Tara Murray
International students who meet vaccine requirements won’t have to quarantine when arriving in Australia, in a big boost for Victoria University.
The state government last week announced that students arriving in Melbourne under the state government’s student arrivals plan wouldn’t have to quarantine as long as they were vaccinated.
The plan was endorsed by the federal government last month, with the first group of international students planned to arrive in December.
Under the plan, priority has been given to students who need to return to Victoria to do practical work, including research, health and medical students.
Around 49,000 international students enrolled with Victorian education providers remain offshore due to border closures while about 70,000 are currently in Victoria.
Victoria University Vice Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said that international students were an incredibly important part of the VU community.
“I look forward to welcoming them back on campus from January 2022. While there is a long road ahead, this is a significant step towards reinvigorating student life and university experiences.
“Currently, there are a few hundred VU international students studying outside Australia. Approximately half are likely to complete their studies by mid-2022. Students with placement, lab-based, or other in-person requirements will need to return to Australia to graduate, but others may be able to complete their studies overseas.”
Trade Minister Martin Pakula said the amazing vaccination effort of Victorians means fully-vaccinated international arrivals, won’t have to spend a period of time in hotel quarantine.
“International students add to the cultural richness and diversity of our state.
“They are valuable members of our community and we look forward to welcoming them back soon.”
