This change, effective from July 1, has sparked outrage among student representatives, who warn that the steep price hike will deter prospective students and drive them to competing destinations.

Last July, the Australian Department of Home Affairs initiated a review of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), leading to the suspension of its acceptance. However, the Educational Testing Service declared on Monday that TOEFL scores will now be recognised as valid for all Australian visa applications.