Before getting started
Registering as a CRICOS provider requires extensive planning, documentation and resource allocation. You should expect your initial application to take between 6 and 9 months to be assessed.
Before getting started, make sure you understand your obligations under the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Framework, in particular your responsibility for approving and monitoring the accommodation, support and welfare arrangements for unaccompanied international students aged under 18 years.
To view the framework, see:
Your application will be assessed against the relevant guidelines:
Your application will also be assessed against:
How to apply
Independent schools, Catholic schools, and non-school senior secondary providers wanting to offer a course of study to international students should apply to the VRQA.
Please make sure your application is clear and well-organised, with all supporting evidence attached. We will not assess incomplete or poor-quality applications.
Government schools wanting to offer a course of study to international students should contact the International Education Division of the Victorian Department of Education:
Non-school senior secondary providers should email us for information on offering a course to international students:
Registered training organisations in Victoria that deliver vocational education and training courses to international students should contact:
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Submitting your application
Email or post your application to:
International Education Unit
Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority
GPO Box 2317
Melbourne Vic 3001
We will acknowledge your application with an email and invoice.
Application fee and other charges
A non-refundable fee applies to all applications. You can pay the fee online by credit card (Mastercard or Visa), BPAY or by Post Billpay.
To view the current VRQA fee or to pay online, see:
Note: VRQA fees are for VRQA CRICOS approval and recommendation to the Commonwealth Department of Education.
The Commonwealth Department will charge additional fees for CRICOS registration including an entry to market charge and an annual registration fee.
For more information, see:
Assessing your application
It can take between 6 and 9 months for an application to be assessed. This is done over 4 stages.
Stages |
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Stage 1
Check | We will make sure your application is complete and contact you if:
- you have not answered all required questions on the application form
- you have not included all the required evidence.
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Stage 2
Assessment | Once your application fee is paid, we will review the evidence provided in your application and prepare a report. Based on the report, we may ask you to meet with us. You will be given one opportunity to address and rectify any issues identified in the report within an appropriate timeframe. |
Stage 3
Site visit | We will schedule a site visit to make sure your organisation has the relevant systems and resources in place to provide education services to international students. At the site visit, we may consider: - the integrity of your marketing material and the information you provide to students, including transfers between providers, complaints and appeals
- how you monitor progress and attendance so that students complete their course within the expected timeframe
- how international students have been included in your response to Victoria’s Child Safe Standards
- whether staff, facilities and equipment are appropriate for delivering courses to international students.
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Stage 4
Decision | In making a decision on your application, we will consider the evidence from the assessment, any rectification action, the site visit, and your registration history. We may consider if a course is suitable for international students, or any other matters relating to your organisation’s management and operations. If we approve your application, we will recommend to the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training that it register your school or organisation, and its courses, on CRICOS, if it is satisfied that all requirements have been met. Remember, you can only start offering courses to international students once CRICOS registration is complete. |
See also: