Australian Study Requirement Points — Two Year Study for Skilled Migration
What Is the Australian Study Requirement for Skilled Migration Points?
nternational students who complete a qualification or qualifications involving at least 2 years of study in Australia can claim 5 points on the skilled migration points test for meeting the Australian Study Requirement. This same 2-year study period also makes you eligible to apply for the Graduate Temporary 485 visa — which gives you up to 3 years of additional work experience in Australia before applying for permanent residence.
Points Available Through Australian Study
Completing your studies in Australia can add up to 15 points to your pr points calculator score:
- +5 points — meeting the 2-year Australian Study Requirement
- +5 points — completing 2 years of study in a designated regional area
- +5 points — completing a Professional Year program in accounting, IT or engineering
All three bonuses stack — a student who studies 2 years at a regional campus and then completes a Professional Year can add 15 points to their score from study alone.
485 Visa Pathway: Students who meet the 2-year Australian Study Requirement may be eligible for the Graduate Temporary 485 visa — lasting 18 months to 3 years depending on qualification level. The 485 visa grants full unrestricted work rights, letting graduates accumulate Australian work experience points and build toward a competitive skillselect points score.
Recognised Qualifications: Australian qualifications are more readily recognised for skills assessment purposes — a significant practical advantage when applying for skilled migration.
Australian Study Requirement — The Six Key Conditions
To claim the australian study requirement points, your study must satisfy all six of the following conditions:
- Type of qualification: The course must produce a degree, diploma or trade qualification. Masters degrees, graduate diplomas and PhDs count toward the 2-year requirement for skilled migration points purposes. Note: for the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream specifically, graduate certificates and graduate diplomas no longer qualify as of 14 December 2024 — but they still count toward the Australian Study Requirement for points purposes.
- CRICOS registration: Every course must be on the CRICOS register — the approved list of courses for international students. If your institution deregisters from CRICOS before you complete your course, this can create eligibility issues. Check your institution’s CRICOS status before enrolling and monitor it during your studies.
- Two academic years: Your total course duration must be at least 92 weeks according to the CRICOS registration — not just 92 weeks of actual classes attended.
- 16-month physical presence: The course must span at least 16 months of study in Australia from start to completion. You must have been physically present in Australia for this period.
- English medium: All instruction must be delivered in English. Translation and interpreting qualifications can create complications with this condition — seek advice before relying on these qualifications for the ASR.
- Visa conditions compliance: Your study must comply with your visa conditions. This is straightforward for holders of a Student visa (subclass 500), but may be an issue if you studied on another visa that restricted your study rights.
Time Limits — Australian Study Requirement and the 485 Visa
If you plan to apply for the 485 visa based on meeting the Australian Study Requirement, you must apply within 6 months of completing your qualification. Keep three important nuances in mind:
- Completion date is the date your institution notifies you of your final results — not your graduation ceremony date, which can be many months later
- Your student visa typically expires within weeks or months of course completion — the practical deadline to apply for the 485 visa is often tighter than the 6-month window suggests. Apply early.
- Claiming points for Australian study has no 6-month restriction — you can claim these points test australia points on your skilled migration EOI even if it has been more than 6 months since you completed your studies
Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) — Does Not Count Toward the ASR
If an Australian education provider recognises your overseas prior learning (RPL) and reduces your course duration as a result, the reduced portion does not count toward the 2-year Australian Study Requirement. Similarly, the course registration length on CRICOS cannot be used to satisfy the ASR if the actual course was shortened through RPL. You must complete the full 92 weeks / 16 months of study in Australia regardless of any RPL concessions your institution grants.
When Your Study Is NOT Closely Related to Your Nominated Occupation
For the Post-Vocational Education Work stream of the 485 visa, your study must be closely related to your nominated skilled occupation. Examples where the Department would find the study is not closely related:
- Nominated occupation is Registered Nurse but the ASR was satisfied through a Bachelor of Commerce — commerce does not transfer to nursing
- Nominated occupation is a trade but the ASR was satisfied through a business qualification — the subject matter does not align
Exception: A Child Care Centre Manager who satisfied the ASR through a business qualification may qualify because the role involves both running a business and caring for children — the business qualification has genuine relevance.
- The study was at a level inconsistent with the level at which the applicant is skilled to work — for example, a high-level professional role requiring degree-level expertise, satisfied by a Certificate III
See our closely related skilled occupation guide for more detail on how the Department assesses this.
Examples Where Qualifications Are NOT Closely Related
- An applicant completes a Certificate III in Furniture Making and a Master of Information Technology — the IT master’s skills are inconsistent with the day-to-day requirements of a Carpenter and Joiner.
- An applicant completes a Master of Professional Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts (French Studies and International Business) and nominates Accountant — the Bachelor of Arts is not an objective requirement of accounting, even though multilingualism is a general benefit
- An applicant completes a Certificate III in Carpentry (one year prior) and a Diploma of Business (within 6 months of lodgment), nominates Carpenter — the Diploma of Business has no relevance to obtaining an entry-level Carpenter position and cannot be considered closely related
- Enabling courses, bridging programs, non-award courses and ELICOS courses studied before commencing a degree, diploma or trade qualification cannot count toward the Australian Study Requirement — even if you studied them in Australia on a student visa.
Acceptable Combinations of Study and Nominated Occupation
The following combinations satisfy the Australian Study Requirement and the closely related occupation test:
- Biomedical Engineer — Bachelor and Master of Engineering in Australia
- Construction Project Manager — Advanced Diploma of Building and Construction in Australia
- Automotive Electrician — Certificate III in Automotive (Electrical) and Certificate IV in Automotive Technology in Australia
- Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber — Certificate III in Plumbing and a Diploma of Plumbing and Services in Australia
Skills Assessment for an Overseas Qualification
A positive skills assessment from a relevant assessing authority can support your Post-Vocational Education Work stream 485 visa application, regardless of whether your qualification was completed in Australia or overseas. However, holding an overseas skills assessment does not exempt you from the Australian Study Requirement — you must still separately satisfy the 2-year ASR in a closely related field of study to your nominated occupation.
COVID Concession Period — Online Study Update
Online study completed during the COVID concession period (1 February 2020 to 25 November 2023) continues to count toward the Australian Study Requirement. All study outside this concession period must have been conducted in person and in Australia to count toward the 92-week requirement.
The subclass 485 visa can be granted regardless of the applicant’s location at the time of grant — you do not need to be in Australia when the visa is issued.
How VisaAid Helps With the Australian Study Requirement
VisaAid’s migration consultants help international students navigate the Australian Study Requirement — assessing your specific course history, institution registrations, visa compliance and course combinations to confirm whether you meet the ASR and can claim the 5 australian study requirement points.
We identify the best skilled migration pathway for your qualification, ensure your 485 visa application is lodged within the critical 6-month window, and map your route from graduation to permanent residence.
From Australian Study to Permanent Residence — Your Pathway
Meeting the Australian Study Requirement is the foundation of the most common international student pathway to permanent residence in Australia:
Student visa (500) → Australian Study Requirement (2 years) → 485 visa (work rights, accumulate points) → 189 visa / 190 visa / 491 visa (permanent or provisional skilled visa)
At each stage, your points test australia score determines your invitation prospects. Study in a regional area, complete a Professional Year and build Australian work experience to maximise your score during your 485 visa years.
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