Select Country Guide
Australia Education and Training Services Industry Snapshot
Last published date:

Capital:  Canberra
Population:  26.1 million (2022 est.)
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity):  $1.25 trillion (2020 est., in 2017 dollars)
Currency:  Australian Dollars (AUD)
Language:  English

UNESCO Student Mobility Number

Australia has 13,742 students studying abroad according to UNESCO.

CIA World Factbook

31.61% of the Australian population is under 25 years old.

OVERVIEW

Education services is one of Australia’s top five exports, valued at $26 billion (2019).  In September 2021, the number of international students was 557,836. The top five countries where international students come from are: China (30%), India (17%), Nepal (8%), Vietnam (4%), and Malaysia (3%).  During the 2019-2020 academic year, there were 8,252 study abroad students from the United States in Australia. 

Australian students are increasingly choosing to pursue studies abroad. A unique mix of professional, academic, athletic, and social opportunities available within American schools has made the United States one of the most attractive destinations for these students. Approximately 3,900 Australian students studied in the United States in the 2021-2022 academic year.  

There is a broad academic and geographic distribution of Australians at U.S. universities. Undergraduate Australian students tend to focus on liberal arts and sciences, business, international relations, film, or art. Graduate students generally pursue law, business management, or advanced science. 

SUB-SECTORS 

Education Technology: The Australian education technology market is dynamic and evolving. With around 600 Australian EdTech companies spread across Australia, this market is currently valued at US$1.4billion and is expected to grow.  

The most common solutions of EdTech organizations in Australia target the primary, secondary, and higher education sectors which is closely aligned with government spending in these areas. The most common products offered are online courses, educational content, learning management systems, and teaching tools (EduGrowth 2022). 

Some of the most appealing EdTech products and services to the Australian market include STEM in education such as robots and coding, innovative classroom resources, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, and gamification.  

OPPORTUNITIES 

Australia and the United States have similar education systems, so Australian students can transition relatively seamlessly. Australian students are attracted to the unique characteristics of U.S. university life: collegiate sports, interdisciplinary/liberal arts degrees, and life within a close-knit campus environment.  

The Summer Work Travel program provides qualified foreign students, including Australia, with an opportunity to live and work in the United States during their summer vacation from college or university to experience life in the United Sates.

More details:  https://j1visa.state.gov/programs/summer-work-travel

Opportunities for athletic scholarships and sports programs at all levels of competition are popular among Australian students. Australia ranks amongst the top five sending countries of student-athletes to the United States. Some of the popular sports are basketball, tennis, soccer, track and field, and swimming. 

DIGITAL MARKET STRATEGIES  

Social Media: Australian students are regular users of Instagram, TikTok, and BeReal. School Counselors largely use e-mail for their communications with parents.  YouTube is one of the most popular video streaming platforms.   Students mainly use Seek.com, Indeed.com, LinkedIn and campus’ newsletters for job opportunities.  

Best Prospects: Undergraduate/OPT, Graduate, and Online Degrees 

Best Student Recruitment Methods: Institutional, International Education Consultants and online outreach   

Local Scholarships Programs: The Ramsay Centre and John Monash Foundation offer postgraduate scholarships for Australian students to overseas universities including the United States.  The Australian-American Fulbright Commission offers postgraduate scholarships to Australian citizens across all career stages.  

EVENTS 

• EducationUSA Australia - Events | Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/EducationUSAAustralia

RESOURCES 

U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE CONTACT 

Rana Nusheiwat, Commercial Specialist 
U.S. Commercial Service - Sydney, Australia 
Email: Rana.Nusheiwat@trade.gov 
Phone: +61 2 8219 2100 

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility