International students at on-shore Australian university campuses reached 21.1 per cent of student populations last year, up 1.4 per cent on 2015, to 269 000.  Universities well above the national average include the universities of Sydney (31.2 per cent), UNSW (29.7 per cent), UTS (28.4), Melbourne (33.7) plus ANU (31 per cent) and Monash U (29.4 per cent). Outside high-status inner-city institutions Federation U stands out with internationals making up 35 per cent of student.

Universities who do not attract big proportions of international students include; UNE (5 per cent), University of Newcastle (11 per cent) and Murdoch U (11 per cent). At least managements at these three need not live in fear of Australia falling out of favour in Beijing or New Delhi. “I could not open the doors without international fees,” a big-metro uni VC tells CMM