Australia Student Education News

Australia's international student cap has been blocked

The planned limit on international students in Australia will now not come into place in January, after opposition politicians pledged to reject it. The government has removed it from the Parliamentary schedule, but may still attempt to revive it in future. With a federal election due by May 2025, proposals and debate around international education will continue to develop.

Discover how to apply for a student visa in Australia.

Australian universities teach beach safety to international students

The University of New South Wales is one of a number of universities in Australia to offer beach safety training to students.

Its three-week Beach Ocean Safe Program teaches skills in swimming, first aid and understanding coastal conditions to all who are interested, but with a particular focus on students from other countries.

Describing the course as "crucial", Vietnamese student Slinh Pham said that "If we came here empty-handed, I think it would have been so dangerous, so I'm so grateful for this opportunity."

Other institutions that offer similar support include Western Sydney University.

More international students are considering multiple destinations

Two thirds (66 per cent) of people planning to study abroad are looking at more than one country, according to IDP’s latest Emerging Futures report. This is up from 61 per cent last year, and 56 per cent in the year before. Further, 49 per cent are now considering three or more destinations, and 16 per cent are thinking about at least five.

Research finds the most popular countries for international students

Australia is the preferred destination of more international students than any other, according to IDP’s latest Emerging Futures report.

Almost one in four (24 per cent) of surveyed students chose the country, down one percentage point from last year. The USA was second most popular, rising four points to 23 per cent.

By contrast, Canada drops nine points to 16 per cent. This places it fourth behind the UK (21 per cent).

New Zealand is fifth (5 per cent), while all other destinations were named by a combined 11 per cent of students. This is up six points on last year.

The Emerging Futures report is based on a survey of more than 6,000 students from 114 countries. This is its sixth edition, with research conducted in August and September this year.

More international students may enrol at some Australian universities in 2025

The proposed caps on international students at each public university in Australia have been published, with some given the opportunity to increase their enrolment.

Under the limits, several would be permitted to accept at least 10 per cent more international students next year than they did in 2023. Universities with the potential for such growth include Monash, Adelaide, James Cook, Flinders and Tasmania.

Some institutions would be made to accept fewer international students. These include Melbourne, Sydney and Wollongong. However, each of these universities would be allowed a larger enrolment than they had in 2019.

International students compete at the Paralympics

International students from around the world are competing at the Paralympic Games in Paris.

Malaysian long jumper Jonathan Wong Kar Gee will go for gold in his event on Monday. The vision impaired athlete studied in Australia, and has a degree in engineering management from the USA's Inter American University.

Palesha Goverdhan will compete for Nepal in taekwondo. Outside of sport, she is currently studying for a degree in architecture engineering at Tongji University in China.

Other study abroad sporting stars at the Games include:

• Icelandic swimmer Már Gunnarsson (student at the Royal Northern College of Music, UK)
• Japan's ten-time swimming medallist Taka Suzuki (sports management PhD student at Northumbria University, UK)
• Cameroonian sprinters Guillaume Junior Atangana and Donard Nyamjua (students at Bradford College, UK)

For more inspirational stories of international student athletes on the international stage, check out these Olympians who studied abroad.