Australia has seen a significant drop in the number of international students applying to study in the country. This has majorly been as a result of the spread of coronavirus and the subsequent lockdown that followed.
Data released by the federal government shows that the number of international students applying for schools in Australia has fallen by a third. The data was a clear indication of tough times ahead for universities and colleges in Australia, that heavily rely on international students to balance their books.
International students drop
The data also showed that there was a 20 percent decline in the number of international students coming from China. This was a significant decline, considering that Chinese students made up the largest demographics of international students in the country. They also constituted a significant part of the revenue used to run these institutions.
Other countries also recorded a significant decline in the number of applications to university in Australia, with Nepal and India seeing a decline of 61 and 47 percent respectively. These students make up a huge demographic of foreign students enrolled in Australia’s Smaller universities and private Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers.
Financial repercussions
This decline in the number of international students across the country is a threat to the over $40 billion industry, which has become a significant part of the country’s exports.
For larger institutions such as the University of NSW and the University of Technology, their heavy reliance on Chinese foreign students will mean that they will have to forego huge financial losses, due to the significant drop in the visa applications to come to the country. These universities are now adjusting for tough times ahead as schools look to reopen.
A spokeswoman for the University of NSW confirmed that the numbers released by the government reflected the current situation in most universities. However, she was grateful that the universities were now able to admit international students after the government indicated that it was resuming visa issuance across the country.
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