Can I Change My Course in Australia on Subclass 500?
Yes, you can change your course in Australia on a subclass 500 student visa. However, you must verify your student visa requirements and adhere to the proper protocols to switch your course or educational provider. Moreover, your visa may have restrictions that require you to obtain approval before changing your study area.
๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ
Here, Iโve discussed some of the most important visa conditions that you must follow while changing your course in Australia.
a. A student visa holder who wants to change courses must make sure that they continue to meet all the visa conditions.
b. Before starting their studies, they should read the terms of the contract they signed with the education provider.
c. They must understand the policies and guidelines of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) National Code.
d. The updated 8202 condition of the student visa (subclass 500) states that the student must be enrolled in a course that is at the same or higher AQF level of the course for which the visa was granted.
e. Condition 8516 states that the student must continue to meet the requirements for the grant of the visa.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
If you want to change your course but wish to remain within the same institution, there can be two scenarios:
Whether you want to change to a course of the same or higher AQF level
Or
You want to change to a course of the lower AQF level or non-AQF course.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ
There is no need to apply for a new student visa if you want to change to a course at the same or a higher AQF level within the same institution. For instance, if you are moving from a diploma (AQF level 5) to a bachelor degree (AQF level 7) within the same university, you just have to make arrangements with your education provider.
Your educational institution will inform the Department of Home Affairs about your current study plans.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง-๐๐๐
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐
Apply for a new student visa if you want to change to a course at a lower AQF level or a non-AQF course. For example:
You need to apply for a new student visa if you want to move from a Certificate IV (AQF level 4) and to an ELICOS course (non-AQF).
You need to apply for a new student visa if you want to transfer from a bachelor degree (AQF level 7) to a diploma (AQF level 5).
You need to apply for a new student visa if you are currently studying year 11 (AQF: Senior Secondary Certificate of Education qualification type) and want to shift to an independent ELICOS (non-AQF)
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ซ
If you want to change your course and the education provider, there can be two scenarios:
Whether you have completed six months of your main course
Or
You want to change to a course within the first six months.
๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฌ.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฑ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ
Changing your education provider within the first six months of your main course is possible only under certain circumstances, such as:
a. Serious illness.
b. Loss of a family member.
c. Major disaster in the home country requiring emergency travel.
d. Traumatic experience.
๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ฑ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ
If you want to switch courses or providers after six months of study, you donโt need a release letter to do so. Just inform your provider and they will notify the Department of Home Affairs. You donโt have to update your ImmiAccount or send a fresh Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) to the Department.
You donโt have to apply for a new student visa if:
a. You are switching from a doctorate to a masterโs degree.
b. Your new course is at the same or higher level (for instance, from a diploma to a diploma or a diploma to a bachelorโs degree).