Foreign students can no longer be relied upon to bankroll our universities
Australia's universities have become increasingly reliant on foreign students for funding, but this trend may be reversing. The University of NSW and the University of Sydney reported significant revenue from international students, highlighting the sector's dependence on this income. However, declining applications from countries like China and government efforts to reduce foreign student intake pose challenges for the future.
- ▪Foreign students contributed significantly to university funding, with the University of NSW and the University of Sydney each reporting $1.7 billion in revenue from international students.
- ▪Nine of NSW's 10 universities saw an increase in revenue from foreign students, indicating a widespread reliance on this income stream.
- ▪Applications from China have dropped by about 25 percent this year, raising concerns about the sustainability of foreign student enrollment.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","dateModified":"2026-05-22T06:33:35Z","datePublished":"2026-05-22T06:33:35Z","description":"Australia was once a desired destination for study, but competition is fierce among the world’s leading institutions.","headline":"Foreign students can no longer be relied upon to bankroll our universities","keywords":"University, For subscribers, Editorial, Opinion","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"The Herald's…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.