James Cook University is unique among Australian universities, woven into the intellectual, economic and social fabric of its tropical locations.

JCU is defined by the tropics. Its main campuses are in the heart of the tropics — Cairns, Singapore and Townsville. The campuses are complemented and extended by regional and remote study centres and research stations. JCU’s Australian campuses and field stations are located near the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the rainforests of the Wet Tropics region. This unique environment attracts students from around the world.

JCU plays a key role in preparing the professional workforce for northern Australia, and the university offers a comprehensive suite of professionally accredited programs including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, veterinary sciences, psychology, nursing, sport and exercise science, engineering, law, education, and a range of programs in business, science, social science and humanities.

JCU is ranked among the world’s top 400 universities (Academic Ranking of World Universities). The university has an international reputation for the quality of its teaching and research, with recognised strengths in environmental science and management; coral reef science, ecology, and fisheries sciences; geology; evolutionary biology; organic and inorganic chemistry; oceanography; physical geography and environmental geoscience; medical microbiology, tropical health and medicine, vector-borne diseases; immunology; archaeology; and linguistics.

JCU is home to more than 20 major research centres and institutes, including The Cairns Institute and the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine.