Surge in interstate applications for Adelaide’s universities

Interstate students are applying to come to SA in droves, while international students stranded here are also on the move.

International students Adele Xavier, 24, and Prithvi Rana, 23, both from Inida are setting out to see more of South Australia. Picture: Tom Huntley

Young Australians living interstate have created a surge in applications to study in South Australia this year.

The increase has been led by residents of Queensland and Tasmania with numbers also up from Victoria.

More South Australians have also applied as the coronavirus pandemic thwarts gap-year plans and restricts job opportunities for school leavers.

Overall, there had been 25,449 applications to the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre by this week – a 6.6 per cent increase compared to last year.

Of these, 5736 were from interstate, up 17.5 per cent.

SATAC is now finalising its assessments following school-leaving results being released in December and this month.

“The swing towards interstate students wanting to come and study in SA is a big vote of confidence in our tertiary education system,” acting education Minister Michelle Lensink said.

Acting education Minister Michelle Lensink. Picture: David Mariuz

“It shows that SA is the place people want to learn, and that our institutions will give them a solid foundation to launch into the workplace.”

Opposition higher education spokeswoman Susan Close said Adelaide was clearly being seen as “high-quality, affordable and safe university town”.

“We should celebrate the increase in applications from interstate which further demonstrates the economic and cultural importance of our universities,” she said.

In 2020, SATAC made about 19,000 offers to would-be students with additional places offered directly by universities.

Last year, just over 15,000 domestic students across different year levels were studying at Adelaide University and 19,000 at UniSA, full-time equivalent.

Flinders has about 20,000 domestic students, with that number covering full and part-time enrolments.

UniSA dean of programs (education futures) Victoria Whitington said SA’s success in handling COVID-19 compared to the eastern states was likely to have been a driver in the increase.

“There’s been an general move to regional centres and Adelaide, with its lower density, may be seen that way,” she said.

“And we’re a lower cost city for living expenses, so it’s economical compared to Sydney and Melbourne.”

While students wanted outlets for relaxation and entertainment, they often didn’t want the “ferocious” night-life and distractions of a big city so they could focus on their work, she said.

“International students, in particular, have said that to me quite often,” she said.

Among interstate applicants, there have been 1994 from Victoria, up 25 per cent on 2020, pushing that state ahead of NSW on 1739, up 2 per cent.

The biggest increase, 43 per cent, was from Tasmania but the total was smaller at 313.

From Queensland, numbers increased by 36 per cent to 795.

Offers to enrol are due to be made to students in the middle of this month.