Changing Your Course or Provider in Australia: What International Students Need to Know

Have you been thinking about changing your course or university?

At IDP, we help students with course matching, so that your course will be aligned with what exactly you want to study, your budget, and your goals.

But even with the best course matching from the start, life happens. Maybe you fell short on budget, so you needed a school with a cheaper tuition fee. Maybe you realised your course is harder than expected. Maybe your interests just changed. 

Whatever your reason, it’s understandable. 

But here’s one thing you should be careful about: Changing your course or provider might impact your student visa.

Depending on your case, you might need a new visa, a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), and a release letter from your provider. If you’re lucky, you might not need any of these at all.

In this guide, we’ll break it down so you can make a confident change without putting your stay in Australia at risk.

Yes, you can change your course or education provider in Australia. But there are rules you need to follow.

If you’re already studying your main course (this is called your principal course), you must wait at least 6 months before you transfer to another school. If you try to change before 6 months, your current provider must approve it, and that’s not always easy.

Your student visa also comes with rules. These are called visa conditions. Two important ones are:

• Condition 8202 – You must stay enrolled in a valid course. You also need to attend your classes and make progress.

• Condition 8516 – You must keep meeting the requirements for your visa. If you break the rules, your visa can be cancelled.

So yes, you’re allowed to change. But if you don’t follow the correct steps, your visa could be at risk. 

You might also need a new Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) or even apply for a new student visa, depending on your situation.

It’s a big move, and not one to do alone.

Source: Department of Home Affairs Student visa (subclass 500)  details and conditions

If you have questions before you make the decision, or if you want to go ahead with the process now, IDP can help you take the right steps.

Our experts can:

• Help you explore better-fit universities and courses based on your goals and budget

• Check if your current subjects or credits can be transferred

• Advise you if your situation requires a new student visa, or if you can stay on your current one

• Assist you through every step of the transfer, from paperwork to your new enrollment

Not sure where to start? Talk to an IDP counsellor today for free. We’ll help you make the switch with confidence.

Before making any move, it’s important to understand what kind of change you want to make. Different changes come with different rules. 

To help you, here’s a quick comparison of the most common situations you might face as an international student in Australia:

Let’s break this down:

• Changing your course but staying with the same provider at the same AQF level is usually the easiest. You can do this anytime without needing a new visa or a release letter.

• If you want to change providers within the first six months of your main course, you’ll likely need a release letter from your current provider. But you won’t need a new visa if your new course is at the same or higher AQF level. The provider’s transfer policy will decide if you can move early.

• After completing six months or more of your principal course, you can change providers freely without a release letter or a new visa, as long as you’re moving to a course of the same or higher level.

• Switching to a lower-level qualification, like moving from a bachelor’s to a diploma. If you stay with the same provider, you won’t need a release letter, but your visa application is necessary.

• Changing to an ELICOS (English language) or a non-AQF course. You’ll also need a release letter if you’ve studied for less than six months.

• Your new course is longer than the time left on your current visa.

• Your new provider starts months later, and there’s a big gap in your study.

At IDP, we work with students who want to switch providers mid-year or realise their new course will take longer than planned.

We can help you figure out:

• If you need a new visa

• When to apply (so there are no study gaps or visa issues)

• What documents do you need to prepare

• How your course change might affect your path to post-study work

Every situation is different. That’s why it helps to talk to someone who knows how the whole system works. Our education and visa experts are here to guide you, step by step.

Get expert help on course transfer

Ask about your student visa

Yes, you can transfer course credit when switching to a new course or education provider in Australia. 

But it’s not automatic. Your new provider needs to assess your previous study to decide if it counts.

This process is called a credit assessment.

When you apply for a new course, you can ask the provider to recognise units you’ve already completed. If approved, you won’t need to repeat those subjects. This may reduce your study time and costs.

But remember, not all credits can be transferred. Even if the subjects sound similar, each school has its own curriculum. They’ll check how closely your old units match their own.

To change your course, just apply through your student portal or ask your international student office for help.

If you've already completed some subjects in your current course, you might be able to transfer course credit to your new one. This means you may not have to repeat units you’ve already passed. Talk to your course adviser to check what can be recognised.

If you want to switch from a higher-level course (like a Bachelor’s) to a lower-level one (like a Diploma), you will need a new student visa.

Take note, though, that this doesn’t apply if you are switching from a level 10 course (doctoral) to a level 9 (master’s). 

When switching to a lower-level course, follow these steps:

1. Check the new course requirements. Make sure you meet the entry requirements for the lower-level course you want to join.

2. Talk to your current education provider. Let them know you want to change your course level.

3. Get a letter of offer from your new provider.

4. Apply for a new student visa. 

5. Cancel your current Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). (only if you’re changing providers too).

Keep in mind, this decision can impact your eligibility for post-study work visas, such as the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485).

Many of these pathways require you to complete a qualification at the Bachelor's level or higher. Dropping to a lower-level course could make you ineligible for these opportunities.

Before making any changes, always speak with a migration agent or education advisor to understand the long-term implications. 

Does this situation apply to you?

A. If You’ve Studied Less Than 6 Months

You’ll need special permission to change schools. This permission is called a letter of release. It’s a document from your current school that says, “Yes, we allow you to leave.”

But your school won’t always give you this letter. You must have a serious reason, like:

• A health problem (you’ll need a medical certificate)

• A big family issue or emergency

• Other strong personal reasons

If your school says no, don’t worry. You can ask them to review your case. If they still say no, you can get help from the Overseas Student Ombudsman. They’ll look at your situation and help you if the school is being unfair.

What You’ll Need:

• Offer letter from your new school

• Letter of release from your current school

• Proof of your reason (like a medical or death certificate)

• Parent/guardian support letter (if you’re under 18)

• Your current CoE and passport

B. If You’ve Studied More Than 6 Months

If you’ve been in your course for 6 months or more, you don’t need a release letter.

You can move to a new school or university without asking for permission.

Your current school will inform the Department of Home Affairs that you’ve transferred. Just make sure your new course is at the same or higher level on the AQF. This helps keep your student visa valid.

To make the switch, follow the steps given by your new school. They’ll guide you through enrolment.

What You’ll Need:

• Offer letter from your new school

• Your current CoE and passport.

I need help transferring to another institution

1. Can I transfer course credit if I change my course or provider?

Yes, in many cases you can. If you're staying at the same institution and moving to a similar course, you might be able to transfer course credit for subjects you've already completed.

If you’re switching to a different provider, the new institution will assess your previous study and decide if any credit can be given.

Just keep in mind that credit transfer isn’t always guaranteed; it depends on the course and provider.

2. What if I just want to change my major but stay at the same university?

No worries! If you're staying at the same university and just changing your major (for example, switching from Accounting to Marketing in the same degree), you don’t need a new student visa.

But your school might ask you to update your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), so always check with them first.

3. Will changing universities affect my post-study work visa?

Usually, it won’t. If you plan to apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), the important thing is that you meet all the course and visa rules, not which university you studied at.

4. Will changing courses affect my student visa?

It depends.

• If your new course is at a lower level (like going from a bachelor’s degree to a diploma), then yes, you’ll need to apply for a new student visa.

• But if your new course is the same level or higher, and your visa is still valid, you can usually stay on your current visa. Just make sure there’s no big gap between your courses.

5. Where can I get advice about my visa?

Visa rules can feel confusing, especially if your course or plans are changing.

That’s where we come in.

At IDP, we help students every day with course transfers, visa questions, and making sure everything goes smoothly. 

Whether you're unsure if you need a new visa or just want to know how your choices will affect your future plans, our expert counsellors can help you figure it out.

Article sources:

Study in Australia, Department of Home Affairs Student visa (subclass 500) details and conditions, Study Adelaide, Department of Home Affairs: How to change courses