Record number of overseas students expected at University of Wollongong as enrolments soar
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The University of Wollongong (UOW) is preparing to host a record number of overseas students this year, well surpassing the previous peak of new enrolments recorded before COVID.
Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor Alex Frino says the university is expecting a 40 per cent increase on 2019 numbers, based on applications accepted so far.
"We're at 40 per cent higher than 2019," he said.
"The other thing is 2019 was a record year for us, so applications are looking great."
By 2019 the number of international students studying at UOW in Australia was around 12,000, but that dropped to around 5,000 by the start of 2022.
Professor Frino said the number of enrolments of Chinese students declined the most, as they used to make up the largest overseas cohort.
China will begin lifting travel restrictions for its residents from Sunday, but travellers will have to present a negative COVID test before coming to Australia.
"So China pre-COVID was our biggest source of international students accounting for almost 40 per cent of international students," Professor Frino said.
"Over the last two years and last year, as an example, that declined to less than 10 per cent.
"But I expect that to get a boost now that China is open."
He said the increased numbers of students participating in face-to-face teaching will bring flow on benefits for employers desperately looking for staff to fill particularly casual and part-time roles.
"I think the majority of international students do seek employment of some sort in local restaurants, cafes and beyond that.
"I think we are returning quite rapidly to where we were in 2019 and the labour market is part of the equation."
Professor Frino says he expects from June this year most teaching at UOW will return being physically in the classroom.
The majority of UOW students are based at its Wollongong campuses, with other students located in south west Sydney, Sydney CBD, the NSW South Coast and Southern Highlands, as well as offshore in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai.
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