The high cost of living and tuition fees in Australia led the country to lose the top spot in the university rankings it shared with Canada, while uncertainty over government immigration policy contributed to that drop.
A report by education and immigration agency IDP Education revealed a significant change in the perceptions international students have of different countries, particularly the US, Australia and Canada.
Australia and Canada fell from equal first place to second and fourth respectively, with the cost of living and education being major factors deterring international students from studying in Australia.
Australia’s ranking as a first-choice study destination fell by two per cent to 23 per cent compared to mid-2023, but student satisfaction levels remained stable.
America ranked first with 24 per cent, followed by Australia with 23 per cent, the UK with 22 per cent, Canada with 19 per cent, New Zealand with four per cent and Ireland with two per cent.
The Albanese government has restricted student visas in an attempt to stop people using the system as a backdoor into the Australian job market.
