The “bush capital”

Canberra was designed around the region’s natural topography, including landmarks such as Black Mountain, Mount Ainslie and Mount Mugga Mugga. As well as fitting around natural landmarks, the city was also intended to be low density and filled with green spaces.

For both reasons, Canberra is known as the “bush capital”. It’s a great place to explore Australia’s beautiful natural landscapes and enjoy the vibrant outdoors. Get into cycling, hiking and simply strolling through the lush city.

In line with its green landscapes, Canberra is one of the most sustainable cities in the world. The state government is extremely proud that the city has achieved a 100% renewable energy supply.

National icons

Canberra is Australia’s capital city and home to some iconic national treasures, buildings and cultural institutions.

The National Triangle precinct holds Australian Parliament House, Reconciliation Place, ANZAC Parade, the National Carillon, Commonwealth Park and Kings Park. It’s a great place to visit to discover more about Australia’s political and cultural history.

Canberra also boasts nearly 80 embassies and consulates, which means it’s a great place for students studying international relations, politics or diplomacy to find internships and work experience.

Canberra is home to some of Australia’s biggest and best museums and galleries, like the National Museum of Australia, the National Gallery of Australia and the National Portrait Gallery. There are plenty of smaller galleries to explore, too!

Livability

Canberra is one of Australia’s most livable cities. The ACT Wellbeing Framework showed that nearly 90% of inhabitants found their local area very livable.

In 2025, Oxford Economics named Canberra as the best city in the world for quality of life, and Canberra is also the safest city in Australia according to Compare the Market Australia findings.

You can rest assured you’ll lead a comfortable, safe and happy life in Canberra.

Employability

Canberra is a fantastic city for pursuing your chosen career. The ACT has one of the highest employment participation rates in all of Australia.

UC is ranked as number one in Canberra for starting salary and graduate full-time employment, according to the 2026 Good Universities Guide. While you’re studying, Careers UC is here to help you answer any questions about where your career can lead you and how to find employment during and after your degree.

Multiculturality

People come from all over the world to study and work in Canberra, making it one of Australia’s most multicultural cities.

As an international student, this means you’ll be able to find friends who share your background, as well as meeting people from every corner of the globe. It’s also easy to find eateries dedicated to your home cuisine and supermarkets that stock your favourite foods.

Canberra hosts multicultural festivals throughout the year, such as the National Multicultural Festival – the Canberra community celebrates all the cultures of the world! At UC, we actively appreciate diverse cultures through a range of cultural clubs and events.

Deep space hub

Canberra is Australia’s deep space hub. It’s home to the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, an active NASA space tracking station operated by the CSIRO.

The Complex is a great spot for a day visit to find out more about Canberra’s role in NASA’s Deep Space Network and check out the hardware and memorabilia in the visitor centre.

The Complex also means that Canberra is the perfect place for anybody interested in studying anything space-related!

To find out more about courses you can study in Canberra, visit UC’s international student website.