools to large laser cutters, CNC routers, and 3D printers.
• TechLauncher – Do you have an idea for a technological solution to an engineering, social or environmental problem? TechLauncher is a program which can support you in developing your idea and the skills necessary for taking it to market. Individuals on the program "work closely with industry professionals, technology experts and entrepreneurs across the ACT to complete projects addressing complex problems in a variety of disciplines and industries, or to create their own start-up enterprises."
• InnovationACT – Do you want to learn entrepreneurial skills, network, build a team and launch a project? InnovationACT is a free, two-month entrepreneurship programme run by ANU, supporting ANU students and Canberra residents to develop ideas, build teams and access tools.
  
  Innovation ACT and CBR Innovation Network are the ANU's main partners for startups, but other programs and resources include Summer Founder Pilot Program, and Square One.

The ANU is a member of the Group of Eight, the partnership of major research-dedicated Australian universities. It is also a Foundation Member of Canberra Innovation Network, running regular events offering networking opportunities for researchers.

Research is built into the structure of the university from the ground up, with the ANU's seven academic colleges and five campuses each dedicated to study in specialized fields, ranging from Asian and Pacific Studies to Astronomy to Computer Science.

Just a few fascinating examples of the ANU's more recent research news in the past few years include: satellite maps for natural disaster relief,  cryptography, launching a new space institute, and discovering a material that could mean the invention of bendable phones, as well as reducing the amount of electronic waste!

Placements

• Each of the ANU's colleges offer internship courses in their respective fields. There is also the ANU+ award, a volunteering program available to all undergraduates and postgraduates.

Career Support

• The ANU Careers centre is responsible for career support within the University, providing both current students and new graduates with in-person and online services. Career guidance, advice and opportunities for current and graduated students can all be found through the ANU's online CareerHub portal. Last but not least, the recently-launched Careers Toolkit aims to support students in their search for work during and after completing their studies. Students can receive help with interview practice, CV writing, guidance on how to succeed at assessment centres and on aptitude tests, help building an elevator pitch for you and your ideas, workplace rights and much more. 

Being the political capital of Australia, Canberra might sound less exciting at first glance than more popular student cities like Sydney or Melbourne – especially since it's a far cry from the shore! You might have to throw in your beach towel, but don't despair. The city has plenty to offer for international students. While whether the smaller and quieter city life is a plus will depend on the person, the beautiful inland scenery is bound to charm anyone.

Notable places to see in Canberra:

• The Australian National Botanical Gardens: Recently re-opened in October, the gardens are worth a visit if you're interested in Australias native flora and fauna from across the continent, all in one place for your viewing convenience!
• The National Museum of Australia: 50,000 years of Indigenous history and 233 years of post-settlement history are collected here in the National Historical Collection.
• The National Gallery of Australia: The gallery holds over 166,000 works of art from all over the globe, ranging from Australia itself to modern international, South/East Asia, and the Pacific.

ANU's support services received a satisfaction rate of 67.1% for undergraduates and 71.7% for postgraduates as of the latest QILT student survey data (2019-2020).

Australia is currently second only to the United States in popularity for international students, and Canberra is an ideal study location for those who prefer a quieter student life. The ANU has been ranked #1 in the country and 27th in the world by QS for 2022. Recent graduate satisfaction scores from the QILT student survey data (2020-2021) are 81.2% for undergraduates and 78.7% for postgraduates.

If you are interested in Anthropology or the humanities, ANU may be worth it. However, if you plan to study subjects on the lower-ranked end, such as Medicine, Mechanical Engineering, or Education & Training, it may be worth considering your other options. Better-ranked universities for these subjects in Australia include:

• The University of Melbourne – Medicine #18,  Education #14, Mec.Engineering #60
• The University of Sydney – Medicine #19, Education #25, Mec.Engineering #65
• Monash University – Education #15, Mec.Engineering #73
• Deakin University – Education #31
• UNSW Sydney – Mec.Engineering #54

Links: Current QS rankings ANU or UOM?