Course Hopping – What you need to know before changing your course

The Department of Immigration & Border Protection have recently cancelled over 800 student visas for ‘Course Hopping’.

What is course hopping?

Course Hopping is when International students come to Australia to study and then shortly after arriving in Australia they endeavor to change their courses.

The most common aspect of this is students applying for a Student visa that is ‘easier to be granted’ for example; streamlined visa processing, then arriving in Australia and applying for a non-streamlined visa processing course which requires more monitoring and scrutiny by the Department.

An example would be a student arriving to Australia via a streamlined visa processing eligible course, who then after arriving attempt to change to an unrelated course that is simpler and/or cheaper.

BEWARE!

So you ask, how can I change courses?

The department understands that some circumstances do arise that require students to change their courses mid-course.

If you have a genuine reason to change your course, and are not just doing it for an ‘easier course’ or ‘cheaper course’ you will most likely not be affected.

However,

If you have decided to come study in Australia and be granted a ‘easier’ visa to arrive in Australia then plan on changing your course when you get here, then beware.

The DIPB is closely monitoring these practices and as mentioned above, have already cancelled over 800 visas this year.

For more information regarding changing your courses please contact us today.