If you are currently enrolled in an Australian school under a student visa and you suddenly decide to make changes with your current choices, there are is a process that you need to follow. As you the months pass by and you get used to your Australian college, university or school, you might discover the need to change. This is perfectly normal and happens as part of your adjustment to life in Australia.

If you simply want to change your course at the same level of qualification, you do not need to apply for a new Australian student visa. However, if you want to change your level of qualification, then a new student visa is required. For instance, if you want to change from an Australian university diploma degree to a PhD, your visa subclass will change.

If you plan on changing your Australian school, then you have to contact your existing education provider. In the past, the “no change of provider” condition (8206) was being enforced. This restricted the Australian student visa holder from changing Australian schools within the first 12 months of their main course. This condition has ceased to have effect since July 1, 2007.

Even though students are no longer required to lodge an application to the department to change their education provider, most Australian schools will be restricted from enrolling you if you have not completed at least 6 months of study for which your Australian visa was granted. If you still want to pursue changing your education provider before completing the six months, you must first secure permission form your current education provider.

Once you have completed the change of education provider, you must contact the department to inform them of the change. You will need to provide your new Confirmation of Enrolment certificate for your new Australian school.

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