Policy Submissions

Discussion paper: Public transport concessions for international students in New South Wales

30 Jul 19

Download – International transport concessions NSW discussion paper

New South Wales is the only state which excludes international university students from public transport concessions. Lack of access to public transport concessions makes New South Wales a less desirable study destination for overseas students.

International students bring in $13 billion per year to the NSW economy, with international education being the state’s largest services export industry. We estimate that extending public transport concessions to international higher education students would cost a maximum of $168.6 million per year.

On this basis, we recommend:

Recommendation one: That the New South Wales state government grants all full-time international students access to concession public transport fares.

Recommendation two: That the Council of Australian Governments implements a national transport concession scheme for all full-time students in Australia, permitting the use of concessions for interstate travel.

Recommendation three: That universities in New South Wales fund a transport concession scheme for their international students, in the interim.

This campaign is coordinated by the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, in partnership with the Council of International Students Australia and the National Union of Students. The campaign includes the joint effort of all campus-based student associations in New South Wales:

  • Newcastle University Postgraduate Students Association
  • Newcastle University Students’ Association
  • Southern Cross Postgraduate Association
  • Students’ Representative Council, University of Sydney
  • Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association
  • University of New South Wales Postgraduate Council
  • University of New South Wales Student Representative Council
  • University of Technology Sydney Students Association
  • University of Western Sydney Student Representative Council
  • University of Wollongong Undergraduate Students’ Association
  • Wollongong University Postgraduate Association