Our History

Burgmann College was founded to serve students from across Australia and from overseas.  The College has a distinctive inclusive lifestyle for postgraduates and undergraduates.

• Burgmann College was named after Ernest Henry Burgmann, if you would like to know more about his life please click here.
• Burgmann College was founded in 1971 by five churches - the Anglican, Baptist, Churches of Christ, Presbyterian and Uniting Churches. The vision the founders had for the College was of a community where young people of all faiths could live and study together, in a spirit of diversity, individual growth and mutual respect,
• ecumenical and community leaders from all over Australia helped bring Burgmann College into existence - it was not just a Canberra affair, but a national enterprise tailored for a national university,
• the original Master Plan for Burgmann College, set out in 1967, envisaged facilities for 500 residents, including a multi-denominational chapel and common support areas. Funds at the time, though, only permitted construction of two of the original four planned accommodation wings, and the chapel was never built,
• the College currently accommodates 350 undergraduate and postgraduate students from ANU, from many social and cultural backgrounds in Australian and overseas, in a splendid campus setting. Residency is open to all, regardless of faith,
• since Burgmann opened its doors thirty-five years ago, it has been home for over 7,500 students pursuing many and varied academic disciplines. Many of the scores of talented young people who have called Burgmann home have been high achievers, and have gone on to become esteemed community leaders, eminent citizens, and prominent social role models across Australia and around the world. Diplomats, politicians, judges, lawyers, scientists, activists, journalists, teachers, healers, clergy, to name just a few – whatever their chosen walk of life, Burgmann alumni consistently rank among the top in their fields,
• the College has a reputation second to none for providing more than just accommodation. For over three decades Burgmann has welcomed young people through its doors with a safe, supportive residential environment, and a rich and vibrant community coloured by a unique, distinctive background of College tradition. It is this successful combination of pastoral care, academic support, tradition and heritage that have made Burgmann one of the most popular colleges on campus, a place to launch lives and careers and to have fun.