Review of public transport concessions for international students
Published 2013
The Australian state and territory governments have announced that they will review the eligibility criteria for public transport concession tickets.
It is hoped that this review will result in the creation of a standardised national system that will enable international students studying in Australia to access public transport concessions.
Currently, international students in New South Wales and Victoria are unable to access the more affordable concession tickets, while international students in other states are eligible to receive the public transport concessions.
Full-time domestic and international postgraduate students are also excluded from receiving public transport concessions.
Universities Australia CEO, Dr Glenn Withers, said that the exclusion of international and postgraduate students is unfair and that he hopes the review will result in equality and more affordable public transport for all full-time students in Australia.
“We believe that government travel concessions for full-time students should be extended to international undergraduates and to both domestic and international postgraduate full-time students on a nationally consistent basis.”
“Hopefully the review will end the discrimination and provide national consistency for domestic students and for our internationals.”
The facts
- In NSW, international students in receipt of an approved Australian Government scholarship or exchange place are eligible for concessions, while full-fee paying international students are not.
- Full-fee paying international students are not entitled to a concession fare In Victoria.
- All full-time students (including international students) are eligible to receive a concession fare in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.
- Public transport is free for all full-time students In the Northern Territory.
