Australia raises international student enrolment number to 295,000

On Monday 4 August, the Australian Government announced a National Planning Level of 295,000 for 2026 to support Government’s commitment to managed growth and a sustainable international education sector. This is 25,000 places higher than the 2025 number of 270,000.

For 2026, public universities will be able to apply to increase their individual higher education allocations by demonstrating delivery on two government priorities:

• increased engagement with Southeast Asia, consistent with Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040; and
• provision of student accommodation to ensure both domestic and international students have access to safe and secure housing.

Ministerial Direction 111, which has guided visa processing, will be updated to reflect the new 2026 planning arrangements. High-priority processing will continue for key student cohorts, including Pacific and Timor-Leste nationals and Australian Government scholarship recipients.

Students transitioning from Australian secondary schools, pathway providers, or TAFE into publicly funded universities will be exempt from the national cap from 2026.

The new framework is designed to balance opportunity with responsibility, ensuring Australia remains a world-class destination for international students while protecting the integrity and sustainability of the system.

For more information please visit https://www.education.gov.au/managed-system-international-education-2026.