In response to the increasing influx of international students choosing Australia as their preferred destination for higher education, the Australian Government has introduced a National Planning Level (NPL). This strategic initiative announced on 27 August 2024, aims to regulate the growth of international student commencement by capping new student enrollment numbers to 2023 levels for the year 2025.
This decision intends to facilitate Australian education and training providers to manage the rising demand effectively. The NPL will further ensure that training providers are well-equipped to continue to offer high-quality programs, deliver comprehensive student support services, and best prepare their students for future employment in their chosen careers. National Planning Level limits will be effective from 1 January 2025, with 270,000 new international student commencements for the 2025 calendar year, which does not include enrollments or offers.
However, the newly introduced limits will not affect the Swinburne Foundation or UniLink Diploma programmes offered by Nawaloka College of Higher Studies (NCHS). As the UGC-accredited academic arm of Nawaloka Holdings, NCHS collaborates closely with Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, to deliver these prestigious Pathway Programmes in Sri Lanka. Through these programmes, students benefit by gaining direct access to over 60 undergraduate degrees across Business, IT, Health Sciences, and Engineering, at Swinburne University of Technology, one of Australia’s leading and prestigious institutions. Adding an extra layer of assurance, students who enroll with NCHS Pathway Programs will remain unaffected by the NPL, given the institution’s partnered affiliation with the Australian Transnational Education (TNE).
In addition to the exemptions provided to NCHS Pathway Programs, several other student cohorts will not be affected by the NPL. These include international students enrolled in Australian TNE or twinning programs at partner campuses worldwide, school students, research students pursuing higher degrees, English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS), non-award students such as those in Study Abroad and Exchange programmes, Australian Government-sponsored scholars, and students from the Pacific and Timor-Leste. These exemptions ensure that diverse student groups can continue their educational journeys without interruption.
The exemption enables NCHS to facilitate seamless academic pathways for students aspiring to pursue world-class higher education at Swinburne, ensuring uninterrupted access to globally acclaimed Australian qualifications.