The number of overseas students enrolled in Australian schools has returned to pre-COVID levels.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, released today, shows 26,068 full-fee paying overseas students were enrolled in 2024.
ABS Head of Education Statistics Mell Plumb said this was an increase of 23.4 percent, or 4944 students, from 2023.
“2024 was the second year in a row of year-on-year growth in the number of full-fee paying overseas students in Australian schools since before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ms Plumb said.
She said the pandemic years saw a drop of 41.9 percent from 26,593 full-fee paying overseas school students in 2019 to 15,461 in 2022.
Ms Plumb said across Australia, the highest percentage year-on-year growth in the number of full-fee paying overseas school students was seen in Tasmania, with a 39.9 percent jump, meaning an extra 93 students.
She said Victoria welcomed 2024 extra students, a 27.5 percent increase between 2023 to 2024.
