How has Australia made it difficult for international students to get in?

As Australia gears up for the parliamentary elections next year, international student visa policies have taken centre stage in the domestic political discourse.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government last week introduced measures that will make it difficult for many foreign students to get admission into Australian universities.

The government wanted to introduce a law to cap the number of international students, but after facing roadblocks in parliament, it decided to enforce an immigration procedure that would make getting visas difficult - if not impossible.

Experts say the new measure limits the number of international students who want to study at Australian universities even if there’s no official cap on the number of foreign students as intended under the proposed law.

This is on top of several steps the government has taken to cut back on migration, which politicians blame for a housing crisis.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world, especially China and India, apply for visas to study in Australia. These international students have also become a major source of income, helping Australia earn more than $36 billion annually.

Australia hosts more than 1 million international students. Around 55 percent are from China, India, Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Higher education is the country’s largest export earner, but migration and education have become politically sensitive topics. Around 3.7 million students studied in Australia between 2005 and 2023.

Stricter rules

Overhaul of Australia’s student visa policies has been in the works since last year.

The government ordered a review of Australia’s migration system, including student visa regulations, to better align them with the country’s economic and educational objectives.

What followed was a set of drastic changes.

In March, the government changed the minimum test score for international English language tests like IELTS from 4.5-5 to 5.5-6.

That same month, the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement was replaced by the Genuine Student requirement. This means that students must demonstrate their primary intent is to study, with detailed explanations about their financial situation, family, and career goals - another step added to an already cumbersome application process.

The student visa fee was increased from AUD $710 (USD $442.35) to AUD $1,600 (USD $996.86).

Since May, students must show proof of AUD $29,710 for living expenses, with higher amounts required if they want to come with dependents.

In August, the government had proposed capping new international student enrolments at 270,000 for 2025. However, the proposal was blocked by opposition parties in November.

The latest measure came in the shape of a Ministerial Directive or MD 111, which is a set of instructions for government departments. Introduced last week, it tied student visas to specific quotas of applicants assigned to each university.

The Ministerial Directive introduced ‘high’ and ‘standard’ priority categories for visa applications, with the process of giving out visas slowing down once universities hit 80 percent of their enrolment quotas.

According to the Australian Home Affairs website, this basically means that students who apply early for admissions have the best chance to get a visa.

Another new policy requires international students to get Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) from the universities. This requirement comes into force starting in 2025 and does away with the previous procedure where students only needed an offer letter to apply for the visa.

A CoE is a document international students receive once the universities have accepted the offer of admission and received the tuition fee. It can take up to a week for the university to issue this document.

Many foreign students work part-time to meet their expenses. But in July 2023, a 48-hour work cap per fortnight during semesters was reintroduced.

To apply or not to apply?

Sana Ahmed, a private A Level student in Karachi, is reconsidering Australia as a study destination. "The process seems too long and confusing. I might just go to the UK or stay here," she told TRT World.

She said most of her friends were applying to medical schools in North America, Europe, and locally.

The changes in the visa process have created confusion, and migration consultants are trying to figure out how best to advice students.

Abhishek Raj, who works for an Indian immigration consultancy, IDP Education, said they are trying to determine the changes to the Australian student visa process and understand its impact.

He told TRT World they are keeping a close tab on the situation. “Ultimately, this is a government decision. At least it is not like Canada, which keeps changing the rules every fortnight.”

So, what has changed? According to Raj the big thing to focus on is MD 111, which has introduced a cap, whereas earlier, there was no limit to how many international students could enter the country.

Explaining this further, Raj said that earlier, an Australian university would admit students according to the number of seats available. But now, as soon as 80 percent of the course fills up, they will slow down the visa process.

Students are also worried in neighbouring Pakistan, another country from where thousands of young people go to Australia for higher education every year.

Zoya, an immigration consultant in Pakistan, told TRT World Australia’s new requirements have been implemented to prevent misuse of student visas.

“Australia wants a thorough paper trail—financial statements, property ownership, and tax records—to ensure applicants are genuine,” she explained.

Gaps in education or inconsistent financial histories could hurt an applicant’s chances, she said.

IDP’s Raj hopes there will be clarity soon.

For now, he said, students should focus on early decisions and apply for their visas well in advance. For example, if you’re looking at the July intake, you should apply by February or, at the latest, by March.