Top Finance & Accounting Universities in Australia (2026)
Top universities for Finance, Accounting, FinTech and Investment masters in Australia. We rank 42 universities by QS standing, fees, scholarships and post-study work outcomes for international students.
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ASC INTERNATIONAL - ANGLISCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL
📍 1-3 students: General English / Academic English / First year mainstream (Primary or Secondary) = 13, Australia
Asia Pacific International College
📍 Sydney- Aus, Australia
Australian College of Applied Psychology
📍 Sydney, Australia
Box Hill Institute
📍 Melbourne, Australia
Central Queensland University
📍 Rockhampton, Australia
Charles Darwin University
📍 Darwin, Australia
Charles Sturt University
📍 Albury, Australia
Curtin University - Australia
Danford College
📍 Melbourne, Australia
Danford Higher Education
📍 Melbourne - Aus, Australia
DANFORD HIGHER EDUCATION
📍 Commission for Offshore students = 16% of net tuition paid for first year, Australia
Deakin University
📍 Melbourne, Australia
Federation University
📍 Ballarat, Australia
Federation University Australia - Brisbane Campus
📍 Brisbane, Australia
Flinders University
📍 Adelaide, Australia
Griffith College
📍 Brisbane, Australia
Griffith University
📍 Mount Gravatt, Australia
International College of Management Sydney
Jansen Newman Institute
Kaplan Business School - Adelaide
📍 Adelaide, Australia
KENT INSTITUTE
📍 New Hiigher Education Enrolments = 12% of the first 24 enrolled units of paid tuition fees. , Australia
Kent Institute Australia
King's Own Institute
La Trobe College Australia
Lead College - Perth
📍 Perth, Australia
More top courses in Australia
An MSc in finance in Australia is sold as a Master of Finance, Master of Applied Finance, Master of Professional Accounting or a finance-and-economics masters, and it takes 1 to 2 years depending on how much finance you already studied. In the fee years printed on university pages, tuition runs from AUD 50,880 a year at RMIT (about ₹34 lakh) to AUD 62,000 at UNSW (about ₹41 lakh), with UQ and Adelaide in between, and you must show AUD 29,710 a year for living costs (about ₹20 lakh). Most programs accept any bachelor degree for the longer route, with a credit-level average such as UNSW's 65% or a 4.5 GPA on a 7-point scale at UQ and Adelaide, and IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0. Indian nationals who finish a coursework masters can apply for a 3-year Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa.
Is an MSc in finance in Australia worth it for Indian students?
Australia rarely uses the label "MSc" for finance. The degrees you will meet are the Master of Finance (UNSW, RMIT, Melbourne, UTS), the Master of Advanced Finance (Monash), the Master of Applied Finance (Macquarie), finance-and-economics masters (UQ) and the Master of Professional Accounting, which is the route into CPA or Chartered Accountant status. Fintech is usually a major or a set of electives inside a finance degree rather than a separate masters: UTS lists financial technology among the majors of its Master of Finance, and Monash covers fintech and sustainability in its Master of Advanced Finance.
The case for studying finance in Australia rests on verifiable rules. Indian nationals who complete a masters by coursework get a 3-year Temporary Graduate visa under the India–Australia ECTA, against 2 years for most other nationalities. You can work 48 hours a fortnight during study at a National Minimum Wage of AUD 26.44 an hour from 1 July 2026. And Jobs and Skills Australia puts median full-time pay at AUD 2,003 a week for accountants and AUD 2,582 for financial investment advisers and managers, against AUD 1,852 across all occupations. The case against is concentration and cost: finance jobs cluster in Sydney and Melbourne, some roles such as financial dealing are shrinking, and a two-year degree is a ₹1.1–1.3 crore decision before scholarships.
How much does a masters in finance in Australia cost in 2026-27?
The figures below are the international tuition fees each university prints on its own course page. They are per year of full-time study, so a 1.5-year degree costs about 1.5 times the annual figure, and fees are reviewed every year. Universities label different fee years, shown in the last column; compare like with like before you shortlist.
| Program | Length | Tuition per year (AUD) | Approx. INR | Fee year as labelled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RMIT — Master of Finance | 2 years (1.5 accelerated) | AUD 50,880 | ₹33.9 lakh | 2027 annual |
| RMIT — Master of Professional Accounting | 2 years (1.5 accelerated) | AUD 50,880 | ₹33.9 lakh | 2027 annual |
| Adelaide University — Master of Finance | 2 years | AUD 54,300 | ₹36.2 lakh | indicative annual fee, year not stated |
| Adelaide University — Master of Professional Accounting | 1.5 years | AUD 54,300 | ₹36.2 lakh | indicative annual fee, year not stated |
| UQ — Master of International Economics and Finance | 1.5 or 2 years | AUD 56,800 | ₹37.9 lakh | course page, 2027 intakes |
| UNSW — Master of Finance | 1–2 years | AUD 62,000 (AUD 129,000 to complete) | ₹41.4 lakh (₹86.0 lakh) | 2026 indicative |
| UNSW — Master of Professional Accounting | 1.7 years | AUD 62,000 (AUD 96,000 to complete) | ₹41.4 lakh (₹64.0 lakh) | 2026 indicative |
| University of Sydney — business, postgraduate coursework | varies | AUD 54,100–61,700 (2026 entry); AUD 56,800–64,800 (2027 entry) | ₹36.1–41.2 lakh; ₹37.9–43.2 lakh | university-wide guide, per 48 credit points |
| University of Sydney — economics, postgraduate coursework | varies | AUD 61,700 (2026 entry); AUD 64,800 (2027 entry) | ₹41.2 lakh; ₹43.2 lakh | university-wide guide, per 48 credit points |
Sources: the university pages listed under Sources, checked 26 Sep 2026. A$1 = ₹66.7 (Wise mid-market, 26 Sep 2026). Fees exclude OSHC, the student services fee and living costs. Monash, UTS and Melbourne are not tabulated because their course pages do not show an international fee in a form we could confirm. Scholarships are decided by each university.
What will a finance masters in Australia cost in total?
A quick budget using the year-one fee for every year, the AUD 29,710 a year living-cost figure Home Affairs asks you to show, and the AUD 2,500 student visa charge. It leaves out OSHC, flights and any scholarship, so treat it as a floor.
| Scenario | Tuition | Living (visa benchmark) | Visa charge | Total | Approx. INR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UQ, 1.5 years at AUD 56,800 a year | AUD 85,200 | AUD 44,565 | AUD 2,500 | AUD 132,265 | ₹88.2 lakh |
| RMIT, 2 years at AUD 50,880 a year | AUD 101,760 | AUD 59,420 | AUD 2,500 | AUD 163,680 | ₹1.09 crore |
| Adelaide, 2 years at AUD 54,300 a year | AUD 108,600 | AUD 59,420 | AUD 2,500 | AUD 170,520 | ₹1.14 crore |
| UNSW Master of Professional Accounting, 1.7 years | AUD 96,000 (UNSW includes about AUD 1,000 a year of study costs) | AUD 50,507 | AUD 2,500 | AUD 149,007 | ₹99.4 lakh |
| UNSW Master of Finance, 2-year route | AUD 129,000 (includes study costs) | AUD 59,420 | AUD 2,500 | AUD 190,920 | ₹1.27 crore |
Sources: university course pages; Department of Home Affairs (student visa financial capacity and Visa Pricing Estimator), checked 26 Sep 2026. A$1 = ₹66.7. Living costs use 12 months of AUD 29,710 pro rata; real costs depend on the city. Education loans (collateral or non-collateral) from Indian banks and non-bank lenders are commonly used to fund such budgets; check current LRS and TCS rules before remitting money.
Which finance masters should you pick: finance, accounting or fintech?
Choose by the credential you want at the end, because the degrees are built for different ones. A Master of Finance or Master of Advanced Finance prepares you for banking, markets, corporate finance and investment roles and, at some universities, for the CFA Program. A Master of Professional Accounting is designed for graduates with no or limited accounting study who want to become an accountant: UNSW says its degree is for students with minimal accounting exposure and warns accounting majors not to enrol, and RMIT says holders of an accredited Australian accounting bachelor do not need its degree. If you did a BCom in accounting in India, check how the professional body treats it before paying for a second accounting degree.
Length depends on your background. RMIT's Master of Finance takes 2 years from any bachelor, 1.5 years with a business degree (or any degree plus 2 years of relevant work) and 1 year with a finance honours degree. UNSW's Master of Finance is a 1-year route for finance majors with seven finance courses and a 2-year route for everyone else. UQ offers 1.5 years from an economics, business or commerce degree and 2 years from any discipline. Melbourne lists 1.5 years full time with March and July intakes. Check any 1-year option against the study-requirement rule in the work section below before you choose it.
Do these masters lead to CFA, CPA, CA ANZ or ACCA status?
Each body publishes its own rules, and a degree is only one input. We quote only what the bodies and universities state on their own pages.
| Credential | What the official page says | Programs it names |
|---|---|---|
| CFA (CFA Institute) | Its University Affiliation Program recognises degrees that broadly align with the CFA curriculum and offers exam-fee scholarships through the university; the page does not describe any exam exemption | Monash Master of Advanced Finance (covers a minimum of 70% of the CFA body of knowledge); UTS Master of Finance (affiliated); RMIT lists CFA scholarship eligibility |
| CPA Australia | Exempts up to 3 CPA Program subjects based on postgraduate study or an equivalent qualification completed within 10 years; CPA-accredited studies cannot themselves be used as exemptions | RMIT Master of Professional Accounting satisfies the academic requirements for direct entry into the CPA Program |
| Chartered Accountants ANZ | Graduates cover the core knowledge requirements and may then undertake the CA program, per the universities | UNSW and Adelaide Master of Professional Accounting; Adelaide states accreditation by CAANZ and CPA Australia |
| ACCA | Accredited, per UNSW's own page; confirm exemptions with ACCA | UNSW Master of Professional Accounting |
Sources: CFA Institute and CPA Australia pages and the university course pages, checked 26 Sep 2026. CA ANZ and ACCA pages block automated readers, so we cite only what the universities state about them; confirm current rules with the bodies before you enrol.
Eligibility for a finance masters in Australia from India
Indian three-year degrees such as BCom, BBA, BA and BSc are accepted for the longer routes at most universities. The visa itself needs only IELTS 6.0, so the university score is the binding one.
| University | Academic entry | English |
|---|---|---|
| UNSW — Finance | Any bachelor with a credit average (65%) for the 2-year route; a finance major of at least seven courses with the same average for the 1-year route | set by program; see UNSW English page |
| RMIT — Finance | 2 years: any bachelor; 1.5 years: business bachelor, or any bachelor plus 2 years relevant work; 1 year: honours with a finance major | IELTS 6.5 (no band below 6.0); TOEFL iBT 79 |
| UQ — International Economics and Finance | 2 years: any discipline, GPA 4.5 of 7; 1.5 years: economics, business or commerce degree (or four relevant courses), GPA 4.5 | IELTS 6.5 (6.0 each band); TOEFL iBT 87; PTE 64 (60 each) |
| Adelaide — Finance | Completed bachelor or honours degree; GPA equivalent 4.5 on a 7-point scale | IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in each band) |
| UTS — Finance | Bachelor with more than 75% of subjects completed at pass level | IELTS 6.5, writing 6.0; PTE 58, writing 50; TOEFL iBT 79, writing 21 |
| Monash — Advanced Finance | 1.5 years: bachelor with a finance major or minor, 65% average; 1 year: finance major from a CFA-affiliated university or with experience (published for domestic applicants; confirm the international criteria) | see Monash English requirements |
Sources: university course pages, checked 26 Sep 2026. Universities convert Indian percentages or CGPA with their own calculators; use the official one. No page above lists GMAT or GRE as an entry requirement, but confirm for your exact program.
Intakes and deadlines for finance masters in Australia
Most programs start twice a year, which suits the Indian academic calendar.
- UQ lists Semester 1 starting 22 February 2027 and Semester 2 on 26 July 2027; RMIT, Adelaide and Monash list February and July intakes; Melbourne lists March and July.
- UNSW says it is moving to a new Flex-Semester calendar from 2028, so program duration may vary with the intake you start in before then. Ask the admissions team what your exact start date means for your finish date.
- Final-year BCom, BBA or BA students usually receive their last semester results around mid-year, so July is the natural intake if you graduate in May; February suits those who graduated earlier or worked for a year. Ask each university whether it makes conditional offers on provisional results.
- Apply 6 to 9 months before the intake. Offers, the Confirmation of Enrolment, health cover and the visa file together take longer than most students expect.
How to apply for a masters in finance in Australia from India
A realistic timeline is 6 to 9 months from shortlisting to visa grant for a February or July start.
Decide between finance, accounting and fintech, and the length you need
Pick the professional credential first (CFA, CPA, CA, or none), then shortlist programs that connect to it. Check the 1-year, 1.5-year and 2-year entry rules against your Indian degree.
Sit IELTS, PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT
Aim for the university score, normally IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0. Use a test-centre sitting; at-home tests are not accepted for the visa, and the 485 later needs a fresh result from the 12 months before you apply.
Assemble marksheets, a CV and a finance-focused statement of purpose
Semester marksheets, degree or provisional certificate, a CV with any internships, two references and a statement that links your quantitative preparation to the specific program. Work-experience letters on letterhead help for the 1.5-year routes.
Apply, then compare offers and scholarships
Apply online or through a university representative. Ask about merit scholarships at the offer stage because they reduce the tuition you must evidence.
Accept, pay the deposit, then get the CoE and OSHC
The Confirmation of Enrolment follows the deposit. Overseas Student Health Cover must cover your whole stay; both documents are needed before you lodge the student visa.
Lodge the subclass 500 visa
Show 12 months of living costs (AUD 29,710), first-year tuition less the deposit and AUD 2,000 for travel, or a parent's or partner's annual income of at least AUD 87,856. Answer the Genuine Student questions and pay AUD 2,500. Lodge from outside Australia.
What jobs and salaries follow a finance masters in Australia?
We quote only Jobs and Skills Australia, which draws on the ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (May 2025) and Labour Force Survey. These are medians for whole occupations, not fresh-graduate starting pay, and the ANZSCO pages will not be updated again; JSA is replacing them with OSCA-based profiles.
| Occupation (ANZSCO) | Employed | Median full-time weekly earnings | Largest states and other indicators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants (2211) | 215,500 | AUD 2,003 (≈ ₹1.34 lakh; about AUD 104,000 a year) | NSW 35.3%, Victoria 28.5%; 84% full-time; annual growth 5,800 |
| Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers (2212) | 33,100 | AUD 2,104 (≈ ₹1.40 lakh; about AUD 109,000 a year) | NSW 39.6%, Victoria 27.1%; 88% full-time; annual growth 800 |
| Financial Investment Advisers and Managers (2223) | 63,400 | AUD 2,582 (≈ ₹1.72 lakh; about AUD 134,000 a year) | NSW 41.3%, Victoria 30.1%; 80% full-time; annual growth 900 |
| Financial Dealers (2222) | 19,400 | AUD 2,651 (≈ ₹1.77 lakh; about AUD 138,000 a year) | NSW 51.3%, Victoria 21.3%; 85% full-time; annual growth -400 |
| All occupations (JSA benchmark) | — | AUD 1,852 (≈ ₹1.24 lakh) | 69% work full-time hours |
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profiles (ANZSCO), checked 26 Sep 2026; earnings from ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025. A$1 = ₹66.7; annual figures are weekly median multiplied by 52. State shares are from the ABS Labour Force Survey, February 2026.
Can you work and stay in Australia after a finance masters?
During study you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while classes are in session. After a masters by coursework, Indian nationals can apply for the Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) visa for 3 years if they are 35 or under, apply from inside Australia, and meet the English rule (IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each band, or an equivalent test result). The charge is AUD 5,750 (about ₹3.8 lakh) in the Visa Pricing Estimator, and the visa lets you look for your own job in any field.
Some finance roles are regulated, and the rules sit outside the university. Jobs and Skills Australia notes that accountants must register with one of Australia's three peak accounting bodies, that financial investment advisers and managers need registration with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and that financial dealers need registration with the Australian Securities Exchange. Plan the professional exams, such as the CPA Program or CFA levels, alongside your first job.
Length of study matters. Home Affairs' study-requirement page for skilled visas (subclasses 189, 190 and 491) defines two academic years as 92 weeks of CRICOS-registered study and says the requirement cannot be met in under 16 calendar months. A one-year masters on its own does not meet that test, so confirm the rule that applies to your target visa before choosing a 1-year route. The 485 has its own study requirement, set out on its Home Affairs page.
New student visa rules from 2 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does a masters in finance in Australia cost for Indian students?
Tuition runs from AUD 50,880 a year at RMIT (about ₹34 lakh) to AUD 62,000 at UNSW (about ₹41 lakh), with UQ at AUD 56,800 and Adelaide at AUD 54,300. A 1.5 to 2-year degree plus living costs and the visa charge totals roughly ₹88 lakh to ₹1.3 crore before scholarships.
Which Australian finance masters are recognised by the CFA Institute?
Monash says its Master of Advanced Finance is recognised by the CFA Institute and covers at least 70% of the CFA Program body of knowledge, and UTS states that its Master of Finance sits under the CFA University Affiliation Program. Affiliation aligns the curriculum; it does not replace the CFA exams.
Can I do a masters in finance in Australia without a finance background?
Yes, on the longer routes. RMIT admits any bachelor degree to its 2-year Master of Finance, UNSW takes any bachelor with a 65% credit average into its 2-year route, and UQ accepts any discipline at GPA 4.5 of 7. Shorter 1 to 1.5-year routes need a finance, business or economics degree.
Is a Master of Professional Accounting better than a Master of Finance in Australia?
It depends on the career. The accounting degree is built for non-accountants who want CPA or Chartered Accountant status, and RMIT states it satisfies CPA direct-entry requirements. A Master of Finance targets banking, markets and corporate finance. JSA shows accountants at AUD 2,003 a week and investment advisers at AUD 2,582.
Does a finance masters in Australia lead to CPA or CA qualification?
An accredited accounting masters can. RMIT says its Master of Professional Accounting meets the academic requirements for direct entry to the CPA Program, and UNSW says its graduates cover the core knowledge for the Chartered Accountants program. A Master of Finance alone is not an accounting qualification.
Is there a fintech masters in Australia for Indian students?
Fintech is mostly a major or elective set inside a finance masters. UTS lists financial technology among its Master of Finance majors, and Monash covers fintech and sustainability in its Master of Advanced Finance. Check each course page for the units offered and the AUD 50,000–62,000 fee range.
How much do accountants and financial advisers earn in Australia?
Jobs and Skills Australia reports median full-time earnings of AUD 2,003 a week for accountants (about ₹1.34 lakh), AUD 2,582 for financial investment advisers and managers and AUD 2,651 for financial dealers, against AUD 1,852 for all occupations. These are occupation medians, not graduate starting pay.
Are finance jobs in Australia mostly in Sydney or Melbourne?
Sydney leads. New South Wales holds 41.3% of financial investment advisers and managers and 51.3% of financial dealers, with Victoria next at 30.1% and 21.3%. Accountants are more spread out, with NSW at 35.3% and Victoria at 28.5%. Weigh rent in both cities against your fee budget.
Official sources used on this page
- UNSW — Master of Finance (fees, entry, duration) — UNSW Sydney · checked 26 September 2026
- UNSW — Master of Professional Accounting (fees, accreditation) — UNSW Sydney · checked 26 September 2026
- RMIT University — Master of Finance — RMIT University · checked 26 September 2026
- RMIT University — Master of Professional Accounting — RMIT University · checked 26 September 2026
- The University of Queensland — Master of International Economics and Finance — The University of Queensland · checked 26 September 2026
- Adelaide University — Master of Finance — Adelaide University · checked 26 September 2026
- Adelaide University — Master of Professional Accounting — Adelaide University · checked 26 September 2026
- University of Technology Sydney — Master of Finance — University of Technology Sydney · checked 26 September 2026
- Monash University — Master of Advanced Finance (B6039) — Monash University · checked 26 September 2026
- The University of Melbourne — Master of Finance (duration and intake) — The University of Melbourne · checked 26 September 2026
- University of Sydney — International student tuition fees (2026 and 2027 entry guide) — The University of Sydney · checked 26 September 2026
- CFA Institute — University Affiliation Program — CFA Institute · checked 26 September 2026
- CPA Australia — CPA Program exemptions — CPA Australia · checked 26 September 2026
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Accountants (ANZSCO 2211) — Jobs and Skills Australia · checked 26 September 2026
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Auditors, Company Secretaries and Corporate Treasurers (ANZSCO 2212) — Jobs and Skills Australia · checked 26 September 2026
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Financial Investment Advisers and Managers (ANZSCO 2223) — Jobs and Skills Australia · checked 26 September 2026
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Financial Dealers (ANZSCO 2222) — Jobs and Skills Australia · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Student visa (subclass 500) — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), Post-Higher Education Work stream — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Meeting the Australian study requirement — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Department of Home Affairs — Visa Pricing Estimator — Australian Department of Home Affairs · checked 26 September 2026
- Fair Work Ombudsman — Minimum wages — Fair Work Ombudsman · checked 26 September 2026
- Wise — AUD to INR mid-market rate — Wise · checked 26 September 2026
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