Most Expensive Countries for International Students: Australia

Students who are interested in studying internationally have a lot of decisions to make before they can begin planning. The most important of these decisions is, obviously, what country to study in. A number of factors go into this decision, including area of study and any language barriers that might arise, but one extremely important factor is the issue of cost. As an international student on a budget, you must be very aware of costs such as tuition fees and living expenses in the country in which you are studying.

We will be doing a series on the most expensive places for international students to study, beginning with number one: Australia. According to a recent study by HSBC Bank which compared the combined cost of university fees and living expenses in major countries, Australia is the world’s most expensive country for international students to study. The typical annual cost for international students is $38,516 in Australia, $35,706 in the United States, $30,325 in the United Kingdom, and $26,011 in Canada—all of which are main competitors in international education.

In spite of this, more and more international students are choosing to study in Australia. The number of international students starting courses in the first half of 2013 was up 3.3% from the corresponding period last year.

This boost in international students is helping Australia’s international education industry recover from a downturn that began in 2010. This downturn followed a crackdown on permanent residency for international students, which coincided with a rising Australian dollar and bad publicity over attacks on Indian students.

Australia’s international education peak bodies believe that the federal government should do more to help compete for international students. Said the groups in a statement: “Expensive and inflexible student visas, a complex and stifling regulatory system and a reluctance by governments to aggressively promote Australian education abroad are combining to turn potential students away.”

Keep checking back for more in this series, and to learn more about the most expensive countries for international students.

Posted in Budgeting Tips for International Students, International Financial Aid News