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Citizenship and residency changes
You need to update your residency details and provide the necessary supporting documents if your citizenship or residency status changes.
You can request to make a change to your residency or citizenship status through Sydney Student (go to ‘My details’, then ‘Address & residency’).
Changes to your citizenship or residency status may affect your fee arrangements and eligibility for Commonwealth assistance and support. For your new status to apply to your enrolled units for a session, you'll need to submit your request and provide all supporting documents before the relevant census date.
You need to notify the University when:
- you're changing from any temporary visa (including a student visa) to Australian Permanent Resident Visa, Australian or New Zealand citizenship status
- you're a domestic student updating your residency details including changing to a temporary visa status.
Supporting documents
Once you have submitted your request online you’ll need to complete a Notification of change of residency form (pdf, 97KB). In the form you will be asked to give consent for us to verify your visa entitlements on Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO).
New status |
Document(s) required |
|---|---|
Australian citizen |
Valid Australian passport or Australian citizenship certificate |
New Zealand citizen |
Valid New Zealand passport or New Zealand citizenship certificate |
Australian permanent resident, permanent humanitarian visa holder or pacific engagement visa holder |
Valid passport |
Students can email certified copies of the required documents as well as a completed Notification of change of residency form (pdf, 97KB) to hecs.office@sydney.edu.au.
You’ll need to request a change to your residency/citizenship if you are:
- a domestic student changing to an international status
- an international student changing country of residency/citizenship
- a student visa holder completing their degree offshore.
You'll need to upload the following required supporting documents during your request.
New status |
Document/s required |
|---|---|
New country of international residency/citizenship |
Scanned copy of your passport photo page and visa grant notification letter. You may be asked to provide this in person. |
Other (non-resident) – if you will not be living in Australia for the duration of your studies |
Scanned copy of your passport photo page and visa grant notification letter (if applicable). You may be asked to provide this in person. If you are a student visa holder completing your degree offshore you'll need to provide a confirmation letter from your faculty or school. |
You’ll need to request a change to your visa type if you have changed your visa. For example, if you are:
- a student visa holder changing to another type of temporary visa
- temporary visa holder changing to a student visa.
You’ll need to provide a scanned copy of your passport photo page and visa grant notification letter. You may be asked to bring this in person.
What happens next?
You can see the progress of your request in Sydney Student and we’ll notify you here if it has been approved or if we require any further documents. Your new status will only be valid after you have provided the correct documents.
If documents are presented after the relevant census date, even if your residency/citizenship/visa was granted before this, your new status will only apply to following semesters/sessions and units of study.
If you’ve changed visas you should contact the Department of Home Affairs to find out how your new visa status will affect you.
If you are a coursework student changing from an international status to a domestic status, we will then reassess the type of place you will be on for your course. Find out more information in part 10 of the Coursework Policy (pdf, 584KB).
Changes to your fee arrangements
International student granted permanent residency
In this situation you will change from an international student to a domestic student.
If you are a coursework student, you will automatically be granted a domestic fee-paying place in the enrolled course.
- Commonwealth supported place
If your course offers Commonwealth supported places (CSP), and there are CSP available, and you meet entry requirements for domestic students to the same course, you will be transferred to a CSP.
This means that course fees are subsidised by the Australian Government and you pay the remainder as a ‘Student Contribution’. You’ll need to complete the Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form. Find out more about Commonwealth supported places and applying for HECS-HELP.
- Full-fee paying place
If you’re not eligible, or Commonwealth supported places are not available, you’ll be one a full-fee paying place and will need need to pay the Australian domestic student tuition rate (for example, the domestic full fee paying rate). Find out more about domestic full-fee paying places.
Find out more in part 10 of the Coursework Policy (pdf, 584KB).
If you are a research student you will be offered a place under the Research Training Program (RTP).
If you paid the international tuition fee rate for the current semester and then changed your residency status before the relevant census date, you may be eligible for a refund of the fee difference.
Permanent resident granted citizenship
If you are a permanent resident and you are granted Australian citizenship you may now be eligible for a HELP loan, which will change your fee options. You’ll need to fill out a new Commonwealth assistance form with your new liability status and chosen payment option.
See HECS-HELP for more information.
Scholarship holders
Changing your residency/citizenship or visa status may affect your scholarship. If you make any changes to your residency/citizenship or visa, you'll need to notify the Scholarships Office at scholarships.office@sydney.edu.au
Student card and travel concession
Changing between international and domestic status will affect whether you’re eligible for a travel concession.
Last updated: 07 February 2024
