Australian student visas down nearly 40%

Statistics from the Australian Government website show that the number of visas granted to international students from October 2023 to August this year was 298,000. Meanwhile, the figure for the same period last year was more than 477,000.

The vocational education and training (VET) sector was hit hardest, with a 67% drop in student visas. English language short courses for overseas students (ELICOS) and higher education fell by 50% and 25% respectively.

Except for Bangladesh, where the number of student visas issued increased by 3%, other markets all decreased sharply, especially the Philippines (down 67% compared to the same period), Colombia (down 62%), India and Nepal decreased by 56 and 53% respectively.

For Vietnam, the number of visas issued decreased by 28% compared to last year.

It has been a turbulent 12 months for Australian higher education: visa costs have doubled, financial and English language requirements have increased, while the length of post-study work permits and the age limit for applying for them have been reduced.

The current tightening of student visa policies is unfair, says Keri Ramirez, CEO of Studymove, an international education data provider, because applicants and schools don’t really know what the criteria are.

“The constant change makes it very difficult for students to understand the value of studying in Australia at this time,” Ramirez said.

Studymove predicts that tuition fees for international students in Australia will increase by an average of 6.2% in 2025, the highest increase since 2018. Due to the cap on international student recruitment, universities have had to change their strategies to achieve financial goals, including diversifying services, increasing online learning, training outside Australia...

In fact, the country’s top 10 universities have announced tuition fees of AUD 26,500-113,000 (VND 442-1.9 billion) next year, AUD 2,000-3,000 higher than now. In addition, international students need about AUD 20,000-39,000 (VND 335-650 million) for living expenses each year, according to the study abroad information site Shiksha.

Australia is one of the world’s most popular study destinations. As of July, the number of international students there was nearly 944,000, up more than 14% over the same period last year. Vietnam has more than 44,000 international students, ranking fifth.

To apply for an Australian student visa (visa 500), students need a letter of invitation from the school, health insurance, a declaration from a parent or guardian (if under 18 years old), a letter explaining the purpose of study and the ability to stay or leave after studying, and some other documents.

At the New South Wales Education Fair in Ho Chi Minh City in mid-September, Ms. Katherine Tranter, senior officer in charge of student visas at the Australian Department of Home Affairs, said the number of visa applications from Vietnam last school year was 24,400, an increase of more than 30% compared to the previous school year. However, the approval rate dropped from 91% to 76%, the lowest in the past 18 years. The common reason was "dishonest about the purpose of studying abroad".