Universities will be able to enrol international students above the caps – as long as those students study at least 39% of their courses offshore.
In a factsheet released by the Department of Education this week, the department said that:
- Transnational education programs delivered entirely offshore are not subject to caps;
- Transnational education programs that include a combination of onshore and offshore study will be exempt from caps as long as they are:
- Part of a HE award study program
- Co-delivered by an Australian provider and registered with the in-country authority offshore;
- No more than 60% of the program is completed in Australia and
- The delivery arrangement was in place prior to 1 July 2024 or has subsequently been approved by the department.
This is significant indeed. While caps and talk of caps are anticipated to have dimmed enthusiasm for the nation’s education offerings, institutions can build unlimited numbers of international students above their current caps, as long as they promise to only host the student onshore for 60% or less of the program time – ie 21 out of 36 months of a three year program, or 14 of 24 units.
Universities with existing twinning programs will be ramping up enrolments and re-examining fee structures as we speak.
Luckily, students staying in Australia for only a year and a half won’t add to the nation’s rental crisis at all. The Government’s rationale for caps only appears to apply to those who are lucky enough to win a spot studying their full course in Australia. Presumably the main surge in TNE enrolments will be seen after the next election, meaning that logic and policy don’t need to be common bedfellows for the time being.
Universities will be able to enrol international students above the caps – as long as those students study at least 39% of their courses offshore.
In a factsheet released by the Department of Education this week, the department said that:
- Transnational education programs delivered entirely offshore are not subject to caps;
- Transnational education programs that include a combination of onshore and offshore study will be exempt from caps as long as they are:
- Part of a HE award study program
- Co-delivered by an Australian provider and registered with the in-country authority offshore;
- No more than 60% of the program is completed in Australia and
- The delivery arrangement was in place prior to 1 July 2024 or has subsequently been approved by the department.
This is significant indeed. While caps and talk of caps are anticipated to have dimmed enthusiasm for the nation’s education offerings, institutions can build unlimited numbers of international students above their current caps, as long as they promise to only host the student onshore for 60% or less of the program time – ie 21 out of 36 months of a three year program, or 14 of 24 units.
Universities with existing twinning programs will be ramping up enrolments and re-examining fee structures as we speak.
Luckily, students staying in Australia for only a year and a half won’t add to the nation’s rental crisis at all. The Government’s rationale for caps only appears to apply to those who are lucky enough to win a spot studying their full course in Australia. Presumably the main surge in TNE enrolments will be seen after the next election, meaning that logic and policy don’t need to be common bedfellows for the time being.
