How much does an MBA cost in Australia?

Equipping you with the business leadership skills to succeed, there’s no doubt completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is an investment in your future.

Let’s dive into how much it costs to study an MBA, other MBA costs to consider and ways to get financial support.

Already know what you're looking for? Skip ahead:

• MBA fees in Australia
• Other MBA costs to consider
• Scholarships to mitigate your MBA costs
• Other ways to mitigate MBA costs
• UQ MBA financial support proposal

MBA fees in Australia

How much does an MBA cost in Australia?

According to MBA News, there are over 100 different MBA programs available to study in Australia, with costs ranging from $16,000 to $145,800. This range covers all MBA degree costs, from online MBAs to postgraduate studies provided by Australian universities.

How much does a UQ MBA cost?

UQ MBA fees are subject to change every year and differ for domestic and international students. For the annual fees for full-time study, visit the Fees and scholarships page.

Note: the annual fee isn’t the total cost of your MBA. The UQ MBA consists of 12 courses in total.

Other MBA costs to consider

In addition to your MBA fees, you might also like to plan for these additional costs:

• Around AUD $400 for incidentals such as printing, stationery and study materials
• An optional short-term international study opportunity at one of our international partner institutions for academic credit. The additional costs associated with international study can include insurance, flights and accommodation.
• Held at our Brisbane City location and online for convenience, you might like to factor in public travel costs.

Scholarships to mitigate your MBA costs

The Business School offers several scholarships to students starting the MBA program to help with the cost of tuition fees. These include:

• MBA Student Scholarship - Wandering Warriors
• MBA Student Scholarship – Full-time or part-time
• MBA Student Scholarship – Indigenous
• MBA Student Scholarship – Women

“The UQ MBA Student Scholarship alleviated the burden of resigning from a job I loved to enrol in the full-time program. It also provided reputation benefits and career advantages in addition to the MBA letters after my name!"

You may also be eligible for more than 100 other scholarships. See all UQ scholarships.

“I believe it's important for women to continue to grow through education. This is something the Wandering Warriors Scholarship can empower you to do.”

Other ways to mitigate MBA costs

Are you an Australian citizen or eligible visa holder? You may be able to access FEE-HELP as a government loan to cover part or all your tuition fees. You may also be eligible for Centrelink support. If you're looking for other ways to help you cover the cost of your MBA, you could try:

• applying for a bank loan
• organising a private loan with family members
• financial aid options available to international students
• studying part time to stretch out tuition costs (see more on this below)
• asking your employer to support your studies financially.

UQ MBA financial support proposal

Are you considering asking your employer to support your MBA studies? They will want to understand how you'll deliver a return on their investment.

To help you showcase this value, we’ve assembled a downloadable Powerpoint template you can present to your manager. The customisable slides identify how the knowledge, capabilities and networks you’ll gain during the UQ MBA are an investment in your organisation’s future, equipping you to help them navigate current and emerging challenges. We've also included a selection of testimonials demonstrating the success of MBA alumni to support your request. 

Download the template to help you gain your organisation’s financial support to take the next step towards starting your MBA.

Download the presentation (PPTX, 11.5 MB)

Study load and program length

The UQ MBA offers students multiple options to tailor their MBA schedule to suit their lifestyle and schedule. These different options can affect your MBA costs. For example:

• Full time versus part time
  You can complete the UQ MBA full time in 1.5 years or part time over up to 10 years. Studying part time can spread out your MBA costs, but tuition fees tend to increase between 4 and 6% annually. This means you could end up paying more per course over time than if you studied the full time MBA program.
• MBA versus graduate certificate
  If you don’t meet the entry requirements for the MBA or are just looking to reduce how much you pay for your qualification, you could consider our 6-month Graduate Certificate in Business Administration instead.

Claim it on tax

If your studies are directly related to your current role and you continue working while studying, you may be able to claim your MBA fees and related expenses as tax deductions.

This won’t reduce your costs upfront but could contribute to receiving a return at tax time. Visit the ATO website for more details.

Investing in a UQ MBA is an investment in your future.