Two (2) Years Study in Australia
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You must have met this eligibility requirement in the six (6) months immediately before the date of making your application. To meet this requirement, you must have completed in no less than 16 calendar months, either:
- a single qualification requiring at least two (2) academic years study
or - more than one qualification resulting in a total period of at least two (2) academic years study.
Two (2) academic years study
Two (2) academic years study means the equivalent of two (2) years study enrolled at 100% of a full time load. It is a measure of the amount of study you have completed rather than how long it took you to complete the study.
If you are given credit for prior learning it will reduce the amount of study you have completed.
The department will use the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) to determine the standard duration of a course. A course that has a registered duration of 92 weeks is considered to be a two year course.
Example 1:
If a course is CRICOS registered for 138 weeks (3 years) and consists of 24 units, 100% of full-time enrolment would equate to 8 units per year. In that course, a student will have completed two academic years when they have successfully completed 16 units. That means a student enrolled in that course can be given credit for prior learning for up to 8 units and still complete two academic years study.
Example 2:
If a course is CRICOS registered for 92 weeks (2 years) and consists of 12 units, 100% of full-time enrolment would equate to 6 units per year. Students would be required to complete all 12 units to meet the two year study requirement.
A student enrolled in this course who is given any credit for prior learning will not have completed two academic years study and may have to complete an additional degree, diploma or trade qualification to meet the two year study requirement.
Course requirements
Each qualification that you have completed and are relying on to meet this requirement must:
- be either a degree, a diploma, or a trade qualification
- have been undertaken at an Australian educational institution in Australia
- have been conducted in English
- be registered on CRICOS
Note: English language proficiency courses cannot be used to meet the two (2) year study requirement.
Qualifications must be closely related to nominated occupation
The Australian qualification/s you have completed must be closely related to your nominated skilled occupation. This means that the subject matter and the skills gained from your qualifications can be applied at the level you achieved them in your nominated skilled occupation.
Examples:
- Diploma in Business and Certificate IV in Carpentry would be consistent with nominating Carpenter as your occupation as applicants could find those qualifications genuinely useful in operating their own business as a carpenter.
- Masters in IT and Certificate III in Carpentry would not be consistent with nominating Carpenter as your occupation as you have attained skills at a significantly higher level in a professional field and skills at that level will not have any practical application in working as a carpenter.
What if you have completed study outside Australia?
If you have undertaken study whilst not physically present in Australia, this study cannot be used to satisfy the two (2) year study requirement.
Example: If you have studied at an overseas campus of an Australian educational institution, or undertaken study online or by correspondence with an Australian educational institution while outside Australia, this study will not be accepted. This is because all study must be undertaken while you are physically present in Australia.
Evidence to attach to your application
You must obtain the following documentary evidence to attach to your application:
- certified copy of the completion letter from your educational institution, including:
- the date that the course commenced and ended
- the date that course requirements were met
- the location of the campus where the study was undertaken
- whether the study involved any distance learning
- whether the study was full-time or part-time
- the language in which instruction was given
- certified copies of course transcripts.
Lodgement of application
If you are an overseas student, you must lodge an application for this visa within six (6) months of the date of completion of your course.
The date of completion is the first date on which the educational institution publicly notifies you that you have met the requirements for the award of your degree, diploma or trade qualification.
This notification can occur by:
- letter
- publication in a newspaper
- publication on the internet
- bulletin board at the tertiary institution.
This date should not be confused with the date of conferral of your award. The date of conferral is the date that you actually receive your degree, diploma or trade qualification.
Example: graduation ceremony