For years some students entered Australia on one course and quietly switched to a cheaper college soon after arrival.
Updated 5 October 2026: these rules came into force on 2 October 2026. Most current students who want a further Student visa must now apply from outside Australia, unless they are moving up a qualification level or need up to 12 more months with the same provider.
At the National Press Club on 17 September 2026, Minister Tony Burke said: “You can go up the qualification scale, but only up the qualification scale. So, at the end of a bachelor’s degree if you want to then do a masters, that’s up the scale; that’s okay.”
The government is targeting what it calls visa hopping: moving sideways or down between providers to stay longer in Australia rather than to study. The new rules came into force on 2 October 2026. Most current students who need a further Student visa must now apply from outside Australia. The main exceptions are moving up to a higher qualification level, needing up to 12 more months to finish with the same provider, PhD study, DFAT or Defence sponsorship, and a provider closing. Moving from higher education down to a VET course is not allowed from inside Australia.
What this means in practice: if you enrol in a university master’s and then want to move to a cheaper private college at the same level, expect that to be much harder now: if it needs a new visa, you apply from outside Australia, with a new genuine student assessment.
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| Move | Under the rules in force from 2 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s to master’s | Allowed (up the scale), including a new Student visa from inside Australia |
| Diploma to bachelor’s | Allowed (up the scale) |
| Bachelor’s or master’s to a higher VET course | Not allowed from inside Australia |
| Master’s at a university to master’s at a private college | Sideways: no new Student visa from inside Australia; transfers in the first 12 months need a release from your provider |
| Master’s to diploma | Down the scale: needs a new visa, which you now apply for from outside Australia |
| Up to 12 more months to finish your course with the same provider | Allowed from inside Australia |
For current fees, funds and English scores, see our Australia student visa guide for Pakistani students. Married? Read Australia’s student dependant ban, which came into force the same day as these rules.
Yes, today you can move to a course at the same or higher AQF level while keeping a valid enrolment. Moving to a lower level needs a new visa. Since 2 October 2026, a new Student visa from inside Australia is generally only possible when you move up the qualification scale or need up to 12 more months with the same provider.
Generally not without a release letter from your current provider. From 2 October 2026 to 30 June 2027 the restricted period is 12 months.
They came into force on 2 October 2026.
Yes. The Minister gave this as an example of an allowed move up the scale.
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