Sri Lankan students aspiring to study at Australia’s leading universities in 2026 are bracing for significantly higher tuition fees, driven by rising operational costs, enrollment caps, and a volatile policy environment, a report says. With engineering degrees costing upwards of A$60,400 (Rs 12.02 million) annually and commerce programs totaling around A$189,947 (Rs 37.8 million) over their duration, the financial burden is intensifying. Coupled with a 30% drop in visa applications, fewer scholarships, and a strong Australian dollar (A$1 ≈ Rs 199), the dream of studying Down Under is becoming increasingly elusive for many.
Leading Australian universities, including the University of Melbourne, University of Queensland (UQ), and University of New South Wales (UNSW), have confirmed significant fee hikes for international students, including Sri Lankans, for 2025, with trends projecting further increases into 2026. According to The Australian, an international student pursuing an engineering degree will face annual tuition fees starting at A$60,400, roughly three times the domestic student contribution under Australia’s Job-Ready Graduates (JRG) scheme, which ranges from A$8,000–A$16,000 for engineering. A Bachelor of Commerce, meanwhile, could cost A$189,947 over three to four years, with annual fees at top institutions like UNSW (A$59,280 in 2025) and Melbourne (A$50,000–A$60,000) aligning with this total when factoring in additional costs like textbooks and student services fees.
Specific programs are seeing notable increases. The Australian Financial Review reported that the University of Melbourne raised its two-year Master’s of Commerce fees from A$52,448 in 2024 to A$56,992 in 2025, an 8.6% jump. UQ increased fees for the same program by 11%, from A$48,160 to A$53,760, while UNSW raised its fees by 5.55%, from A$56,160 to A$59,280. These hikes reflect a broader trend, with a market intelligence study noting a 5.5% average fee increase across universities with informal admissions limits in 2024, driven by rising costs for library subscriptions, scientific equipment, and compliance with government regulations.
