International education

An important employer supporting jobs across Sydney.

Why it’s important to us

Sydney’s world-class education and research institutions, leading knowledge-based economy and high quality of life make the city one of the most popular in the world for students. Each year, we host students from around 180 countries.

NSW is home to the most international students in Australia, with 297,421 enrolled from January to July 2025. Many of these students reside and/or study in our local area. International students make a significant contribution to the local economy, spending on goods and services to support their study and living needs.

In 2024, the international education sector contributed more than $12.8 billion to the NSW economy and supported nearly 120,000 full-time equivalent jobs.

About 40% of all education providers in NSW are located in our local area. This includes universities, vocational and educational training providers, and English language intensive courses for overseas students – more than 550 education establishments.

How we can achieve our goals

Business opportunities

An important part of the sector is the wide variety of local businesses that provide services and potential employment to students from abroad, for example:

accommodation providers hosting international students
employers hiring students, during or at the end of their studies
tourism businesses catering to students and their visiting families.

Even students who study or live outside the city make an important contribution. They’re likely to spend time in Sydney enjoying our world-class attractions, shopping, restaurants and bars when they first arrive, or during their leisure time. Overseas students not only enjoy tourist attractions during their study, but studies suggest 20% to 40% travel to Australia as tourists before enrolling and 50% return within 5 years of graduation.

Similarly, the contribution of visiting friends and relatives is significant.

Enrolment patterns

More than 550 educational establishments in our area cater to international students, which can be divided into 4 major categories:

Universities
Schools
Vocational education and training providers
English language intensive courses for overseas students providers.

Across NSW, universities make up the largest component of international students at about 46%, with most students studying at publicly funded institutions. Most private enrolments are at vocational and educational training and English language intensive courses. Public and private schools have a roughly even distribution of international students.

Projects and initiatives

Every year, Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO welcomes international students at a special event.

It brings together Sydney’s vibrant multicultural communities, supports students to set themselves up for success, helps them integrate into Australian life and offers access to support services. The event is presented with Study NSW and major educational institutions including the University of Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney, University of NSW and TAFE NSW. In 2025, the event received the NSW International Education Industry Excellence Award for fostering inclusion, cultural connections and celebration.

To continue supporting students during their stay in Sydney, our award-winning international student leadership and ambassador program offers free training, work-integrated learning and volunteering opportunities.

We support the sector by working with organisations including the Sydney Airport Welcome Desk and the NSW international student legal service at Redfern Legal Centre.