What Changes Should Be Reported During Your Studies?

Holding an Australian student visa comes with a set of ongoing obligations. Many of these centre on keeping your personal details and enrolment status current with both your education provider and the Department of Home Affairs. Failing to report a change can have serious consequences, including visa cancellation. This guide explains what you must report, who you need to tell, and when you need to act. It is based on the official requirements set by the Australian Government, including the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) National Code and visa conditions.

Who You Need to Inform

As an international student, you generally have two main reporting points:

1. Your education provider (university, college, or registered training organisation). They are required by law to keep accurate records about you and to report certain information to the government through the Provider Registration and International Student Management System (PRISMS).
2. The Department of Home Affairs. You are personally responsible for updating your details with the department to comply with your visa conditions.

The specific change determines which party you must notify, and in some cases you need to inform both.

Personal and Contact Detail Changes

Your contact details are a critical link between you, your institution, and the government. You must keep them up to date.

What to update with your education provider:

• Your Australian residential address
• Your mobile phone number
• Your personal email address (not just your student email, which may expire after your course ends)

What to update with the Department of Home Affairs: You are required to tell the department if your details change. This is a condition of your visa. You can do this through your ImmiAccount online. Key changes include:

• A new passport
• A change of name
• A change of email address or phone number
• A change of residential address

If you change your address, you must notify the department within 14 days. If you do not have access to ImmiAccount, you can use the official change-of-circumstances form on the department’s website.

Changes to Your Enrolment

Your student visa is granted based on a specific enrolment and Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). Any alteration to that enrolment can affect your visa status. You must not make changes without understanding the implications.

You must speak to your education provider before:

• Changing from a higher-level course to a lower-level course (for example, from a Bachelor degree to a Diploma)
• Reducing your study load (taking fewer subjects in a term than a full-time load requires)
• Taking a leave of absence or deferring your studies
• Withdrawing from a course entirely
• Transferring to a different education provider

Your provider will assess whether the change is permissible under the ESOS National Code and whether it needs to be reported in PRISMS. Some changes, such as transferring providers within the first six months of your principal course, have strict restrictions. You can find a detailed breakdown of the documents you need for a new enrolment in our student visa document guide.

Course Progress and Attendance Requirements

This is one of the most closely monitored areas. Under Standard 8 of the ESOS National Code, your education provider must monitor and support you to complete your course within the expected duration and meet visa requirements for attendance and course progress.

What this means in practice:

• Your provider tracks whether you are passing enough subjects to finish on time (satisfactory course progress).
• Your provider monitors whether you attend enough classes (attendance requirements). The specific attendance threshold is set by your institution but is typically 80% or higher.
• If you are identified as being at risk of not meeting progress or attendance standards, your provider must offer support and intervention. This is often called an “at-risk” notification or intervention strategy.
• If you do not improve, your provider may report you for unsatisfactory progress or attendance through PRISMS. The Department of Home Affairs can then take action on your visa, including cancellation.

It is important to engage with any support your provider offers. Ignoring an at-risk notice will not make the problem go away. If you are struggling, speak to your institution’s student support services early. They can sometimes help you apply for a reduced study load on compassionate or compelling grounds before a formal report is made.

Changes to Your Welfare Arrangements (Under 18 Students)

If you are under 18, your student visa was granted with specific welfare arrangements in place. These arrangements are a condition of your visa.

You must seek approval from your education provider before:

• Changing your accommodation
• Changing your nominated guardian
• Making any other change to the care arrangements that were approved when your visa was granted

Your provider must approve the new arrangement and update your details in PRISMS. You cannot simply move to a new homestay or live independently without this approval. Doing so puts your visa at immediate risk.

What Happens If You Do Not Report a Change

The consequences of not reporting a change can escalate quickly. Here is a typical sequence:

1. Missed communications. If your address or email is out of date, you may miss critical notices from your provider or the Department of Home Affairs.
2. Non-compliance finding. Your provider may discover the unreported change during an audit or routine check and record a breach.
3. PRISMS report. A serious breach, such as an unapproved course transfer or prolonged unsatisfactory attendance, will be reported in PRISMS.
4. Notice of Intention to Consider Cancellation (NOICC). The Department of Home Affairs may send you a NOICC, giving you an opportunity to explain why your visa should not be cancelled.
5. Visa cancellation. If the department is not satisfied with your response, your visa can be cancelled. A cancelled visa can affect your ability to apply for other Australian visas in the future.

It is far simpler to report changes early and seek permission where needed. If you are unsure whether a change needs to be reported, ask your provider’s international student support team or a qualified migration agent.

A Practical Checklist for Reporting Changes

Use this step-by-step list as a quick reference whenever your circumstances shift:

1. Identify the change. Is it personal (address, passport), academic (course, load), or welfare-related?
2. Determine who to tell. Personal details: both your provider and the Department of Home Affairs. Academic changes: your provider first. Welfare changes (under 18): your provider before you act.
3. Seek permission, don’t ask for forgiveness. For academic and welfare changes, get written approval before you make the move.
4. Update your ImmiAccount. For address, name, passport, and contact changes, log in and update your details within 14 days.
5. Keep records. Save copies of approval emails, updated CoEs, and ImmiAccount confirmation screens.
6. Check your student email. Providers often send important compliance reminders to your institutional email address. Check it at least twice a week.

If you have recently arrived, make sure you have completed all your initial setup tasks. Our first-week setup checklist covers everything from getting a local SIM card to registering with a doctor, which helps ensure your provider and the department can reach you.

When to Seek Further Help

This guide covers the most common reporting obligations, but every student’s situation is unique. If you are dealing with a complex issue—such as a course transfer that involves a change in visa subclass, or you have received a NOICC—you should get professional advice. A registered migration agent or an experienced education counsellor can help you understand your options and your obligations under the law.

FAQ

Q1: I am moving to a new apartment in the same suburb. Do I really need to report this?

Yes. Any change of residential address must be reported to both your education provider and the Department of Home Affairs. The department’s visa condition requires you to notify them of your new address, and your provider needs an accurate record to maintain your enrolment.

Q2: What counts as “satisfactory course progress”?

Your education provider sets the specific rules, but it generally means passing at least 50% of the subjects you attempt in a given study period and progressing through your course at a pace that allows you to finish within the expected duration. Your provider’s policy will be in your student handbook or on their website.

Q3: Can I take a semester off if I feel burned out?

You cannot simply decide to take a semester off. You must apply to your education provider for a leave of absence or deferral. The provider will only approve it if you have compassionate or compelling circumstances (such as a medical condition or a family crisis) and if the leave does not breach your visa conditions. Taking unauthorised leave can lead to your CoE being cancelled and your visa being affected.

Q4: I changed my phone number. Is updating my education provider enough?

No. You should update your phone number with both your education provider and the Department of Home Affairs through your ImmiAccount. This ensures that both parties can contact you if there is an urgent issue with your enrolment or visa.

Q5: My provider has put me on an intervention plan for low attendance. What should I do?

Engage with the plan immediately. Attend the required meetings, follow the advice given, and meet the attendance targets set. An intervention plan is your provider’s effort to help you get back on track before a formal PRISMS report is made. If you have genuine medical or personal reasons for your absences, provide supporting documentation to your provider as soon as possible.

Sources

• Department of Education, Standard 8: Overseas Student Visa Requirements (ESOS National Code)
• Department of Home Affairs, Check Visa Details and Conditions

Staying on top of your reporting obligations is a key part of maintaining your student visa. If you are feeling unsure about your current situation or are planning a change to your studies, it helps to talk it through with someone who understands the system. Ready to plan your next step? Speak with an Australian education counsellor → /contact/