Closed borders poses serious challenges for universities Universities fear the nation’s borders will remain shut to foreign students until mid-2022, posing serious challenges to the institutions and their students. The federal government imposed a ban on foreign students entering Australia at the onset of the worldwide corona virus outbreak which Australia has not been exposed to. Universities say the decision to close the borders has slashed university incomes from student fees and cost the national economy an estimated A$40 billion a year, enough to support estimated 250,000 jobs pre-pandemic. Catriona Jackson, chief executive of the national organisation Universities Australia, said a plan that would allow the safe return of international students was urgently needed.