The Australian reported this week that a number of top Australian universities will increase tuition fees for international students – twice as fast inflation.
It is reported that University of Melbourne, University of NSW and University of Western Sydney will increase their fees by 7% in 2025, the year in which the government intends to introduce a cap on international student numbers.
According to the report, a spokesperson for University of NSW put its increases down to rising overheads such as library subscriptions, scientific equipment, as well as changes in the Australian dollar.
Speaking in Hobart on October 30, education minister Jason Clare commented on the decision by some universities to raise fees: “They’re a matter for individual universities about what they charge international students.
I’ve made it very clear and make no apology for the fact that the government wants to return migration levels to pre-pandemic levels
Jason Clare, Australia’s education minister
“I’ve made it very clear and make no apology for the fact that the government wants to return migration levels to pre-pandemic levels,” continued Clare.
“And part of that is returning international student numbers to roughly the sort of numbers they were before the pandemic. The main job of our universities is to educate Aussies, to make sure that more Australians get a crack at going to university. That’s my focus.”
The government’s proposed National Planning Level for 2025 sets a total cap of 270,000 new international student commencements for the calendar year, with individual cap allocations handed to each provider.
The recent news highlights yet another example of rising education costs for students aspiring to study in Australia. Earlier this year, the visa fee for international student visas applying to study in Australia more than doubled from AUS$710 to AUS$1,600.
Despite the marked increase and concerns from stakeholders about the impact on Australia’s attractiveness as a study destination, The PIE News has heard from a group of current international students who said they would not be deterred by the new visa fee amount.