The scholarly literature in higher education has not dealt extensively with the responsibilities of institutions for servicing the rights of international students. This paper is a comparative analysis of legal frameworks which guide institutions in their handling of international student rights. Two national approaches, those of Australia and New Zealand, are used as a comparative analysis from which implications are drawn for institutions in other countries. The comparison indicates increasing legalism in higher education, though more law does not necessarily coincide with better rights for students. Also indicated is the importance of institutions providing more and better information to students on rights. More generally the analysis implores institutions to form, and work with, a critical understanding of the law and policy agendas of governments.