It's hoped the University of Newcastle will soon be able to welcome back international students as the coronavirus pandemic eases.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian is working with all levels of government on a plan to transition the current two-week hotel quarantine system to a health checkpoint for international students.
The state government estimates foreign students are worth $13.9 billion to the economy and support 95,000 full-time jobs.
The Premier says regional universities won't survive unless they can get some of their students back.
It comes as the Hunter Business Chamber calls for an action plan to safely allow international students with existing visas back into NSW to help rebuild the education sector.
Newcastle University has more than 6000 international students among its cohort of 37,000 students.
