CRICOS Essentials: Everything You Need To Know For Students and RTOs
The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is the Australian Government's official list of providers and courses approved to teach international students. It plays a major role in how Australia keeps the quality of international education in check. Many international students around the world apply to study in Australia each year, and with a constant flow of students comes a responsibility to make sure they receive quality education and care. In this article, we'll cover the essentials of CRICOS and everything you need to know, whether you're an international student or an RTO. What is CRICOS? CRICOS is the official register that lists approved education providers and the courses they can offer to international students. To get a student visa, an international student needs to enrol in a CRICOS approved course and provider. The register is run by the Australian Government and can be searched online at cricos.education.gov.au. This helps students find the right courses and providers, so they don't waste time or money and avoid complications later on. It also helps to be clear on CRICOS is a register, not a regulator. The checking is done by regulators known as ESOS agencies: ASQA for VET providers and standalone ELICOS (English language) providers TEQSA for higher education providers State and territory education authorities for schools These regulators assess providers against the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 and the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018. A provider is only eligible for CRICOS after passing that assessment, and has to keep meeting the rules to stay on it. What is a CRICOS code? A CRICOS code is the ID number used on the register. There are two types: CRICOS provider code: identifies the institution CRICOS course code: identifies a specific course at a specific campus or location Both codes appear on a student's Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), and both are used in the student visa process. CRICOS for Students Why does CRICOS matter? A CoE can only be issued by a CRICOS-registered provider for a CRICOS-registered course, and a CoE is needed to apply for a student visa (subclass 500). If the course isn't on the register, you will have to change you course. CRICOS also comes with protection. Providers on the.
