Yesterday afternoon, China’s Ministry of Education announced a major development:this yearthe first half of the yearcontinueonline classeswillbe unable tohave their qualifications recognised! Yes — starting fromthe semester that is about to begin(the autumn semester in the Southern Hemisphere, and the spring semester in the Northern Hemisphere)!

This means that many students —

who have been taking online classes from within China,

or who planned to return home with just one subject left,

may now need to urgently apply for a student visa

Of course, if you arecurrently in China and need a visitor visa to return to Australia for your graduation ceremony,please do not hesitate to contact us as well.

The original announcement reads as follows:

http://zwfw.cscse.edu.cn/cscse/lxfwzxwsfwdt2020/xlxwrz32/tzgg61/528742/index.html

The CSCSE under China’s Ministry of Education has made it clear: international students who do not return to campus for in-person study will no longer be eligible for qualification recognition. This announcement has definitively ended any hopes of continuing online study from within China.

The CSCSE also addressed common questions in a Q&A. On the policy of ceasing recognition of online-only study, the Centre characterised it as simply“”reverting to pre-pandemic rules — removing the temporary special arrangements made during COVID””。

Q: Some students have asked — if their university offers both online and in-person options this semester (S2), and they have already enrolled in the online mode, what should they do?

In this situation, the Centre advises students to retain all relevant documentation issued by their institution and submit it together when applying for qualification recognition.

This scenario is largely no longer applicable for Australian universities，As we have previously reported, Australian universities from 1 July this year will require all international students to return to campus for in-person study.The University of Sydney, UNSW, the University of Melbourne, and a number of other institutions have already officially announced this policy.

UNSWhas officially announced:From Semester 2, 2023, certain courses will require in-person attendance, and international students must arrive in Australia after 30 June 2023.

Deakin Universityhas also updated its 2023 teaching arrangements:All international students on student visas are now required to return to campus for full-time study. From Trimester 1, 2023, Deakin will no longer offer online study options.

Q: What if my university only offers online classes in the second half of this year, with no in-person option?

The Centre has once again emphasised thatfully remote, online-only programmes have never been within the scope of the Centre’s qualification recognition services.If the institution has not arranged in-person classes, students should contact their institution promptly and retain documentary evidence.

Q: What if the semester is about to start but my visa, accommodation, and flights are not yet sorted?

The Centre advises students not to panic. You may continue studying online while completing the necessary paperwork. If you have not received your visa by the Centre’s required date, or if flights are cancelled or other objective circumstances prevent your return, retain all relevant evidence and submit it as supporting documentation when applying for recognition.

Q: What if the second half of this year is my final semester — do I still need to return to campus for in-person study?

The Centre advises students to confirm their final semester arrangements directly with their institution. If converting to in-person study is not possible, retain all relevant written documentation and submit it when applying for qualification recognition.

Q: If in-person class places are fully booked, can qualifications obtained through overseas online study still be recognised?

If in-person class places are fully booked and you are unable to transfer to in-person study, you will also need to provide appropriate written documentation when applying for qualification recognition.

It is no longer just Australian universities requiring international students to return to campus — China’s Ministry of Education has now stepped in as well. The era of online study is over; the pre-pandemic study experience is being restored. As we have said before,students — get your visas arranged now，the longer you delay your return to Australia, the more flights and accommodation will cost — and prices will only keep climbing!

Need to renew or apply for a student visa?

Contact our team below right now

Our expert team will process your application as urgently as possible

Australian Student Visa Processing Update:

Current processing times for Australian student visas — particularly for higher education student visas — are relatively fast.Most recently granted visas were for applications lodged from late 2022 to early 2023, with a 1–3 month wait time(of course, visa processing is case by case — a somewhat longer wait is perfectly normal)

Newstars — with student visa grant success stories every single day

A selection of recent approvals is shown below

Australia’s Minister for Education: Urgently consulting universities and the Home Affairs Minister

Australia is one of the primary study destinations for Chinese students, and the 2023 Southern Hemisphere autumn semester — February/March — is just around the corner!

While visa processing is proceeding normally, China’s Ministry of Education’s sudden decision may result in a large surge of Chinese students applying for visas and arriving in Australia in a short period. Officials who have just been informed of the announcement noted that

this could cause “short-term logistical pressures”, but that they are already working urgently to address the situation.

Australian Minister for Education Jason Clare said in a media interview this morning:he is working with universities and the Minister for Home Affairs — whose department is responsible for issuing student visas — to manage the situation.

Universities Australia CEO Catriona Jackson, representing 39 universities, also pledged to work closely with government and the sector to ensure universities can respond swiftly to the rapid influx of students in the weeks before Semester 1 begins.

Professionals in the international education sector acknowledged that the response may have been somewhat overdue,but that overall, encouraging students to return to campus is a good outcome for both students and institutions alike.

Thinking about studying in Australia

but haven’t applied to a university yet or received an offer?

The Newstars elite study abroad team is here to help!

Multiple top universities across a wide range of disciplines —

we have success stories every week

If you have any questions about returning to Australia,

you are welcome to join our[2023 Smooth Return to Australia Group]

When joining, please note: Return to Australia

Whether it’sthe return process, visas,

or questions about student life in Australia —

all questions can be discussed and answered within the group

We wish you a smooth return to Australia!

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