Nearly 60,000 international students are itching to get on Australian soil to begin or resume their studies, but many are anxious about what life will look like once they arrive.
Key points:
- An international student recruitment agency saw a sixty percent drop in new enrolments into Australian universities
- A recruiting organisation says it’s seen a 60 per cent decrease in student applications since the pandemic began
- Students have expressed a range of fears, from local hostility to the effect remote learning will have on their education and careers
Radhika Gyani from India, who is enrolled in a master’s of engineering at the University of New South Wales, has been studying online and counting the days until she gets back.
She says she misses the “human connection” and that online studies are “too machine-driven” — but has some trepidation about returning to Australia despite her excitement.
“I am not sure how comfortable the locals would be to have a bulk of international folks back all of a sudden, not so sure how welcoming they would be,” Ms Gyani said.
Radhika Gyani can’t wait to be learning in a less “machine-driven” environment, but she’s got plenty of concerns as well.(Supplied: Radhika Gyan)
But that is not Ms Gyani’s only worry — she fears an influx of international arrivals could affect her ability to afford life in Sydney.
“I’m worried about rent and jobs, because there will be a steep elevation in demand for rental accommodation and employment,” she said.
PhD researcher Sonia Qadir from Pakistan is concerned about her career prospects as she approaches the end of her law degree.
“COVID has forced universities to make a lot of cuts and reduced the number of possible courses on offer for PhDs to teach,” Ms Qadir said.
‘A second culture shock’
Australian National University student An Do says he expects a “second culture shock” to be waiting for him when he returns.
“Not speaking English on a daily basis for two years has affected my ability to communicate a lot, so I will have to start from scratch again,” he said.
“I don’t really know how to greet my local friends when I see them again.
“Another outbreak could plunge universities back into online mode and make it harder for our social life.”
Vietnamese student An Do is nervous about having to reacquaint himself with life in Australia.(Supplied: An Do)
The absence of face-to-face learning has also taken its toll on Ms Qadir’s academic progress.
“Not being able to meet face to face also means we cannot build the kinds of scholarly communities that are really important and necessary for learning and growing as scholars,” she said.
She said extended border closures had kept her outside Australia for most of her PhD degree.
“We have missed out on teaching opportunities, networking and getting to know other faculties and academics besides out supervisors,” Ms Qadir said.
“It’s really putting our choice of Australia as an educational destination into question.”
Sonia Qadir is eager to return to Australia but is worried about the impact the last two years will have on her prospects.(Supplied:Sonia Qadir)
Remote learning woes
Vietnamese student community leader Binh Nguyen said many students had raised concerns about remote learning.
“The tuition fee is unchanged, but the quality of education worsens and no student can accept this condition,” he said.
But Barney Glover, the convenor or the NSW Vice-Chancellors Committee, said thousands of offshore students were still showing interest in Australian education, despite remote teaching.
“They have been paying fees and, in some cases, discounted fees compared to what they would be paying in Australia,” he said.
“That has enabled universities in 2020 and 2021 to navigate COVID a little bit better than they would have.
“The intention of every university in Australia is to be back on campus by Autumn 2022.”
Mr Nguyen said many Vietnamese parents felt that their children did not receive enough government support in the early days of the pandemic.
“They hesitate to send their kids to Australia because they heard in the news that international students were left behind,” he said.
Binh Nguyen says many Vietnamese students are concerned about discrimination upon return to Australia.(Supplied: Binh Nguyen)
Will politics get personal?
During this period, several Vietnamese students took to online forums to share stories about copping flack from disgruntled community members for wearing masks.
International student recruiter Duy Matthews said stories of negative experiences had circulated on many Vietnamese social media platforms.
“Some students and parents now have a misconception about discrimination in Australia,” she said.
Zhao Li is planning to start a commerce degree at the University of Technology Sydney but fears Sino-Australian relations may affect her chances of making friends.
“Our media has been saying Australia is hostile towards China,” Ms Zhao said.
“I am afraid many classmates will take it out on me, even though I am highly unpolitical.
“I may have to distance myself at the beginning.”
Competition ‘immense’
Mrs Matthews says Australian Visa and Student Services, which recruits students from Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar, has suffered a 60 percent decline from pre-COVID levels in new enrolments into Australian universities.
“Many parents and students are considering switching to other countries like Canada and the US, especially because they have been ahead in reopening borders,” she said.
Dr Glover, who is also the Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney, says extended border closures have driven many international students to North America and Europe.
He says a NSW pilot program that aims to bring in 500 overseas back to Australia is crucial.
“The competition for international students is immense,” he said.
“This is a concern to us, and that is why this trial in December is so important.”
