25 December 2018: Department of Home Affairs data for the first four months of the current financial year show a sharp rise in the number of Nepal youths applying for Australian student visa.

Figures for the same period (July, August, September and October) in previous financial years indicate there has been a consistent rise in the number of visa applications from Nepali students.

According to the Department, 13,478 Nepali youths lodged their visa applications between July 1 and October 31 this year which is more than 6,000 compared to the same period last financial year. Only 7,953 Nepali students had lodged visa applications in financial year 2017/18.

Of the total number of Nepali applicants this year, 9536 were primary while 3942 were secondary applicants (dependents of the main applicants).

According to the Department, 3907 of these students were already in Australia when they lodged applications (applying for the same or another type of visa) while 9,571 were overseas.



A comparison of available data for this financial year (July, August, September and October) with the corresponding months of past financial years clearly demonstrates that the number of Nepal students seeking to pursue higher studies down under is on a solid rise.

In financial year 2015/16, the number of Nepali applicants from July 1 to October 31 was 3579 followed by 5280 in financial year 2016/17 and 7953 in 2016/17. But the figure for the same period in the current financial year (2018/19) suddenly climbs to 13,478.

So far as visa grant is concerned, 10,230 Nepali nationals and their “secondary applicants” were granted visa between July 1 and October 31 this year as against 7,236 same period last year.

Despite its size, the mountainous South Asian nation is the third biggest source of international students for Australia.

A total of 26,579 Nepal nationals were granted students visa last financial year. With 87,731 granted visas, China was at the forefront while India stood second at 49,469.

In 2016-17, Brazil was ahead of Nepal with 20,428 visa grants against the latter’s 18,507. But Nepal overtook Brazil in 2017-18 with 26,679 versus Brazil’s 21,721.