Charles Darwin University (CDU) Darwin Courses, Ranking, Admission Criteria, Fee & Scholarships

Why Study in Charles Darwin University?

Programs: Charles Darwin University offers 300+ courses to students in various disciplines like health, business, arts, education and tourism. Courses at CDU are available at - associate degrees, certificate degrees, bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD.
Campus: Charles Darwin University has 5 campuses and 7 centres at Casuarina, Palmerstone, Katherine, Alice Springs and Sydney.
Admission Intake: The Charles Darwin University offers admission in two intake semesters- Spring and Fall. The deadlines for the same are 13 Feb, 2023 and 31 July 2023.
Admission Requirement: To secure admission at Charles Darwin University an applicant is required to have a minimum GPA is 2.24, and IELTS score of 6 for UG and 6.5 for PG prorgams as well as a well-written Statement of Purpose.
Placement: Charles Darwin University is ranked the #1 Australian university for postgraduate full-time employment outcomes with a full-time employment rate of 94% and a median graduate salary of AUD 68,000. It is also ranked as the #2 Australian university for undergraduate full-time employment outcomes. CDU’s undergraduate students enjoy a median starting salary of AUD 68,000 and a full-time employment rate of 81.4%.
Cost of Attendance: Cost of living in Australia for an individual is approx. 21,041 AUD which is equivalent to 11.9 lakhs. International applicants should be prepared to spend upto 33,480 AUD i.e. 18.8 lakhs on tuition fee.

Table of Contents

CDU Ranking
CDU Highlights
CDU Campus
3.1 CDU Residence
CDU Courses
CDU Application Process
5.1 How to Apply
CDU Attendance Cost
CDU Scholarship
CDU Alumni
CDU Placement

Charles Darwin University Rankings

Charles Darwin University is one of the best institutions for higher education as evidenced by the following rankings of Charles Darwin University by various reputed agencies:

Ranked 501–600th in World University Rankings 2023 by Times Higher Education
#701-750 by QS Top Universities in their Global World Ranking for 2023
#1056th by CWUR’s Global Rankings for 2023-2024
#29th in Australia by CWUR for 2023- 2024
#1007 in Best Global Universities by US News & World Report 2023
#35 in Best Global Universities in Australia by US News & World Report 2023

Highlights

Type	Public
Campus setting	Urban
Establishment year	2003
Location	Darwin, Northern Territory
Number of campuses	5
Annual Endowment	301 Million AUD
Academic staff	580
Total students	20,500
International students	17.5%
Graduate Employment	83.39%
Mode of program	On campus/ Online/ Full time/ Part time

Charles Darwin University Campus

Charles Darwin University has five campuses at Casuarina, Palmerstone, Katherine, Alice Springs and Sydney that offer Higher Education, Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Research education at nine locations in Australia.

Casuarina campus is CDU’s largest campus and the main hub for Higher Education, Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Research programs. The campus offers an array of study and recreational places both undercover and indoor. Apart from that, the campus also has an Art Collection and Gallery, and a child care centre.
Palmerston campus is situated near Palmerston city centre which has two major shopping complexes, restaurants, pubs, various sporting clubs, skate park, water park, cinema and so on. The campus too has a library, computer rooms, cafe, restaurants, hair and beauty salons.
Katherine campus is located 16 kms north of Katherine’s CBD which is a developing mining, agricultural, horticultural and tourist region.
Alice Spring campus is home to an outstanding library, electronic Learning Resource Centre and multi-Brolga Award-winning Desert Lantern Restaurant. Apart from that, it also houses a state of the art 85-seat lecture theatre, a science laboratory for higher education, specialist IT classrooms and a clinical training laboratory for Nursing.
The Sydney Campus has a dedicated prayer room, five state-of-the-art classrooms with collaborative equipment, a student lounge area, a kitchenette, computer and study areas. The campus also offers an internal student phone which pupils can use to connect with teaching and faculty staff.

Charles Darwin University Residence

Charles Darwin University offers on-campus accommodation options to students planning to study in Australia. International House Darwin is the on- campus accommodation offered to both domestic and international students. Tabulated below are the cost of accommodation per week according to the type of rooms available:

Room Type	Cost/Week
Standard Room	175
Standard Room- Apartment	196
Medium Room- Apartment	210
Medium Room- En suite	227
Large Room	206
Large Room- Apartment	225
Large Room- En suite	227

Unistays and Unilodge Darwin provide off-campus accommodation to students studying at Casuarina, Palmerston or Darwin Waterfront at a low rate. Facilities such as a pool table, BBQ area, media room and study room are available at these accommodations. Also Check: student accommodations in Australia.

Charles Darwin University Courses

Charles Darwin University offers an extensive range of undergraduate and graduates degree programs in different disciplines like arts, business, culinary arts, education, engineering, psychology, nursing & midwifery, tourism, humanities and Information technology. The major undergraduate and postgraduate courses offered by Charles Darwin University are as follows -

Course Name	Eligibility	Tuition fee(AUD)
Bachelor of Science	Overseas secondary or Tertiary qualifications equivalent to an Australian Degree ATAR rank of at least 60	32,336.00
Bachelor of Engineering	ATAR Rank of 70 Overseas secondary or Tertiary qualifications equivalent to an Australian Degree	33,480.00
Bachelor of Information Technology	Same as Bachelor of Science requirements	29,616.00
Bachelor of Accounting	Same as above	26,776.00
Bachelor of Business	Same as above	26,776.00
Bachelor of Law	ATAR Rank of 80 Overseas secondary or Tertiary qualifications equivalent to an Australian Degree	26,968.00
Master of Business Administration	Successful completion of a recognised bachelor degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma, master's degree or equivalent international qualification in a business or related field	32,760.00
Master of Engineering	Successful completion of a recognised Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering Science, Bachelor of Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Technology or equivalent international qualification in civil and structural, electrical and electronics, mechanical engineering or an approved equivalent discipline.	34,680.00
Master of Information Technology	Successful completion of a recognised Bachelor degree or equivalent international qualification.	29,616.00
Master of Data Science	Same as above	29,616.00

Apart from the above courses, Charles Darwin University also offers pathway programs and 25+ Vocational educational training or VET courses in disciplines such as Accounting and Bookkeeping, Agriculture and Rural Operations, Building and Construction, Creative Arts and Design, Sport, Tourism and Hospitality, Transport and Logistics to build industrial skills and knowledge.

Also know more about tests to study for admission in Australia.

Charles Darwin University Application Process

To apply for admission to Charles Darwin University, international students must fulfill minimum eligibility criteria and submit proof of English language proficiency. The University also provides International Pathway programs for students who do not meet the minimum language requirements.

How to Apply?

The process for admission to Charles Darwin University for overseas students have been described below:

Application portal: Online Application or apply through an agent
Application fee: Not required
Admission Requirements: The following documents must be submitted along with the application for admission:

Completed application form
Certified copies of transcripts/ certificates with English translation (if required)
Letter of recommendation
Copy of passport
Statement of Purpose
Resume
Scholarship application form

English Language Proficiency

Exam	Minimum Requirements for UG	Minimum Requirements for PG
IELTS	Overall 6.0, no band less than 6.0	Overall 6.5, no band less than 6.0
TOEFL - IBT	Overall 60, writing score 21	Overall 79, writing score 21
PTE	50	58
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)	A minimum overall score of 169, with no skill below 169	A minimum overall score of 176, with no skill below 169
Common European Framework Certificate of English Proficiency	B2	C1

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Charles Darwin University Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance for students at Charles Darwin University comprises tuition fee per course and the cost of living. The Department of Home Affairs has estimated the cost of living in Australia for an individual at 21,041 AUD. The cost break up has been tabulated below for reference:

Program	Tuition Fee/ Year (in AUD)
Bachelor’s degree	25,328 – 33,480
Master’s degree	28,104 - 34,680
Undergraduate associate degree	29,616 – 33,480
Undergraduate diploma	26,968 – 29,616
Graduate associate degree	25,328 – 28,104
Graduate diploma	32760

The cost of living might vary for students in Darwin and Sydney. An estimate for both locations is provided below for reference:

Expense	Cost in Darwin/Week (IN AUD)	Cost in Sydney/ Week (IN AUD)
Food and groceries	80-280	80-280
Gas and electricity	35-140	35-140
Phone and Internet	20-55	20-55
Transportation	7	30-55
Car (if owned by students)	150-260	150-260
Entertainment expenses	80-150	80-150
Accommodation expenses	175-227.50	283-750

Charles Darwin University Scholarships

International student scholarships in Australia are provided by Charles Darwin University as well as the Australian Government to reward students with outstanding academic achievement and zeal to create a positive impact on the world. Name of few scholarships offered, eligibility criteria and the amount awarded to international students by the University are tabulated below:

Scholarship Name	Eligibility Criteria	Amount Awarded
Vice-Chancellor's International High Achievers Scholarships (VCIHAS)	Minimum overall score of 85% in their highest qualification; Must not hold another scholarship from any sponsoring agency in Australia or outside. Must have enrolled as a full-time student in 2023	50% relaxation in the tuition fees for the full duration of the course
CDU Global Excellence Award	Meet the academic and English language entry requirement set by the University; Minimum overall score of 80% in their highest qualification; Must not hold another scholarship from any sponsoring agency in Australia or outside.	50% on tuition fee in the first year and 10% in subsequent years
CDU Global Leader Award	Meet the academic and English language entry requirement set by the University; Minimum overall score of 70% in their highest qualification; Must not hold another scholarship from any sponsoring agency in Australia or outside.	25% of tuition fees for the first year and 10% in subsequent years
CDU Global Achiever Award	Meet the academic and English language entry requirement set by the University; Minimum overall score of 60% in their highest qualification; Must not hold another scholarship from any sponsoring agency in Australia or outside.	15% in tuition fees during first year of study
Destination Australia Scholarship	Applicants must have applied for a tertiary education program in Australia; Enroll as a full time student; Must complete 75% of the total units internally during the course.	15,000 AUD per student per year

Charles Darwin University Alumni Network

Alumni Association connects 70,000 graduates from 70 countries around the world who can interacts with each other, share their experiences with current students and maintain constant contact with their alma mater. Some Notable alumni of Charles Darwin University are:

Michael Gunner – Australian politician and the current Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
Ted Egan – Australian folk musician
Asha Bowen – Clinical Scientist at Perth’s Children Hospital
Therese Ritchie – Contemporary artist and graphic designer
Vicki O’ Halloran AO - Administrator of the Northern Territory

Charles Darwin University Placements

Charles Darwin University ’s Careers and Employment team is available to assist its students with their career and placement preparation. The university also provides various services to its alumni members regarding employment and career-related preparations. Charles Darwin University has been ranked 2nd in Australia by Good Universities Guide 2023 for graduate full-time employment outcomes and salary outcomes.

According to the 2022 Graduate Outcomes Survey National Report funded by the Government of Australia, students graduating from UG courses at Charles Darwin University are 10% more likely to get employment within four month of finishing their degree and receive 5% more salary.

A breakdown of undergraduate salary according to Study area have been given in the table below:

Study Area	Median Starting Salary(AUD)
Law	80,000
Education	68,000
Psychology	68,700
Social Work	69,200
Nursing	64,700

The Survey also reported that postgraduate students from Charles Darwin University are 11% more likely to get a job within 4 months of receiving their degree. They also earn 9% more.

Estimated Salary of Postgraduate students from Charles Darwin University according to degree and Study area have been given in the table below:

Degree/Study Area	Median Starting Salary(AUD)
Marketing Manager	74,000 - 1,26,000
Learning and Development Specialist	64,000 - 1,00,000
Nursing	90,200
Human Resources Advisor	57,000 - 83,000
Health Services and Support	100,000

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Charles Darwin University is a leading cross-sectoral institution in Australia that is committed to helping students be ready for their future careers through digital knowledge, skills and mindsets that help them to meet both their personal needs and interests and prepare them for a constantly changing world. Through its various programs - teaching and learning, research, study abroad, engagement, indigenous leadership and internationalisation, Charles Darwin aims to create and shape a brighter future for all.