Australian universities warn against cutting international student numbers. The pushback comes as the government faces pressure to reduce record migration, and the debate is already reshaping how students and institutions plan for the year ahead.
Why are Australian universities worried?
International students on average pay almost twice the tuition that local students pay, and that money supports the operations of some universities and subsidises research, scholarships and the tuition of local students. At the University of Sydney, for example, international students contribute more than 40% of revenue.
Universities themselves are also asking whether they rely too heavily on international student income, and the issue is being discussed at every university.
What is the government proposing, and why?
The government faces pressure to reduce record migration, in part to ease housing pressure and the cost-of-living crisis before next year’s federal election. International students have become a target.
A proposed cap system would give each institution priority student visa processing until it reaches 80% of its international student allocation. In practice, the Sandstone Universities — the informally defined group made up of Australia’s oldest higher education institutions — would receive priority treatment, while smaller regional universities would be left out.
What could change for students and universities?
Universities are being asked to set budgets around numbers the government provided, even though there has never been a legal basis for setting international student caps.
The proposed cap could lead some universities to withdraw offers already made to foreign students, hold back important research plans, and even push up tuition for some Australian students.
La Trobe University vice-chancellor Theo Farrell says the university supports transparent and moderate measures to manage the growth of international students in Australia.
The plan has also created anxiety among current and prospective students. Vedant Gadhavi, a Monash University student, says several friends in Gujarat, India, had planned to pursue master’s degrees in Australia but are now panicking about the policy changes. Rishika Agrawal, director of the international students department at ANU, says the proposal has raised other concerns as well.
What is the wider context for Australian international education?
During the pandemic, many Australian universities looked like ghost towns. By the end of 2024 the sector reached a new milestone: more than one million international student enrolments were recorded — 1,018,799 in total, the first time that figure has been passed. Public data only runs through September, but the enrolment number is not the same as the number of international students in Australia, because some people enrol in more than one course. Education department figures show the number of international students in September also hit a record high, at nearly 825,000.
At the same time, student visa applications in 2024 fell by nearly 40% compared with the previous year, and the number of people potentially seeking to study in Australia dropped by 120,000.
Australia’s visa fee increase has also pushed students to look at other countries, and the introduction of enrolment caps has drawn analysis of the strategy behind them.
FAQ
Why do Australian universities oppose cutting international student numbers?
International students on average pay almost twice the tuition that local students pay, and that income supports the operations of some universities and subsidises research, scholarships and the tuition of local students. At the University of Sydney, international students contribute more than 40% of revenue.
What would the proposed cap mean for universities?
Under the proposal, each institution would receive priority student visa processing until it reaches 80% of its international student allocation, which in practice favours the Sandstone Universities and leaves smaller regional universities out. The cap could also lead some universities to withdraw offers already made to foreign students and hold back important research plans.
How many international students study in Australia?
By the end of 2024, Australia recorded 1,018,799 international student enrolments, the first time the figure has passed one million, although this is not the same as the number of international students because some enrol in more than one course. Education department data show the number of international students in September reached a record high of nearly 825,000.
Are international students worried about the plan?
Yes. Current and prospective students are panicking about the proposed cuts. Vedant Gadhavi, a Monash University student, says friends in Gujarat, India, who had planned master’s degrees in Australia are now worried, and Rishika Agrawal, ANU’s international students department director, says the proposal has raised other concerns.