The National Planning Level cap 2025: What it means for you
On 27 August 2024, the Australian Government announced that a National Planning Level (NPL) will put limits on the growth of international student programs each year. For 2025, new student commencement numbers for Australia’s universities will be set at around 2023 levels.
Why has an NPL been put in place?
Australia remains a top study destination globally and has seen large increases in the number of students choosing to study here in recent years.
A new NPL will help Australia’s education and training providers to manage this growth. It will also help ensure that providers can continue to deliver high-quality programs, offer comprehensive student support services and best prepare students for future employment in their chosen career.
How are international student numbers expected to change next year?
National Planning Level limits will apply from 1 January 2025, with a total of 270,000 new international student commencements for the 2025 calendar year. This does not include enrolments or offers. It is the actual number of international students starting a course. If a student starts a second course at the same provider, also in calendar year 2025, it will not be counted under that year’s planning limit.
From 1 January 2025, new commencements will be divided between Higher Education and VET:
- Public universities will have a total of around 145,000 commencements
- Private universities and NUHEPs will have around 30,000
- VET providers will have around 95,000.
This means that most public universities in Australia will be able to enrol more new international students in 2025 than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. Some universities will even welcome more new students in 2025 than in 2024.
Who is exempted from this cap?
Current international students will not be affected by these changes.
Other student cohorts that will not be affected by the NPL also include:
- International students enrolled at an Australian provider or partner provider campus around the world, studying an Australian transnational education (TNE) or twinning program
- School students
- Higher degree by research students
- ‘Standalone’ ELICOS students
- Non-award, including Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Australian Government sponsored (and partner sponsored) scholars
- Students from the Pacific and Timor-Leste.
Protections for students
Australia offers a wide range of student support services and protections. A range of recent policy changes were made before the announcement of the NPL. These changes have further strengthened student protections. This means that education and training providers must meet even stricter requirements before offering courses to international students.