Changing courses or providers

Changing your course, or switching to another course provider, may have implications on your student visa.

Changing courses within the University of Melbourne

If you want to change courses within the University of Melbourne, you'll need to lodge a new application for admission. For more information, see Transferring courses as an international student.

If you receive a letter of offer for another course, you should accept your offer and provide a copy of your passport and current visa. After you have accepted your new offer, you should also withdraw from your current course.

Visa implications

Once you have accepted your new offer, you will receive a new Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). The University will notify the Department of Home Affairs of the changes in your enrolment.

You don’t need to apply for a new visa if your existing student visa is valid for the duration of your new course, and your transfer is:

  • To another course at the same level (for example, from one bachelors degree to another)
  • To a course at a higher level (for example, from a bachelors to masters level)
  • From a PhD to a masters.

If your visa is only valid for part of the duration of your new course, you'll need to re-apply for a new student visa when you receive your new CoE.

If you have transferred to a course at a lower level (for example, masters to bachelor level), you must apply for a new student visa as soon as you receive your new CoE. The only exception to this is if you are transferring from a PhD to a Masters.

For more information, refer to the Department of Home Affairs website.

Transferring to another education provider

If you have accepted an offer of study and been granted a student visa for study at the University of Melbourne, you must complete at least six months of your principal course here. If your visa was issued for multiple courses of study, your principle course is the final course of study which you chose to undertake.

You can only transfer to another education provider within six months if:

  • You have been granted release from the University of Melbourne for one of the following approved reasons. The application process and circumstances in which the University can issue this letter are outlined in the International Student Transfer Policy .
  • You are a government-sponsored student, and your sponsor has agreed (in writing) with your transfer to another provider
  • The course for which you received a CoE has ceased to be offered by the University and registered on CRICOS.

Approved reasons for requesting a release

A release request will be granted if:

  • You are in receipt of a packaged CoE and have not met the entry requirements for your principal course
  • Your course is determined to be academically unsuitable
  • There is evidence of compassionate or compelling circumstances
  • You can provide evidence that you were misled by the University of Melbourne or appointed representative regarding the course or the University
  • There is evidence that reasonable expectations about your current course are not being met
  • An appeal (internal or external) on another matter results in a decision or recommendation to grant release

Invalid reasons for requesting a release

A release request will not be granted if:

  • The University forms the view that you are trying to avoid being reported to the Department of Home Affairs for failure to meet the attendance or academic progress requirements
  • You apply to transfer to another sector (e.g. VET) or another level (e.g. bachelors to diploma)
  • You are in receipt of a packaged CoE, and the pathway provider has refused or recommends against the release request
  • You have not demonstrated compassionate or compelling grounds for a transfer
  • The transfer may jeopardise your progression through a package of courses
  • The intended course will not provide adequate preparation for further study, nor be recognised by higher education providers as meeting their entry requirements and the transfer would be detrimental to your future study plans

If you wish to transfer to another provider after you have completed six months of your principal course, you do not need permission from the University.

Request a release letter

Visa implications

If you transfer to another education provider, the University of Melbourne must inform the Department of Education and Training (DET) and the Department of Home Affairs and cancel your CoE. This may have implications for your visa.

For more information, refer to the Department of Home Affairs website.

Under 18 international students

Students registered in the Under 18 International Student Supervision Program who transfer to another education provider must maintain their current accommodation and welfare arrangements to retain their Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) and student visa until new arrangements are approved or until they leave the country. For more information, see the Under 18 International Student Supervision Program page.

Need help with your visa?

Submit an online enquiry to Stop 1 and we'll get back to you within 10 business days.

Submit an enquiry