New Delhi: Amid reports that Australian higher education institutions are banning Indian students from certain Indian states over integrity concerns, the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI) issued a statement Wednesday evening, saying that no such ban exists. Some universities that had temporarily imposed restrictions in 2023 also told ThePrint that those measures were lifted within a few months.
ThePrint reached out to several Australian universities, including Federation University in Victoria, Southern Cross University and Victoria University in Melbourne—all of which denied the existence of any selective ban on Indian students.
In 2023, several Australian universities had imposed restrictions on applications from Indian students originating from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir. The move was reportedly prompted by concerns over fraudulent documentation and high dropout rates.
Last year, Australia tightened visa norms, raising the financial requirements for international student visas as part of broader efforts to curb record-high migration levels and tackle concerns around student exploitation. This led to a noticeable decline in the number of Indian students moving to Australia. According to data presented by the Ministry of Education in Parliament in March, the number of Indian students dropped by 12 percent—from 78,093 in 2023 to 68,572 in 2024.
Earlier this week, some media reports claimed that the ban continues at several universities in the country.
In the statement, AAERI clarified, “No university in Australia currently has a ban on students from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, or any other Indian state.”
The statement acknowledged that in 2023, a few Australian universities had temporarily paused applications from certain regions due to integrity concerns. However, it emphasised that these were independent, institution-level decisions—not government-imposed mandates—and that all such restrictions were short-term, lasting less than a month.
“Visa grants to Indian students have increased by 19 percent over the past year, with 34,986 visas issued. The current student visa approval rate for Indian applicants is approximately 85 percent, indicating a strong acceptance rate for genuine students,” it added.
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‘Indian students from all states welcome to apply’
In May 2023, Federation University had issued a letter to education consultants in India, noting that it had observed “a significant increase in the proportion of visa applications being refused from some Indian regions by the Department of Home Affairs”. Consequently, the university had paused applications from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
In an email response to ThePrint, Federation University clarified that this pause was brief and has been lifted since 18 September, 2023. “Federation University Australia is aware of recent media reports regarding alleged changes to Australia’s student visa policies, specifically those claiming the imposition of a ban on student visa approvals for certain international students. We want to clarify that these claims are inaccurate and stem from outdated information,” the university spokesperson wrote.
The statement added that the university regularly reviews and updates its admission processes to maintain alignment with government requirements. “We have robust procedures in place to identify and respond to fraudulent documentation, and we work closely with regulatory bodies and education partners to strengthen these systems,” it read.
Southern Cross University also said that it continues to accept applications from all Indian students. However, it acknowledged that some education agents may be taking a more selective approach. “All applicants, regardless of origin, must meet our entry requirements and any additional criteria imposed by the university to be eligible for admission,” it said in a statement to ThePrint.
Meanwhile, Victoria University has asserted that it has never imposed any ban or restriction on students from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat or Jammu and Kashmir. “We continue to actively recruit students from all parts of India, based on our academic requirements and other eligibility criteria. India remains our second-largest source country for international students,” the university said in its response to ThePrint.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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