Could Australia lose favour with Indian students?

Australia needs to review policy changes in the international education sector to maintain the country’s appeal among Indian students, urged stakeholders at AAERI’s Annual Convention 2024 in Delhi. 

The event, which gathered together AAERI members, Australian universities, government officials and consultants, encouraged discussions around India and Australia’s partnership in higher education, student mobility and research. 

With Australia set to limit the number of international student enrolments from 2025 as well as increasing study visa fees and rejecting visas at a higher rate, concerns were raised about how the recent changes will impact Indian students. 

“It’ll have a direct impact on the Indian students willing to pursue higher education in Australia,” said Nishidhar Borra, president of AAERI and co-founder, Uni2Go. 

“The visa fee is the biggest blunder. For Indian students, Australia now becomes the most expensive destination, with no right to appeal. There might be a slight dip, but I don’t foresee a broader impact. From AAERI, we have submitted our concerns to the concerned ministry.”

According to the University Living Indian Student Mobility Report 2023/24, 170,000 Indian students are expected to pursue higher education in Australia by 2025. 

The report further highlights that Indian students make up 17% of the international student cohort in Australia. 

While stay duration in Australia after completing a Master’s or PhD has been reduced to two and three years respectively, the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement makes sure Indian students are exempt from the strict visa rules. 

Despite these provisions, the tighter regulations may still limit opportunities for gaining relevant work experience.

“The duration of stays for Indian citizens, as per the AI-ECTA, remains unchanged, which provides some stability. However, the tightening of work rights could still impact students’ ability to gain essential work experience in Australia,” stated Borra. 

The recent policy changes have also led to a decline in visa approval rates, raising concerns about fairness in the visa process.

“In the past few months, many genuine students have had their visa applications declined without clear reasons,” claimed Rahul Gandhi, director, Take Off Educational Consultants.

“While regional universities offer incentives, these may not be enough to outweigh the benefits of studying at more established institutions and could potentially increase costs for students.”

He further added that the Simplified Student Visa Framework has proved ineffective, and the categorisation of public and private universities has been both confusing and unjust, forcing students into less suitable choices.

Some believe the Australian international education sector’s overhaul was overdue. 

Steve Biddle, regional director – South Asia, Department of Home Affairs, Australian High Commission, emphasised that the changes are directed at restoring the integrity of the international education system in Australia.

“These measures are there to deter non-genuine students,” said Monty Singh, pro vice-chancellor (Global), Victoria University, Australia. 

Last year, students from Indian states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, were barred by certain Australian universities over instances of fraud. 

We are working to ensure that the integrity of the system is maintained while also advocating for the rights and needs of Indian students

Nishidhar Borra, AAERI and Uni2Go

Organisations such as AAERI have already introduced initiatives such as DigiVerifier, which aims to verify educational documents to reduce fraudulent applications and ensure that only genuine students apply. 

“We are working to ensure that the integrity of the system is maintained while also advocating for the rights and needs of Indian students,” said Borra. 

While emphasising the importance of having quality control, Australian universities encouraged the government to understand the contribution of international students to the economy. 

“While we understand the need for quality control, we hope the government will reassess the broader economic contributions of international students and the connections between international education and the economy,” said Ren Yi, pro vice-chancellor (International), University of Southern Queensland. 

Some stakeholders also expressed hope in Australia’s ability to move past any negative perception around the policies.  

“Because Australia has been able to put in some positive representation and clarity about the policy changes that are coming through, the market will bounce back. But the transition has been difficult for everyone,” said Sonya Singh, managing director, SIEC.