Australia International Student Statistics
As of December 2022, more than 600,000 international students are studying in Australia — of which 361,247 are enrolled only in higher education institutions. Australia is known for being a country of opportunities, especially for international students, offering a great lifestyle and some of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Quick Summary:
Australia is a popular study-abroad destination for many reasons, including numerous scholarship opportunities, working while studying, and academic recognition.
- There are currently 619,371 international students studying abroad in Australia.
- Of the total international students in Australia, 361,247 are enrolled in higher education only.
- New South Wales is the region with the most international students in Australia, a total of 244,193.
- The majority of international students studying in Australia come from China, with 156,217 students.
- With 26,590 international students, RMIT University is the most popular university among foreign students.
- The majority of international students (213,748) are enrolled in undergraduate programs.
- There are 49.6% male and 50.4% female international students enrolled in higher education institutions in Australia.
- Of the total number of international students enrolled in Australia in 2021, 251,156, or 65%, were still living in Australia during COVID-19.
- On the other hand, of the total number of international students enrolled in Australia on December 1, 2022, 346,164 are still living in Australia.
Historical International Student Statistics in Australia
- The number of enrollments illustrated in the table below can be higher than that of international students since one student can enroll in more than one course within the same year.
- Higher education makes up most of all international student enrollment in Australia in all enrollment history.
- The number of international students in December 2022 increased 8.2% from December 2021.
- A decrease of 10.5% in the number of international students occurred from December 2018 until recently, from 692,658 to 619,371.
- From December 2015, the number of international students increased by 24.5% until now.
- The highest point of international student enrollment in Australia occurred in December 2019, with 756,713 students.
- From December 2019 to December 2022, the total number of international students decreased by 18.1%.
| Year | Total International Students | Total Enrollments | Only Higher Education Enrollments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 619,371 | 746,387 | 361,247 |
| 2021 | 572,349 | 716,025 | 365,714 |
| 2020 | 687,023 | 879,997 | 418,375 |
| 2019 | 756,713 | 952,365 | 440,824 |
| 2018 | 692,658 | 872,593 | 398,343 |
| 2017 | 623,038 | 795,829 | 349,337 |
| 2016 | 553,160 | 709,036 | 305,556 |
| 2015 | 497,226 | 641,805 | 271,785 |
| 2014 | 452,968 | 586,445 | 249,454 |
| 2013 | 410,567 | 524,324 | 230,813 |
| 2012 | 401,798 | 513,251 | 230,469 |
| 2011 | 425,697 | 554,440 | 241,601 |
| 2010 | 468,867 | 617,190 | 242,726 |
| 2009 | 492,101 | 632,949 | 226,444 |
| 2008 | 434,528 | 544,894 | 202,935 |
| 2007 | 370,429 | 452,843 | 192,965 |
| 2006 | 317,085 | 381,969 | 186,259 |
| 2005 | 288,582 | 346,351 | 178,774 |
| 2004 | 271,612 | 326,617 | 165,051 |
| 2003 | 256,752 | 308,804 | 146,900 |
| 2002 | 228,625 | 275,760 | 125,305 |
International Students in Australia by Sector
- According to December 2022 data, most international students in Australia are enrolled in the higher education sector, a total of 361,247 students.
- The number of international students enrolled in higher education institutions decreased by 1.22% from December 2021.
- From December 2020 to December 2021, the number of international students in higher education institutions decreased by 12.5% from 418,375 to 365,714.
- A decrease of almost 9.3% in higher education institution enrollment occurred from December 2018, with 398,343 students.
- A 53.9% increase from December 2015 to December 2020 occurred in the number of international students enrolled in higher education institutions.
| Education Sector | International Students |
|---|---|
| Higher Education | 361,247 |
| Vocational Education and Training (VET) | 273,838 |
| Schools | 11,873 |
| English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) | 79,362 |
| Non-award | 20,067 |
International Students in Australia by State and Territory
- According to the most recent data of December 2022, New South Wales has the highest number of international students studying in higher education institutions (244,193).
- Among all states and territories in Australia, the Northern Territory has the least number of foreign students, a total of 3,781 students.
- The majority of international students in all states and territories come from China, except for South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania, where India brings the most students, and Northern Territory, which has the most students from Nepal.
- The number of international students in New South Wales increased by 11.1% from December of 2021 and an increase of 2.6% in Victoria’s number of international student enrollment.
- An increase in the number of international students from December of last year also occurred in Queensland by 14.2%.
| State and Territory | International Students |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | 244,193 |
| Victoria | 187,012 |
| Queensland | 91,633 |
| Western Australia | 37,981 |
| South Australia | 37,838 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 16,685 |
| Tasmania | 10,266 |
| Northern Territory | 3,781 |
International Students in Australia by Origin Country
- According to the latest statistics of December 2022, most international students in Australia come from China, with 156,217 students, followed by India, with 100,302 international students.
- The number of international students from China has decreased by 8.5% since December 2021.
- Pakistan is ranked last in the top ten countries with the most international students in Australia, with 15,875 students.
- Although the United Kingdom is not among the top ten, it is ranked 19th with 4,613 international students in Australia.
- There are 4,408 international students from the USA, which makes it the 20th country, followed by Canada with 3,343.
| Country of Origin | Number of International Students |
|---|---|
| China | 156,217 |
| India | 100,302 |
| Nepal | 57,182 |
| Colombia | 22,662 |
| Vietnam | 22,521 |
| Thailand | 19,362 |
| Brazil | 19,057 |
| Philippines | 17,976 |
| Indonesia | 16,914 |
| Pakistan | 15,875 |
Which Universities Do International Students in Australia Choose?
- The university with the highest number of international students in Australia is RMIT University, with 26,590 students, followed by Monash University, with 22,140 international students.
- The university with the smallest number of international students is the University of Notre Dame, with 327 international students.
- Curtin University and the University of Melbourne are ranked third and fourth for the most international students in Australia, with 15,598 and 14,166 enrolled students, respectively.
| University | International Students |
|---|---|
| RMIT University | 26,590 |
| Monash University | 22,140 |
| Curtin University | 15,598 |
| University of Melbourne | 14,166 |
| University of New South Wales | 13,132 |
| University of Wollongong | 12,360 |
| University of Sydney | 12,278 |
| University of Queensland | 11,519 |
| Macquarie University | 10,069 |
| University of Technology Sydney | 10,054 |
International Students in Australia By Degree Type
- According to the 2020 statistics, the majority of international students in higher education institutions in Australia enrolled in undergraduate programs, a total of 213,748 students.
- In comparison, 167,452 of all international students in Australia enrolled in postgraduate programs.
- Finally, only 23,079 of all international students enrolled in higher education in Australia registered in higher degree research programs.
International Students in Australia by Gender
- According to the latest statistics of 2020, there are 59.4% of domestic female students and 50.4% of international female students.
- In comparison, 49.6% of male international students are enrolled in higher education studies in Australia, whereas 40.4% are domestic male students.
- A decrease of 1.6% in male international student enrollment occurred within a decade in Australian universities.
- On the other hand, the number of international female students increased by 1.6% within a decade.
Impact of COVID-19 on International Students in Australia
- Of the total number of international students enrolled in Australia in 2021, 251,156, or 65%, were still living in Australia during COVID-19.
- On the other hand, of the total number of international students enrolled in Australia on December 1, 2022 (464,168 international students), 346,164 are still living in Australia.
- 101,989 international students enrolled in December 2022 live outside of Australia.
- The rest of the total international students in Australia — (16,015 students) had an unknown location during the same period.
- Of the total 182,093 international students who were enrolled in New South Wales during December 2022 were mostly (22%) living outside of Australia, and 4% had an unknown location.
- In comparison, of the total 140,403 enrolled students in universities in Victoria on December 2022, 25% lived outside of Australia, and 3% had an unknown location.
- Of the total 6,273 enrolled students in Tasmania by December 2022, 12% were confirmed living outside of Australia, and 5% had an unknown location.
- Of the total 112,298 international students from China during December 2022—39% were not living in Australia, and 5% had an unknown location.
- On the other hand, 11% of the total 74,407 international students from India lived outside of Australia in December 2022, and 6% had an unknown location.
- Of the total 45,288 enrolled students in Nepal in 2021, 2% lived outside of Australia, and 3% had an unknown location during December 2022.