Australian student visa fees double

Australia has been charging a student visa fee of AUD 1,600 (over VND 27 million) since early July, more than double the previous level, continuing a series of policies aimed at reducing immigration.

The information was published on the Ministry of Home Affairs website on July 1. International students must pay an additional AUD 390-1,190 if they want to bring a family member along. This fee is non-refundable. Compared to Canada and the US, two world study abroad powerhouses, Australia's new fee is 6-10 times higher.

“The changes will help restore the integrity of the international education system and create a fairer and better migration system for Australia,” Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said in the announcement.

Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), said the new move puts pressure on the international education market, which is dying due to tightening policies on international students.

"The extra money does not benefit international students," he said.

Students on the campus of Deakin University, Australia. Source: Deakin University Fanpage

Australia has made a series of moves to tighten visas for international students since the end of last year.

In February, the time for international students to stay after graduation was reduced to 2-4 years, instead of 4-6 years as before. In March, the English requirement for international students was 6.0-6.5 IELTS, an increase of 0.5 points compared to the old level, and the time for part-time work was reduced to 24 hours, while previously there was no limit. In addition, international students must take The Genuine Student Test, to ensure that the visa is used for study purposes. Second visa applications to extend the stay will be monitored more closely.

Last month, Australia increased the financial proof for studying abroad to 29,710 AUD (nearly 500 million VND), 20% higher than before. The country also banned the conversion of tourist visas to student visas. Universities and vocational schools may be capped at recruiting international students early next year.

Australia is one of the most popular destinations for international students, contributing 47.8 billion USD by 2023. By the end of March, there were more than 740,000 international students here, of which about 37,000 were Vietnamese, accounting for 5%.