Key points
- China has told its citizens to return to overseas campuses.
- Universities Australia said the move would encourage some 40,000 Chinese students to return to Australia.
- But the move is expected to put huge pressure on the accommodation sector.
A snap decision by the Chinese government forcing university students to return to their country of study poses a challenge for both students and universities, insiders say, with fears the rental accommodation market will be unable to cope.
But despite the logistical hurdles, the tertiary education sector said it welcomed the return of some 40,000 Chinese students to Australian campuses.
"We really are keen to get our largest student source country back," Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia, told SBS News. "But to have to pivot so quickly before semester starts … has been a bit of a challenge for many of us. We've only got a few weeks to go."
"Some universities will now be dusting out the lecture theatres and tutorial rooms to accommodate the Chinese government's requirements".
Students needed time to secure a visa and somewhere to live, he added.
"Many will be scrambling … They'll be keen to try and meet the Chinese government's requirement to get back here as quickly as possible."
Mr Honeywood said he expected quite a few Chinese students to defer their first semester and return in the second semester, which commences in July. Others may seek to get an exemption from the Chinese government so they don't have to return to Australia, especially if they've already completed most of their degree, he said.
Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson agreed there would be logistical hurdles.
"We will be working closely with government and industry to ensure universities can quickly respond to this influx and facilitate the safe return of students from China as well as students from other nations," she said on Sunday.
Ms Jackson said education was Australia's largest service export, bringing $40 billion into the economy in 2019.
"Working back to this position of strength we held prior to the pandemic is in the interest of universities and our nation," she said.
'No houses left'
John Yu, who is about to start studying in Australia for the first time at UNSW Sydney, told SBS News he was initially shocked by the announcement but was thankful he had already organised his visa.
But he admitted finding accommodation had been "stressful".
"I searched for a long time and still could not find a suitable house. I also spoke to an agent, who told me there are no houses left."
He said the experience had left him very anxious but he finally found somewhere with the help of a friend.
The sudden return of thousands of Chinese students to Australia will put additional pressure on the rental market given there's already a shortage of student accommodation across our cities. Source: AAP / Mark Baker/AP
He was baffled by the incredible response, with many offering to pay more than the listed price or start paying even before they were due to arrive in Australia.
"Normally we receive one to two enquiries [but] I received 20 or 30 enquiries. The listing is for around $300 per week but they're offering me $350 or $400. Some even offered to pay the deposit first even before meeting me. Some offered to pay from 1 February even though they won't fly in until two weeks later," he said.
"I was thinking, 'What is happening?!' But some of the students explained about the new policy, meaning they had to come to Australia immediately to make sure everything is ok."
Student accommodation already at capacity
Many Australian cities are already at capacity for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) beds, according to a report released late last year by the Student Accommodation Council, with Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide expecting zero vacancy rates in 2023, even before the Chinese government’s announcement.
Chinese students made up 27 per cent of all residents in PBSA in 2022, with domestic Australian students making up 26 per cent.
“With students scrambling to return earlier than expected, we will see student accommodation full in many markets, which will put pressure on already tight rental markets as students look elsewhere for places to live,” executive director of the Student Accommodation Council Torie Brown said.
She called on governments to prioritise the development of new student accommodation to stop them from competing with families in the rental market.
Some students 'happy and content' to study remotely
Yeganeh Soltanpour, incoming president of the Council of International Students Australia, expressed mixed reaction to the news.
"As an international student myself, my initial reaction was positive. The majority of the people who do sign up to universities overseas want to get the entire experience of being on campus," she told SBS News.
But she expected some students would find it difficult to leave their families.
"Some older students may have children or jobs, some work part-time in their home country while studying their degree here in Australia. And they're really happy and content with being able to study remotely," she said.
Some students forced to return to Australia may also be concerned about costs, or being lonely, she added.
"When I'm with my parents I no longer have to worry about bills or rent. You can have family dinners together, so you have that sense of comfort. It's being mindful of those who really did seek that ability to stay at home and not have to come to this new country."
The sudden ban on online study follows China axing its zero COVID-19 policy. Before COVID-19 hit, the Chinese body responsible for recognising credentials earned by Chinese students studying overseas didn't recognise online learning. That stance has now resumed.
Australia's education sector took a financial hit at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when border closures forced full-fee-paying international students to return home.
Since then, some universities have convinced Chinese nationals to continue studying at Australian universities online while still paying full fees.
With AAP
