Huge numbers of international students calling Cairns home again

International students are exceeding pre-Covid levels as hundreds flood to the Far North to resume study at the region’s universities. Read what this means for Cairns here.

International students are exceeding pre-Covid levels as hundreds flood to the Far North to resume study at the region’s universities.

Director of future students and admissions at James Cook University Dr David Craig said this year JCU was looking at roughly 100 more enrolments than what it had in 2019.

“We have approximately 1300 new students set to start with us this year, which is even better than the 1200 we had pre-Covid times,” he said.

“A high proportion of these students are actually coming from North America, as we have the courses they’re after.

“Medicine and marine engineering are the most popular with all of the international students and it’s nice to see them fill up again.”

Dr Craig said that international students have an array of benefits for Cairns.

“It means domestically we are exposed to different cultures and ideas, but it’s also great for tourism and small businesses in our community,” he said.

A Cairns college that specialises in education and housing for international students said that this year’s enrolments are exactly where they were before Covid hit.

The number of international students choosing to study in Cairns has increased this year to near pre pandemic levels, and will only further increase with the reopening of China's borders. International students Radka Sustkova of the Czech Republic, Mohammed Al Yousef of Saudi Arabia, Michael Di Venti of Italy and Kotori Sugahara from Japan have all chosen to further their studies in Australia at the Cairns College of English and Business. Picture: Brendan Radke

Cairns College of English and Business is located in the heart of the CBD and said their English student intake for the year of 2019 was 150, marketing director Nami Matsuoki said.

“Even now outside of peak season we have 120 in our English classes, which is much more than any of us would have expected two years ago,” she said.

“To have such high numbers coming into the busy season is going to be refreshing for so many sectors.”

CCEB’s student cohort totals 496 across their English and business courses, all coming from different countries around the globe.

Italian student Michael Diventi arrived here on December 13 and is working here as a waiter in a local restaurant while studying.

“I’m obsessed with the weather,” he said.

“I was recommended Australia by a distant friend and have loved being here in this beautiful country.”

The number of international students choosing to study in Cairns has increased this year to near pre pandemic levels, and will only further increase with the reopening of China's borders. International students Radka Sustkova of the Czech Republic, Mohammed Al Yousef of Saudi Arabia, Michael Di Venti of Italy and Kotori Sugahara from Japan have all chosen to further their studies in Australia at the Cairns College of English and Business. Picture: Brendan Radke

Weather seems to be on the list of things to love among most international students.

Radka Sustkova came to Cairns in search of the heat.

“I’m a sea person, so I love living in this heat so close to the ocean,” she said.

“I’m most excited to see the Great Barrier Reef.”

CCEB teacher Nina Crudup said seeing this many international students was not only exciting, but also a great relief.

“We haven’t had students for so long and it feels like it’s finally normal,” she said.

“So many of us were without work and we all really missed the environment of all these cultures coming together.”

Originally published as Huge numbers of international students calling Cairns home again