University of the Sunshine Coast: Guide for Students in 2026

Overview

For many decades, the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) has served students with academic excellence, innovative research, and holistic development. It is a public university established in 1994 and based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. UniSC opened its first campus in 1996, at Sippy Downs, evolving from the earlier Sunshine Coast University College and other notable footprints on Fraser Coast, Gympie, Moreton Bay, and Caboolture. The potential growth and rising popularity of UniSC make it a popular destination among international students. In the 2024 academic session, UniSC enrolled about 18,688 students from across multiple nations for higher studies.

The University of the Sunshine Coast’s educational demographic is outstanding; it offers dozens of degrees and hundreds of courses to students in the domains of Arts, Business, Health, Science, and Law. UniSC is also known for its sports and athletics worldwide, and it features UniSC Arena. Since February 2017, the arena has been the home stadium for the Super Netball team, the Sunshine Coast Lightning, with a seating capacity of 3,000. Apart from education and sports, UniSC provides a remarkable outcome. In the 2023 Employer Satisfaction Survey, graduates of the university had an overall employer satisfaction rate of 88.2%.

Ranking

The UniSC’s consistent top-tier rankings highlight its dedication to academic quality, innovation, and global engagement. It secured its position in the reputed global rankings, including THE (Times Higher Education), QS World University Rankings, U.S. News & World Report, Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai), etc. And UniSC is also frequently ranked the #1 public university in Queensland for postgraduate experience. Let’s explore the University of the Sunshine Coast Rankings briefly.

Note: Rankings are based on publicly available data and information from official websites, industry reports, and reputable third-party sources.

1200

THE

600

U.S. News

1048

Shanghai

900

Admission Process

The University of the Sunshine Coast's admission process is designed to be transparent and student-centred, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants. With a high acceptance rate of 82% for international students, it makes it accessible to get into the university. And UniSC enrols Myriads of learners every year across multiple nations. The enrolment procedure begins with the selection of a course. After that, meeting eligibility & academic requirements, documentation, SOP and LOR assistance, application submission, fees payment, and lastly the Visa process. These are the steps which each student needs to follow for admission to UniSC.

ROI

The UniSC offers a strong ROI to students due to its high employability, quality education, and career wellness. The University of the Sunshine Coast's ROI reveals strong student outcomes. In the 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey, graduates of the university had a full-time employment rate of 78.2% for undergraduates and 86.2% for postgraduates. The initial full-time salary was A$70,000 for undergraduates and A$81,300 for postgraduates. The ROI factor not only depends on financial terms but also varies by education, skills, and experience.

Note: Salary figures are indicative estimates based on graduate outcomes, industry surveys, and available employment data. True pay may vary based on the candidate’s experience, location, and designation.

Course	Annual Package
Graduate - Median starting salary	AUD 70,000
Postgraduate Graduate	AUD 81,300
Graduate Researcher	AUD 77,369
Student Services Operations Officer	AUD 80,236 – AUD 90,420
Employee Services Assistant	AUD 73,874 – AUD 77,693
Senior Business Analyst	AUD 115,240 – AUD 130,514
Senior Financial Services Officer	AUD 92,964 – AUD 100,603
Associate Clinical Educator / Nursing Educator	AUD 80,531 – AUD 109,044
Cyber and Identity Engineer	AUD 102,512 – AUD 112,061
Senior Lecturer	AUD 140,415 – AUD 161,809