Planning to Study in Australia? Australia’s 2025 Student Visa & Enrollment Shake-Up

Australia's tightening regulations on international student admissions are set to make it more challenging for those aiming to study in the country. In 2025, only 145,000 new international students will be admitted to Australian universities. This comes alongside the highest student visa fees to date, adding to the difficulties for prospective students.

On August 27, 2024, the Education Minister announced that the government will limit the intake of new international students to 270,000, reducing the number by nearly 20,000. As of May 2024, Australia had over 810,000 international enrollments, marking a 17% increase from 2019’s pre-pandemic levels.

Under this new cap, 145,000 new international students will be admitted to publicly funded universities in 2025, keeping numbers consistent with 2023 levels. An additional 95,000 spots will be allocated to vocational education and training (VET) courses, aiming to bring numbers back to pre-pandemic levels.

However, universities have expressed concerns over this cap. The University of Melbourne released a statement criticizing the decision, saying they were informed of the cap only when the public announcement was made. The university questioned the government's methodology and stated that they were not consulted in the process. They anticipate negative consequences from this policy, which could limit their international student numbers from 10,400 to 9,300.

Monash University, another prominent institution, echoed similar sentiments, expressing their need to understand the rationale behind the decision and emphasizing the importance of international students to Australia’s academic and broader communities.

Despite these challenges, international students determined to earn an Australian degree have alternatives through overseas campuses. Many Australian universities have established campuses abroad, offering students the chance to earn the same degrees without physically attending in Australia. Monash University, for example, has campuses in Malaysia and Indonesia, and partnerships with institutions in China and India.

Moreover, the state of Victoria, home to several major universities, is seeking innovative ways to counter the cap. In September 2024, the state announced incentives for universities and TAFEs to set up overseas campuses, aiming to maintain strong international student enrolments. This move is part of broader efforts to bypass the federal government’s cap on student numbers.

These restrictions are part of a wider strategy by the Australian government to reduce net migration. In 2022-2023, Australia saw a record high of 528,000 migrants, and the government is working to bring this down to 260,000 in 2024-2025. Measures include doubling student visa fees to 1,600 AUD and increasing the required proof of savings for students.

With these changes, the landscape for studying in Australia has become much more challenging for international students.