Melbourne is one of the best cities in the world for international students, according to a new university rankings report.

The QS World University Rankings, published in collaboration with the Times Higher Education magazine, says Melbourne is Australia’s best student city and the fourth best in the world.

The report also named Melbourne the second-best in the world for student experience.

It ranked Melbourne University as among the best higher education providers in the world, ranking 24^th in the humanities and 46^th in natural sciences.

University students make up 23 per cent of Melbourne’s CBD population and are a vital to the city’s community and economy.

Colombian student Javier Reyes says Melbourne is a vibrant city with a “happy vibe” and has lots of social and economic opportunities.

“I’ve travelled a lot and I’ve seen many cities around the world. I think Melbourne is one of the best. It is like you can travel all round the world, experiencing different food and cultures, without leaving the CBD – and there unique multicultural communities around in the suburbs around the city,” Javier said.

Malaysian student Iskandar Ibrahim says that Melbourne’s multiculturalism and convenience of living are big draw cards for international students.

“I love the culture here and the city’s multicultural aspect,” he said.

Both students live in the inner city and study at RMIT and the University of Melbourne respectively.

“Melbourne has amazing people and social and cultural activities on offer, which is really important to me,” Iskandar said.

“There are always new things to do and great cultural events and the CBD is a great central point and hub. The lifestyle is so convenient for studying and getting around without a car,” he said.

Iskandar, who is studying politics and communications at the University of Melbourne, choosing a global university relatively close to the Philippines was important.

“I moved here straight from high school. And if someone asked me where in the world they should go to study I would say, come to Melbourne.

Javier moved to Melbourne four years ago, after travelling around Australia.

He began studying at RMIT a year ago and hopes his degree will help him further his experience in the communications field.

“Ultimately I would like to work and make my home in Melbourne. It has a great lifestyle and would be a great place to bring up a family,” Javier said.