The first 63 international students to return to Australia since the start of COVID-19 are set to start classes in the Northern Territory after quarantining.

December 15, 2020

The first international students to return to Australia since the COVID-19 pandemic hit are back on campus in the Northern Territory.

About 60 students from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and Indonesia landed in Darwin on November 30.

They’ve finished two weeks mandatory quarantine and on Tuesday started studying at Charles Darwin University.

Indonesian PhD candidate Mujiburrahman Thontowi, 36, says he’s excited to be back at the books after nine months away from his studies.

“When the borders closed we had no idea when they would open again,” he told AAP.

“Doing a PhD is hard but doing it during COVID times makes it even harder.”

He’s looking forward to catching up with fellow international students and swapping ideas as he finishes his thesis on humanitarian emergency disaster management.

The international student pilot program is expected to boost the NT economy and help planning for the re-entry of international students to other states.

The students undertook health screening before quarantining at the Howard Springs facility near Darwin.

Vice-Chancellor Simon Maddocks said the university had supported the students while they were isolating.

“CDU organised a comprehensive support program for students during their quarantine period, including care packages, daily phone calls, exercise classes and English language workshops,” he said.

The group is a mix of new and previously enrolled students.

The students are enrolled in a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and VET programs, including law, nursing, IT, teaching, accounting and engineering.

Professor Maddocks said international students generated $145 million for the NT economy in 2019 and supported more than 600 jobs.