This month’s report shows the figures for January and February 2024 and offers comparison with the same period in previous years. The analysis and charts provide insights into the current state of the sector, the immediate impact of the federal immigration minister’s blockade on student visa grants, and the immediate future of the sector should the federal government continue to disregard the cries from the sector for a more sustainable and fair approach.
Key Takeaways
- Enrolments Growth: Overall enrolments across all sectors in January and February 2024 were higher compared to both 2020 and 2023, with significant increases in the HE and VET sectors and, to a lesser extent in ELICOS.
- Commencements Record: January and February 2024 saw record-high commencements in the HE and VET sectors, while ELICOS showed a very slight decline at the national aggregate level.
- ELICOS Sector: ELICOS sector commencements were 9% down in February versus last February.
- Top Source Countries for ELICOS: Commencement trends varied dramatically among the nations top source countries with those typically going on to HE programs experiencing strong growth (e.g. China and Vietnam) and those typically doing ELICOS Only or ELICOS then VET seeing a strong decline (e.g. Colombia, Brazil and Thailand).
- State-Level Analysis: Having had the strongest growth throughout 2023, QLD has had the toughest start to 2024.
- Visa Grants Decline: Visa grants for study in all sectors decreased in the first two months of 2024 compared to 2023 with massive cuts being made to VET and ELICOS sector grants.
- ELICOS Only grants were down 49% versus last year’s figure and 21% compared to 2020
- ELICOS Only Visa applications: For the first two months of 2024 these were down by 30% compared to 2023. Onshore applications actually rose by 33%, while offshore applications fell by 40%.
- ELICOS Only Visa applications: the 3-month average (Dec, Jan, Feb) is at the lowest point since 2006 suggesting the government’s actions to contain net migration by cutting student visa grants have set this part of the sector back nearly 20 years.
Grant Rate Decline: ELICOS Only grant rate has fallen to record lows. Colombian ELICOS Only grants for offshore applications was 32% for the first two months of 2024. In 2023, it was 95% and the 10-year average was 86%.
DoE Summary Report
DoE Detailed Report
