Coalition proposal to cut international student visas threatens university budgets

The Australian Coalition has proposed a plan to reduce international student commencements by 55,000 per year, a move that experts warn could create “a very significant hole” in university budgets.

The Coalition’s pledge includes capping international student commencements at 240,000 per year—down from the government’s planned 295,000—and reducing the share of international students in higher education to below 25 per cent. Additionally, the plan proposes abolishing the temporary graduate visa, which allows students to live and work in Australia following their studies.

These proposals follow a period of declining foreign student numbers and rising visa rejection rates under the current Labor government. Zlatko Skrbis, vice-chancellor of Australian Catholic University, noted that the accumulation of policy changes is causing anxiety among prospective students regarding the safety of their investment in Australian education.