by DIRK MULDER

Commonwealth data on international student numbers is out, comparing August 2020 to 2019

It’s the now usual bad news – except for VET, due to students from India and Nepal.

These numbers reflect the Commonwealth’s decision to allow starts from offshore due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions. As such an enrolment does not confirm that a student is currently in Australia.

 At the top level:  Overall new starts are down 17.9 per cent. HE across the country is down 22.2 per cent, schools are down 27.7 per cent, and ELICOS (for students with visas) is down 33 per cent, non-award is down 42.7 per cent.  However, VET is up 4.5 percent.

As predicted, enrolments are starting to tail off, down overall 3.5 per cent. HE is down 3.9 per cent, schools down 17.8 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 22.8 per cent and non-award down 31.8 per cent. But total VET enrolments are up 13.5 per cent.

Commencements by state: NSW overall is down 16.3 per cent. HE down 16.1 per cent, VET just up by 0.04 percent, schools down 28.5 per cent, ELICOS (Visas) down 31.4 percent and non-award down 39.1 percent.

VIC overall is down 20 per cent. HE down 29.7 percent, VET up 9.5 percent, schools down 28.3 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 35.5 per cent and non-award down 43.5 per cent.

QLD overall is down 20.9 per cent. HE down 21.1 per cent, VET down 1.8 per cent, schools down 28 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 31.9 per cent and non-award down 47.6 per cent.

SA overall is down 9.8 per cent. HE down 9.4 per cent, VET is up 22.8 per cent, schools down 30.4 per cent, ELICOS (Visas) down 34.9 per cent and non-award down 39.3 percent.

WA overall is down 18.6 per cent. HE down 26.4 per cent, VET is up 8 per cent, schools down 17.2 per cent, ELICOS (Visas) down 29.4 per cent and non-award down 47.5 per cent.

TAS overall is down 14.6 per cent. HE down 22.1 per cent, VET is down 2.1 per cent, schools down 9.8 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 53.6 per cent and non-award down 44.3 per cent.

NT overall is up 24.6 per cent. HE up 1.3 per cent, VET is up 65.7 per cent, schools up 6.7 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 37.3 per cent and non-award down 17.5 per cent.

ACT overall is down 19.3 per cent. HE is down 24.3 per cent, VET is up 20.7 percent, schools down 26.5 per cent, ELICOS (Visas) down 54.3 per cent and non-award down 54.7 per cent.

Commencements from the big three

 China: Overall new starts from China are down 22.9 per cent. HE is down 13.3 per cent, VET is down 21.8 per cent, schools is down 30.4 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 45 per cent, non-award is down 37.3 per cent.

 India:   Overall new starts from India are down 16.2 per cent. HE is down 45.5 per cent, VET is up 41.4 per cent, schools is down 16.9 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 38.8 percent, non-award is down 32.8 per cent.

Nepal: Overall new starts from Nepal are down 8.2 per cent. HE is down 16.6 per cent, VET is up 2.1 per cent, schools is down 50 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 12.2 percent, non-award is down 43.8 per cent.

 At the top level: The decline in total new starts, 17.9 per cent, is due to a relatively strong performance by VET. HE across the country is down 22.2 per cent, schools down 27.7 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 33 per cent, non-award down 42.7 per cent. Vet continues to buck the trend being up 4.5 per cent.

Enrolments as predicted as now starting to tail off, down 3.5 per cent. HE is down 3.9 per cent, Schools down 17.8 per cent, ELICOS (visas) down 22.8 per cent and non-Award down 31.8 per cent. Total VET enrolments are up 13.5 percent.

 Overall commencements by states: NSW overall is down 16.3 percent, VIC overall is down 20 per cent. Queensland is down 20.9 per cent. SA overall is down 9.8 per cent. WA overall is down 18.6 per cent.  TAS overall is down 14.6 percent.  NT overall is up 24.6 percent.  ACT overall is down 19.3 percent.

 Dirk Mulder is CMM’s international education correspondent