Ethnically Chinese international students who were bashed by a stranger in Melbourne's CBD say they were told to "get out of our country" before they were attacked.

Two female students were walking along Elizabeth Street towards Woolworths about 5.30pm on Wednesday when they were confronted by a group including two women in their 20s and a male. The students were told to "go back to China", according to Nine News, and were taunted about coronavirus.

CCTV images of the alleged attackers. Credit:Victoria Police

The 18 and 20-year-old Melbourne University students responded to the taunt and were then attacked by one of the women from the group, who police are now searching for.

Footage shows one of the women grabbing one of the students and punching her repeatedly in the head as the student tries to protect herself, before dragging her to the ground and kneeing and kicking her upper body.