Fewer than one in four prospective international students now rank Australia as their preferred place to study, down from more than one in three six months ago, according to figures from IDP Education reported by SBS News.
The United States, Britain and Canada all became more attractive over the same period. IDP said frequent changes to visa rules and planning levels had unsettled students. Student visa fees rose in July to A$2,500 for undergraduates and A$5,750 for postgraduates, and refusal rates have climbed to a ten-year high.
Australia is still considered by 54 per cent of prospective students, but that share has fallen and the UK could soon overtake it. An IDP executive pointed to Canada, where enrolments fell sharply after a crackdown, as a warning against overcorrecting.
Source: SBS News
