5 Points for Regional Study — Skilled Migration Points Guide
How to Claim Regional Study Points for Skilled Migration
For skilled migration purposes, regional Australia means any area excluding Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane — this definition applies from 16 November 2019. Importantly, Perth and the Gold Coast are classified as regional, along with the Sunshine Coast, Lake Macquarie, Illawarra, Geelong, Newcastle, Wollongong, Adelaide, Hobart and Canberra. Living and studying in any of these locations qualifies as regional study for points test australia purposes.
To claim 5 regional study points on your skilled migration points test, you must hold at least 1 degree, diploma or trade qualification from an Australian educational institution that satisfies the Australian Study Requirement — obtained while living and studying in an eligible regional area of Australia.
Conditions to Claim Regional Study Points
To be eligible for the 5 regional study points, your qualification must meet all of the following:
- You must first satisfy the full Australian Study Requirement (at least 92 weeks / 16 months of CRICOS-registered study in English)
- Your qualification must have been obtained while you lived in and studied at a campus in one or more eligible regional areas — see the postcode table below
- Your study must not include distance education — all study must have been conducted in person at a campus located in a designated regional area
Both conditions must be met simultaneously: you must have physically lived in the regional area and attended a campus in a regional area during your studies. Living in a regional area while studying at a metropolitan campus does not qualify.
Regional Areas Eligible for the 5 Study Points — State by State
| State | Areas | Postcode |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Everywhere except Sydney, Newcastle, the Central Coast and Wollongong | 2311 to 2312, 2328 to 2411, 2420 to 2490, 2536 to 2551, 2575 to 2594, 2618 to 2739, 2787 to 2898 |
| Northern Territory | Everywhere in the territory | All postcodes |
| Queensland | Everywhere except the greater Brisbane area and the Gold Coast | 4124 to 4125, 4133, 4211, 4270 to 4272, 4275, 4280, 4285, 4287, 4307 to 4499, 4515, 4517 to 4519, 4522 to 4899 |
| South Australia | Everywhere in the state | All postcodes |
| Tasmania | Everywhere in the state | All postcodes |
| Victoria | Everywhere except the Melbourne metropolitan area | 3211 to 3334, 3340 to 3424, 3430 to 3649, 3658 to 3749, 3753, 3756, 3758, 3762, 3764, 3778 to 3781, 3783, 3797, 3799, 3810 to 3909, 3921 to 3925, 3945 to 3974, 3979, 3981 to 3996 |
| Western Australia | Everywhere except Perth and surrounding areas | 6041 to 6044, 6083 to 6084, 6121 to 6126, 6200 to 6799 |
VisaAid’s migration consultants confirm whether your campus location and postcode qualify for the regional study points, check your full Australian Study Requirement evidence, and calculate your complete pr points calculator score. Book your free assessment to confirm your regional study eligibility.
How Regional Study Points Stack With Other Points
The regional study points work alongside — not instead of — other study-related skilled migration points:
- +5 points — Australian Study Requirement (for completing 2 years at any Australian institution)
- +5 points — Regional study (this page — for completing those 2 years at a regional campus)
- +5 points — Professional Year (for completing a PY in accounting, IT or engineering)
A student who completes 2 years at a regional campus and then completes a Professional Year can claim all 15 points from these three categories. Combined with strong English and Australian work experience, this can add 30–35 points to your skillselect points score above your base qualifications and age total.
See the full Skilled Visa Points Test Table to calculate your complete score.
Regional Study Also Extends Your 485 Visa
Studying at a regional campus does more than add 5 points to your skilled migration score — it also extends your Graduate Temporary 485 visa duration:
- Graduates from a Category 2 regional institution (Perth, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Newcastle/Lake Macquarie, Wollongong/Illawarra, Geelong, Hobart) receive 1 additional year on their 485 visa
- Graduates from a Category 3 regional institution (all other regional locations) receive 2 additional years on their 485 visa
This extended time gives you more years to accumulate Australian work experience, complete a Professional Year and build the points test australia score you need for an invitation — making regional study one of the highest-value strategies available to international students planning a skilled migration pathway.
See our full Designated Regional Areas guide for which campuses fall in Category 2 versus Category 3.
Regional Study — Part of Your Pathway to Permanent Residence
The 5 regional study points are one component of a broader strategy international students use to build a competitive skilled migration points score. Combined with the Australian Study Requirement points, Professional Year, superior English and Australian work experience, regional study can put you 15–20 points above the same applicant who studied in a major city.
Related pages:
- Skilled Migration Points Test Table
- Australian Study Requirement Points
- Professional Year Points
- 485 Visa — Graduate Temporary Guide
- Designated Regional Areas
- 491 Visa — Skilled Work Regional
Book your free assessment and a VisaAid consultant will map how regional study fits into your complete skilled migration strategy.