To deliver higher education courses to overseas students, you first need to apply to TEQSA to be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Applications for CRICOS registration usually take 3 to 6 months for TEQSA to assess. This timeframe is dependent on a high-quality application with minimal delays in responding to TEQSA’s requests. Information on the entire registration process and timeframes can be found here. Once CRICOS registration is granted, it can take a further 2 to 4 weeks for a CRICOS code to be issued and the newly registered provider listed on the CRICOS register. Providers are unable to advertise courses to overseas students or begin recruiting overseas students until CRICOS registration is granted and a CRICOS code has been issued by the Department of Education.

Key steps

1. Be registered as a higher education provider under the TEQSA Act

Before applying to be registered on CRICOS with TEQSA you must first be registered as a higher education provider under the TEQSA Act. TEQSA will not accept applications for CRICOS registration unless your institute has been registered as a higher education provider, except for providers seeking only to deliver English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS) courses or Foundation Programs.

2. Prepare your application

Once registered as a higher education provider by TEQSA, you may begin to prepare your application for CRICOS registration. Please lodge your intention to apply for CRICOS registration by contacting the CRICOS team at cricos@teqsa.gov.au.

TEQSA highly recommends that you closely review the requirements of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) and National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code) to understand your obligations. Your application should demonstrate how you meet, or will meet, each of these obligations. The evidence requirements for applications for CRICOS Registration can be found in TEQSA’s Confirmed Evidence Table (CET).

• Download Confirmed Evidence Table for CRICOS Registration (MS Word, 140 KB)

3. Submit your application

Once all evidence has been prepared, you can submit your application through TEQSA's provider portal. TEQSA will initially determine whether the application is complete and includes all required evidence. If not, TEQSA will notify you of what evidence is missing and provide an opportunity to submit this evidence to complete the application.

4. TEQSA assesses the application

Once your application includes all required evidence, TEQSA will begin its assessment. TEQSA assesses the evidence to determine whether the provider will comply with all requirements of the ESOS Act, the National Code, and any other relevant legislation within the ESOS Framework.

If TEQSA identifies any areas where the application is not compliant with these legislative requirements, or at risk of non-compliance, TEQSA will outline its findings in a proposed decision. You will be afforded an opportunity to respond to these concerns and submit additional or revised evidence to demonstrate compliance, usually within 28 days.

5. TEQSA’s decision

TEQSA may approve or reject your application. In doing so, TEQSA will notify you of its decision and the reasons for the decision in writing.

If TEQSA approves the application, it may decide to approve a period of registration less than the maximum 7 years. TEQSA may also decide to impose conditions on your registration to manage any risks that have not been fully addressed in the application.

If TEQSA decides to reject the application, or if you are dissatisfied with TEQSA’s decision, you may seek a review of that decision. Information on your options for review are outlined on our Review of TEQSA Decisions page.

Further information

For more information or assistance applying for CRICOS registration, please contact the CRICOS team at cricos@teqsa.gov.au.  
 

Application for registration and course accreditation

To become CRICOS registered, a provider must demonstrate that it complies with the requirements of the National Code.

The National Code 2018 provide nationally consistent standards and procedures for registered providers of education and training. TEQSA is responsible for monitoring registered higher education provider's compliance with the National Code.

The National Code 2018 is split in two parts:

• Part A – The Education Services For Overseas Students Framework
  • Sets out the objectives and purpose of the National Code 2018 and explains the underpinning legislative framework. The context, structure and application of the National Code 2018 are also covered by the Framework.
• Part B – Standards outlining the obligations on registered providers (and persons who deliver educational services on their behalf) in delivering education and training services to overseas students.
  • Outlines the Standards that registered providers must comply with.

View the National Code 2018 in full on the Federal Register of Legislation. 

View the Education services for overseas students: ESOS National Code – return to compliance.

Illegal cheating services threaten academic integrity, and they expose students to criminals. Research¹ shows operators of these illegal cheating services will threaten to inform the university or the student’s future employer about a student’s cheating unless the student pays them a large sum of money. 

Australia has banned commercial cheating services and promotion of these services to students. Laws against commercial cheating services include criminal penalties such as fines of up to $100,000 for operators. People who provide cheating services for free also face civil prosecution. These laws do not penalise students who use these services to engage in cheating but institutional discipline policies will continue to apply.

TEQSA has developed the following information to help students to identify, avoid and report illegal cheating services. This information is intended to complement, not replace, any advice you may receive from your institution. 

Identifying an illegal cheating service

Illegal commercial cheating services can include websites and individuals or groups that market or provide cheating services to students.

Illegal cheating services – sometimes also called contract cheating services – sell students essays or assignments, or accept payment for someone to sit exams on a student’s behalf. 

Often, these services market themselves as offering ‘study support’. Many of these illegal operators will ask students to upload previous work or material from their course to access the advertised ‘support’.

Some of these illegal services market aggressively via social media, email and on campus. They can also find you through your social media posts. For example, a student may post on social media about an essay they are writing and then receive numerous ‘bot’ messages offering illegal commercial cheating services.

Avoiding illegal cheating services

Identifying illegal cheating services can sometimes be difficult but you should always avoid any service that:

• promises to help write or improve your essay or assignment or sit an exam on your behalf in exchange for money
• offers unsolicited ‘study support’ via social media, email or on-campus advertising
• asks you to upload a previous example of your work, or materials from your course, in order to receive help
• offers to sell you study notes, exams or other assessment materials.

Tip: Blocking unsolicited messages received via social media or email offering study support, essay writing or other contract cheating services can help you avoid illegal cheating services and maintain your academic integrity. Be aware of the information you share on social media networks and consider your privacy settings. This may help you avoid being targeted by illegal cheating service operators.

Reporting illegal cheating services

TEQSA and Australia’s higher education providers work together to share intelligence about illegal cheating services. This supports institutions to protect student interests and academic integrity by securing their networks against illegal services.

Where to report a suspected commercial cheating service

To your provider

If you receive email material promoting suspected illegal cheating services via your institutional email account, or see a suspected cheating site on your institution’s network, report it to your school or university. You should also inform them if you see posters, notices or business cards on your campus promoting illegal cheating services.

To TEQSA

If you encounter a suspected illegal cheating service, you can report it by completing our online form.

Notes

1. Yorke, J., Sefcik, L., & Veeran-Colton, T. (2020). Contract cheating and blackmail: a risky business? Studies in Higher Education.

Section 17A of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) and Standard 11.3 of the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code) require providers to notify TEQSA of certain events, such as a change of details on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS), or any change or event that would significantly affect the provider’s ability to comply with the Act.

Some notifications have timeframes specified in the National Code and the ESOS Act:

• Standard 11.3 of the National Code requires a registered provider to notify its ESOS agency (TEQSA) of any proposed changes to the provider’s registration for a course at least 30 days prior to the time at which those changes are to take effect. This includes proposed changes to:
  • course duration, including holiday breaks
  • modes of study, including on-line, distance or work-based training
  • number of overseas students enrolled at the provider, within the limit or maximum number approved by the ESOS agency for the location
  • arrangements with other education providers, including partners, in delivering a course or courses to overseas students.
• Section 17A of the ESOS Act requires a registered provider to notify its ESOS agency (TEQSA) of the following, within 10 business days after the event occurs:
  • any occurrence of an event that would significantly affect the provider’s ability to comply with the Act
  • any prospective changes to the ownership of the registered provider as soon as practicable before the changes takes effect
  • any prospective or actual change in relation to a related person of the provider. If the change cannot be determined until it takes effect, the registered provider is to notify the ESOS agency (TEQSA) within 10 business days of the change taking effect; or as soon as practicable before the change takes effect.

NOTE: There are no fees associated with any of these changes.

Notifications must be submitted in the approved form via the provider portal within the timeframe required by the Act/National Code and must include all information requested.

Please use the following application forms to notify TEQSA of these types of change to your CRICOS registration:

Please note: For providers registered under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011, there may also be obligations to submit a material change notification to TEQSA where an event requires an update to the National Register or an event happens or is likely to happen that will significantly affect the provider’s ability to meet the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standard) 2021. Further information is available on our Material Changes page.

Evidence requirements for Other CRICOS changes

Changes to the duration of a course

If making a change to the duration of a course, you should provide evidence to support your application including rationale for the change and minutes of the decision taken by the governing body, evidence that students have been advised of the proposed change and evidence that students have been advised to contact the Department of Home Affairs if this change will require an extension of their student visa.

Changes to the title of a course

If proposing a change to the title of a course, where the course duration and its learning outcomes remain the same, you should provide evidence to support your application including minutes of the decision taken to update the course title and evidence that current and accepted students have been informed.

Changes to work integrated learning components of a course

If proposing changes to work integrated learning components of a course, you should provide evidence to support your application including the rationale for the change and minutes of the decision taken.

Changes to student capacity on CRICOS

For more information regarding the evidence requirements for changing overseas student capacity at a location, see the How to apply to change student capacity on CRICOS page.

Further information

For more information or assistance regarding notifications required under the National Code and the ESOS Act, please contact the CRICOS team at cricos@teqsa.gov.au.  
 

16 April 2020

Attachment A

Summary response for inclusion in ‘Summary’ section of the report

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) welcomes the Australian National Audit Office’s performance audit report on its regulation of higher education and thanks the audit team for their efforts and diligence in conducting the audit.

TEQSA has only recently had its resourcing increased following a period of significant reduction in resourcing and reduced capacity. One recent initiative was to establish a dedicated Compliance and Investigations team. The timing of the audit presented an opportunity to reflect on areas for improvement and we are pleased that the findings confirm areas of focus where TEQSA already has work well underway. 

In finding TEQSA’s regulatory activities to be effective or largely effective in all but one instance, the ANAO’s report confirms that TEQSA is meeting its purpose under the TEQSA Act to regulate higher education according to the principles of regulatory necessity, risk and proportionality. TEQSA acknowledges the areas for improvement and recommendations in relation to its compliance and enforcement activities.

TEQSA accepts all five recommendations in relation to its compliance and enforcement activities, with action already planned or underway to make improvements consistent with these recommendations. This includes work already undertaken to strengthen TEQSA’s existing compliance monitoring framework, improvements to the planning of compliance assessments and ensuring the timely assessment of material submitted by providers. TEQSA has also implemented processes for consistent handling of material change notifications and reporting of compliance activity, with a full regulatory operations report to be published in July 2020. 

Attachment C

TEQSA’s full response to the audit report

TEQSA acknowledges the ANAO’s findings and recommendations and appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Audit Report. 

The ANAO report makes five recommendations designed to improve the effectiveness of TEQSA’s compliance activities. Broadly, these emphasise the development of a comprehensive compliance monitoring framework supported by appropriate operational processes, and improving the documentation, timeliness and public reporting of the activities of TEQSA’s compliance activities. TEQSA agrees with all five recommendations, noting that in assessing compliance the agency is required to apply the three basic principles of regulation stated in the TEQSA Act, which are regulatory necessity, reflecting risk and proportionality.  

Compliance is monitored and assessed by TEQSA through a number of interconnected and complementary activities, including:

• cyclical assessments for re-registration and re-accreditation
• an annual risk assessment process
• the investigation and monitoring of complaints and other information about providers
• the conduct of sector-wide thematic analyses.

Under the TEQSA Act, TEQSA may review or examine any aspect of an entity’s operations to ensure continuing compliance with the Threshold Standards. However, following the Lee Dow-Braithwaite review¹, the agency was directed to focus on simplifying processes and improving the timeliness of decisions about applications by Ministerial Direction 2 – 2013. As noted in Figure 1.2 of the ANAO report, from 2014-15 TEQSA was also subject to a significant reduction in its appropriation, as well as a reduction in the average number of ongoing staff that could be engaged. This restriction severely limited TEQSA’s ability to undertake any additional activities without a diversion of resources from application based assessment. Despite these limitations, TEQSA has been able to act quickly to address incidents that posed serious risk to the interests of students or the reputation of the sector, which was supported by the ANAO report finding that TEQSA has provided appropriate support to the sector to address key sector-wide risks. In 2018-19, with increased resourcing, TEQSA undertook significant recruitment and training of new staff, as well as the review and development of regulatory processes. 

TEQSA considers that the overall conclusion that the effectiveness of TEQSA’s regulation of higher education is “mixed” understates the positive findings of the ANAO audit, which found effective or largely effective performance in three of the four elements of the audit. The ANAO report has not provided any indication that TEQSA’s compliance and enforcement processes have been unsuccessful or ineffective in achieving their stated objectives or identified instances of non-compliance that have threatened TEQSA’s core objects of protecting the interests of students and the reputation of Australia for providing quality higher education. 

The almost complete absence of failures in Australian higher education since TEQSA’s regulatory functions commenced provides strong evidence of the effectiveness of the agency’s regulatory approach, which is underscored by the assessment of TEQSA’s regulatory approvals processes and sectoral guidance and support as effective. The ANAO has not identified any instances in which TEQSA failed to take appropriate action to address a substantial compliance concern.

The ANAO report acknowledges that the indicators and data used by TEQSA in risk assessment processes are aligned with the key areas of risk to providing quality higher education, but queries the accuracy of provider risk assessments due to the age of the source data used in the assessments. TEQSA notes that the accuracy of the risk assessments is clear, as the results reflect the available data, but that the risk assessments may be affected by the currency of the data. As the ANAO report acknowledges, the Transforming the Collection of Student Information project which is due to be implemented from 2020 by the Department of Education, Skills and Employment should improve the availability of timely student data. Additionally, the ANAO report does not recognise the need for complaints to be assessed by TEQSA for relevance to and compliance with the standards, before they can be considered for inclusion in the risk assessment. 

TEQSA acknowledges the areas for improvement for regulatory approvals processes identified by the ANAO, namely: better documenting the rationale for the scope of application assessments in assessment planning; selected guidance for staff and experts on analytical approaches for assessing whether standards have been met; and ensuring advice for decision makers include an analysis of relevant complaints against the provider received by TEQSA.

TEQSA has strengthened the rationale for the scope of its assessments through revisions to its approach and documentation of pre-application scoping. These approaches are well documented, adequately consider matters, including risk and complaints, and provide a suitable framework for the assessment process. 

TEQSA accepts further guidance to staff is necessary and will implement improvements as suggested in the audit report. The changes implemented to improve the pre-application scoping process are also relevant for the consideration around analysis of complaints. TEQSA has reviewed its approach to complaints and is implementing the necessary changes so that complaints can be considered in assessments.

TEQSA would like to thank the audit team for their work and the diligent, constructive and professional manner in which the audit was conducted.  

Professor Nicholas Saunders AO
Chief Commissioner and Acting CEO
26 March 2020

Notes

1. Dow, K, Braithwaite, V 2013, Review of higher education regulation: report [Lee Dow-Braithwaite review], Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, Canberra, p.10, accessed 17 March 2020.

Student success, retention, and completion in higher education is an issue of fundamental importance, receiving considerable effort and attention both in terms of research and innovation in policy and practice.

We are working with providers to identify any strategies or common approaches that have led to improved student retention rates and therefore offer helpful examples of good practice across the sector.

Resources

• Good Practice Note: Improving retention and completion of students in Australian higher education
• Higher Education Standards Panel Final Report - Improving Retention, Completion and Success in Higher Education

TEQSA is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) and must comply with the Information Publication Scheme (IPS) requirements within that Act. These requirements impose an obligation on TEQSA to publish a range of information including information about what we do and how we do it.

We publish this information on our website and ensure that we fulfil the requirements of the IPS by allowing you to search and access the information we are required to publish.

Documents and information

Some of the information you can find on our website includes:

Freedom of information disclosure log

The role and functions of TEQSA

Functions and powers under the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011

Statutory appointments

Budget papers

Annual Report

Corporate Plan

Consultations run by TEQSA

Organisational structure

Service Charter

Operational information

Operational information that TEQSA is required to publish under the IPS is available from the How We Regulate section.

Senate Continuing Order 12 requires the production of files relating to policy advising functions, the development of legislation and matters of public administration, not later than the tenth day of the spring and autumn sittings. Case related files, those related to internal administration of a department or agency, and those files transferred to the National Archives, are specifically excluded.

Given the terms of the order, the nature of TEQSA's responsibilities and our records management system, we have not been required to provide a response to the order to date.

For more information, please contact:

FOI Coordinator
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
GPO Box 1672
Melbourne VIC 3001
Email: foi@teqsa.gov.au