During your studies in Australia

If you are a current international student studying with an Australian education provider, find out about how to get the most out of your experience and the measures in place to protect you while you study.

On this page:

Legislation to protect international students

The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) legislative framework makes sure that courses for international students meet high quality standards.

  • Know your rights and responsibilities under the ESOS legislation
  • Understand the penalties for provider breaches of ESOS legislation.
Learn about ESOS

Including work integrated learning in your studies

There are many opportunities to increase your employability while you study. This includes work integrated learning (WIL) opportunities such as internships, cadetships, work placements and more.

  • preparing for WIL
  • understanding Australian workplace cultures
  • undertaking WIL in an online environment.
Make the most of your WIL experience with these resources

What to do if your education provider closes or you cannot complete your course

The Tuition Protection Service (TPS) is a placement and refund service that helps:

  • Eligible students who are affected by an education provider closure
  • Students who have either withdrawn from or not started their course, and who are eligible for a refund of tuition fees, but the refund has not been processed by their education provider
  • Provide students with the information they need to choose an alternative course that best suits them
  • Arrange a refund of any pre-paid tuition fees if there is no course that meets their needs.
Learn more about TPS

The rights of international students at work

International students have the same workplace rights and protections as anyone else working in Australia. For all you need to know about paying tax, working hours and the type of work you can do.

Read more about the rights of international students

Welfare arrangements for international students under 18 years

If you are under 18 years old, you must have approved welfare arrangements in place when studying in Australia.

  • Find frequently asked questions
  • Explore options for welfare arrangements
  • Read guidance for education providers on these welfare arrangements.
Read more about the required welfare arrangements

Information on scams targeting Chinese students

Recently there has been an increase in scammers using tactics to threaten, intimidate and steal from Chinese students. We have developed a factsheet (available in both English and Mandarin) which provides detailed information on:

  • What this scam looks like
  • What you can do if a scammer approaches you while you are studying in Australia
  • Where you can get help within Australia
Read the factsheet about scams targeting Chinese students

Information on financial scams targeting international students 

There has been an increase in criminals targeting students (online and in person) and offering them payment to receive money into their bank account and transfer it to another account or cryptocurrency exchange. This is called money muling. Money mules are recruited, sometimes unknowingly, by criminals to transfer stolen money on behalf of others. The Australian Federal Police have developed money muling resources for international students and education providers to help educate and protect international students.

The following resources can be printed and shared to help spread awareness.