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Education experts say changing student preferences are also playing a role
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Many Indian students are now exploring other destinations such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States
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Rising tuition fees and living costs abroad have also encouraged some students to continue their education in India instead
The number of Indian students applying for Australian student visas has fallen to its lowest level in eight years, according to new figures released by the Australian Department of Home Affairs. The latest data shows a sharp drop in both visa applications and approvals over the past two years.
Indian student visa applications have declined from 1,09,676 in 2022-23 to 51,879 so far in 2025-26. This represents a fall of nearly 50 per cent in just two years. Visa approvals have also reduced significantly. Australia granted 1,02,696 student visas to Indian applicants in 2022-23, but the number fell to 50,516 in 2023-24. So far in 2025-26, only 33,827 visas have been issued.
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The decline follows Australia’s decision to tighten immigration and student visa rules. Authorities have introduced stricter checks to prevent misuse of student visas and to reduce overall migration numbers
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Higher financial requirements, increased scrutiny of applications and concerns about fake admissions are believed to have contributed to the fall in approvals
Despite the recent decline, Australia had seen strong growth in Indian student numbers over the past decade. Applications rose from 38,988 in 2014-15 to 89,868 in 2018-19. Numbers briefly dipped during the Covid-19 pandemic before reaching a record high in 2022-23 after international travel fully resumed.
