When Hamed Pourazad received an offer of a scholarship from an Australian university to study for a PhD he was elated.
But after waiting for three years for a student visa that joy turned to despair.
The 35-year-old has given up.
He's now doing his thesis in the United Kingdom.
It's understood at least 50 Iranian students have been waiting for visas for more than a year.
S-B-S has also spoken to offshore Chinese students in the same situation.
Academics who've approved P-h-D students still stuck overseas are also frustrated.
Clement Cannone is a computer science lecturer at the University of Sydney.
He says Australia risks losing crucial research and talent.
More details are in the audio...
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