Blog

Some international students may find the course they enrolled in to study isn’t what they anticipated and would like to change their course. If this is you, it is important you do your research and are fully informed before you change courses.

Moving from a university to a vocational education course

Mr X was enrolled with the Eucalyptus University to study a Bachelor of Accounting. He was granted a Higher Education Sector (subclass 573) visa.

After commencing her bachelor degree, she was informed by a friend she could study her course faster and cheaper at a different institution. Mandeep thought this sounded like a good option, as she wanted to get her degree as fast as possible. She thought she may have a problem with her visa if she changed her course.

Mr X phoned the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to see if he could move to this cheaper institution. After confirming all the details of his case, the immigration officer told him visa was granted under streamlined visa processing arrangements with the Eucalyptus University—if he changed to a non-streamlined education provider while holding a streamlined student visa, he may be in breach of a condition of his visa (condition 8516).

The immigration officer informed Mr X that if he wanted to change education provider he would have to choose one of the following options:

Mr X decided to move to the cheaper institution, regardless of the information he had found out about his visa. Shortly after, the department contacted him and issued a Notice of Intention to Consider Cancellation for his student visa. Mr X responded to the notice and provided reasons why his visa should not be cancelled. The department considered his response and proceeded to cancel his student visa for breach of condition 8516.

Mr X was upset and regretted not abiding by the conditions of his visa. Mr X no longer held a visa to remain lawfully in Australia and made arrangements to return to his home country.

Source www.immi.gov.au