Australia Increases International Student Intake for 2026
Exciting news for International Students planning to study in Australia!
The Australia Government remains committed to welcoming students from around the world and providing a world-class education experience.
The Australian Government has now announced the National Planning Level (NPL) for new international student commencements in 2026. The NPL slot will be 295,000. It is increasing by 25,000 compare the student allocations in 2025.
The NPL is not a cap or a limit on student numbers but a prioritisation system for student visa applications. It means that any genuine student who meets the student visa requirements can still apply and only applies to visa lodged outside of Australia.
Student visa applications are processed as high priority until education and training providers in Australia reach their NPL Allocation. Afterward, further visa applications are still accepted for that provider but are processed more slowly.
New Key points in 2026
- The NPL in 2026 will increase by 25,000 more students compared to last year, reaching a total of 295,000.
- Students from specific countries such as Pacific and Timor Leste, Australian government scholarship holders and certain foreign government scholarship recipients, as well as other designated cohorts, will continue to receive priority visa processing.
- Starting in 2026, international students who moving to public universities after finishing secondary school in Australia, or coming from recognised pathway providers or TAFE institutes, will be excluded from the university’s NPL allocation.