Prime Highlights:
- Six of Queensland’s seven public universities ended 2025 with a surplus, sharing a combined total of A$533 million.
- Total revenue across the seven institutions crossed nearly A$7.8 billion, driven by higher federal funding and rising student fee income.
Key Facts:
- International student fee revenue grew at all seven universities, with QUT recording the highest rise at 21 per cent.
- Griffith University was the only institution to post a deficit, after writing off A$67 million in costs for a campus building it decided not to construct.
Background:
In 2025, most of Queensland’s universities entered a positive state of operation. Six out of seven institutions were in surplus at the end of the year. Combined, the seven universities recorded a surplus of A$533 million, with the University of Queensland (UQ) accounting for more than half of that figure.
Total revenue across the seven institutions rose by over 5 per cent to nearly A$7.8 billion. Federal government funding rose by 7 per cent, giving universities a significant boost. Domestic student fees grew by 9 per cent and international fees by 13 per cent, helping offset a 23 per cent drop in investment earnings, a 3 per cent rise in staff costs, and a 5 per cent increase in running expenses.
International education earnings grew at all seven universities. UQ and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) stood out, with revenue from foreign students rising by around 14 per cent and 21 per cent respectively, even though overseas student numbers at both institutions grew by just 7 per cent, suggesting a rise in average fees. Regional universities, including Central Queensland University and the University of the Sunshine Coast, also gained around A$20 million each from international students.
Griffith University was the only institution to record a deficit, posting a shortfall of A$11 million after writing off A$67 million in site preparation costs for a planned campus building that the university has since decided not to build.
Consultancy spending across the sector drew public attention following scrutiny from a national investigative programme, prompting education minister Jason Clare to push for greater transparency around how universities spend on external consultants.
