KUALA LUMPUR: Australia’s newly announced measures to boost Southeast Asian student enrolments from 2026 will create more opportunities for Malaysians to study at its universities and further strengthen the countries’ longstanding higher education ties.
Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Danielle Heinecke, said the new measures from next year aim to attract more international students from Southeast Asia, including Malaysia.
She said Malaysia and Australia share a longstanding partnership in higher education, with strong institutional links, student mobility, and alumni networks built over decades.
welcomes more Malaysian students
is increasing international student places to 295,000 in 2026, with an emphasis on welcoming students from and across Southeast Asia.
Great news for Malaysian students wanting to pursue a high-quality Australian education! pic.twitter.com/tzmFf61Dwk— Danielle Heinecke (@AusHCMalaysia) August 6, 2025
“Australia remains one of the most popular destinations for Malaysian students with more than 13,000 Malaysians currently studying in Australia.
“The Australian government is prioritising Southeast Asia, this is great news for Malaysian students wanting a high-quality Australian education and student experience.
“New efforts to boost the number of students will strengthen our people-to-people links and encourage more investment in Malaysia,” she said in a statement.
To date, around 500,000 Malaysians have pursued their studies with Australia’s world-class education providers.
Besides that, four Australian universities – Monash University Malaysia, Curtin University, Swinburne University of Technology and University of Wollongong – operate campuses in Malaysia, reflecting the strength of our education ties.
On Aug 4, the Australian Government announced it would increase the number of international student places next year and introduce new measures to boost enrolments from Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries.
Under the new framework, a National Planning Level of 295,000 international student places will be introduced for 2026, representing a 9 per cent increase from 270,000 places in 2025.
The Australian High Commission stated that Australia’s public universities will be able to apply to increase their international student allocations for 2026, by demonstrating an increased engagement with Southeast Asia, through their education offerings, partnerships, campuses, alumni and scholarships.
“As part of the reforms, universities will also be required to provide additional student accommodation to ensure both domestic and international students have access to safe and secure student housing.
“These changes reflect the Australian government’s commitment to building stronger ties with Southeast Asia, consistent with the strategy Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040,” it said.
–Bernama
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
