Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Caitlin Cassidy Education reporter

Before the Australian election, both parties wanted to cut international student numbers. So why are they going up?

Uni students studying
University students studying on campus. The number of overseas students in Australia has been the subject of furious political debate, but the numbers are set to rise again. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Last year, amid partisan debate over international student numbers, Universities Australia accused both sides of parliament of using the tertiary sector as a “political plaything”.

Fast forward to 2025, and the federal government has back flipped on its plan to cap foreign student entries, announcing last week that it would increase places by 25,000 next year. The opposition has also said it will adopt a more “sensitive approach”.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.