It’s the twelfth year in a row the university has been awarded a five-star rating.

University of New England Student Association president Koady Humphries said he’d like to see a break-down of the statistics between distance and on-campus students.

“UNE is definitely a leader in digital and distance education, it’s a very good service,” he said.

“As an external student you get the same feel as you would an internal student.”

The guide also awarded UNE five-star ratings in teaching quality, student support, graduate employment and median graduate salary.

An on-campus student himself, Mr Humphries said he believes the higher starting salaries for business, management, law and psychology students are down to community engagement.

“You walk around this campus today and you’ll find that students on average are engaged in two or three community services beyond college,” he said.

“The top three things that employers are looking for are a balance between communication and teamwork, and the third one is grades.

“They’re looking for people who understand the theory – but who know how to work in a community.”

University of New England vice-chancellor Annabelle Duncan said the university has always taken pride in serving students’ needs.

“The ratings also tell us that because of the way UNE educates and supports its students, they go into their careers very well equipped to excel in the race for employment,” she said.

“We pride ourselves in working with students on a personal level, and meeting them wherever they are in life to help them attain a higher education.”

UNE holds the record for a five-star rating in overall experience.