How to apply to add an ELICOS course to CRICOS

ELICOS courses

English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) courses are nationally recognised and provide solely or mostly English language instruction to help overseas students improve their English. This may be for work or career purposes, personal interest, travel, or to prepare them to continue their education in English, either in Australia or elsewhere.

Only education institutions registered under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) and listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) can enrol overseas students to study in Australia on a student visa.

TEQSA has regulatory responsibility for ELICOS courses delivered by registered higher education providers, and ELICOS courses delivered by education providers with an entry arrangement with at least one registered higher education provider. TEQSA is also the ESOS agency responsible for registering and renewing registration on CRICOS by these providers.

ELICOS courses must comply with requirements set out in the:

• ESOS Act
• National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code 2018)
• ELICOS Standards 2018 (ELICOS Standards).

Where there is an arrangement in place for an overseas student to enter a tertiary course directly following successful completion of the ELICOS course, providers must demonstrate that assessment outcomes for overseas students are comparable to other English language criteria used for admission to that tertiary course.  For more information, see TEQSA’s ELICOS direct entry guide.

While there are non-statutory organisations that provide professional accreditation, professional development, quality assurance reviews and other services supporting the standard of English language teaching in Australia, only an Australian Government ESOS agency can approve providers to deliver ELICOS courses to overseas students who are in Australia on a student visa.

TEQSA strongly encourages providers applying to accredit a new course or to renew accreditation for their ELICOS course to engage independent expert advice.

TEQSA expects that ELICOS providers can demonstrate how they are ensuring their management, teaching, marketing and administration staff are engaged with contemporary, best-practice approaches to educational and professional outcomes, reflecting an up-to-date knowledge of significant developments in theory and practice in English language training.

Self-assurance report

TEQSA requires that providers seeking to add an ELICOS course to their CRICOS registration or renew an existing ELICOS course submit a self-assurance report.

A self-assurance report is an opportunity for providers to demonstrate the effectiveness of their self-assurance mechanisms.

The report should consist of no more than 5 pages outlining how the provider’s governing body assures itself of the quality of its education operations in relation to its ELICOS course, and that it meets and will continue to meet the requirements of the ESOS Act, the National Code 2018 and the ELICOS Standards.

Note: All claims made in the self-assurance report must be substantiated by evidence, with reference to specific supporting documents in-text. Wherever possible, supporting evidence should be directly accessible via in-text hyperlinks, included as attachments to the report where specified, or otherwise listed in an index for later submission on request.

Adding a new ELICOS course

As part of the self-assurance report, providers wishing to add a new ELICOS course to CRICOS should:

1. Provide evidence of how risks have been identified, managed and mitigated, and how the provider will manage these risks going forward, including areas for continuous improvement, and associated actions and measures to monitor success.
2. Demonstrate how the provider manages key sector risks in the following areas:

Note: TEQSA expects that providers specialising in the delivery of ELICOS courses will adapt sector-wide advice to the specific needs of their students.

3. Outline the findings, actions arising, and resulting outcomes of at least one review by a suitably qualified discipline expert that verifies that the course is compliant with the ELICOS Standards. A copy of the review should be included as an attachment to the self-assurance report. See the section Commissioning a review of compliance with the ELICOS Standards below for further information.
4. Provide evidence of the course’s approval and oversight through the provider’s internal quality assurance mechanisms.
5. Demonstrate that the ELICOS Course meets the minimum requirement of 20 hours face-to-face scheduled course contact per week, as well as any other study requirements and any scheduled breaks.
6. Verify that policies and procedures related to study arrangements for students under the age of 18 comply with the National Code 2018.
7. Outline that facilities and operations for any mixed-age student cohorts are designed to meet the needs of students of different ages, maturity and levels of English language proficiency.
8. Outline access to services, learning opportunities, facilities and equipment that address students’ English language learning needs.
9. Demonstrate that course materials and tutoring are tailored to meet student learning requirements, taking into account the differing levels of students’ age and maturity.
10. Provide evidence of the formal measures the provider has implemented to ensure that assessment outcomes for the English language subjects are comparable to other criteria used for admission to the available higher education pathways, or for admission to other similar courses of study.

Renewing an existing ELICOS course

TEQSA requires CRICOS-registered providers who deliver ELICOS courses to apply for re-accreditation of their ELICOS course(s) at the same time they are applying to renew their CRICOS registration. For these providers, the application to renew their ELICOS course(s) is integrated into the application to renew their CRICOS registration. These providers will submit 2 self-assurance reports as part of their CRICOS renewal: one focused on the CRICOS re-registration requirements, and one focused on the ELICOS requirements.

Providers wishing to renew an ELICOS course should follow the same requirements in preparing the self-assurance report as when applying to add a new ELICOS course to CRICOS.

Commissioning a review of compliance with the ELICOS Standards

TEQSA strongly encourages providers to commission a review by a suitably qualified discipline expert to verify their ELICOS courses’ compliance with the ESOS Act, the National Code 2018 and the ELICOS Standards. Commissioning a review can be an effective way for a provider to check that the design of their ELICOS course and their institutional policies, procedures and practices are fit for purpose.

The engagement of an independent expert should be seen primarily as an opportunity to contribute to self-assurance and the continuous improvement of the organisation, rather than a method to meet TEQSA or other requirements. TEQSA expects providers can show how they have reflected on the recommendations made and identified and implemented improvements, both of which are critical elements of a healthy self-assurance and quality improvement process.

Reviewers’ professional experience and qualifications should match the requirements of the review task, and reviewers should be briefed before the assignment and given clear specifications for the task. TEQSA has prepared a sample brief for reviewers, to indicate TEQSA’s expectations in relation to the scope of the review.

• Access the ELICOS sample reviewer brief
• Access the sector update: Engaging an independent expert to undertake a review

Further information

For more information or assistance with applying to add an ELICOS course to CRICOS, please contact the CRICOS team at cricos@teqsa.gov.au.