International students enrolled in higher education Australia 2009-2023

In 2023, there were over 436 thousand international students enrolled in higher education across Australia. The number of international students enrolled in higher education in Australia has  increased from 2009, when there were just over 226,000 students from overseas. Studying in Australia has become extremely popular due to its high standard of education and multicultural environment. 

Education export income

For Australian citizens, tertiary education is made more accessible through government supported subsidies and a payment deferral scheme. However, non-citizens and international students must pay the full cost of their degree, which can be well over 20,000 Australian dollars per year. Despite the relatively high cost of education in Australia, it is a popular choice for international students and education exports contribute significantly to the Australian economy. In 2023 alone, the total value of education exports in Australia was 36.4 billion Australian dollars, bringing the income back to pre-COVID-19 values. International student fees are also the second most valuable source of income for universities, after funding from the Australian government.

International student population

With the substantial income that international students bring to tertiary institutions, it is perhaps unsurprising that the proportion of international students at many Australian universities can be as high as 40 percent of the total student population. In 2023, the total number of international students enrolled in higher education numbered almost 437 thousand, with Chinese students making up almost quarter of the International student population. The majority of international students come from Asia and the Indian subcontinent, however students from Brazil and Columbia were among the top ten international student groups in 2023.