‘Open to the world’: Australian universities invite Trump’s banned students

Australia’s peak uni body has invited international students affected by US visa bans to study here, as Trump freezes approvals and targets Chinese nationals.

Graduation students, faculty, and family gather in Harvard. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images/AFP

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International students affected by Donald Trump’s ban on “aliens” attending American universities have been invited to ditch the United States for Australia by the higher education sector’s peak body.

Universities Australia chief executive Luke Sheehy said in a statement that “Australia’s universities are open to the world”.

“If any students are displaced by policy decisions overseas, Australian universities stand ready to support those affected – whether they are Australian citizens or international students seeking continuity in their studies,” he said.

Luke Sheehy, CEO of Universities Australia. Picture: Universities Australia / X

The move comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday evening local time announced plans for the US to “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” after previously ordering all embassies and consulates to stop scheduling student visa interviews.

“Australia is home to some of the world’s leading universities, and we welcome the opportunity to offer a world-class education to students from all backgrounds,” Mr Sheehy said.

Education is Australia’s fourth-largest export, with international higher education contributing more than $34 billion to the Australian economy in the last financial year. The finances of many Australian universities rely heavily on international students, who often pay up to four times more for their education than their domestic counterparts.

The shifting higher education landscape in the US has plunged prospective students and Australian US-exchange programs into uncertainty, with many unsure if their plans will go ahead.

The Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo: Joseph Prezioso / AFP

A spokeswoman for an Australian-based scholarship fund, speaking on condition of anonymity out of concerns for current visa applicants, said students they fund have been “thrown into a complete spin” by the changes.

“It’s having a widespread effect on our operations,” she said. The organisation, which has sent dozens of Australians to Ivy League schools, has continued to accept applications for scholarships in the US but is considering deferral of positions until the visa situation stabilises.

Australian students often plan their journeys to the US years in advance, and to continue these preparations under a cloud of uncertainty has left students “very rattled”, the spokeswoman said.

A spokesman for the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, an exchange program funded by US and Australian governments to encourage bilateral ties, confirmed they are “continuing to process and support all current Fulbright awardees and applicants”.

The Australian understands US consulates in Australia are continuing to process student visas and fund scholarships, with representatives still advising applicants.

“While this brief pause in scheduling may affect the timing of visa interviews for some Scholars, we are in regular contact with the US Embassy in Canberra and the US Department of State to ensure Fulbright Scholars are supported throughout this transition,” The Fulbright spokesman said.