You are here:
Growth in Australia’s international student enrolments continued during 2006. The latest AEI full year data show continuing steady growth in Australia’s international education market overall. During 2006 there were a total of 383,818 enrolments by full-fee paying international students in Australia. This represents an increase of 10.9% from 2005 and shows stronger growth than the 6.4% recorded between 2004 and 2005.
The strongest enrolment growth in 2006 was in the vocational education and ELICOS sectors (25.7% and 19.2% respectively).
This continued the growth experienced in both of these sectors during 2005. The higher education sector also grew by 5.2%, which is down on the 8.1% increase between 2004 and 2005. However, commencement growth (which basically measures new business) was at 4.9%, a marked improvement on the -0.2% experienced in 2005. Enrolments growth in the schools sector was negative (-1.7%), although this is also an improvement on the -8.0% growth in 2005. Commencements in the schools sector was 7.7%, the highest experienced since 2003.
Strong growth continues from India (41.9%), China (10.5%) and the Republic of Korea (18.8%). This continues the growth shown by these markets in the previous three years. This growth was slightly offset by falls in enrolments from other markets such as Indonesia (-6.7%), Singapore (-6.7%), Hong Kong (-3.8 %) and Malaysia (-1.0)%. These more traditional markets have now experienced successive years of negative growth. Thailand, another traditional market, has rebounded from earlier slowing of growth to record an 8.3% rise in enrolments.
Other markets which recorded strong enrolment growth in 2006 included Brazil (43.9%), the Middle East (35.7%), Vietnam (27.5%), Sri Lanka (31.6%), Canada (10.7%), Pakistan (38.2%) and Colombia (72.7%).
New South Wales and Victoria continue to attract most international student enrolments with two in three (67.4%) enrolments recorded in those states. These two states have also shown good growth in enrolments with 11.8% for New South Wales and 13.3% for Victoria. All other states and territories recorded growth between 2005 and 2006, with Queensland and South Australia in particular recording good growth of 8.7% and 14.1% respectively.
For more detailed state-specific information, refer to the State Summary Sheets section below.
The three levels of study which attracted the highest student enrolments in 2005 accounted for more than two-thirds of all student enrolments. They were Bachelor Degree (25.7% of all enrolments), Non-award (25.7%) and Masters Coursework (15.2%).
Growth was also experienced with student enrolments rising by 3.0%, 13.9% and 7.8% respectively for each levels of study.
Although accounting for relatively smaller segments of the market, very strong growth in enrolments were recorded for the levels of study Diploma (20.2%) and Advanced Diploma (36.4%).
One in four (26.9%) enrolments is in the field of Business Administration, Management and the field with the next highest level of enrolments is ELICOS with 20.3%. Both fields experienced good enrolment growth over 2005, with 11.2% and 18.8% respectively.
Other fields that experienced strong growth in 2006 were Services, Hospitality, Transport (60.1%), Health, Community Services (25.5%) and Nursing (35.4%).
(Source: Australian Education International)
The following tables give a month by month analysis of international student data by sector including information on enrolments, commencements, finishes and year to date totals. More detailed data are contained in the '2006 Detailed Monthly Tables' section below.
Please click on the images below to view the tables individually or a full set of the tables 1 to 6 (pdf 131KB) are available to download.
Table 1: All Sectors
Table 2: ELICOS
Table 3: Higher Education
Table 4: VET
Table 5: Schools
Table 6: Other
Note: Items marked with are available only to organisations that have access to Austrade's Market Information Package (MIP).
The pivot tables are compatible with Excel 2003 or later.
Includes the variables Sector, Nationality, State and Territory and Region for year-to-date enrolments and commencements for the years 2002 to 2006.
Please contact mip@austrade.gov.au if you experience any technical difficulties.
Detailed tables are available individually below, or as a complete set (pdf 98KB).
The pivot table used to produce Tables A to G is included above. It contains the variables Sector, Nationality and Year, and refers to enrolments and commencements year-to-date December data.
2006 State Summary Sheet – New South Wales (pdf 39KB)
2006 State Summary Sheet – Victoria (pdf 40KB)
2006 State Summary Sheet – Queensland (pdf 40KB)
2006 State Summary Sheet – South Australia (pdf 39KB)
2006 State Summary Sheet – Western Australia (pdf 40KB)
2006 State Summary Sheet – Tasmania (pdf 39KB)
2006 State Summary Sheet – Northern Territory (pdf 39KB)
2006 State Summary Sheet – Australian Capitol Territory (pdf 39KB)
The detailed monthly tables expand on the information provided in tables one to six. These tables include information on monthly enrolments, commencements and year to date data. Monthly data adds new enrolments for the month to the number at the start of month.
Tables 7 to 12 contain information about each Sector by top 10 Nationalities and State and Territory. The focus of these tables has changed from counting the enrolment and commencement activity during the reference month to counting the year-to-date activity up to and including the reference month.
The data in the following tables is updated throughout the year resulting in some revision to previously published data.
International student enrolment annual statistics for 1994 to 2006 are summarised in the chart below. It shows sector level data for 1994 to 2006 and combines data from AEI's Overseas Student Statistics series and the Commonwealth Provider Register and International Student Management System (PRISMS). This chart should be used for indicative purposes only. Data for the periods 1994–2001 and 2002–06 are not comparable due to the different sources used to compile the data.
International Student Enrolments in Australia 1994 – 2006
Table and data in pdf format (pdf 24KB)
Table: International Student Enrolments in Australia, 1994 - 2006
Note: There is a break in series between 2001 and 2002, there have been significant changes in methodology between 2001 and 2002.
Data was sourced from the DEEWR Higher Education Statistical Collection, CRICOS, the then Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and AusAID.
Onshore student data was derived from the Commonwealth Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS). The data show enrolments across all sectors for all students holding a student visa. These do not cover students on other visas, which in the case of ELICOS, involves a large number of students on tourist visas and, to a lesser extent, working holiday visas. As a general 'rule of thumb', for each ELICOS student on a student visa there is another on a non-student visa.
For further information, please see Explanatory notes for AEI International Student Data.
The data does not cover offshore activity where Australian providers supply education services to foreign students overseas or by distance education where the student remains offshore. Data on offshore activity by Australian higher education institutions is available from the Higher Education Statistical Collection. Data on the Delivery of VET Offshore by Public Providers is available to MIP subscribers.
Explanatory notes for Enrolment Data
Login to the MIP | Join
The Market Information Package (MIP) provides market intelligence, opportunities, analysis and student data to support Australia’s international education sector.
About the Market Information Package
More markets
More news and opportunities
Austrade makes no warranty, express or implied as to the fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability for the accuracy or usefulness of any information contained in this document. Any consequential loss or damage suffered as a result of reliance on this information is the sole responsibility of the user.