In recent developments, the Australian government has introduced a significant reform that might affect international students. According to the latest news, international students are no longer allowed to enrol in two courses simultaneously during the first six months of their main course. This is a substantial reform against unscrupulous recruiters who unlawfully violated the enrollment policy.
The Australian government aims to safeguard the integrity of the international education sector and protect students from exploitation. However, this new rule will not impact students who are already enrolled in concurrent programmes.
Those wishing to enrol in a second course before completing six months of their principal course will now need prior approval from their education provider. This measure is designed to prevent students from enrolling in secondary courses before completing six months in their primary course. While this may safeguard the education sector, it could potentially delay students’ graduation plans and create challenges in finding part-time work.
The Australian government claims that these rules are necessary to prevent misuse of the concurrent enrollment system, particularly concerning the switch to less expensive vocational courses.
It is worth noting that Australia has consistently been a popular study destination for Indian students. Recent reports indicate that international students constitute 33% of all students in Australian higher education. There has been a rise in the number of students enrolled in Australia between March 2022 and March 2023.
