Australian Immigration Daily News

Government Moves to Suspend and Cancel Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning) for Overseas Students

The Australian Government has introduced the Education Services for Overseas Students (Specified Classes of Courses for Automatic Suspension and Cancellation) Instrument 2026.

The Instrument specifies the BSB80120 Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning) for the purposes of section 96B of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000.

The Government identified several integrity concerns associated with the course, including:

• rapid and disproportionate growth in overseas student enrolments;
• high non-commencement and student visa refusal rates;
• comparatively low course-completion rates;
• significant onshore student-transfer activity; and
• extensive use of the qualification as the principal course in packaged course arrangements.

According to the Explanatory Statement, these indicators suggest that the course has not consistently been used for genuine study, course progression or qualification completion and may instead have been used to facilitate enrolment, transfers or visa-related outcomes.

Effect on registered VET providers

Where overseas students remain enrolled in and undertaking the course 30 days after commencement of the Instrument, the provider’s registration for the course will be automatically suspended at all registered locations.

During the suspension, existing students may continue studying until they complete or withdraw. However, providers must not:

• recruit or enrol new overseas students in the course;
• accept money from prospective or non-commencing students for the course; or
• permit an accepted student who has not commenced the course to begin studying.

Once all continuing overseas students have completed or withdrawn, the provider’s registration for the course will be automatically cancelled. If no students remain enrolled and undertaking the course at the end of the initial 30-day period, cancellation will occur at that time.

Following cancellation, the provider must cease offering the course at all locations and cancel any Confirmations of Enrolment issued for future commencements.

Providers will also be unable to apply to register the course, renew its registration or add it to an existing CRICOS registration while the Instrument remains in force.

Existing students and provider default

Students who have already commenced the course may continue until completion or withdrawal. Where the suspension or cancellation results in provider default, existing protections under the Tuition Protection Service will continue to apply.

Application and commencement

The Instrument applies to registered VET providers delivering the BSB80120 Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning) at any location. It does not apply to Table A providers within the meaning of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

The Instrument was registered on 4 September 2026 and commenced on 5 September 2026.

Source: Education-Services-for-Overseas-Students---Specified-Classes-of-Courses-for-Automatic-Suspension-and-Cancellation-Instrument-2026.pdf and

Education-Services-for-Overseas-Students---Specified-Classes-of-Courses-for-Automatic-Suspension-and-Cancellation-Instrument-2026----Explanatory.pdf