STUDY IN DARWIN
What's in this student city guide?
Quick facts about Darwin
📍 Territory
Northern Territory
📆 Established
1869
🌆 Area
3163 km2
👪 Population
145,000+
🌥 Climate
Tropical
👋 Welcome to Darwin
With tropical climate, mining resources, highest employment rates and being so close to Asia, Darwin presents a very unique studying experience for overseas students
Here is a student guide about study in Darwin. We hope you enjoy reading it.
Reasons to Study in Darwin
✈ Close to Asia
For many students who come from Asian countries, going back home is not only quicker but cheaper also. Darwin is Australia’s gateway to Asia.
✅ Absolute Beauty
While studying in Darwin, you will be able to explore the stunning beauty of northern territory including Uluru, Kakadu National Park, Litchfield National Park and Nitmiluk National Park.
🌞 Tropical Climate
Darwin enjoys warm tropical weather all year round with an average temperature around 30s. It also has only two seasons, Dry (April – October) and Wet (November – March).
👔 Employment Pathways
Darwin has many internships, work placements, casual and part time employment opportunities for international students.
🏛 High Quality Education
Charles Darwin University, the only university in Darwin, is ranked among the top 2% of the world’s universities. It offers specialised courses including indigenous culture and health.
🎨 Diversity
Darwin is home to 145,000 people from 60 different countries. Darwin city celebrates its diversity and cultural richness every year at the Darwin Waterfront Harmony Soiree event.
💡 Did you know?
Darwin has been re-built 4 times since 1897, 1937, 1974 due to cyclones and second world war
Universities and Vocational Education in Darwin
🏛 Universities in Darwin
Here is a list of Darwin based universities in Australia:
Darwin is the home to one and only university in the city – Charles Darwin University. Charles Darwin University (CDU) is known as one of the most research intensive universities in Australia. It is also known for its teaching and learning innovations.
In 2018, it was ranked third for graduate employment and salary outcomes. CDU has three campuses in Darwin city itself. The university offers a range of programs like business, IT, education and law.
✍ TAFE and other education providers
There is no government TAFE in Darwin but there are many other private vocational education providers in the city providing a range of vocational programs to the international students.
Charles Darwin University also provides various vocational programs including hospitality and trades
Monthly Cost of Living in Darwin
🏠 Rent
$600
🍔 Food
$500
🚌 Transport
$70
🔌 Utilities
$100
🎉 Others
$100
💵 Total
$1370
⚠ Disclaimer
The prices are expressed in Australian Dollars for each month. The figures are for single student in a shared living setting. The figures are gathered from various sources, talking with students, our team experiences and provide general guidelines. The cost of living in Darwin can vary based on your lifestyle, type of accommodation, personal choice and many other factors.
Transport in Darwin
📌 How to get to city from Darwin airport?
Darwin airport is located 8 km to the north of Darwin city centre, in the suburb named Eaton,
To reach city centre from the Darwin Airport, you can take a public transport bus, route 3A from the airport. It cost $3 to travel to the city from airport on this bus. But keep in mind that bus stop is 10 minute walk outside terminal and you will have to change the bus at Casuarina interchange to Bus Number 21. This whole journey can take around 1 hour.
If you are in a rush, then you might spend extra money in booking a shuttle or hiring a taxi or ride sharing service like Uber etc.
🚌 Public Transport
The main mode of public transport in Darwin is buses. In order to use public transport, you will need to get a ‘Tap and Ride’ card. You can buy a card from the main bus terminals or in the bus itself (cash only).
As a student, $7 can give you unlimited rides per week. Make sure to tap on the card when boarding and tap off when getting off the bus
🚖 Other Transport & Concessions
As an overseas student in Northern Territory, you will be eligible to get full discounts on public transport.
Cycling is also a preferred way of travelling around the city among overseas students in Darwin. It’s warm climate and excellent cycle paths makes the life of the bicycle rider easy.
💡 Did you know?
Darwin has been named after Charles Darwin even before he became famous for his theory of evolution
Key Events During The Year in Darwin
🚴 April
Arafura Games
This is an inclusive sports event where the disabled and able bodied athletes compete in the same program. It is held every two years in Darwin.
🎪 May
Garrmalang Festival
Garrmalang festival is an exclusive arts festival featuring the works of only indigenous artists and performers, organized and run by the indigneous managers and administrators.
🎡 July
Territory Day
Territory Day celebrates the local lifestyle, landscape, and people with a fireworks display at the end.
🎠 August
Aboriginal Art Fair
The aboriginal art fair provides an opportunity to explore the traditional fashion, dance, music, film, and workshops as well as purchase artwork directly from the indigenously owned community Art Centres.
🎤 August
Darwin Festival
Darwin Festival showcases the multicultural aspects of Northern Territory over a period of 18 days with outdoor concerts, workshops, theatre, dance, and comedy routines.
Free Things to do in Darwin
🌳 Charles Darwin National Park
Not too far away from the city is this national park, which also doubled as a field of bunkers to store ammo during the second world war, one of which is now open to exhibition and details the history of the war in the Asia Pacific region.
🖼 Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Explore Darwin’s own brand of culture in this museum where you can learn about a taxidermy crocodile named Sweetheart to Australia’s biggest natural disaster, Cyclone Tracy, among other local artefacts and exhibitions.
💯 Mindil Beach Markets
Considered one of the best evening events in Darwin, you won’t find a dull moment at these local markets, from performance artists in the streets to a tequila sunset view in the horizon, operating every Sunday and Thursday.
🌳 George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
In the vicinity of Museum and Art Gallery and Mindil Beach, you will find these gardens with their exotic collection of plants from Northern Territory and tropical regions from around the world. If you’re willing to spend a little, you can even do a segway tour here.
🎴 East Point Reserve
If you’re into military history, then Darwin would be one of the most fascinating places for you, especially East Point Reserve, which has a rich background as a strategic naval location for British and Australian allied forces during the second world war.
🏁 Other places to explore
Apart from the list above, there are many other places to explore and visit in Darwin. Here are some of them:
Gold Coast
Melbourne
Perth
Adelaide
Sydney
Darwin
Brisbane
Canberra
Hobart
Newcastle
Geelong
Wollongong
Sunshine Coast
Cairns