Are Australian unis curbing applications from some Indian states?

Last week, Australian stakeholders firmly denied media reports claiming that some universities had banned or restricted applications from Indian states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Jammu and Kashmir. The new reports repeated similar claims that garnered media attention in 2023.

“The assertion that Indian university student applications from specific Indian states are being banned, or restricted, is incorrect,” a spokesperson from the Australian High Commission in New Delhi clarified.

“There are over 125,000 Indian students currently studying in Australia – the second largest cohort of students from any country – and the Australian government continues to process Indian student visa applications in line with our global standards.”

They continued: “India and Australia continue to have a very strong relationship in the field of education. Australia deeply values Indian students, and the Australian government welcomes their contribution to our classrooms and Australian society.” 

Initial reports emerged in April 2023 claiming that some Australian universities had placed bans on students from certain Indian regions due to a rise in fraudulent applications and concerns that some people were using study visas as a pathway to work in Australia.

We have robust procedures in place to identify and respond to fraudulent documentation, and we work closely with regulatory bodies and education partners to strengthen these systems
^{_{Federation University}}

An investigation by leading Australian media outlets reportedly uncovered internal communications from multiple institutions suggesting efforts to restrict applications from Indian students.

According to Federation University, there was a temporary pause on applications from certain Indian states, but subsequent reviews have resulted in the resumption of enrolments.

“While there was a temporary pause on enrolments from five Indian states in May 2023, this was reviewed and adjusted, with enrolments recommencing on 18 September 2023,” read a statement sent by Federation University to The PIE News. 

“As of April 23 2025, Federation University understands there has been no recent policy shift regarding the rejection of applications from specific regions in India, nor a ban on student visas for international students, as suggested by some reports.”

While emphasising the value of international students, the university said that it continues to respond to emerging trends in the international education landscape.

“We regularly review and update our admission processes to ensure they remain rigorous and aligned with government requirements. Due to the nature of our systems and privacy obligations, we are not able to retrospectively isolate or report on student enrolments by individual Indian states,” read the statement. 

“We have robust procedures in place to identify and respond to fraudulent documentation, and we work closely with regulatory bodies and education partners to strengthen these systems.”

Southern Cross University, on the other hand, acknowledged that while it continues to accept applications from all Indian students, some education agents associated with the university may be adopting a different approach. 

“Southern Cross University continues to accept applications from all Indian students, however we are aware some agents are adopting a more selective position,” read a statement by the university to The PIE News. 

“All applicants, regardless of origin, must meet our entry requirements and any additional requirements that the university imposes to be eligible for admission.”

Victoria University refuted claims that it had ever implemented any ban or restrictions on Indian students from specific states in India.

“Victoria University has never banned or restricted students from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Jammu & Kashmir,” stated a spokesperson from Victoria University. 

“We continue to actively recruit students from all parts of India, based on our academic requirements and other eligibility criteria.” 

According to a statement by the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI), any 2023 restrictions on applications from certain Indian regions were “lifted within a month”. 

“In 2023, a few Australian universities had temporarily paused applications from certain regions due integrity issues. These were independent, institution-level decisions, not government mandates,” read a press release shared by AAERI.

“All such restrictions were short-term and have since been lifted within one month. Visa grants to Indian students have increased by 19% in the past year, with 34,986 visas granted.”

The current resurfaced reports went viral amid Australia’s push to increase transnational education partnerships in India.

Apart from just establishing branch campuses and research centres in India, Australia is facilitating more research and institutional partnerships in the South Asian country as part of its broader government strategy. 

Despite stronger educational ties, student mobility from India to Australia has taken a hit in recent years due to a decrease in visa approval rates.

The approval rate for Indian students fell from almost 90% in 2020/21 to 65% in 2024/25.

International students have also come under heightened policy scrutiny in the lead up to the Australian federal elections, which will conclude on Saturday. 

Both the ruling Labor Party and the opposition – the Coalition – have proposed increasing study visa fees, with the latter additionally suggesting a cap on international student arrivals at 240,000 per year, a move that has faced significant criticism from stakeholders. 

The post Are Australian unis curbing applications from some Indian states? appeared first on The PIE News.