The 2027 New Overseas Student Allocations (NOSC) have just been announced by Minister Clare, Minister Giles and Assistant Minister Hill.
The Koala Understands:
- National Planning Level (NPL) will remain at 295,000 for 2027, meaning no headline change.
- No provider will be allocated a lower threshold than they have this year.
- All other exemptions continue unchanged, including ELICOS, Non Award, Schools.
The joint media release just put out by Minister Clare, Minister Giles and Assistant Minister Hill, reads:
The Albanese Government has confirmed there will be no increase to the National Planning Level (NPL) for international student commencements in 2027, providing stability and certainty for the international education sector.
This maintains the NPL at the same level as 2026, at 295,000, which is 8 per cent below the immediate post-COVID peak.
Current tracking indicates international student commencements are on track to be below the NPL for both 2026 and 2027.
Commencements in 2026 are down 8 per cent compared to the same period in 2025, and 13 per cent lower than 2019.
The decision to freeze the NPL at current levels accompanies adjustments to student visa fees.
Alongside general increases in student and temporary graduate visa charges of 25 per cent, existing lower fees for Pacific and Timor-Leste students will continue, while a lower rate has been introduced for:
- Students from ASEAN countries;
- Standalone English Language Intensive Courses (ELICOS); and
- Non-award courses.
Strategically important cohorts, including Pacific and Timor-Leste students and Australian government scholarship holders will continue to receive high priority student visa processing in 2027.
For the international VET sector, the Government will continue to use visa processing and integrity reforms to shape its size and composition.
All active international education providers will receive at least their current allocation next year.
This will maintain the strong allocation that regional universities received in last year’s process, sharing the benefits of international education across Australia.
From 2027, the Australian Tertiary Education Commission will oversee international student allocations for higher education providers, while the Government will continue to set the overall planning level.
The Government has also led reforms to improve integrity in the sector. This includes cracking down on unscrupulous providers, addressing poor provider practices, and improving the student experience for domestic and international students.
These steps are all about ensuring international student numbers remain on a more sustainable path and Australia’s international education sector remains resilient, high-quality, and globally competitive, while producing more value for Australia.
The release can be seen here.
Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), said of the announcement, “After this week’s record high increase in student visa fees, our beleaguered sector was looking for some good news.
Maintaining the 295,000 enrolment limit for next year at least provides certainty for our providers.
Given that most have nowhere near reached their allocations for 2026 we can only hope that student visa approval rates will lift as well!
Independent higher education providers who recruit from offshore will be pleased that they have been acknowledged for their efforts through access to an additional pool.”
The Koala further understands via sources that additional amendments will be made; however, they are not yet announced. More on this as they may be released.
As a fact sheet becomes available, this story will be updated.
Update: Factsheet is available here.
