Mid-year enrolment for international students: What you need to know

Many institutions in Australia offer mid-year enrolment!

28 February 2023 4 minute read

International student sitting at a shared desk looking at enrollment information on his iPad

Did you know that you don’t have to wait for a new year to start your studies? Many tertiary education institutions in Australia offer mid-year enrolment for their courses, which gives you the flexibility to fit work, travel and other commitments around student life.

What is mid-year enrolment?

Mid-year enrolment allows you to begin your studies in the second half of the year rather than at the beginning of the academic year.

Most tertiary education providers split their academic calendar into semesters, with the first semester beginning in February and the second semester starting in late June. This means if you enrol mid-year, you would begin your course in the second semester.

Mid-year enrolment might look different if your course is offered in trimesters. In this case, it is best to check with your education provider about their flexible study options.

The benefits of mid-year enrolment for international students

There are many advantages of mid-year enrolment, especially if you’re an international student.

For example, if you’re planning to begin your tertiary studies in Australia as soon as possible after graduating from secondary school in your home country, but the timing doesn’t allow you to start in February, mid-year enrolment might be for you.

Enrolling mid-year also gives you the opportunity to gain work experience or save some money before transitioning to student life in Australia.

Other benefits to starting your course mid-year include:

It won’t take you any longer to graduate.
You won’t be alone if you start studying mid-year, as plenty of other students take advantage of this flexible study option.
You’ll still be able to make the most of orientation week activities, such as campus tours and welcome events, as these run at the start of every study period. This is a great way to meet other students starting at the same time as you!

Organising your mid-year enrolment

So, how do you go about organising your mid-year enrolment? Before you get carried away with planning, it’s important to check with your education provider that you can start your course in semester two.

Most universities will include options for enrolment on their website. If you get stuck, you can also contact your institution’s student services team.

If this is the first time you’ve considered studying in Australia, you can use the find a course tool to explore your options and find a program that interests you. Once you’ve found your ideal course and verified that you can start mid-year, here are the next steps you should take to organise your enrolment:

1. Organise your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) with nib

While you’re living and studying in Australia, it’s important to have access to healthcare in case you become unwell and require medical treatment. It’s also a requirement of your student visa that you have OSHC for the entire duration of your stay.

Luckily, nib makes getting covered easy, and our OSHC meets the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ student visa requirements. We even have a team of international consultants available to help you when you’re in need.

Two international students eating at a cafe in Australia

2. Apply for the relevant student visa through the Australian Department of Home Affairs

In order to study in Australia, you’ll need to apply for a student visa. The Student (subclass 500) visa allows you to study, work and live in Australia during your temporary stay and lasts for up to five years.

The length of the course you are studying will determine the duration of your visa. You can find out more about student visas from the Department of Home Affairs.