The Australian Catholic University (ACU) is a public university spanning multiple states. It has a Christian orientation but is open to people of all backgrounds and beliefs.
- 31,775 students
- 73% female (one of the highest % in Aust)
Campuses: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Ballarat
Is ACU a Good University?
Like all Australian universities, ACU has its strengths and weaknesses. Of concern to Good Universities are the low satisfaction ratings among teaching graduates, one of the uni's largest faculties. On the other hand, ACU ranks highly in health and rehabilitation fields.
Enrolment figures highlight ACU’s focus areas. The largest number of students are enrolled in health (14,670) and education (9,747).
Healthcare
ACU shines in health-related programs, with high satisfaction scores that consistently exceed the national average. For example, 91.7% of rehabilitation students expressed satisfaction with their course, compared to an 80.4% national average. Health Services & Support undergraduate students also rated their experience positively, with an 83.9% satisfaction rate.
Teacher education
Teacher education — a significant faculty at ACU with over 9,700 students — saw a satisfaction rating of just 65.7%, falling below the national average of 73.7%. This is a notable lowlight, given the faculty’s size and importance.
Graduate satisfaction highlights and lowlights
| Course* | Satisfaction | Australian avg. |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation | 91.7% | 80.4% |
| Psychology (Postgraduate) | 87.1% | 82.8% |
| Social Work | 85.9% | 82.6% |
| Health Services & Support | 83.9% | 76.1% |
| Teacher Education | 65.7% | 73.7% |
* Ratings are for recent graduates of undergraduate (bachelor) degrees unless otherwise stated.
ACU’s performance is a mix of high-achieving programs and areas in need of improvement. While education struggles with satisfaction ratings, health-related courses are well-regarded and attract a large share of enrolments.
Is Australian Catholic University Prestigious?
ACU is not a prestigious university by Australian standards. The ATAR required for course entry is around 59 for popular undergraduate degrees, making it one of the easier unis to get into in the country. ACU does not cover STEM fields well, instead focusing on healthcare and education.
Nonetheless, like most Australian universities, ACU appears in world rankings. For example, it ranks in the top 500 universities worldwide, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. ACU also performs well among younger institutions, ranking in the top 100 in the THE Young University Rankings.
ACU’s research efforts also contribute to its global standing. The university is ranked first or equal first in 10 fields of research, including nursing, public health, and education. This commitment to research excellence has helped ACU strengthen its reputation both locally and internationally, particularly in the areas it specialises in. While not a traditional powerhouse, ACU is making strides in targeted areas.