Australia Is Reshaping International Student Enrolment | Australia Study Visa

The Albanese Government is committed to enhancing the integrity and sustainability of Australia's international education sector. As part of these efforts, the Government announced in May that it would introduce limits on the number of international students enrolled by education providers. This is aimed at ensuring that the sector continues to grow in a sustainable manner and maintains its social licence.

National Planning Level (NPL)

To manage this growth, the Government will introduce a National Planning Level (NPL) for new international student commencements, starting in 2025. The NPL will be set at 270,000 for the calendar year 2025, divided between the higher education and vocational education and training (VET) sectors. This will bring international student numbers back to pre-pandemic levels, ensuring a more controlled and sustainable growth trajectory.

Exemptions from NPL

Certain categories of students will be exempt from the NPL, including:

• School students
• Higher degree by research students
• Students undertaking standalone English language courses (ELICOS)
• Non-award students
• Australian Government sponsored scholars
• Students in Australian transnational education or twinning arrangements
• Key partner foreign government scholarship holders
• Students from the Pacific and Timor-Leste

Higher Education Sector

For publicly funded universities, the managed growth approach will allow for around 145,000 new international student commencements in 2025, bringing numbers to 2023 levels. This approach also supports universities disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Individual limits will be outlined in an International Student Profile (ISP), taking into account recent levels of new international student commencements and the concentration of international students in their onshore cohorts.

Future Growth and Student Housing

From 2026 onwards, the Government will encourage universities to create additional student housing to benefit both domestic and international students, as part of their growth strategies.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) Sector

The VET sector will see around 95,000 new international student commencements in 2025. Providers with a higher ratio of international students will receive a lower allocation, encouraging diversification. These changes are designed to improve the integrity of the sector and enhance the international student experience by providing more opportunities for international students to train alongside Australian students.

Transition to New System

Subject to the passage of legislation, this new system of managed growth and enhanced integrity measures will replace Ministerial Direction 107 from 1 January 2025. The reforms aim to create a sustainable international education system that can grow steadily over time, ensuring the sector's longevity and reputation.

These measures highlight the Government's determination to protect the sector's integrity while fostering sustainable growth, benefiting both international students and the broader Australian community.