Australian university fees set to rise about 4% in 2027

Line drawing: a calculator, an arrow, a tall bar and a shorter bar labelled 2027, and a stack of coins

What happened

Australian public universities look set to raise international tuition fees more gently in 2027 than in 2026, according to a preliminary analysis by the consultancy StudyMove that ICEF Monitor reports.

For 2026, universities raised fees by 6.5% on average, the biggest rise in many years, after the government allowed about 11% more new international student places. The number of universities raising fees by more than 6% went from 10 to 21. But demand then weakened: in July 2026 the government raised the non-refundable visa application fee to more than AU$2,000, and visa refusals were high for some countries. The government kept the limit for public universities at 295,000 new international students for 2027.

StudyMove looked at selected programmes at 31 universities. It expects an average rise of about 4% for 2027, with most universities staying between 3% and 5%. Its managing director, Keri Ramirez, knows of one university cutting fees by 20% to compete on price, while some prestigious universities may charge more.

These figures are early estimates, not final fee lists.

What it means for you

Budget for Australian tuition to rise by roughly 3% to 5% for 2027 entry, but check each university's published fee for your course.
At least one university is cutting fees by 20%, so comparing several universities' 2027 fees could save you money.
Remember the non-refundable visa application fee of over AU$2,000 when you plan the total cost.