Australian universities urge government for cheaper housing, travel as student rents soar 40%

skip to content
UA is asking the Australian government to give students access to a concession card during their studies (AI Image)

At a time when immigration uncertainties, rising costs and return on investment are increasingly shaping how students assess study-abroad destinations, Universities Australia (UA) has made a fresh push to reduce the financial burden of university education. Its latest proposal could offer some relief to students studying in Australia, including international students, amid a sharp rise in living costs. However, the measures being sought are mainly aimed at reducing everyday expenses rather than tuition fees or visa-related financial requirements.

Universities Australia, an organisation established in 1920 that represents 38 major institutions, including the universities of Melbourne and Sydney, is calling on the Albanese government to introduce broader student concessions. The body traces its origins to the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and in its latest intervention comes as its own analysis shows that several basic expenses have increased sharply since 2021.

Australia study costs: What has become more expensive?

According to Universities Australia, student rents have increased by around 40% since 2021, while grocery prices have risen 27%. Utility prices are up 39% and fuel prices have increased 43%. Overall, UA estimates that the cost of maintaining a basic student standard of living has risen 29% since 2021, compared with 24% economy-wide inflation

The organisation says students have responded by cutting back on spending and shifting more of their budgets towards essentials such as rent. Yet student spending has increased by only 21%, meaning students are still unable to maintain the standard of living they had in 2021

The pressure is not limited to living expenses. Universities Australia has also highlighted the cost of domestic university education under the Job-ready Graduates (JRG) package, introduced in 2021. It says students in some disciplines face annual student contributions of up to A$17,399, while some three-year degrees can cost more than A$52,000. In some disciplines, the student contribution accounts for as much as 90% of the cost, with the government contributing less than 10%.

These figures relate to Australia’s domestic student contribution system and should not be read as the tuition fee paid by an international student. International students generally pay separate, institution-specific international tuition fees. The significance for prospective overseas students is therefore primarily the wider cost of living, transport and the affordability of remaining in Australia while studying.

The issue is particularly relevant for Indians, who form one of Australia’s largest international student groups. The latest country-wise data published by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, as of January 1, 2025, recorded 138,579 Indian students in Australian universities and tertiary institutions, while the total number of Indian students in Australia, including those in schools, stood at 196,108.

Australia has also become a more closely scrutinised destination for Indian applicants in 2026. The MEA told the Rajya Sabha in April that Australia had revised India’s student visa evidence requirement from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3 from January 8, 2026, bringing back stricter documentation requirements

What has Universities Australia demanded?

UA is asking the Australian government to give every domestic university student access to a concession card during their studies. Such cards can reduce expenses on essentials including medicines, public transport and utility bills. At present, eligibility is linked to factors such as income support or other conditions, meaning being a university student alone does not guarantee access

For international students, UA is seeking equal access to student public transport concessions across Australia. At present, eligibility varies between states and territories. The organisation argues that students sitting in the same classroom should not face different public transport fares simply because one is a domestic student and the other is international

“Students need to be able to afford to stay once they get there,” UA chief executive Luke Sheehy said, arguing that reducing everyday costs is part of widening access to higher education

The body has also called for Australia to adopt the Australian Universities Accord recommendation that 55% of Australians aged 25 to 34 should hold a bachelor’s degree or higher by 2050. This would sit alongside the government’s existing ambition of having 80% of working-age Australians hold a tertiary qualification by 2050

For international students considering Australia, the proposal does not mean an immediate reduction in tuition fees or student visa financial requirements. Its significance is more practical: if implemented, international students could gain access to cheaper public transport, while the broader push could signal an attempt to make the Australian higher education system more affordable to remain in.

UA’s argument is ultimately that expanding university participation cannot stop at admission. As he put it, “Opening the door to university is only half the job.”

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

• Apple Event September 2026 LIVE Updates: iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch 12, foldable iPhone? Wait is almost over18 minutes ago
• World News Today Live Updates: Tanker hit by drone as US-Iran attacks disrupt Gulf shipping29 minutes ago
• World News Today Live Updates: Five Iranian crude oil carriers forces by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps17 hours ago
• India news Highlights, 7 September 2026: Around 380 middlemen arrested in Assam says CM Sarma2 days ago
• Delhi building collapse Live Updates: ‘Not only building owners, MCD and DU also responsible’, says Delhi High Court2 days ago

Source: indianexpress.com