Vietnam officially upgraded to Assessment Level 2 when reviewing Australian student visas | IDP Vietnam

Quynh Khanh

Published: 24 February 2024
Updated: 2 October 2025

This is good news for Vietnamese students who are planning to study in Australia. The fact that Vietnam has been upgraded from Assessment Level 3 to Level 2 not only affirms the prestige and quality of Vietnamese students, but also brings them many advantages when preparing student visa applications.

1. What is the Assessment Level in Australian visa processing?

During the process of applying for an Australian student visa, your application will be categorised according to a system called the Visa Risk Assessment Level (Risk Level). This is a tool established by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to assess the risk level of international students based on 2 factors:

The level of risk of the country (Vietnam is currently classified as Level 2).
The level of risk of the educational institution (schools in Australia are rated from Level 1–3).

Normally, in March and September, the Australian Government will update the regulations related to applying for visas, especially Australian student visas.

2. What does this mean for Vietnamese students?

When studying in Australia, the requirement for proof of finance will depend on the level of risk in your application. Previously, when Vietnam was at Assessment Level 3, if you applied to Level 2 or 3 schools, you would be required to prepare financial proof documents compared to the low-risk group (Assessment Level 1 or 2).

The upgrade to Assessment Level 2 has made the application for an Australian student visa much simpler, specifically:

Proof of finances is not required when applying to Level 1 and 2 schools.
In some cases, students are not required to have an English language certificate available
when applying.

Level 1 and 2 schools typically include:

The majority of universities are in Australia.
Some TAFE schools.
Some High Schools.

The list of Level 1 and 2 schools is subject to change. To make sure your application meets the requirements, contact IDP for assistance checking and updating the correct information from the school you are interested in.

Important notes when applying

If you are enrolled in a Level 3 school, your application will be considered as Regular, which means proof of finances is required. This is a normal requirement, you just need to prepare additional documents according to the instructions
Even if you apply under the Streamlined category, the consular officer may still ask you to supplement your financial or academic records during the process, so thorough preparation is always necessary.

Increase your ability to apply for a student visa when applying at IDP!

Vietnam being upgraded to Assessment Level 2, has made the journey to study in Australia more convenient than ever. Visa applications are now simpler, procedures are faster, and the chances of visa success are also higher for Vietnamese students. This is the golden time for you to prepare and submit your application early, making the most of the new policy.

An IDP is here to assist you Prepare your study abroad application, choose a school, select a major, search Scholarships to study in Australia in accordance with personal aspirations and capabilities. Besides, you can Register for Study Abroad Seminars organized by IDP to beMeet and answer questions directly from school representatives, discover all information about schools, majors that attract human resources and bring high demand for settlement as well as job opportunities after graduation.

You can also actively find out information about the school by experiencing the IDP Live application only available at IDP with the Fastlane feature, which supports finding suitable courses, quickly knowing the results of admission documents with a shortened time of 2-3 times.

for detailed advice on the list of priority schools in Level 1 and level 2 and prepare the optimal application to study in Australia.

Free study abroad consultation hotline: 19006955