Popular Countries of Origin for International Students in Australia
Major Contributing Regions
North-East Asia emerged as the leading contributor, with 181,612 students, demonstrating the strong educational ties between Australia and countries like China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. China alone accounted for 157,835 students, marking it as the single largest source of international students.
South-East Asia followed closely with 96,206 students, with significant numbers from Malaysia (22,929), Singapore (18,416), Vietnam (29,838), Indonesia (12,385), and the Philippines (5,411). This region's contribution underscores the geographic and cultural connections facilitating educational exchange with Australia.
Southern and Central Asia contributed 115,979 students, with India (58,316) and Nepal (28,989) being prominent sources. This reflects the growing demand for Australian education among South and Central Asian students, who seek high-quality education and international exposure.
North Africa and the Middle East accounted for 11,675 students, with notable numbers from Iran (2,365) and Saudi Arabia (3,276), highlighting Australia's appeal across diverse cultures and regions.
Sub-Saharan Africa and The Americas also showed substantial enrollment numbers, with 13,328 and 13,011 students respectively. Kenya (3,383), Mauritius (2,396), and Nigeria (2,671) from Africa, and the United States (3,692), Colombia (1,802), and Brazil (1,968) from the Americas, stood out, indicating the wide-ranging international interest in Australian education.
Gender Distribution
The data reveals a balanced gender distribution among international students in Australia, with 225,543 females and 222,709 males, alongside a small number of unspecified gender totaling 300. This balance underscores Australia's inclusive educational environment, attracting both male and female students globally.
Regional Highlights
Oceania and Antarctica showcased diversity with 2,477 students, including those from neighboring countries like Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand, reflecting regional mobility. North-West Europe and Southern and Eastern Europe contributed 7,489 and 3,012 students respectively, with Germany (2,021), France (1,006), Italy (722), and the Russian Federation (732) being significant contributors. This highlights the European interest in Australian higher education and research opportunities.
Unique Contributors
While the bulk of international students came from Asia and Europe, unique contributions came from less expected sources. For instance, the Americas contributed 13,011 students, with the United States leading with 3,692 students, followed by Colombia and Brazil, indicating the broad appeal of Australian education across the Western Hemisphere.
Sub-Saharan Africa also made a notable contribution with 13,328 students, with Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, and South Africa being significant contributors, highlighting the global reach of Australia's educational institutions.
Data Table: International Students in Australia by Country of Birth (2022)
Region | Country | Males | Females | Unspecified | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 0 | 448 | 0 | 847 | |
Australia | np | 448 | < 5 | 847 | |
Norfolk Island and Australian External Territories, nec | < 5 | 0 | 0 | < 5 | |
Oceania and Antarctica | 247 | 1,335 | 0 | 2,477 | |
Adélie Land (France) | 19 | 26 | 0 | 45 | |
Chilean Antartic Territory | 17 | 13 | 0 | 30 | |
Fiji | np | 304 | < 5 | 522 | |
Kiribati | 12 | 27 | 0 | 39 | |
Nauru | 14 | 27 | 0 | 41 | |
New Caledonia | 22 | 39 | 0 | 61 | |
New Zealand | 27 | 19 | 0 | 46 | |
Papua New Guinea | np | 663 | < 5 | 1,298 | |
Samoa | np | 66 | < 5 | 108 | |
Solomon Islands | 87 | 68 | 0 | 155 | |
Tonga | 13 | 21 | 0 | 34 | |
Tuvalu | 9 | 15 | 0 | 24 | |
Vanuatu | 15 | 30 | 0 | 45 | |
Countries with fewer than 20 students | 12 | 17 | 0 | 29 | |
North-West Europe | 1,430 | 4,326 | 0 | 7,489 | |
Austria | 54 | 72 | 0 | 126 | |
Belgium | 58 | 77 | 0 | 135 | |
Denmark | np | 157 | 0 | 272 | |
England | np | 631 | < 5 | 1,102 | |
Finland | 51 | 109 | 0 | 160 | |
France | np | 501 | < 5 | 1,006 | |
Germany | 878 | 1,140 | < 5 | 2,021 | |
Ireland | 63 | 81 | 0 | 144 | |
Netherlands | np | 166 | < 5 | 291 | |
Northern Ireland | 18 | 20 | 0 | 38 | |
Norway | np | 722 | < 5 | 1,128 | |
Scotland | 25 | 38 | 0 | 63 | |
Sweden | 151 | 286 | 0 | 437 | |
Switzerland | 99 | 130 | 0 | 229 | |
United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, nfd | np | 150 | < 5 | 258 | |
Wales | 16 | 15 | 0 | 31 | |
Countries with fewer than 20 students | 17 | 31 | 0 | 48 | |
Southern and Eastern Europe | 448 | 1,711 | 0 | 3,012 | |
Albania | 15 | 28 | 0 | 43 | |
Belarus | 11 | 21 | 0 | 32 | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 12 | 16 | 0 | 28 | |
Bulgaria | 18 | 27 | 0 | 45 | |
Croatia | 15 | 17 | 0 | 32 | |
Czechia | 25 | 47 | 0 | 72 | |
Greece | 40 | 35 | 0 | 75 | |
Hungary | np | 48 | < 5 | 80 | |
Italy | np | 368 | < 5 | 722 | |
Lithuania | 19 | 37 | 0 | 56 | |
Moldova | 8 | 13 | 0 | 21 | |
North Macedonia | 28 | 51 | 0 | 79 | |
Poland | 65 | 129 | 0 | 194 | |
Portugal | 46 | 54 | 0 | 100 | |
Romania | 23 | 55 | 0 | 78 | |
Russian Federation | np | 404 | < 5 | 732 | |
Serbia | 24 | 30 | 0 | 54 | |
Slovakia | 22 | 29 | 0 | 51 | |
Slovenia | 7 | 20 | 0 | 27 | |
Spain | np | 171 | < 5 | 310 | |
Ukraine | 46 | 67 | 0 | 113 | |
Countries with fewer than 20 students | 24 | 44 | 0 | 68 | |
North Africa and the Middle East | 5,183 | 3,588 | 6 | 11,675 | |
Algeria | 18 | 16 | 0 | 34 | |
Bahrain | 54 | 45 | 0 | 99 | |
Egypt | np | 207 | < 5 | 728 | |
Gaza Strip and West Bank | 21 | 18 | 0 | 39 | |
Iran | np | 1,201 | < 5 | 2,365 | |
Iraq | 126 | 89 | 0 | 215 | |
Israel | 35 | 36 | 0 | 71 | |
Jordan | 309 | 121 | 0 | 430 | |
Kuwait | 281 | 202 | 0 | 483 | |
Lebanon | 254 | np | < 5 | 396 | |
Libya | 22 | 24 | 0 | 46 | |
Morocco | 57 | 65 | 0 | 122 | |
Oman | 240 | 152 | 0 | 392 | |
Qatar | 101 | 53 | 0 | 154 | |
Saudi Arabia | 2,024 | 1,246 | 6 | 3,276 | |
Sudan | 67 | 29 | 0 | 96 | |
Syria | 88 | 53 | 0 | 141 | |
Tunisia | 21 | 9 | 0 | 30 | |
Turkey | 232 | np | < 5 | 398 | |
United Arab Emirates | 1,185 | np | < 5 | 2,095 | |
Yemen | 43 | 22 | 0 | 65 | |
Countries with fewer than 20 students | 5 | < 5 | 0 | np | |
South-East Asia | 42,642 | 52,378 | 11 | 96,206 | |
Brunei Darussalam | np | 191 | < 5 | 363 | |
Cambodia | 1,121 | 1,003 | 0 | 2,124 | |
Indonesia | 5,851 | 6,529 | < 5 | 12,385 | |
Laos | 111 | 169 | 0 | 280 | |
Malaysia | 11,142 | 11,781 | np | 22,929 | |
Myanmar | 998 | 1,141 | 0 | 2,139 | |
Philippines | 1,819 | 3,574 | np | 5,411 | |
Singapore | 8,324 | 10,081 | 11 | 18,416 | |
Thailand | np | 1,282 | < 5 | 2,235 | |
Timor-Leste | 51 | 35 | 0 | 86 | |
Vietnam | 13,225 | 16,592 | np | 29,838 | |
North-East Asia | 84,134 | 94,606 | 110 | 181,612 | |
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan) | 75,320 | 82,404 | 105 | 157,835 | |
Chinese Asia (includes Mongolia), nfd | 17 | 23 | 0 | 40 | |
Hong Kong (SAR of China) | 6,063 | 5,012 | np | 11,085 | |
Japan | np | 1,549 | < 5 | 2,763 | |
Korea, Republic of (South) | 2,162 | 2,856 | 5 | 5,023 | |
Macau (SAR of China) | 298 | 339 | 0 | 637 | |
Mongolia | 267 | 565 | 0 | 832 | |
Taiwan | np | 1,852 | < 5 | 3,384 | |
Countries with fewer than 20 students | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 | |
Southern and Central Asia | 65,024 | 47,472 | 0 | 115,979 | |
Afghanistan | 89 | 31 | 0 | 120 | |
Azerbaijan | 23 | 12 | 0 | 35 | |
Bangladesh | 3,986 | np | < 5 | 6,050 | |
Bhutan | 979 | 1,092 | 0 | 2,071 | |
India | 32,353 | 25,937 | np | 58,316 | |
Kazakhstan | 117 | 139 | 0 | 256 | |
Kyrgyzstan | 22 | 14 | 0 | 36 | |
Maldives | 135 | 148 | 0 | 283 | |
Nepal | 14,233 | 14,739 | np | 28,989 | |
Pakistan | 6,370 | np | < 5 | 7,738 | |
Sri Lanka | 6,581 | 5,287 | np | 11,876 | |
Turkmenistan | 15 | 7 | 0 | 22 | |
Uzbekistan | 105 | 42 | 0 | 147 | |
Countries with fewer than 20 students | 16 | 24 | 0 | 40 | |
Americas | 2,913 | 7,130 | 10 | 13,011 | |
Argentina | 154 | 172 | 0 | 326 | |
Bolivia | 26 | 27 | 0 | 53 | |
Brazil | np | 1,179 | < 5 | 1,968 | |
Canada | np | 1,569 | < 5 | 2,930 | |
Chile | 240 | 214 | 0 | 454 | |
Colombia | 819 | 979 | < 5 | 1,802 | |
Costa Rica | 15 | 14 | 0 | 29 | |
Ecuador | np | 73 | 0 | 141 | |
Guatemala | 16 | 22 | 0 | 38 | |
Jamaica | 15 | 16 | 0 | 31 | |
Mexico | np | 328 | < 5 | 657 | |
Panama | 15 | 9 | 0 | 24 | |
Paraguay | np | 34 | < 5 | 61 | |
Peru | np | 219 | < 5 | 434 | |
Puerto Rico | < 5 | np | 0 | 22 | |
Trinidad and Tobago | 12 | 19 | 0 | 31 | |
United States of America | 1,601 | 2,081 | 10 | 3,692 | |
Uruguay | np | 25 | < 5 | 38 | |
Venezuela | np | 56 | < 5 | 106 | |
Countries with fewer than 20 students | np | 94 | < 5 | 174 | |
Sub-Saharan Africa | 5,562 | 6,401 | 7 | 13,328 | |
Botswana | 110 | 68 | 0 | 178 | |
Burundi | 15 | 12 | 0 | 27 | |
Cameroon | 37 | 25 | 0 | 62 | |
Congo, Democratic Republic of | 44 | 19 | 0 | 63 | |
Côte d'Ivoire | 18 | 11 | 0 | 29 | |
Ethiopia | 240 | 30 | 0 | 270 | |
Ghana | 341 | np | < 5 | 495 | |
Kenya | 1,438 | 1,938 | 7 | 3,383 | |
Madagascar | 24 | 36 | 0 | 60 | |
Malawi | 33 | 41 | 0 | 74 | |
Mauritius | 1,090 | 1,306 | 0 | 2,396 | |
Mozambique | 24 | 25 | 0 | 49 | |
Namibia | 34 | 18 | 0 | 52 | |
Nigeria | 1,598 | 1,069 | < 5 | 2,671 | |
Rwanda | 31 | 11 | 0 | 42 | |
Seychelles | 11 | 20 | 0 | 31 | |
Sierra Leone | 31 | 18 | 0 | 49 | |
Somalia | 7 | 28 | 0 | 35 | |
South Africa | np | 630 | < 5 | 1,257 | |
Tanzania | 76 | 64 | 0 | 140 | |
Uganda | 110 | 129 | 0 | 239 | |
Zambia | 117 | 119 | 0 | 236 | |
Zimbabwe | np | 690 | < 5 | 1,263 | |
Countries with fewer than 20 students | 133 | 94 | 0 | 227 | |
Other | 1,602 | 1,331 | 0 | 2,995 | |
Not provided | 1,602 | 1,331 | < 5 | 2,995 | |
TOTAL | 222,709 | 225,543 | 300 | 448,642 |
References
Australian Government Department of Education, n.d., Education, viewed (13 February 2024), https://www.education.gov.au/.