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Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students

The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is a register of educational institutions who have met a set of quality assurance requirements to offer courses to international students holding student visas. It is an offence to offer or purport to offer courses to overseas students without CRICOS registration (maximum penalty 2 years imprisonment ESOS Act 2000).

CRICOS registration is only required if you wish to offer courses in Australia to students who require student visas.

• Who should apply for CRICOS registration?
• Which government agency looks after CRICOS?
• Why is CRICOS registration necessary and not automatic?
• Why is CRICOS registration compulsory?

Who should apply for CRICOS registration?

Any education institution who wishes to offer or deliver courses in Queensland to international students holding a student visa must apply for approval to the State Authority for CRICOS registration before marketing or making arrangements to offer or deliver courses to overseas students.

A company wishing to purchase an educational entity with current CRICOS registration must approach the State Authority for advice on the transferability of CRICOS registration. Under normal circumstances, CRICOS registration is NOT TRANSFERABLE and an entity would be required to apply for registration.

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Which government agency looks after CRICOS?

The register is owned and operated by the Commonwealth Government through the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST). CRICOS is the public face (via a web site) of the Provider Registration and International Students Management System (PRISMS) which is also owned and operated by DEST.

CRICOS allows potential overseas students to identify bona fide and quality assured educational and training institutions.

Only CRICOS registered providers have access to PRISMS in order to generate an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment for acceptable overseas students.

DIMIA uses the electronic confirmation of enrolment to recognise a legitimate overseas students for the purposes of issuing a student visa.

The Commonwealth have delegated responsibility for provider registration to State Authorities. In Queensland, this is the Department of Education, Training and the Arts through the Office of Non-State Education. To contact an officer in the State Authority, go to contacts.

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My institution is already accredited through another entity. Why is CRICOS registration necessary and not automatic

1. CRICOS registration is contingent on an educational or training institution already being accredited through an appropriate accreditation authority.
2. Accreditation Agencies' key purpose is to ensure the integrity and quality of the learning outcomes and delivery of an institutions suite of courses/programs. The criteria for CRICOS registration relates specifically to the needs of overseas students and protecting the integrity of the student visa system.
3. Many education and training institutions offers courses only to domestic students. In addition, the requirements for accreditation and CRICOS registration are governed by separate pieces of legislation. As a result, these different functions involve separate processes and are dealt with by separate government departments.

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Why is CRICOS registration compulsory?

1. Both State and Commonwealth legislation require institutions offering courses to overseas students (ie students holding student visas) to be registered on CRICOS.
2. A registration system ensures public confidence in the integrity and quality of Australia 's educational export industry (particular with respect to students studying onshore).
3. CRICOS offers a nationally consistent register of providers and courses which is readily identifiable by overseas students.
4. Registration requirements are designed to protect the interests of students studying in Australia on student visas.
5. CRICOS ensures the integrity of the industry and migration through a visa-related reporting system known as PRISMS.

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© The State of Queensland (Department of Education, Training and the Arts) 2005.

Queensland Government