Australian student visa withdrawals surpass 15,000 in 2024, tripling from previous years

Withdrawn visa applications rose from 4,156 in 2019 to about 5,700 in 2023, representing roughly 1% of total applications in both years.

However, in 2024, withdrawals surged dramatically to 15,348, accounting for 3.6% of total lodged applications, as reported by higher education policy expert Andrew Norton of Monash University, citing data from the Department of Home Affairs.

Withdrawals were significantly higher among vocational education applicants (6.1%) compared to higher education applicants (2.8%).

Norton suggested on his website that the rise in withdrawals may reflect students "simply giving up" on Australia. He noted that, as of June last year, the median visa processing time was 94 days for higher education and 171 days for vocational education.

"It would be understandable if applicants just cut their losses and moved on," he wrote.

Monthly withdrawal numbers peaked in March 2024, coinciding with media coverage highlighting institutions' efforts to remove high-risk applications from the system.

According to Norton, prospective students have also become cautious about jeopardizing future opportunities.

"Visa refusals must be declared in future visa applications, although the significance depends on the reason for the refusal. If an applicant believes their application is likely to be refused, it would be prudent to withdraw it," he explained.

For education providers, visa refusal rates directly influence their overall immigration risk ratings, which determine the level of evidence required from future students during visa applications.

In February 2024, eight Australian universities—Western Sydney University, Macquarie, Wollongong, La Trobe, Deakin, Central Queensland, Edith Cowan, and Kaplan Business School—announced the cancellation of admission offers or requested withdrawals from international students and recruitment agents.

All fees paid by the applicants were refunded.

This move followed a policy update by the Australian Department of Home Affairs, announced in December, categorizing universities into three risk levels based on previous visa refusal rates.

Institutions in higher-risk categories face stricter visa requirements, including enhanced proof of English proficiency and financial capacity. Consequently, universities have opted to cancel admission offers from candidates, predominantly from India, Nepal, and Pakistan, who experience higher visa rejection rates, to protect their immigration risk ratings.

Since the end of 2023, Australia has tightened its student visa regulations to better control immigration. These measures include reducing the permitted duration of stay after graduation, raising English-language proficiency requirements, prohibiting the conversion from tourist visas to student visas, and increasing financial proof requirements by around 20% to approximately AUD$29,710 (US$19,820).

Australia remains one of the world's top study destinations alongside the U.S. and Canada, currently hosting one of the largest international student communities globally.

As of November 2024, the country hosted more than 1.08 million international students, up 11% from a year ago, according to Australia's Department of Education.

The Vietnamese student community numbered around 37,000, making them one of the largest international student groups in Australia.