Australian Study Requirement 2024

If studying in Australia has always been your dream, but you don’t know how to go about it or what it takes to be academically qualified, then read this article on the Australian study requirement.

You are one out of thousands of students who want to study in Australia. The country has built a reputation for attracting thousands of international students every year. It remains one of the best study-abroad destinations not just for offering top-quality education but for having one of the best cities for students. Australian cities suit student life so the number of applicants will only continue to rise

Australian Study Requirement-Course Requirements

Each qualification you have acquired and are relying on to meet these Australian study requirements must:

• Be a bachelor’s degree or higher, a diploma, an advanced diploma, or a trade qualification from a recognized center.
• Must have been undertaken at an Australian academic institution situated in Australia
• Must have been taught in English and registered on CRICOS
• Note: You cannot make use of English language proficiency courses you took or enabling programs to meet the Australian study requirement.
• The two academic years study Australian study requirement
• Not less than 2 academic years of study equals 92 weeks that contribute towards one or more acceptable qualifications or equivalent.

What does it mean by 2 academic years of study?

The two academic years of study, or 92 weeks of registered study is dependent on the duration of the study program as registered by CRICOS.

You can take more time to complete your course, but you will only be credited with the number of weeks that CRICOS decides as the standard duration. Eg. if you take 92 weeks to complete a course that CRICOS thinks should take 78 weeks, then you will receive credit for 78 weeks.

Only a study that is completed successfully counts toward the 2 academic years. Failed subjects aren’t included.

Credits and exemptions

Credit for prior learning can reduce the length of study undertaken.

Example: If your course is CRICOS-registered for a length of 138 weeks, that is three years, and has 24 equal-weighted units, then you will have completed a length of two academic years when you have completed 16 units of that particular course. This means you can make use of study credits of up to 8 units and still spend two academic years of study.

You can’t count the credited units toward meeting the Australian study requirement if:

• You are using them to meet the Australian study requirement as part of another course
• You received the credit only for study within the Australian soil in a non-CRICOS registered course
• You received the credit for studies that were completed overseas

Credit obtained for the study of non-award courses or study completed outside Australia can only be used to the extent it is accepted by your education provider as part of ‘recognized prior learning’ and cannot be used to meet the Australian study requirement directly.

Note: Your academic transcript must show how credits from prior study programs contributed to your qualification for these other credits to be counted towards meeting the Australian study requirement.

Minimum of 16 months of study in Australia

The Australian study requirement can’t be met in a time frame not more than 16 calendar months.

This period begins when the course commences (generally from the start of lectures and excluding orientation periods) to the date when all academic requirements have been completed

Example: If your course is CRICOS registered for about 104 weeks (2 years) and you received credit depending on your study in another course that is also registered with CRICOS, then you could use these credits towards meeting the Australian study requirement even if you did not receive a qualification for this other course.

The actual time length of study on which the credits were mostly based may be used to meet the 16-month demand.

But if by chance your study credits happen to shorten the time you physically studied your course in Australia to a period of less than 16 calendar months, then, you may not meet the Australian study requirement.

If this happens then you have several options, including:

• Let the university terminate the credits and complete these subjects for your qualification.
• Complete more units, such as elective units, that the university accepts as award units for the qualification

You may want to complete an additional eligible qualification that may be used to satisfy the Australian study requirement.

Your extra qualification must be of sufficient CRICOS-registered duration to make up for the credited units from your course (or courses), bringing the total to at least 92 weeks.

Overlap of qualifications

You can undertake overlapping qualifications. For example, students applying under the Graduate Work stream of the subclass 485 visa could complete a Diploma in Finance and then a Diploma in Accounting where 2 units in the last qualification were granted as credit from the first qualification.

Where qualifications overlap, you can’t count the period of study more than once.

If you complete multiple qualifications but use solely the one with the most recent qualification to satisfy the Australian study requirement, any credit you receive within the most up-to-date qualification from

the previous qualification counts towards meeting the Australian study requirement and demand.

The actual time of study in the previous qualification can even be taken to meet the 16-month requirement.

Study outside Australia

You still have the opportunity to meet the Australian study requirement if your course encompasses study overseas, provided you complete at least 2 academic years of study in no less than 16 months in Australia in a CRICOS-registered course.

Example: you’d have completed not less than one academic year sof tudy in Australia if you undertook a 3-year, 6-semester bachelor’s degree as follows:

Semester 1 – outside Australia
Semester 2 – in Australia
Semester 3 – in Australia
Semester 4 – in Australia
Semester 5 – outside Australia
Semester 6 – in Australia

The pattern of study doesn’t matter so long as the Australian study requirement is met.

You must complete a minimum of 16 months of study while you’re physically Staying in Australia.

You won’t meet the Australian study requirements if you:

• Have studied exclusively at a foreign campus of an Australian institution, or
• Studied online or by correspondence with an Australian institution while outside Australia.

Evidence to attach to your application

Provide an authorized copy of the complete letter from your education-providing platform that shows:

• The date the course started and ended
• whether you did any distance learning
• Certified copies of course transcripts
• The date of course completion
• The location of the campus where you studied
• Whether you studied full-time or part-time
• The language in which you received instruction

If you received credit for a course that you simply intend to use, to indicate that you simply have met the conditions of the Australian study requirement, the completion letter should state as such.

Completion date

Applications that are for a subclass 485 visa should be made not more than 6 months from the date of completing the course.

The date of course completion is the date you initially met the academic requirement for the award of your degree, diploma, or trade qualification and were advised in writing by:

• Letter
• Publication in a newspaper
• Publication on the internet
• Email bulletin board at the tertiary institution.

This date mustn’t be confused with the date you received the award.

The date of reception is the date that the scholar receives their qualification, for instance, at a graduation ceremony.

Frequently Asked Questions about Australian Study Requirement

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