Australia Caps International Student Enrollments Starting 2025: New Visa Rules and Enrollments Limits for International Students

• Australia is becoming more restrictive about foreign students. New enrolment caps and more stringent immigration procedures will impact international students hoping to study in Australia. Once a leader in the recruitment of foreign students, Australia is planning to reduce its intake drastically. The education industry has been rocked by the Australian government’s recent decision to restrict the number of new international students it would accept.

• These changes, which will go into effect on January 1, 2025, will tighten visa procedures and curb the number of new international students, which might change the environment for students from around the world.

Cap on Enrolment for International Students

• Starting in 2025, the Australian Government will enforce a cap on the number of international students allowed to begin their studies each year.

• The Australian Government introduced the National Planning Level (NPL) on August 27, 2024, to manage the growth of international student programs across the country.

Maximum Enrolment Per Year

• Every year, a total of 270,000 additional foreign students will be able to enroll in different academic programs. Current students won’t be impacted by the cap, but it will limit the number of new applicants for both higher education and career training.

Breakdown of Enrollment Cap by Sector:

Education Sector	New Student Limit
Public Universities	145,000
Private Universities and NUHEPs	30,000
Vocational Education and Training (VET)	95,000
Total	270,000

• The new policy ensures that only the initial course a student starts in 2025 is counted toward the cap. Any second courses taken in the same calendar year will not be counted.

Tighter Student Visa Requirements

• Australia is imposing more stringent visa conditions in addition to the enrolment cap. The process of obtaining a study visa will be more difficult for students beginning of March 2024 due to new regulations.

Genuine Student (GS) Requirement

• The Genuine Student requirement was introduced on March 23, 2024, and it evaluates candidates to determine if they are pursuing higher education. During the visa application process, applicants will be asked additional questions to confirm that they intend to study in Australia.

Elevated Levels of English Language Proficiency

• Requirements for proficiency in English have also increased. The new IELTS scores that students must now achieve to be eligible for a student visa are as follows:

Visa Type	Old IELTS Requirement	New IELTS Requirement
Student Visa	5.5	6.0
ELICOS Course	4.5	5.5
University      Foundation/Pathway	5.5	5.5
Temporary Graduate Visa (TGV)	6.0	6.5

Changes to Post-Study Work Opportunities

• Graduates who secure skilled employment during their post-study period may now qualify for the new Skills in Demand Visa, offering up to four years of work authorization. This visa could also serve as a pathway to permanent residency for eligible candidates.

Industry Response and Broader Migration Strategy

• The NPL cap is part of Australia’s broader Migration Strategy, introduced in December 2023. While the government aims to manage the number of international students, Universities Australia has expressed concerns, urging the government to reconsider the impact of Ministerial Direction 107 on the education sector.

• The changes reflect Australia’s intent to regulate the influx of international students, ensuring that only those genuinely committed to higher education and meeting stricter standards gain entry. For prospective students, these new policies mean more rigorous visa requirements and limited enrolment opportunities.

Conclusion Australia’s new cap on international student enrollments and updated visa regulations mark a shift in its approach to international education. Aspiring students must now navigate stricter eligibility criteria and adapt to changes in post-study work opportunities.