By revising the Migration Act 1958, the Department of Home Affairs wants to establish new criteria to the Student Visa – Subclass 500 starting July 1, 2022. Student Visa holders will be unable to change their course of study, including their major, thesis, or research subject, unless they apply to the Minister and gain authorization.
Condition 8204 now only prevents students in specific course categories from altering their course of study, thesis, or research subject without first receiving clearance from the Minister. The following are the necessary courses:
- Certificate of graduation
- Master’s degree
- Master’s diploma
- Doctorate
- Course for bridging
Changing Providers
If you have a student visa and are considering changing your education provider, be sure you continue to satisfy all of your student visa’s requirements.
You can change providers at any time if you have completed six months or more of your main course (see definition below) (unless you have signed an agreement with your provider that prevents you from doing so). If you haven’t finished your main course for six months and wish to switch education providers, you must fulfil one of the following criteria:
- You need letter of release from your provider.
- Your provider or the course in which you are enrolled is no longer active or registered.
- The ESOS agency has put a ban on your provider’s registration,as a result you cannot finish the course with them.
- You have a got a better sponsorship.
