The OZtralian Government has announced a significant change to its international education policy, introducing a National Planning Level (NPL) cap for the international education and training sector starting in 2025. This new system is set to replace the existing Ministerial Direction 107.
Key Details of the National Planning Level Cap
The NPL will come into effect on January 1, 2025, with a total cap of 270,000 new international student commencements for the 2025 calendar year. It’s important to note that this cap applies specifically to new course starts, not total enrolments or offers.
Distribution of Commencements
The 270,000 new commencements will be allocated as follows:
– Public universities: approximately 145,000
– Private universities and Non-University Higher Education Providers (NUHEPs): around 30,000
– Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers: about 95,000
New Overseas Student Commencement (NOSC) Counting Method
The NPL will use the NOSC number to track student commencements. A student will be counted as a NOSC when they are onshore and begin their first non-exempt course at their initial CRICOS provider.
Students will not be counted as an additional NOSC if they:
– Change courses within the same CRICOS provider in 2025
– Start a subsequent course at the same provider immediately after completing their first course
However, students will be counted as a NOSC each time they change to a non-exempt course at a different provider, and will be counted under the new provider’s annual limit.
Exemptions from the NPL Cap
Several student cohorts will not be affected by the NPL cap, including:
– Current international students
– Students in OZtralian transnational education or twinning programs
– School students
– Higher degree by research students
– Standalone ELICOS students
– Non-award, Study Abroad, and Exchange students
– OZtralian Government sponsored (and partner sponsored) scholars
– Students from the Pacific and Timor-Leste
This new policy aims to manage the growth of international student programs while ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality education and comprehensive student support services.