Indicative 2027 Higher Education
Student Visa Allocations for Australia
LAST UPDATED 29 July 2026
PROGRAM YEAR 2026-27
MIGRATION PLANNING LEVEL 2026-27
The Department of Education has confirmed indicative New Overseas Student Commencement allocations for 2027, covering every Table A university and registered higher education provider in Australia. This page sets out the National Planning Level, the rules used to calculate provider allocations, and a searchable table of the full 2027 figures.
295,000
NATIONAL PLANNING LEVEL
161,725
PUBLIC UNIVERSITY PLACES
38,500
OTHER PROVIDER PLACES
2027
YEAR
⚠️ 2027 Allocations Confirmed
Figures below reflect allocations prior to any redistribution. Providers can view their exact allocation in PRISMS later in the year, and indicative allocations continue to inform the prioritisation of offshore student visa processing.
NATIONAL PLANNING LEVEL
The 295,000-Place Cap For 2027
The National Planning Level sets the maximum number of new overseas student commencements the government expects across the higher education sector for a given year. For 2027, the total sits at 295,000 places, split between public universities and other registered higher education providers. The approach continues the managed growth model first applied in 2025 and 2026, aimed at keeping international student numbers at a sustainable level while maintaining a resilient, high-quality education sector.
Allocation figures are indicative rather than fixed visa caps. They are used to help the Department of Home Affairs prioritise the processing of offshore student visa applications, so a provider with a larger allocation is generally associated with faster visa processing pathways for its offshore applicants, though outcomes still depend on individual visa requirements being met.
ALLOCATION METHODOLOGY
The Rules Behind Each Provider's Number
Public universities received the same higher education allocation in 2027 as they held in 2026, so no Table A university saw a reduction. Students studying VET courses at public universities remain exempt from the National Planning Level, which means dual sector public universities do not receive a separate VET allocation in 2027.
Allocations for other higher education providers were adjusted using a defined set of principles:
No active provider received a lower 2027 allocation than its 2026 figure.
1
Where applicable, allocations were revised upward based on 90 per cent of a provider's 2025 higher education commencement activity, with 2025 offshore commencements weighted at 1.0 and 2025 onshore commencements weighted at 0.5.
2
The minimum allocation for any active higher education provider remains 50 places.
3
Allocations were rounded to the nearest five or ten places where applicable.
4
RELATED CRICOS REGISTRATIONS
Redistribution Between Related Registrations
The published figures reflect allocations before any redistribution takes place. Two categories of provider retain flexibility to redistribute allocation between related CRICOS registrations, by contacting the Department at internationalallocations@education.gov.au:
-
Providers holding multiple CRICOS registrations under the same organisation.
-
A publicly funded university and its embedded pathways provider.
This is most relevant to groups such as Melbourne Institute of Technology and Holmes Institute, which hold separate CRICOS registrations across different states, and to universities with an affiliated pathway college, such as Monash College or UNSW Global.
PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
Table A University Allocations
All 37 Table A universities carried their 2026 allocation into 2027 unchanged. Combined, Table A universities account for 161,725 of the 295,000 total places, with the largest individual allocations sitting with The University of Sydney, Monash University and The University of Melbourne.
NON-UNIVERSITY PROVIDERS
Allocations For Other Higher Education Providers
The remaining 38,500 places are spread across more than 140 registered providers, ranging from large multi campus institutions such as Torrens University Australia and Kaplan Business School through to smaller specialist colleges sitting at the 50 place minimum. Providers with multiple campuses may operate across several states under a single CRICOS registration or allocation.
FULL DATA SET
Search The Complete 2027 Allocation Table
The table below includes every Table A university and other registered provider named in the Department of Education factsheet. Search by provider name, filter by state or provider type, and sort by allocation size to compare figures directly.
Frequently Asked Question
What counts as a New Overseas Student Commencement?
A New Overseas Student Commencement, or NOSC, counts an overseas student starting a course with a provider for the first time in a given year. It does not include continuing students already enrolled in a course, so the National Planning Level applies specifically to new intake numbers rather than total enrolments.
Do the 2027 allocations set a hard limit on visa grants?
No. Allocations are indicative planning figures rather than binding visa quotas. They are used to help prioritise the order in which offshore student visa applications are processed, which means a provider's allocation size can influence processing timeframes without acting as a guaranteed cap on individual grants.
Can a provider move allocation between campuses or entities?
Providers with multiple CRICOS registrations, and public universities with an embedded pathways provider, can request redistribution of their allocation by contacting the Department of Education at internationalallocations@education.gov.au. This applies to organisations operating under separate registrations in different states.
Where can VET sector allocations be found?
Vocational Education and Training allocations sit outside this factsheet and are published separately by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. Dual sector public universities do not receive a separate VET allocation in 2027, since VET students at public universities are exempt from the National Planning Level.
What's the difference between a Table A university and an "Others" provider?
Table A is a legal designation under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 that lists Australia's public universities, all of which sit under the same government funding and support arrangements. The "Others" category covers private and non-university higher education providers, ranging from large multi-campus institutions such as Torrens University Australia and Kaplan Business School through to smaller specialist colleges. Both groups sit in the same allocation table because they're both subject to the National Planning Level, but as covered above, the rules used to set their 2027 figures are different for each group.
STAY AHEAD ON THE LATEST NEWS
Programs move fast once it reopens. Be first to know when the next intake launches.
We at Newsted acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
