An Open Letter to Tony Burke, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Australian Government, regarding Myanmar nationals refused student visas

11 May 2026

Dear Minister

We write to you as academics who research Myanmar or are committed to educating Myanmar nationals. We are concerned about a pattern of visa refusals affecting students from Myanmar who have been awarded scholarships to undertake doctoral studies in Australia.

Our letter follows one to you of last December. That letter raised the matter of four Myanmar nationals recently denied visas. Each had won a highly competitive international student scholarship at one of our universities (ANU, Deakin, Melbourne, UNSW). The immigration department accepted that each was qualified to be a higher degree researcher and would benefit from doing a PhD. Yet, it determined that none was a “genuine” student.

That letter asked you to reconsider. It pointed out that our universities would not offer positions in PhD programmes, let alone valuable scholarships, to non-genuine students. It noted that all of the students were well known to their prospective supervisors, who went to considerable effort to support their applications. None would devote themselves and their university resources to ensure the success of these students’ applications were they in any doubt about the applicants’ intentions.

To our disappointment, an officer responded on your behalf that the visa refusals would not be overturned. They gave links to social media sites with tips for how to improve the applications next time.

It is unlikely that for any of these four students there will be a next time. Some are now on pathways to study elsewhere. They will not exert more effort on drawn-out visa applications, nor spend money on expensive fees, to apply to study here.

Why do we write this letter, then? Not for them, but for every other Myanmar national applying or planning to apply to do a higher degree by research in Australia.

Minister, at a time when Myanmar’s military is again at war with its own people, a long-term view of what Australia can contribute is vital. Building democratic government, repairing social damage and redressing systemic injustice in Myanmar will take decades.

Higher education is insufficient for these tasks. But it is necessary. Australia’s own development goals recognise as much. Shortsighted student visa refusals not only contradict those goals; they risk discouraging the very people with whom we should be partnering at a time that they need us to engage with them more than ever.

Our universities offer scholarships to talented students from across Southeast Asia because we recognise that in striving to improve themselves they can also contribute to long-term political and social change in their countries. This is commonly the case, in our experience, among our students from Myanmar. Their goals tend to align with Australia’s interests. They accord with our values. Their research enriches our academy. It informs policy. It benefits Australia.

A recent Senate Inquiry into democracy and human rights in Myanmar directly benefited from this research. It recommended that the Australian government increase visas for Myanmar nationals seeking to study here, and expand the Australia Awards programme.

We urge your government to adopt these recommendations. We call on you to ensure that visa assessment processes reflect Australia’s stated commitment to enhancing higher educational opportunities for our Southeast Asian neighbours.

Minister, we are ready to educate talented Myanmar nationals who seek to study with us. We ask only that students accepted to study here be allowed to do so. Please open pathways for research students from Myanmar. Work with us so that they achieve their educational goals, in Myanmar’s national interest, and ours.

Yours sincerely

1. Anne Décobert, Senior Lecturer in Development Studies, University of Melbourne
2. Anthony Ware, Associate Professor of Humanitarianism & Development, Deakin University
3. Bina D’Costa, Professor of International Relations, Australian National University
4. Costas Laoutides, Associate Professor in International Relations, Deakin University
5. Debby Chan, Lecturer, Australian Centre on China in the World, Australian National University
6. Esperanza Martinez, Professor of Practice & Head of Health & Human Security, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University
7. Jane Ferguson, Associate Professor of Anthropology & Southeast Asian History, Australian National University *
8. Jonathan Liljeblad, Associate Professor of Law, Australian National University
9. Joseph Lo Bianco AM, Professor Emeritus of Language & Literacy, University of Melbourne
10. Julianne Moss, Deakin Distinguished Professor of Pedagogy & Curriculum, Deakin University
11. Lennon Chang, Associate Professor in Cyber Risk & Policy, Deakin University
12. Martin Krygier AM, Gordon Samuels Professor of Law & Social Theory, University of New South Wales
13. Matthew Schissler, Lecturer in Anthropology & Buddhist Studies, University of Melbourne
14. Melissa Crouch, Professor of Law, University of New South Wales
15. Michael Breen, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Melbourne *
16. Michiko Weinmann, Associate Professor in Education, Deakin University *
17. Morten Pedersen, Senior Lecturer in International & Political Studies, University of New South Wales *
18. Nick Cheesman, Associate Professor of Political Science & Director, Myanmar Research Centre, Australian National University
19. Piper Rodd, Lecturer in Education, Deakin University *
20. Russell Gruen, Honorary Professor, School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University
21. Tamas Wells, Research Coordinator, Myanmar Research Network, University of Melbourne

*Supervisor of student refused visa

For inquiries or comment email nick.cheesman@anu.edu.au