Asean students exempted from Australia’s 25% hike in student visa fees
Australia has exempted students from ASEAN nations from a recent 25% increase in international student visa fees. The move is intended to strengthen educational and diplomatic ties with Southeast Asian neighbors.
Why it matters
This policy adjustment highlights Australia's strategic effort to maintain its status as a top education destination for Southeast Asian students while managing broader migration concerns.
There are about 15,000 Malaysian students in Australia, says AUG Student Services.
PETALING JAYA: Asean students, including those from Malaysia, have been exempted from the 25% hike in international student visa fees as Australia seeks to step up relations with its regional neighbours.
Singapore's The Straits Times said the Australian government raised the non-refundable fee for students applying for visas from A$2,000 (RM5,700) to A$2,500 (RM7,135) on July 3, but students from Asean countries were excluded from the hike and only subject to an inflation-adjusted increase of A$50, making the fee A$2,050 (RM5,850).
It quoted Australia’s assistant minister for international education, Julian Hill, as saying the government had given the exemption as part of its efforts to increase Australia’s engagement with the region.
“A reduced visa fee rate for students from Asean nations reflects the importance Australia places on welcoming high-quality students from Southeast Asia,” Hill told ST.
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