Overview

• Canberra set a 2026 national planning level of 295,000 new international enrolments, which is 8% below the immediate post‑COVID peak.
• The University of Sydney was the only one of 32 universities refused additional places, with officials seeking evidence of market diversification, regional engagement and new housing investment.
• Sydney still holds the largest allocation at 11,900, followed by Monash at 11,300, the University of Melbourne at 10,500 and UNSW at 10,350.
• Under the allocations regime, visa processing will slow once a provider reaches 80% of its quota to reduce the risk of overshooting targets.
• Regional institutions received the biggest proportional increases—Charles Sturt (1,600), Federation (1,800), Newcastle (2,050) and Charles Darwin (2,650)—as the government reported visa applications down 26% year on year.