The Best uni’s for Indigenous students

By PETER ROWE

The percentage number of Indigenous youngsters in university education is still low (between one and three per cent depending on States), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look at it as an option for 2025.

Indigenous Higher Education Units are located in universities across Australia. These units provide support to First Nations students, create a network of First Nations students and academics and provide a First Nations presence at all Australian university campuses.

And Tafe can be free if you’re Aboriginal as well.

Fee-Free TAFE is a joint initiative of the Australian, State and Territory governments, providing tuition-free courses to students wanting to train, retrain or upskill. Fee-free places will be targeted to priority groups including First Nations people.

Just two per cent of educators identify as First Nations peoples, and education researchers and teachers say incorporating the mandated national curriculum into regular lesson plans continues to be a challenge for non-Indigenous educators.

Uni is not cheap but there are Indigenous Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship (ICECS) to consider. A scholarship to assist with education costs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled and studying in an approved course of study.

And the best Uni’s for First Nations People where there are Indigenous education units?

Check out out list below.

New South Wales

Australian Catholic University – Indigenous Higher Education Unit
Charles Sturt University – Indigenous Student Centres
Macquarie University – Walanga Muru
Southern Cross University – Indigenous Australian Student Services
University of Newcastle – The Wollotuka Institute
University of New England – Oorala Centre
University of New South Wales – Nura Gili
University of Sydney – Gadigal Centre
University of Technology, Sydney – Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning
University of Wollongong – Woolyungah Indigenous Centre
Western Sydney University – Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education

Victoria

Australian Catholic University – Indigenous Higher Education Unit
Deakin University – Institute of Koorie Education
La Trobe University – Indigenous Strategy and Education
Monash University – William Cooper Institute
RMIT – Ngarara Willim Centre
Swinburne University of Technology – Moondani Toombadool Centre
Federation University Australia – Aboriginal Education Centre
University of Melbourne – Murrup Barak, Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development
Victoria University – Moondani Balluk Indigenous Academic Unit

Queensland

Australian Catholic University – Indigenous Higher Education Unit
Bond University – Nyombil Indigenous Support Centre
Central Queensland University – The Indigenous Student Support Team
Griffith University – Gumurrii Student Support Unit
James Cook University – Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Centre
Queensland University of Technology – Oodgeroo Unit
University of Queensland – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit
University of Southern Queensland – College for First Nations
University of Sunshine Coast – Indigenous Services

South Australia

Flinders University – Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement
University of Adelaide – Wilto Yerlo Aboriginal Education
University of South Australia – Indigenous Engagement

Western Australia

Curtin University of Technology – Centre for Aboriginal Studies
Edith Cowan University – Kurongkurl Katitjin, Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research
Murdoch University – Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre
University of Western Australia – School of Indigenous Studies
The University of Notre Dame Australia – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

Northern Territory

Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
Charles Darwin University – Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education

Tasmania

University of Tasmania – Riawunna Centre
Australian Capital Territory
Australian National University – Tjabal Centre
University of Canberra – Ngunnawal Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education