QS Global University Rankings Released — Australian Experts Admit It’s All a Scam Targeting Chinese Students, and They’ve Made a Fortune Over the Past Decades!
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) recently reported on the latest results of the 2026 QS World University Rankings. In the report, Australian education experts issued a warning: the QS ranking has limited practical value for local students, and its real function is to serve as a marketing tool aimed at attracting Chinese international students. The reason is simple — Chinese students trust rankings and are willing to pay exorbitant tuition fees for universities ranked in the world's top 100.
In other words, Australia’s education sector has essentially laid its cards on the table: the QS ranking is a fishing rod, and Chinese international students are the fish. Recently, Australian universities have been struggling financially. A recent report revealed that domestic student tuition fees fail to cover even the basic cost of education. How is this gap being filled? Through international students. Australian universities are increasingly dependent on tuition revenue from overseas students to sustain their operations. Data shows that international students contribute about one-quarter of university income, generating an education industry worth over AUD 51 billion for the Australian economy.
How much do Chinese students contribute? The Australian Department of Education’s 2024 report provides the answer: 198,641 Chinese students were enrolled, generating AUD 12.7 billion in economic activity. Out of the AUD 51 billion international education market in Australia, every four dollars includes one dollar contributed by Chinese international students.
In the 2026 QS Ranking, nine Australian universities made it into the global top 100. The University of New South Wales ranked 19th, the University of Melbourne 22nd, the University of Sydney 28th, and the Australian National University 29th. Once the rankings were released, the “value” of Australian universities in the Chinese market was instantly priced. What’s the price? Undergraduate annual tuition fees at the Group of Eight elite Australian universities generally range from AUD 30,000 to 50,000, with postgraduate fees even higher — Master’s programs in business can exceed AUD 60,000. Converted into RMB, total annual costs including tuition and living expenses easily surpass 300,000 yuan. Meanwhile, local students receive government subsidies, while international student fees are 2.5 to 3.5 times higher than those paid by domestic students.
Why are Chinese families willing to spend so much? Because many domestic employers and city talent recruitment policies directly use the QS Top 100 as a rigid screening criterion. Graduates from QS-ranked top 100 Australian universities enjoy significant advantages during initial resume screening. Who produces the QS rankings? A UK-based education and career development company headquartered in London. Analysts point out that the QS ranking is fundamentally a business. Universities need rankings to attract students; students need rankings to enhance their job prospects; and QS needs both institutions and students’ admiration to maintain its influence.
The “fishing rod + bait” model of QS rankings has made Australian universities extremely profitable over the past decades. But when the fish start swimming away, how long can the rod hold? Even Australian experts admit the ranking is merely a marketing tool. Alas, Chinese parents, please think twice before spending so much.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868476939993092/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.