Thinking about moving to a different university, TAFE or private college? Since 1 October 2026, a stricter rule applies to international students who want to change education providers. For most university and VET students, a new provider generally cannot enrol you until you have completed a longer minimum period of your course with your current one. There are still some lawful ways to move earlier, but they depend on your current provider, not only on you. This guide explains what changed, who it affects, and what to check before you pay a deposit or sign anything.
The rule sits in the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students. It was amended by the National Code Amendment (Overseas Student Transfers) Instrument 2026, made under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 and in force from 1 October 2026.
For providers outside the school sector, the instrument says that until 30 June 2027 a provider must not enrol a transferring student unless the student has completed at least twelve months of their principal course. From 1 July 2027 that period reduces to six months. In plain terms, the restriction is a temporary 12-month version of the earlier six-month lock-in.
"the student has completed at least twelve months of their principal course" (National Code Amendment (Overseas Student Transfers) Instrument 2026, as-made text)
The restriction is placed on the receiving provider, which is why a new college may tell you it simply cannot offer you a place yet.
The 12-month and six-month periods described above apply to non-school providers, which covers most university, TAFE and private VET students. The school sector has its own wording. For school students, the instrument refers to the first six months of the student's first registered school sector course with the releasing provider having passed.
The instrument uses the phrase "principal course". If you are enrolled in a package of courses, or you have already changed course once, ask your provider in writing how it applies the phrase to your enrolment. We have not found Tier 1 wording on whether time you have already studied counts towards the 12 months, so this post does not say either way. Please do not rely on a friend's or an agent's assumption on that point; ask your current provider and, if you are unsure, get advice before you act.
The instrument keeps exceptions under Standard 7.1A. A receiving provider may enrol a transfer student where one of the following applies:
The third exception is the one most students will meet in practice. Many people call this a release letter, but the wording that matters is the release being agreed and recorded in PRISMS, the national system providers use to report on overseas students. This exception depends on the provider agreeing, so treat the release as something to request politely, document in writing and confirm before moving on.
A provider change is a National Code matter, but it sits alongside your visa. The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that new rules for Student visa (subclass 500) and Student Guardian (subclass 590) visas started on 2 October 2026. They affect where you can apply, whether family members can be included, and a Student visa holder applying for another Student visa.
That matters because many students who change provider also think about lodging a fresh application. The Department's page on the new rules does not discuss provider transfers, so the two sets of rules need to be read together. We explain who may still apply from within Australia in our post on visa hopping and the 2026 student visa changes. If you have a partner or child, our guide to student visa dependants in 2026 covers the family rules.
If you are weighing a move this semester, work through these steps in order:
Fees for switching, and whether any period already completed is credited, were not confirmed on a Tier 1 page when this post was prepared, so we have not covered them. Check the Department's and your providers' current information before you decide.
Many Brisbane students consider a provider change around semester breaks and intake dates. Because the 12-month period applies only until 30 June 2027, some students will ask whether they should simply wait until the six-month period starts on 1 July 2027. That depends on your course, your finances, your visa expiry date and your reasons for moving, so it is a decision to make with full information rather than a general rule. If your current provider is not delivering the course you enrolled for, or you face a genuine hardship, tell your provider early and keep a written record.
Information current as at 06/10/2026. Migration outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Visa criteria may change.
Migration Star is a registered migration practice in Brisbane, and our principal agent is Rohit Sharma, MARA No. 1797395. We can review your enrolment, your visa conditions and your options before you ask for a release or lodge another application, subject to Department requirements and your individual circumstances. We do not guarantee any outcome, but we can help you ask the right questions in the right order. Learn more about our services, or book a 30-minute Migration Consultation ($165) here: https://meetings-ap1.hubspot.com/rohit-sharma
Phone: 07 3519 5619. Address: Level 2, 8 Clunies Ross Court, Eight Mile Plains QLD 4113. You can also use our booking page.
Information current as at 06/10/2026. Migration Star is a registered migration practice. Principal agent Rohit Sharma, MARA No. 1797395. Migration outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Visa criteria may change. This article is general information only and does not constitute migration advice. For advice on your specific situation, book a consultation at migrationstar.com.au.
Migration Star | MARA No. 1797395 | migrationstar.com.au | 07 3519 5619