The Australian Government is committed to international education’s integrity and quality to ensure that it can grow sustainably over time.
The Australian Government released the Draft International Education and Skills Strategic Framework (draft Framework) on 11 May 2024.
Under the draft Framework, the Australian Government committed to implementing a managed system to support sustainable growth in the international education sector.
International education brings significant social and economic benefits to our communities and is a valuable national asset. However, our international education system must have the right settings to provide the highest quality experience for all students and maintain Australia’s world-class reputation for delivering education.
A managed system will provide confidence to students and families considering an Australian qualification, and to our education partners worldwide.
These changes have been developed following the Australian Government’s release of the Draft International Education and Skills Strategic Framework on 11 May 2024. Consultations on the draft Framework were undertaken in May and June 2024.
Learn more about the draft framework.
National Planning Level
From 1 January 2025, the Australian Government is setting the total number of new international student commencements at higher education and vocational institutions in Australia each year under the National Planning Level. This number will be reviewed and agreed upon by Government annually.
An international student will count as a new overseas student commencement when they are onshore and start their first non-exempt course at their first provider, and each time the student changes into a non-exempt course at a different provider.
The introduction of the National Planning Level will provide predictability and certainty for international education providers and safeguard the quality of Australia’s international education offerings.
From 2025, the National Planning Level will be set at 270,000 new commencing international students.
The National Planning Level will apply to the higher education and vocational education and training sectors.
Provider limits
Provider limits will be managed through Confirmations of Enrolment issued through the Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS), enabling providers to actively monitor and manage their limit. The Department of Education is making changes to PRISMS so that it is ready to support providers to monitor and manage their limits and avoid non-compliance.
Following Government’s decisions on the National Planning Level and Sector Planning Level each year, notices and instruments setting out provider limits will be implemented, to take affect for the following year.
For VET providers
Management of international student distribution in the VET sector will focus on specialist international providers – those with a strong focus on international students.
This approach will continue to enhance the integrity of the sector and drive future growth towards a more diverse and resilient sector that can better address skills needs in Australia and the region.
For VET providers whose international students accounted for less than 80 per cent of the provider’s total count of students in 2023 (based on National Centre for Vocational Education Research calendar year individual student data), a provider will be able to maintain new overseas student commencements in 2025 at approximately 2024 levels.
Where international students accounted for 80 per cent or more of a provider’s total student count in 2023, the provider’s 2025 allocation will be lower. Public providers, including TAFEs, will have 2025 VET allocations closely aligned to 2023 new commencement levels for those providers.
Organisations that also deliver higher education courses to international students under the same CRICOS registration would have a total enrolment limit equal to the sum of allocations for VET and higher education. Allocations for higher education are being developed by the Department of Education.
Next Steps
The Department has written to individual VET providers about the Government’s approach to implementing the National Planning Level. Subject to passage and Royal Assent of the ESOS Bill, the department will write to providers again to provide international student allocations for 2025, and further information about the VET sector distribution methodology.
Enquiries about how the managed system will be implemented in the VET sector should be directed to StrategicFramework@dewr.gov.au.