Key Takeaways:
- CRICOS registration is required before an RTO can deliver approved VET courses to international students studying in Australia on student visas.
- New CRICOS provider applications and requests to add new courses are generally suspended from May 2026 to 2027.
- A prospective CRICOS RTO must usually have at least two years of domestic VET delivery experience before applying.
- Successful applications require clear evidence of suitable courses, locations, staffing, facilities, finances, student-support systems, and governance
- CRICOS approval is course- and location-specific, with ongoing obligations covering reporting, marketing, agents, overseas student management, and compliance with the ESOS framework
Delivering VET courses to international students can open a new market for an RTO, but it also introduces additional requirements across course delivery, student support, reporting, marketing and administration. Domestic RTO registration alone does not authorise a provider to enrol students who are studying in Australia on student visas.
Before entering the international education market, an RTO must understand whether it is eligible, which regulator applies and what operational systems must be ready. Current application restrictions also mean that providers need to check the regulatory position before committing resources to a new CRICOS registration application.
What Is CRICOS Registration?
The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is the official Australian Government register of providers and courses approved for delivery to people studying in Australia on student visas.
For an RTO, CRICOS registration generally requires:
- Active registration as an RTO
- Approval for each course and delivery location
- Suitable systems for supporting and monitoring international students
Approved providers must operate under the Education Services for Overseas Students framework. This includes the National Code 2018, which contains 11 standards governing overseas student protections and course delivery.
Can RTOs Apply for CRICOS Registration in 2026?
The Australian Government has temporarily suspended certain new applications to ASQA from 19 May 2026 to 19 May 2027. The suspension applies to:
- New applications for CRICOS provider registration
- Applications to add new courses to an existing CRICOS registration
Applications validly lodged before 19 May 2026 will continue to be processed. Specific exemptions also apply, including some changes involving replacement training products, so providers should review the current ASQA guidance before deciding whether an application is affected.
RTOs considering international expansion can still use this period to develop their delivery model, policies, facilities and supporting evidence.
Who Can Become a CRICOS RTO?
Existing RTOs can apply to ASQA to become an ESOS provider and offer approved VET courses to overseas students in Australia. However, since December 2025, ASQA can generally only accept initial ESOS applications from RTOs that have delivered VET to domestic students in Australia for at least two years. Exemptions may apply to some provider types.
A prospective CRICOS RTO should also have:
- The proposed training products on its RTO scope
- Suitable trainers, assessors, facilities and equipment
- Sufficient financial and organisational capacity
- Appropriate governance and management systems
- A viable plan for supporting international students
- Defined delivery locations and realistic student capacities
Approval is course- and location-specific, and becoming a CRICOS RTO does not automatically authorise the provider to deliver every product on its domestic scope to overseas students.
What Should an RTO Prepare Before Applying?
Application preparation should reflect a delivery model the RTO can genuinely operate. At minimum, prepare:
- A realistic business and enrolment plan
- Course timetables and capacity calculations
- Qualified staff and workforce plans
- Appropriate facilities and equipment
- Suitable learning and assessment resources
- Financial forecasts and contingency arrangements
- Student support and intervention processes
Common preparation gaps to address include:
- Different course durations appearing across documents
- Capacity figures unsupported by rooms or trainers
- Generic ESOS policies that do not reflect actual operations
- Inadequate evidence of student-support capability
- Marketing prepared before courses and locations are approved
- Agent arrangements without adequate oversight procedures
Student capacity must reflect the suitability of the staff, education resources and facilities available at each delivery location.
Which Systems Must Be Established?
A CRICOS RTO needs coordinated systems covering the full student lifecycle, including:
- Recruitment and pre-enrolment information
- Written agreements and fee management
- Education agent monitoring
- PRISMS and enrolment reporting
- Orientation and student support
- Course progress and attendance where applicable
- Transfers, deferrals, suspensions and cancellations
- Complaints, appeals and critical incidents
- Regulatory records and reporting
These systems should identify who is responsible, what evidence must be retained and how the provider will respond when a student requires intervention.
How the CRICOS Application Process Works
1. Confirm your eligibility.
Check that your RTO meets the domestic delivery history requirement and has each proposed course on scope. Review current training package details and confirm that the organisation can support the intended cohort.
2. Select courses and delivery locations.
Identify the VET courses to be offered, where they will be delivered and the maximum number of overseas students each location can accommodate. For each course, determine:
- Proposed duration and study periods
- Delivery and assessment methods
- Scheduled hours and holiday breaks
- Practical or work placement requirements
- Facilities, equipment and staffing needs
Note that only courses delivered on a full-time basis can be registered on CRICOS.
3. Design the International Delivery Model
Document how the course will work for international students, including entry requirements, English language requirements, course progress monitoring, intervention processes and academic or wellbeing support.
These arrangements should align across the Training and Assessment Strategy, timetable, student handbook, written agreement and marketing materials.
4. Prepare the application evidence.
ASQA expects applicants to understand the registration requirements, complete their business planning, develop operational systems, secure the necessary resources and prepare supporting evidence before applying.
Evidence may include:
- Governance and financial information
- Training and assessment strategies
- Course timetables
- Staff records
- Facility and equipment evidence
- Learning and assessment materials
- Student support arrangements
- ESOS policies and procedures
5. Submit your application.
Initial ESOS applications are submitted through asqanet in two stages. Providers must complete the application, enter their registration details and upload the required evidence. Incomplete or inaccurate information may prevent an application from progressing.
6. Complete ASQA’s assessment.
ASQA may request additional documents, interview relevant personnel or inspect proposed delivery locations. Staff named in the application should understand how the provider’s policies and systems will operate in practice.
7. Finalise post-approval setup.
Once approved, check that the provider, courses, locations and capacities are listed correctly. The RTO must also establish PRISMS access, Confirmation of Enrolment processes, staff responsibilities and education agent arrangements before enrolling students.
What Marketing Rules Apply to International Students?
Marketing must accurately represent the registered provider, approved courses, delivery locations, fees, duration and entry requirements. A CRICOS RTO should ensure its marketing:
- Uses the correct registered name and CRICOS code
- Advertises only approved courses and locations
- Explains fees and course requirements clearly
- Avoids misleading employment or migration claims
- Accurately presents delivery and assessment arrangements
- Gives international students enough information to make an informed decision
Providers should also monitor education agents because misleading representations made on their behalf can create regulatory and reputational risk.
ASQA or TEQSA: Which Regulator Applies?
ASQA generally assesses CRICOS applications from RTOs offering vocational education and training. TEQSA regulates higher education providers and manages CRICOS matters connected with higher education courses.
This distinction is important because the application processes and evidence requirements differ. An RTO seeking approval for VET courses should rely primarily on current ASQA and Department of Education guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can CRICOS VET courses be delivered fully online?
Generally, no. CRICOS VET courses must be offered as full-time study, and at least two-thirds of the units or modules delivered during the course must be provided face-to-face. At least one unit must also be offered face-to-face in each study period.
How many scheduled study hours must international students complete?
A CRICOS course must generally be structured around at least 20 scheduled course contact hours per week. The registered duration should also account for the cohort’s needs, holiday periods and any supervised work-based training.
Is a CRICOS RTO responsible for the conduct of its education agents?
Yes. A CRICOS RTO must enter into written agreements with its education agents, monitor their activities and act when an agent provides misleading information or breaches its obligations. Outsourcing recruitment does not remove the provider’s responsibility.
What is the Tuition Protection Service for international students?
The Tuition Protection Service assists international students when a provider cannot fully deliver their course. CRICOS RTOs also have obligations relating to tuition assurance, refunds and provider default, and registered providers may be required to pay the annual TPS levy.
Can a CRICOS RTO lose its registration if it does not enrol international students?
Yes. From 1 January 2026, a provider that does not deliver a registered course at an approved onshore location to an overseas student within a 12-month period may have its entire CRICOS registration cancelled.
Prepare Before Entering the International Market
Securing CRICOS registration is only one part of becoming ready to deliver to international students. Your RTO also needs a viable course structure, capable staff, suitable facilities and coordinated ESOS systems.
Complete, editable training materials can reduce the resource development required during course setup. TotalVET Training Resources provides complete resource packs that RTOs can review, validate and contextualise for their approved courses, learner cohorts and delivery arrangements.
