International education in Australia and New Zealand has seen rather diverging approaches in recent years. The former looked to limit the number of incoming international students but may be changing their tune. The latter has signalled its intent to attract many more international students. Which begs the question, what is the situation in both as we approach 2026?
Well, to answer that, we first need a quick recap of how we got here.
The past two years have seen significant discussion around international education in Australia. Government interventions (most specifically Ministerial Direction 111) have sought greater control over international enrolments and introduced additional tests to confirm students are genuine whilst visa costs have risen dramatically (by 125% in 2024 and a further 25% in 2025. All of which has made Australia less attractive for international students – as reflected in Keystone’s search data and recently born out in enrolment numbers, with international student commencements in the year to July 2025 16% lower than the same period in 2024.
We may be at the turning point of this story, however.
Initial concerns that new commencements would fall short of even the newly imposed caps appear to have been alleviated. In September the federal education department indicated that they are on target to reach 102% of its 2025 cap for new commencements and, perhaps more importantly, that they announced in August that the limit for new enrolments would rise by around 9% in 2026.
New Zealand has also increased fees for both study and post-study work visas, with rises of 100% and 139% respectively in 2024. However, the overall policy direction and, crucially, some of the communication here has been very different. The stated aim in 2024 was to ensure international education in New Zealand is “self-funding and more efficient” – lessening the burden on the taxpayer as opposed to cutting immigration figures.
This was followed by a swathe of policies introduced this year to encourage international students to New Zealand, alongside the announcement of an ambitious plan to increase international enrolments by 42% between 2024 and 2034.
Short term policies include increasing the permitted work hours for eligible study visa holders from 20 to 25 hours per week, and extending in-study work rights to all tertiary students enrolled in approved exchange or study abroad programs.
So, with the context in place, how has all this impacted search interest?
Below we see the growth (or fall) in search interest for New Zealand and the ‘Big 4’ between Q2 2025 and Q3 2025. Effectively, how is search interest changing as the year progresses:
What we see is a rather positive story for both Australia and New Zealand.
As 2025 has progressed, we have seen greater growth for study in New Zealand (+22%) than the other major Anglophonic study destinations combined. This marries up with the rhetoric that has emerged from the country in the last year or so of championing international education and encouraging students to come.
Though not quite as strong, we also see encouraging signs of growing interest in Australian study (+8%).
Despite the conversation around international education that has emerged in Australia in recent years, it must be remembered that no policy functions in a vacuum. Australia is far from the only major study destination to scrutinise international study or make policy changes impacting overseas students. They are, however, seemingly the first of the ‘Big 4’ to begin to reverse that severe stance.
The relative relaxing of its international student enrolment cap comes at a time when the remainder of the ‘Big 4’ continue to shift policies and build obstacles for those who wish to study abroad. However subtle it may be, Australia is the only member of the ‘Big 4’ that has demonstrated a willingness to encourage more international students down the line. That appears to count for a lot in the current climate.
Search trends tell us part of the story, but how has all of this impacted the perception of each study destination?
In the Keystone survey, we ask prospective students to provide us with their perception on a range of factors related to the international study in their chosen destination. First, they are asked to rate each factor on a five point scale from 'Very Good' to 'Very Poor'. They are then given the opportunity to describe the main reason for choosing that study destination.
Below we see the percentage of respondents who selected 'Very Good' for two of the most influential factors relating to study in New Zealand, Australia and the other members of the 'Big 4':
Despite growing policy uncertainty, we see the USA and UK still perform very well in terms of academic reputation, with 60% of both audiences selecting 'Very Good' regarding this factor. Australia is not far behind, however, placing 3rd in this set with more than half of their respondents thinking highly of its reputation.
Our qualitative data bears out, with Australia's reputation frequently referenced as the main reason for choosing to study there:
"World Class education, the universities in Australia are ranked as among the best in the world. They are known for their academic reputation and research output."
"Australian universities offer cutting-edge research opportunities, modern lab facilities, and strong industry linkages in the field of environmental chemistry and sustainability. Studying here will not only provide me with academic excellence but also expose me to practical, innovative solutions that are globally relevant."
Despite New Zealand being slightly behind the others in terms of 'Very Good' selections for academic reputation, we still see audiences highlight this aspect in their qualitative responses.
"New Zealand offers a world-class education and research, with reputable universities. To keep it simple, I want to learn from the best. Moreover, the quality of life New Zealand offers; Peaceful, clean environment, and a friendly society, it'll be a great honour to experience that during my course of study."
That response highlights another factor that ANZ study performs well in - better than the other members of the 'Big 4', in fact. 52% of those seeking New Zealand study feel 'Very Good' about its safety and political stability, and Australia is only slightly behind at 46%.
We also see this born out in our qualitive data. Firstly, for New Zealand:
"New Zealand offers a safe and welcoming society for international students, with clear pathways for family accompaniment and post-study opportunities. This makes it an ideal destination where I can not only advance my academic and professional goals but also experience personal growth in a country known for its high quality of life."
And also for Australia:
"My main reason for choosing Australia is the high standard of education and internationally recognized universities. In addition, the country has a diverse and welcoming culture, a safe living environment, and opportunities for part-time work and post-study employment, making it an ideal place for both academic and personal growth."
New Zealand is clearly already benefitting from their inclusive approach to international study and Australia are starting to see some positive shifts. Overall, this points to continued positive signs for international study in ANZ.