Australia adds 17,500 study spots for foreign students despite tougher visa rules

The education ministry announced the plan on Oct. 14 as part of its new international education strategy. "International education brings tens of billions of dollars into the economy each year. It also builds friendships and long-term connections around the world. But we need to manage it sustainably and that's what these allocations for universities do," education minister Jason Clare said.

In August, the government set a national cap of 295,000 international enrollments for 2026. Universities can apply for extra places if they provide adequate housing for new students, diversify recruitment markets and boost intake from Southeast Asia. A total of 32 universities met those criteria and were approved, though the overall national cap remains unchanged.

The University of Sydney will have the highest international quota with 11,900 students, followed by Monash University (11,300), the University of Melbourne (10,500) and the University of New South Wales (10,350). Most of the remaining universities can admit 1,000–8,000 students each, while Notre Dame Australia and the University of New England were allocated fewer than 1,000.

Australia has been tightening visa policies over the past two years to control migration. Post-study work rights for international graduates were cut from 4–6 years to 2–4 years, English proficiency requirements raised from IELTS 5.5–6.0 to 6.0–6.5, and the minimum financial proof for student visas increased to AU$29,710 (US$19,230), up 20%. The student visa fee also doubled to AU$2,000, one of the highest in the world.

These changes have led to a 26% drop in visa applications for the 2024–2025 academic year. Still, as of July 2025, Australia hosted nearly 800,000 international students. Vietnamese students ranked fourth among all nationalities, accounting for 4% of the total.