Where should an international student start?
Start with the outcome you want from your education: the field you want to study, the type of qualification you need, the career direction you are considering and the practical realities of tuition, living costs, location and English-language requirements. Then compare suitable providers and courses using official information rather than relying only on an agent or provider advertisement.
Higher education in Australia
Higher education can include bachelor degrees, graduate certificates and diplomas, postgraduate coursework and research programs. Entry requirements vary by provider and course and may include previous academic study, English-language requirements, prerequisite subjects or other evidence.
RightWay can help you organise the questions to ask before selecting a higher-education course: whether the course fits your previous studies, what the provider requires for admission, what the total study and living costs may look like, where the course is delivered and how the study plan fits your longer-term goals.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Australia’s VET sector includes qualifications such as Certificate III and IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs. VET can be relevant to people who want practical or industry-focused training in areas such as business, hospitality, commercial cookery, leadership, management, marketing, project management and other occupational fields.
The course title alone is not enough. Check the provider, course code, location, delivery arrangements, entry requirements, tuition and CRICOS registration where the course is intended for an international student on a Student visa.
English-language study — ELICOS
English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) can include general English, English for academic purposes, business English and preparation-focused programs. English study may also form part of a packaged education plan where permitted and appropriate.
If you are considering an English course together with another qualification, the full enrolment and visa position should be considered rather than looking at each course separately.
Course areas reflected in RightWay’s education enquiries
The existing RightWay education service material has included a broad range of study areas. Course availability changes between providers, so the following should be treated as areas to discuss rather than a promise that a particular course is currently available:
Accounting, business, information systems, management and related undergraduate or postgraduate study.
Business, business administration, leadership and management, marketing and project management.
Hospitality management, commercial cookery and related food or patisserie qualifications.
General English, business English, English for academic purposes and preparation-focused English study.
Where suitable CRICOS-registered providers and courses are available, other vocational fields can also be explored.
Where more than one course is being considered, compare the complete study plan, entry requirements, costs and visa implications together.
Why CRICOS matters
CRICOS is the Australian Government’s official register of education providers and courses available to people studying in Australia on Student visas. Before paying tuition or relying on a course as part of a Student visa plan, check the provider and course on CRICOS and confirm that the information matches the offer you have received.
Student visa planning is part of the study decision
A good education plan and a Student visa plan should be considered together. Home Affairs currently requires Student visa applicants to satisfy the Genuine Student requirement. Applicants are asked about their current circumstances, why they want to study the proposed course with the proposed provider, the benefit of the course and other relevant information, with supporting evidence where appropriate.
Student visa rules also change. From 2 October 2026, Home Affairs introduced new rules affecting where most Student visa applications can be lodged and whether family members can be included, subject to exemptions. This is why current official information should be checked before making a time-sensitive application decision.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
RPL is an assessment process that considers skills and knowledge a person has already gained through formal, informal or non-formal learning or work experience. A suitable education or training provider assesses the evidence against the relevant learning outcomes and decides whether credit or recognition can be granted.
RPL is not simply a way to obtain a qualification without assessment. Evidence may include previous qualifications, employment records, portfolios, work samples, references or other material depending on the provider and qualification. RightWay can discuss your background and help identify the type of RPL enquiry to make, but the provider or authorised assessor makes the final assessment decision.
Onshore and offshore study enquiries
RightWay can discuss study plans with people who are outside Australia as well as people already in Australia. However, your current location and visa status can materially affect what you can do next. In particular, the rules governing Student visa applications made in Australia changed from 2 October 2026, so your individual circumstances should be checked before relying on an onshore pathway.
- CRICOS — official course and institution register
- Department of Education — Before studying in Australia
- Department of Home Affairs — Student visa subclass 500
- Department of Home Affairs — Genuine Student requirement
- training.gov.au — national training information