Student visa conditions

Find out more about student visa conditions on the DHA website

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<p>There are strict conditions attached to Australian student visas, set by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). If you don't comply with these conditions, it may impact your student visa status.</p>

You must comply with your visa conditions

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Personal details

Under Student Visa Condition 8533, you must update your Australian residential address within seven days of arriving in Australia or of your address in Australia changing.

To update, log in to Sydney Student > My details > Address and residency.

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Change of visa status

If your visa type or country of citizenship has changed, you need to update your details as soon as possible.

You can request to update your details in Sydney Student, go to My details > Address & residency.

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Study load

Any changes that you make to your enrolment, including suspending your studies or reducing your study load can impact on your student visa.

Credit point requirements

It is a requirement of your student visa that you are enrolled in a full-time study load, where the majority of your units are completed during the standard semesters.

a minimum of 24 credit points in units from January to June
at least 18 credit points in Semester 1 session units, or units in sessions other than Intensive January, Intensive January - February or Intensive May - June.

a minimum of 24 credit points in units from July to December
at least 18 credit points in Semester 2 session units, or units in sessions other than Intensive June - July or Intensive November - December.

The following are examples of a study load that meets these requirements:

Option 1

24 credit points during Semester 1.

Option 2

18 credit points during Semester 1
6 credit points in Intensive May - June.

Option 3

Enrol in 6 credit points in each of the following intensive sessions:

Intensive February - March
Intensive March - April
Intensive April - May
Intensive May - June.

Maintain a valid eCoE

You need to have an active electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) and visa that covers any period that you're studying in. This means you can’t select units held in an intensive session before the commencement date outlined on your offer letter.

If you were approved for a suspension in your first semester of study, you can't select units held in an intensive session before the start date of the standard semester.

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<p>If your visa has condition 8203 (limited study change) or 8204 (study limitations), you must not change the course of study, thesis or research topic without approval from the Minister of the Department of Home Affairs.</p>

Course change restrictions

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Online and distance learning

Your student visa places restrictions around how many online or distance units of study you can undertake. A maximum of one third of your total course can be done by distance and/or online learning. This means, 67 percent or more of your studies needs to be completed in class via face-to-face learning.

If online or distance learning is offered, you must study at least one unit that is face-to-face in each study period. The only exception is if you are completing the last unit of your course that is only available online.

If you are a recipient of United States Federal Student Aid, you can't engage in any study that uses online learning such as a class taught via Zoom and remain eligible for federal student aid.

Contact us

If you have any questions about your student visa conditions or your eCoE, contact our compliance officers at student.compliance@sydney.edu.au, or visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

Current students