Calls for cut to world’s highest international student visa fee

The international education sector is urging Labor to lower the application fee for student visas, warning the $2000 price tag was leading to a widespread collapse among the vocational providers.

On top of $30,000 a year in tuition fees, this Chinese student struggles to find anywhere to live and is currently paying $300 a week for a room in a share house. Picture: John Feder

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The international education sector is urging Labor to lower application fees for student visas, saying the $2000 price tag was leading to a widespread collapse among short-term and vocational providers.

As higher education providers struggle to stay afloat under the highest student visa fees in the world, the sector has called on Education Minister Jason Clare to reduce the payment for shorter qualifications, particularly ­English-language courses.

The calls come as the number of visa approvals for English-­language students fell to 22,134 from July to May in the last financial year, Department of Home Affairs figures reveal, marking a decline from 35,496 in 2023-24.

The Albanese government announced the cost of applying for a student visa would be increased to $2000 from July 1 to offset spending, marking a 25 per cent increase in costs that international students face to lodge applications.

International Education Association of Australia chief executive Phil Honeywood said the cost was harming the nation’s English-language course sector in particular, with overseas students reluct­ant to pay the fee for shorter courses.

“There’s no doubt that an unintended consequence of the massive increase in student visa fees has been the demise of the independent English-language sector,” Mr Honeywood said. “We’re seeing increasing evidence of longstanding English language colleges falling over because paying a non-refundable $2000 application fee to study 15 weeks of English is a very expensive lottery ticket. Other countries are far more reasonable in their like-for-like visa charges.”

After both parties went to the May election vowing to cut foreign student numbers, Mr Honeywood said Labor had used the Coalition’s promise to raise the cost of an application to $5000 for Group of Eight providers and $2500 for others as “political cover”.

“The Coalition’s pre-election policy, of charging $5000 for a student visa fee, gave Labor political cover to increase the fee from $1600 to $2000,” he said.

English Australia chief executive Ian Aird said providers of short English language courses had been “hit incredibly hard”, with applicants from European countries being rejected under the current visa processing settings.

Mr Clare was contacted for comment.