Universities plan to enrol 50,000 overseas students in first year of cap

The nation’s top universities have already issued 50,000 offers to international students, despite the looming introduction of federal government caps on overseas enrolments.

Australian universities have pressed ahead with their recruiting spree despite the federal government’s looming caps on foreign students. Picture: Nikki Short

The nation’s top universities have already issued about 50,000 offers to international students to study in Australia in the first semester of next year, despite the looming introduction of federal government caps on overseas enrolments.

Group of Eight universities have issued about 4000 unconditional offers and more than 50,000 offers in total, including full and conditional offers, to overseas students, amid an Albanese government crackdown on the sector in a bid to halve net ­migration numbers.

Labor has vowed to slash international student numbers by imposing “soft caps” on tertiary providers to limit the number of foreigners they can enrol from January 1, with the Coalition backing measures to limit overseas students to ease pressure on the housing market.

But despite the caps being due to be legislated within months, the nation’s universities have pressed ahead with their recruiting spree, making offers to overseas students for the first year under the controversial new measures.

While the majority of providers were reluctant to reveal the number of offers issued for 2025, the University of Queensland confirmed it had made 7800 offers to overseas students and Australian National University had sent out 1690 offers so far. Non-Go8 institution University of Technology Sydney has made 3800 offers, and is expecting about 20 per cent of those to be converted to enrolments.

Go8 chief executive Vicki Thomson has called for 2025 to be designated as a transition year for public providers while the sector adjusts to the new caps, the scope of which remain unknown.

“It is for this reason and to avoid other unintended consequences that we’re proposing 2025 be a transition year for public providers, including universities and TAFE, noting that more than 4000 unconditional offers and over 50,000 full and conditional offers to international students for 2025 have already been made by Go8 universities,” she said.

“We need a sensible transition period to work with government to determine what shape Australia’s international education sector should take, so it delivers what the nation needs.”

Universities Australia chief executive Luke Sheehy has urged the government to delay the caps until 2026 to introduce “appropriate transitional arrangements to support our universities during the period of change”.

“International education drove half of Australia’s GDP growth last year, and we need ­certainty and stability moving forward to continue delivering economically and socially for the nation,” he said.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the reforms would ensure “quality and integrity” for the sector and provide certainty to universities, after the number of international students approved to come to Australia surpassed 500,000 last year.

“Once legislation passes, the intention is to set limits for every university, higher education and vocational education provider that educates an international student,” he said.

“This is a really important national asset, and we need to ensure it maintains its social licence.

“We are consulting with leaders from the international education sector to make sure we get the design and implementation of these critical reforms right, with implementation to begin in 2025.”

A Senate committee is examining the legislation and is due to report back in August.

International Education Association of Australia CEO Phil Honeywood said the government had not factored in the reality that universities needed to begin making offers at least six months in advance of its plans to impose caps by the end of the year.

“There is a real danger that Australia’s reputation could be compromised if suddenly our ­providers have to go back to the students who have already made plans for 2025, and say they cannot come after all,” he said.

The University of Sydney confirmed overseas demand continued to be strong for Semester 1 next year.

“It’s very early days, but we continue to have strong demand for 2025,” a spokeswoman said.

“We urge the government to carefully consult on any changes, and avoid possible unintended consequences.”

A University of Melbourne spokeswoman said the Go8 institution had “concerns with the proposed cap on international students, and looked forward to the sector having a legitimate ­opportunity to be consulted”.