Melbourne is officially the best international student city in the country after the release of global rankings today highlighted our unmatched educational opportunities, affordability and cultural diversity.

The Victorian capital has been the QS Best Student City index Australian leader since 2015 with growing numbers of students from around the world making Victoria their number-one choice.

Melbourne moved up one spot in the world rankings to fourth place, behind only London, Tokyo and Seoul.

International education was hit hard when international borders closed during the pandemic but backed by significant support from the Andrews Labor Government, the sector has recovered strongly.

Figures from the Department of Home Affairs show there are more than 140,000 student visa holders currently in Victoria – with numbers doubling since borders reopened. China, India, Vietnam, Nepal and Colombia are the countries that supply most students to Victorian universities and colleges.

International education is Victoria’s biggest service export, generating $8.4 billion in revenue last year and supporting more than 40,000 jobs across the state. The sector sits behind only food and fibre and manufacturing on the overall export earnings table.

The Andrews Labor Government this year invested $10 million to upgrade the Study Melbourne Hub in Hardware Lane and support newly arrived students.

Study Melbourne provides free legal advice on employment and accommodation matters and confidential 24-hour, seven-day assistance to international students across Victoria.

Last year the Government launched the International Education Recovery Plan 2025, backed by almost $53 million in funding for initiatives including the expansion of Victoria’s Global Education Network to 19 locations, with extra resources in Colombia, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.