International student enrollments in Australia surge by 15%
Australia has boosted its status as a world class education destination, according to new data showing international student numbers were up 15% in the first three months of the year compared to 2016.
According to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), international student enrolments added $22.4bn to the Australian economy in 2016.
Australian Government was committed to supporting the sustainable growth of the international education sector and protecting the strong practical measures outlined in the country’s first National Strategy for International Education 2025.
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham announced that in 2016 Australia hosted a record number of international students as more than 550,000 students from over 190 different nations flocked to our shores.
“International education system is critical in Australia’s economic prosperity as we continue to transition from an economy built on the success of the mining and construction boom to an economy based on knowledge, services and innovation.”
Minister Birmingham said the first three months of data captured students commencing higher education in the first semester of 2017, as well as students commencing full year courses in vocational education and training and in schools.
Australia is on track to see another record year for Australian international education.
“Building on Australia’s reputation as a world-class international education offering, various geopolitical factors creates new possibilities for Australia to maximise our share of the growing number of students who are travelling from all over the world to study.”
Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Alex Hawke said that the Department of Immigration and Border Protection had received more than 111,000 student visa applications in the first quarter of 2017, up from around 94,000 for the same period in 2016.
“This is a significant increase compared to the same time in the previous year and symbolises the efforts Australia has undertaken to attract international students,” Minister Hawke said.
“All education sectors had experienced growth in international students during the first quarter of 2017 – the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students sector (ELICOS) grew by almost 38 per cent, the Higher Education sector by almost 23 per cent and the VET sector by almost 13 per cent.”
Minister Birmingham said the new data coincided with today’s release of education export income results by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, confirming a record $22.4 billion added to the Australian economy in 2016 from international education, with positive contributions shared across all states and territories.
“International education is our third largest export after iron ore and coal and continues to play a vital role in our national economic and social prosperity,” Minister Birmingham said.
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