Australian Catholic University

History

Australian Catholic University was opened on 1 January 1991 following the amalgamation of four Catholic tertiary institutions in eastern Australia:

• Catholic College of Education Sydney, New South Wales
• Institute of Catholic Education, Victoria
• McAuley College, Queensland
• Signadou College of Education, Australian Capital Territory

These institutions had their origins in the mid-1800s, when religious orders and institutes became involved in preparing teachers for Catholic schools and, later, nurses for Catholic hospitals. Through a series of amalgamations, relocations, transfers of responsibilities and diocesan initiatives, more than 20 historical entities have contributed to the creation of the university.

Governance and structure

ACU's vice-chancellor and president, Zlatko Skrbis, is responsible for representing the university both nationally and internationally and for providing strategic leadership and management. He holds a PhD in Sociology.

Deputy vice-chancellors have delegated responsibility for assigned areas of policy. These areas are academic, administration and resources, and research.

Faculties and departments

Each faculty is headed by an executive dean and supported by a number of associate deans and heads of schools.

Campuses and buildings

ACU has seven campuses across Australia: Ballarat, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney (Blacktown, North Sydney, Strathfield) with a Leadership Centre in Adelaide and another in Townsville. In 2015, the university opened the Rome Centre, a collaboration with the Catholic University of America, located in Rome, Italy.

The Mount St Mary Campus in Strathfield is heritage listed.

Academic profile

ACU is a publicly funded university and a member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, International Council of Universities of Saint Thomas Aquinas and the International Federation of Catholic Universities. Most of its programs function on a semester system, operating year-round on academic semesters, summer and winter schools. It is also affiliated with several Catholic organisations in Australia.

In the 2024 academic year, it employed 2503.8 full-time equivalent staff, 1,207.8 of whom were academic staff and the remaining 1,296 non-academic staff. The recognised trade union at ACU is the National Tertiary Education Union which represents staff through its offices across multiple states. It is responsible for negotiating the Enterprise Agreement with the university. The university also has international staff exchange agreements with universities outside Australia.

Study programs

ACU offers study programs in the fields of commerce, healthcare, education, information technology, psychology, law and several fields in the arts and sciences. Some programs can be combined into "double degrees" or include additional majors. The university also offers a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) among other research programs.

Accreditation

ACU possesses self-accrediting authority from the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency and also has numerous additional specialised accreditations for its programs. Its teacher education programs are accredited by the Queensland College of Teachers, NSW Education Standards Authority and the Victorian Institute of Teaching. Its law programs are accredited by the relevant lawyer registration boards in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Its information technology courses are accredited by the Australian Computer Society and healthcare programs with the relevant National Board of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency or their affiliated agencies. Most programs are also recognised in other states, territories and New Zealand through reciprocal arrangements.

Academic calendar

For most programs, the academic year at ACU is divided into two semesters, with summer and winter terms in between. The first semester runs from March to June and the second semester from August to November, including mid-semester vacation and examination weeks. All terms usually start on a Monday and there is an "Orientation Week", informally known as "O Week", for first-year students prior to the start of each semester.

Certain courses adopt different academic calendars and students may also have additional mandatory attendance requirements, including placements and clinical practicums, required to meet their academic requirements at the university.

Tuition, loans and financial aid

For international students starting in 2025, tuition fees range from to per academic year for award programs lasting at least one year. Domestic students may be offered a federally-subsidised Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) which substantially decreases the student contribution amount billed to the student. The maximum student contribution amount limits that can be applied to CSP students are dependent on the field of study.

Since 2021, Commonwealth Supported Places have also been limited to 7 years of equivalent full-time study load (EFTSL), calculated in the form of Student Learning Entitlement (SLE). Students may accrue additional SLE under some circumstances (e.g. starting a separate one-year honours program) or every 10 years. Domestic students are also able to access the HECS-HELP student loans scheme offered by the federal government. These are indexed to the Consumer or Wage Price Index, whichever is lower, and repayments are voluntary until the recipient passes an income threshold.

ACU also offers several scholarships, which come in the form of bursaries or tuition fee remission. Domestic students studying full-time may also receive social security payments for the duration of their studies and there is a Relocation Scholarship for students moving to or from a regional areas in Australia.

Admissions

ACU offers two routes for students to apply depending on their circumstances: a direct application and an application submitted through a shared admissions portal. Applicants who want an earlier, binding decision can apply via the ACU Guarantee early offer program; others apply through regular decision. The Queensland Tertiary Admission Centre (QTAC) and the Victorian Tertiary Admission Centre (VTAC) are the administrative bodies processing applications for prospective students for the states of Queensland and Victoria respectively and the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) manages applications for New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

ACU considers various factors in its admissions process including a competitive Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) or equivalent, a Grade Point Average (GPA) from prior higher education, vocational qualifications, competitive scores from a Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) and prior work experience. Alternatively, it also offers a number of bridging programs that provide direct entry into most courses.

Widening access

Applicants in certain cohorts, including those with elite athlete status or socio-economic disadvantage, may also be eligible for additional adjustment factors granted to their overall selection rank. There are also alternative pathways available for applicants with military service in the Australian Defence Force.

Academic reputation

; National publications In the Australian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking 2025, the university was tied #29 amongst Australian universities.

; Global publications

In the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings (published 2025), the university attained a position of #851–900 (33rd nationally).

In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 (published 2025), the university attained a tied position of #401–500 (tied 26–32nd nationally).

In the 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities, the university attained a position of #601–700 (tied 26–27th nationally).

In the 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities, the university attained a position of #354 (22nd nationally).

In the CWTS Leiden Ranking 2024, the university attained a position of #895 (28th nationally).

Student outcomes

The Australian Government's QILT conducts national surveys documenting the student life cycle from enrolment through to employment. These surveys place more emphasis on criteria such as student experience, graduate outcomes and employer satisfaction than perceived reputation, research output and citation counts.

In the 2023 Employer Satisfaction Survey, ACU graduates had an overall employer satisfaction rate of 88.9%.

In the 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey, ACU had a full-time employment rate of 82.7% for undergraduates and 93.6% for postgraduates. The initial full-time salary was for undergraduates and for postgraduates.

In the 2023 Student Experience Survey, ACU undergraduates rated the quality of their entire educational experience at 78% meanwhile postgraduates rated their overall education experience at 74.7%.

Scholastic distinctions

High-performing students at ACU can have their scholastic distinctions be recognised at graduation on their testamurs and official transcripts. Graduates must achieve a minimum weighted average mark (WAM) of 75% to graduate with Distinction or 85% or higher to graduate with High Distinction.

Students who achieve a cumulative GPA of 5.5 or higher may be eligible to complete an honours supervised research program. These are graded in classes (e.g. First Class Honours) and qualify students to enrol in research degrees such as Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs. Students receive an additional 1 SLE for appended honours.

Graduates who achieve the highest WAM in each faculty also receive the University Medal. There are also separate University Honours Medals for graduates who have completed an honours program.

Student life

While having a religious affiliation is not a criterion for admission, ACU identifies as a Roman Catholic university with a Catholic core curriculum and religious extracurricular activities outside of academic studies. It also follows the Ex corde Ecclesiae, an apostolic constitution for Catholic universities.

Campus ministry

ACU has a campus ministry and chapel across its seven Australian campuses (excluding Rome), each with a designated chaplain and/or pastoral associate. These include the Holy Spirit Chapel in Brisbane, Barron Memorial Chapel in Strathfield, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel in North Sydney, Signadou Chapel in Canberra, St Josephine Bakhita Chapel in Blacktown, St Mary of the Cross (MacKillop) Chapel in Melbourne and the St Thomas Aquinas Chapel in Ballarat. The chapels are places of worship that run regular Mass services.

The stated purpose of the campus ministry is to "[provide] opportunities for students and staff to deepen their experience of faith and use their gifts and talents in service to the world". ACU offers programming for Catholic liturgical services and traditions including Mass, sacraments, communal prayer, worship, group bible study, choir, music and social ministry. It also runs pilgrimages and religious "immersion opportunities", including an annual pilgrimage on World Youth Day.

Student union

Each ACU campus has a student representative council and there is a national student body called the Australian Catholic University National Students' Association (ACUNSA), which advocates on behalf of students both individually and collectively.

There are also International Student Representatives within ACUNSA, who connect ACU’s international students and collaborate with other universities across Australia and around the world. The first International Student Representative was Ira Kristanti, BBus, MBA, a Canadian international student who is now a founder and CEO based in Toronto, Canada.

Sports and athletics

The university hosts an annual national sporting event – the ACU Games – and students also compete in Australia's largest annual multisport event, the Australian University Games.

Controversies

Position on LGBT visibility

In March 2023, controversy broke out on campus when librarians were ordered to remove the rainbow flags that had been displayed across campuses. Staff and students wrote an open letter to the university's Vice-Chancellor Zlatko Skrbis claiming that his acts were "a direct affront to ACU's mission to act in truth and love in the pursuit of knowledge, the dignity of the human person, and the common good". The university's position against LGBT visibility appeared consistent with its earlier refusal to allow the Gay and Lesbian Teachers and Students Association to establish an LGBT+ support group on its Strathfield campus, yet to depart from Pope Francis's increasingly affirming stance on LGBT topics. Francis's affirmative policy has been upheld by his successor, Pope Leo XIV.

AGS investigation

In July 2023, ACU launched an internal investigation into its contracts with Asset Group Solutions. AGS had provided security and cleaning services to ACU but its founder had been charged with corruption. Stephen Weller (Chief Operating Officer and Deputy-Vice Chancellor) had been warned in 2018 about AGS's conduct but did not act on those warnings. ACU responded by denying knowledge of AGS's criminal activities and has launched an internal investigation.

Research supervisors

HDR students have objected to a change plan introduced in September 2023 that would eliminate positions occupied by their supervisors leaving them without supervisors with the relevant expertise for their projects.

Job cuts

In September 2023, ACU announced plans to cut 113 full-time jobs, most of which were at the Melbourne campus. This was part of spending cuts intended to reduce a forecast $30 million deficit and respond to shrinking enrollments. The cuts were announced as a $250 million campus building, which was constructed to accommodate student and staff growth, neared completion. This has produced an international response in which many academics denounced the university. Timothy Williamson, a professor of philosophy at Oxford and Yale, told reporters that ACU's meteoric rise to the pinnacle of research in philosophy was "unprecedented" but that cuts would give ACU the reputation "as a Mickey Mouse university ... damaging the good international standing of the Australian university system as a whole".

Dean of Law School Removed for Pro-Choice Writings

In January 2024, ACU removed Kate Galloway AM, the newly appointed Dean of the Thomas More Law School, when it was discovered that she had pro-choice views. She was paid A$1.1 million to leave her position during a time when the university was facing financial turmoil and despite a 2019 model code that requires universities to respect the academic freedom of their staff.

Notable people

Notable alumni

• Matt Burke, former international rugby union player and sport presenter
• Ellie Cole, paralympic swimmer and wheelchair basketball player
• Ben Cummins, former rugby league referee
• Martin Dixon, politician
• Sean Eadie, retired professional track cyclist
• Paul Field, musician, filmmaker and author
• Sam Hibbins, politician
• Kristina Keneally, politician
• John Kennedy, politician
• Justin Madden, former Australian rules footballer and state politician
• Simon Madden, former Australian rules footballer
• Melina Marchetta, writer and teacher
• Paul Mellor, former professional rugby league footballer
• Bronwen Neil, professor of ancient history at Macquarie University
• Deborah O'Neill, politician
• Camille Agnes Becker Paul, feminist, moral theologian and activist
• Muriel Porter, journalist
• Liam Simmons, basketball coach and former player
• Gregory D. Smithers, professor of American history at Virginia Commonwealth University
• Madeleine Steere, professional water polo centre back
• Anba Suriel, bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Los Angeles
• James Tedesco, professional rugby league footballer
• Morris West, novelist and playwright
• Alan Whiticker, non-fiction author and publisher
• Guy Zangari, former politician

Notes

References

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