Other international education data and research

External information on international students studying in Australia or in other countries is available below.

On this page:

Student visa grants in Australia, Canada, UK, and USA

The COVID-19 pandemic influenced a decline in student visa grants in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the USA between 2019 and 2020.

Time series of student visa grants since 2019 in these four countries are provided below.

Month 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Jan 37006 34439 16098 25529 44092
Feb 33790 26777 15790 25309
Mar 29791 19685 18223 21682
Apr 24181 11404 14734 17565
May 32131 13167 14628 27613
Jun 34150 13549 14124 31848
Jul 34438 15923 14599 35097
Aug 29234 18781 11793 33500
Sep 25493 14928 9963 21121
Oct 27312 18010 8925 22775
Nov 27595 17733 13146 53361
Dec 26767 15490 20819 77311
Month 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Jan 28885 25215 27525 38185 41405
Feb 15535 11465 18625 24860
Mar 20065 10945 22495 25410
Apr 31985 18590 30825 44365
May 27755 30155 25940 34770
Jun 23710 15640 29170 32545
Jul 32470 13000 39160 36590
Aug 112410 39375 97480 126585
Sep 43600 54410 70835 65040
Oct 14880 14790 27155 24630
Nov 12500 14705 20690 23335
Dec 49555 24385 53930 96270
2019 2020 2021 2022
Mar Qtr 229098 281082 225615 394057
Jun Qtr 240455 240429 250097 405779
Sep Qtr 263045 160252 385585 476389
Dec Qtr 268378 211295 376083 485758
Month 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Jan 18248 16506 9687 14495 15545
Feb 7098 5896 4108 7687
Mar 9003 3571 5472 9147
Apr 14858 102 8226 13547
May 47591 205 39082 37939
Jun 79983 781 78704 93522
Jul 87544 10545 98685 95879
Aug 44807 16249 61304 56666
Sep 9038 7149 12775 10147
Oct 8443 8471 13109 8874
Nov 14547 13126 27550 24243
Dec 31306 23168 37222 42237

External sources by country

Australia

Department of Education

Higher Education Statistics

The Department of Education manages the Higher Education Statistics Collection which provides data relating to domestic and international students studying in Australian higher education institutions.

Department of Home Affairs

Student Visa Statistics 

The Department of Home Affairs publishes quarterly and annual reports which provide data about Australia's Student Visa Program. These reports incorporate data on student visa applications lodged and student visas granted.

Student Visa Statistics (Pivot Tables)

These pivot tables provide data on student visa applications lodged and student visas granted in the current and previous financial year.

Temporary Entrants in Australia (Stock Data) Statistics

The Department of Home Affairs publishes quarterly reports on the number and composition of temporary entrants and New Zealand citizens present in Australia at a particular date, including student visa holders.

National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

NCVER is an independent body responsible for collecting, managing and analysing national VET statistics and survey data that cover both domestic and international students studying in Australian public VET institutions.

English Australia

English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS)

English Australia is the national peak body for the ELICOS sector and publishes data on international ELICOS students in Australia on student visas and other visa types.

Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

Temporary Residents: Study Permit Holders – Monthly IRCC Updates

Study permit holders by country of citizenship and year in which the permit(s) became effective.

New Zealand

Education Counts

International students in New Zealand

Education Counts is an official government source of information about international students studying in NZ. It includes international students’ progression through the New Zealand education system, their academic achievement, support provided for international students and international students’ experiences in New Zealand. It also includes information of graduate employment outcomes and graduates ongoing links to New Zealand as alumni.

Education New Zealand (ENZ)

IntelliLab

ENZ is the lead government agency for the promotion and representation of New Zealand education. The IntelliLab is a comprehensive information resource on international students studying at higher education institutions in New Zealand.

UK

Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Higher Education institutions data

HESA is the official agency for the collection, analysis and dissemination of quantitative information about higher education in the UK, including domestic and international students at higher education institutions.

Home Office of the United Kingdom

Immigration statistics quarterly release

The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics relating to the issuances of visas to individuals intending on studying in the UK.

UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)

Latest international annual data

UKCISA serves the interests of international students and all who work with them in universities, colleges and students' unions and collates research and statistics from a variety of sources.

USA

Institute for International Education (IIE)

Open Doors

IIE provides a comprehensive information resource on international students studying at higher education institutions in the United States, and US students studying abroad for academic credit at their home institutions.

U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs

Monthly Non-immigrant Visa Issuance Statistics

The Bureau of Consular Affairs publishes monthly statistics relating to the issuances of visas to individuals intending on studying in the USA.

Global

UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Online Data Centre

UIS’s online data centre gives access to data and tools to build customised statistical tables.

Global Flow of Tertiary Level Students

UIS provides interactive graphical access to UIS data on international student mobility.

OECD

Education at a Glance

On 3 October 2022, the OECD released Education at a Glance (EAG) 2022, a report that highlights Australia’s performance in educational delivery and outcomes in comparison to other countries. This year’s report focuses on tertiary education, indicating that Australia continues to deliver high educational attainment, and positive labour market outcomes, with the Government providing substantial financial support.

Australia country note

The Australia Country Note outlines the country-specific information associated with the latest Education at a Glance publication.

Online Education Database

OECD’s database provides more detailed statistics on international student mobility.

Project Atlas

Project Atlas

Project Atlas collects and reports accurate, timely and comprehensive data on global student mobility.