The University of Adelaide
Adelaide, South Australia, AU
The University of Adelaide was a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it was the third-oldest university in Australia. Its main campus in the Adelaide city centre included many sandstone bui…
Selectivity
Selectivity differs by faculty and degree level. Refer to the latest official admissions statistics and common-data-set summaries where published.
Tuition & fees
Tuition and fees vary by programme and year. Use University of Adelaide’s official cost of attendance pages for current figures.
Global standing
Public university in South Australia
Confirm tuition, housing, and aid on the institution’s website: https://www.adelaide.edu.au
Campus & heritage
Photography from public collections and university-associated imagery—representative views, not an exhaustive campus map.
4 images
About the institution
The University of Adelaide was a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it was the third-oldest university in Australia. Its main campus in the Adelaide city centre included many sandstone buildings of historical and architectural significance, such as Bonython Hall.
Its royal charter awarded by Queen Victoria in 1881 allowed it to become the second university in the English-speaking world to confer degrees to women. On 5 January 2026, it merged with the neighbouring University of South Australia to form Adelaide University. The antecedent institutions were formally disestablished after 31 March 2026, when both the University of Adelaide Act 1971 and University of South Australia Act 1990 were repealed.