The University of New South Wales (UNSW) will pause international student admissions for 2025. Applicants will be placed on a waiting list, with offers released gradually for programs that have remaining capacity. This step comes as a response to the Australian Government’s proposed limits on international enrolments under amendments to the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act.
The ESOS Act governs the provision of education to international students on student visas in Australia. The changes, which are set to take effect in January 2025 if passed by the Senate, will place a cap on the number of international students public universities can enrol.
UNSW’s new policy is in line with these proposed amendments, which limit the university to enrolling 9,500 new international students, representing a 14% reduction from the 2023 figures. This is a considerable decrease from the estimated 17,000 international students expected for this year.
Read also: Here are new policies moving foreign students away from Australia, Canada, UK – reports.
UNSW’s decision aims to prevent surpassing the proposed enrolment cap and to maintain compliance with the new policy. A university spokesperson noted that demand for admissions has grown in recent years due to the quality of the university’s programmes and its increasing reputation.
Without implementing preventive measures, the university risks exceeding the enrolment limit. As a result, UNSW has set up a waitlist system, where merit-based offers will be released progressively for programmes that have space available.
UNSW has been ranked third in Australia and was recently placed 19th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds. The move to cap international student numbers is not unique to UNSW.
In September, the Australian Catholic University also announced it would pause international admissions for 2025, having reached its enrolment limit.
Read also: 5 key changes in Australia’s international student visa policy so far.
The proposed ESOS Act amendments affect 15 of the 38 public universities in Australia, including top-ranked institutions like the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne. The debate on the ESOS amendment bill is scheduled for 18 November in the Senate. If approved, it will come into force from 1 January 2025.
International student numbers in Australia have been rising. The Department of Education reports that by July, there were nearly 944,000 international students in the country, an increase of over 14% compared to the same period in the previous year. Vietnam ranks fifth among the countries with the highest number of students in Australia, with over 44,000 students.
The cap on international student enrolments comes amid discussions on balancing the needs of local education systems with the demand from international applicants. The proposed changes aim to ensure that universities maintain a balanced intake while responding to pressures from increased global interest in Australian education.
The outcome of the ESOS amendment bill and its potential impacts on Australia’s education landscape will be closely monitored by institutions and stakeholders.
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