New prioritisation system for Student visa processing

The international education sector is important to Australia, and the Australian Government is committed to ensuring its quality, integrity, and sustainability.

The Government is introducing a new prioritisation system for offshore Student visa processing. 

What is the new visa prioritisation system? 

The Australian Government has introduced Ministerial Direction 111 to process offshore student visa applications in a more balanced way across education providers.  

What does this mean for you? 

The Government is making sure that international students get more even access to the depth and breadth of Australian education providers and study destinations.  

Offshore international visa applications will be processed according to two priority categories: 

Priority 1

High priority processing will be given to visa applications for higher education providers and Vocational Education and Training providers that have not yet reached 80% of their indicative 2025 new overseas student commencements (NOSC) allocation.  

• An international student will usually count as a new overseas student commencement (NOSC) when:
  • they start their first higher education or vocational education and training (VET) course at their first provider, or
  • they commence a higher education or VET course at a different provider. 
• Students will not be counted as an additional NOSC if they: 
  • move between higher education or VET courses within a provider, or
  • commence a subsequent course at the same provider immediately after the first higher education or VET course. 

Priority 2

Once 80% of a provider’s NOSC has been reached, applications will be considered under Priority 2. 

Who does Priority 1 apply to? 

High priority processing will apply to all applications from: 

• School students; 
• Non-award sector students, including short term exchange students;  
• Independent ELICOS students; 
• Students enrolled with a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Provider or TAFE course with Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory; 
• Students enrolled in Aviation Pilot Training Courses;  
• Students in postgraduate research courses;  
• Foreign Affairs Students, Defence Students and students sponsored by the Commonwealth; 
• Students with foreign government, Australian Government and state and territory scholarships, as per the criteria published on the Department of Education’s website; 
• Students from specific areas of the Pacific and Timor-Leste; 
• Students enrolled in Transnational Education arrangements, as per the criteria published on the Department of Education and Department of Employment and Workplace Relations’ websites;
• Subsequent entrants where an applicant is a minor where the minor is:  
  • unmarried, and has not turned 18 at the time of application; and  
  • either a dependent child of a primary student visa applicant, or primary student visa holder; or a dependent child of a spouse or de facto partner of a primary student visa applicant, or primary student visa holder. 

What are the allocations for Education Providers? 

Indicative allocations for both higher education and vocational education and training providers can be found here: 

• Indicative allocations for higher education new overseas student commencements 2025
• Indicative allocations for VET new overseas student commencements 2025

Are there going to be caps?  

There are no caps. There was a proposed student cap which was not passed by the Australian Parliament. 

The Government is focused on the sustainable growth of Australia’s international education sector. It wants to ensure that Australia remains a prestige provider and partner of international education, delivering on its commitment to provide all students the best possible study experience.

Who does this effect? 

These changes only apply to offshore student visa applications (for students currently outside Australia). 

If you’ve already applied for a student visa and it has not yet been finalised, your application will now be processed under the new rules of MD111.  

Make sure your visa application is complete 

It is important that you lodge your visa application as early as possible, and complete  it with all requested information at time of lodgement to support smooth processing.

Visa processing takes longer if applications contain incorrect information or documents are missing. Your visa may even be refused. Find out more here.   

And don't forget... your visa application will still need to meet all other requirements to be approved.