Australia's International Enrolment Cap: What You Need to Know

Australia has always been a top choice for international students pursuing a Masters degree, but a new policy might change things a bit. The Australian government has set a cap on the number of international students that can enrol onto courses. Here's an update on what this all means for prospective students.

Who could be affected?

The Australian government have announced a cap on the number of international students enrolled onto higher education courses. This cap will affect all new international students applying for undergraduate and Masters degrees starting in 2025. Students applying for postgraduate research degrees (like MRes or PhD) are excluded from this cap. Check with your university to know for sure.

What's going on?

The Australian government have capped new international student numbers at 270,000 for 2025 across higher education and vocational education and training (VET) sectors.

Publicly funded universities will be able to welcome up to 145,000 new international students, while private universities and non-university higher education providers will get a cap of around 30,000. VET providers face a cap of 95,000 new international students.

English language courses (ELICOS) will not be affected by this cap, which is some good news for students taking these courses.

When will the cap come in?

The cap is set to come into force from January 1, 2025.

What does this mean for you?

If you're a new international student

If you’re looking to start your course in Australia in 2025, then you will be seen as a new international student and will count towards this new cap. Also be prepared for potentially longer visa processing times and possibly more stringent checks.

If you're a current student studying in Australia

You should be able to carry on your studies uninterrupted. If you want to switch a course you’re studying, as long as it’s at the same institution, you won’t count as a new student.

What are the positives?

Caps can sound scary but there are a couple of things to remember:

English language course (ELICOS) remain unaffected.
The number of new international students allowed for public unversities is a similar level to the numbers back in 2023.

There's still plenty of room for international students, especially those aiming for public universities or ELICOS courses.

Masters opportunities in Australia

While the new cap may introduce some challenges, Australia remains a fantastic destination for your Masters.

If you’re considering studying a Masters in Australia, you can browse all the most recent courses at FindAMasters.com.

by Maka Mutamiri

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