Explore key data and trends in Victoria's international education sector with our top charts on education-related services exports, student enrolments, commencements, sector share, top student nationalities, and offshore primary student visa lodgements.
Emerging trends
October 2025
- 2030 Outlook: Global student mobility is projected to reach 8.5 million by 2030. QS outlines 3 futures in 2030: Regulated Regionalism (regional hubs rise under tighter controls), Hybrid Multiverse (flexible, tech-enabled learning), and Talent Race Rebound (nations compete for students as skilled migrants). Students now prioritise teaching quality, university reputation and lifestyle, with emerging destinations gaining momentum (QS Quacquarelli Symonds, July 2025).
- Shifting Trends in Global Student Mobility: The traditional destinations like Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom are tightening policy settings, prompting students to explore new options across Europe and Asia. Affordability and return on investment are now key decision factors, especially for students from emerging markets. These shifts are reshaping the global education landscape and opening opportunities for a wider range of countries to attract international students and talent (ICEF Monitor, September 2025).
- OECD Tracks Global Student Flows: Over 6 million students studied abroad in higher education in 2023. Of these, Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom hosted 46% mostly from Asia. Foreign enrolments are rising, and national policies and competition are increasingly shaping global student flows (OECD, September 2025).
July 2025
- Demand Diversification: International student interest is expanding beyond the Big 4 (Australia, Canada, the UK and the US) to a broader “Big 10” group of alternative study destinations in Europe and Asia (ICEF Monitor, May 2025).
- Policy and Affordability: Restrictive visa policies and rising costs in the Big 4 are pushing students toward more affordable and welcoming alternatives (The PIE, January 2025).
- Growth of English-Taught Programs: English-taught programs outside the Big 4 have surged, especially in Europe and Asia, boosting their appeal to international students. These programs have tripled since 2014 and grown by 48% between 2019 and 2024 (The PIE, May 2024).
- Strategic Recruitment Shifts: Educational institutions are investing in more targeted and diversified recruitment strategies. ICEF’s 2025 trends report emphasises the need for broader market outreach and partnerships to offset declining enrolments from traditional source countries (ICFE Monitor, November 2024).
Education-related services exports, Victoria
By calendar year 2019 – 2024, $billion
View the data for education-related services exports:
| Year | Education-related services exports, Victoria |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $13.6 billion |
| 2020 | $10.5 billion |
| 2021 | $6.9 billion |
| 2022 | $8.4 billion |
| 2023* | $14.8 billion |
| 2024 | $15.9 billion |
*Note: The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revised the 2023 calendar year data in the 2024 reference period due to changes and revisions. Reference to the 2023 calendar year pertain to ABS data reported in the 2023 reference period, not 2024.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics International Trade: Supplementary Information, Calendar Year – Table 3. International trade in services, credits, state by calendar year, $m
International student enrolments, Victoria
By calendar year-to-date December 2019 - 2024; nearest thousand, ‘000
View the data for international student enrolments:
International student enrolments in Victoria:
| Year | International student enrolments, Victoria |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 307,000 |
| 2020 | 283,000 |
| 2021 | 227,000 |
| 2022 | 222,000 |
| 2023 | 286,000 |
| 2024 | 330,000 |
Source: Australian Government Department of Education International Student Data for the year-to-date (YTD) December 2024
International student commencements, Victoria
By calendar year-to-date December 2019 – 2024; nearest thousand, ‘000
View the data for international student commencements:
International student commencements in Victoria:
| Year | International student commencements, Victoria |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 161,000 |
| 2020 | 123,000 |
| 2021 | 86,000 |
| 2022 | 113,000 |
| 2023 | 163,000 |
| 2024 | 174,000 |
Source: Australian Government Department of Education International Student Data for the year-to-date (YTD) December 2024
Share of international student enrolments by sector, Victoria
By calendar year-to-date December 2024; share of total VIC enrolments, %
View the data for international student enrolments, by sector:
| Sector | Share of total Victorian enrolments |
|---|---|
| Higher education | 46.7% |
| VET | 36.7% |
| ELICOS | 11.8% |
| Non-award | 2.9% |
| Schools | 1.9% |
Source: Australian Government Department of Education International Student Data for the year-to-date (YTD) December 2024
Share of international student commencements by sector, Victoria
By calendar year-to-date December 2024; share of total VIC commencements, %
View the data for international student commencements, by sector:
| Sector | Share of total Victorian commencements |
|---|---|
| VET | 40.7% |
| Higher education | 38.8% |
| ELICOS | 14.7% |
| Non-award | 4.3% |
| Schools | 1.5% |
Source: Australian Government Department of Education International Student Data for the year-to-date (YTD) December 2024
Top 15 nationalities by international student enrolments, Victoria
By calendar year-to-date December 2024 and 2023; nearest hundred, ‘00
| Rank 2024 | Nationality | # of VIC enrolments in 2024 | Change in ranking from 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 78,400 | 0 |
| 2 | China | 64,300 | 0 |
| 3 | Vietnam | 19,700 | +1 |
| 4 | Colombia | 18,400 | -1 |
| 5 | Sri Lanka | 15,700 | +1 |
| 6 | Philippines | 15,300 | +2 |
| 7 | Nepal | 13,100 | 0 |
| 8 | Thailand | 12,900 | -3 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 10,100 | +1 |
| 10 | Malaysia | 9,800 | -1 |
| 11 | Indonesia | 9,000 | 0 |
| 12 | Bangladesh | 5,000 | +3 |
| 13 | Hong Kong SAR | 3,900 | -1 |
| 14 | Taiwan | 3,900 | 0 |
| 15 | Japan | 3,600 | -2 |
Source: Australian Government Department of Education International Student Data for the year-to-date (YTD) December 2024
Offshore primary student visas lodged, Victoria
By calendar year-to-date August, 2019 – 2025; nearest thousand, ‘000
View the data for offshore primary international student visas lodged:
| Year (Calendar year-to-date August) | Offshore primary student visas lodged, Victoria |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 49,000 |
| 2020 | 21,000 |
| 2021 | 14,000 |
| 2022 | 52,000 |
| 2023 | 67,000 |
| 2024 | 46,000 |
| 2025 | 39,000 |
Source: Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, student visas lodged at 31 August 2025.
Further information
Explore the latest data and insights on related topics such as trade and the visitor economy in Victoria.
Explanatory notes
Read the explanatory notes for data on international students in Victoria.
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