Named after the British explorer Captain James Cook, James Cook University is Australia’s leading tropical research university and Queensland’s second oldest university offering excellence in teaching and research. Our main campuses are based in the vibrant coastal northern Queensland cities of Townsville and Cairns, offering students a unique, safe and friendly study environment. This remarkable region has over a million visitors come each year to experience two World Heritage-listed natural wonders: the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforests.

JCU offers a comprehensive selection of exciting and career-relevant courses at undergraduate, postgraduate (coursework and research) and short term/semester level. This unique study experience in the “Real Australia” allows you to experience a true Australian lifestyle, culture, and affordable cost of living, with a more personalized teaching environment.

Many courses also include practical, hands-on experience. Over 19,000 students including over 5,000 international students from over 100 nationalities currently study with JCU.

The University conducts nationally significant and internationally recognized research in areas such as marine sciences, biodiversity, tropical ecology and environments, global warming, tourism, and tropical medicine and public health care in under-served populations.