KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Australia has imposed a sharp 25 per cent rise in international student visa fees but carved out an exemption for applicants from Asean nations, including Malaysia, as part of efforts to deepen regional ties.
The government on July 3 lifted the non refundable charge for overseas students from A$2,000 (RM5,700) to A$2,500 (RM7,135). However, Asean students were spared the full increase and will instead pay A$2,050 after a modest inflation linked adjustment.
“A reduced visa fee rate for students from Asean nations reflects the importance Australia places on welcoming high quality students from South-east Asia,” Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill told Singapore’s The Straits Times (ST).
“Australia and Asean nations share deep, abiding bonds and it’s important that our young people spend time in their formative years getting to know each other and building lifelong bonds,” he added.
Australia already applies lower fees for Pacific nations, including Timor Leste, which joined Asean in October 2025, as part of its diplomatic outreach.
Despite the latest increase, education counsellors say demand remains strong.
AUG Student Services, which has guided Malaysian students for more than 30 years, told ST that the adjustment was unlikely to deter applicants.
Australia has been the top overseas study destination for Malaysians since 2022, with about 15,000 currently enrolled.
The country’s international education sector is its fifth largest export, generating A$55 billion in 2025, ST reported.
Visa fees have climbed steeply in recent years — from A$710 to A$1,600 in July 2024, then to A$2,000 in July 2025 — as Canberra sought to manage migration pressures following the Covid 19 pandemic.
Australia’s charges are now the highest globally, compared with US$535 in the United States and £558 in Britain. The nation currently hosts about 681,000 foreign students, including 160,000 from China, 111,000 from India, 61,000 from Nepal, 31,000 from Vietnam and more than 6,000 from Singapore.
