Australian government quells Graduate Diploma course admission for international students

The Australian government has halted admissions for the Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning) (GDML) course for international students, citing concerns over visa misuse. This move, announced by Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill, marks the first instance of the government revoking a specific course for overseas students.

The GDML course, identified as BSB80120, is provided by vocational education and training (VET) institutions across the country. In response to the directive, these institutions will see their Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) registration for the GDML course suspended or terminated.

The Australian government expressed concerns that the GDML course was being exploited by a small number of non-genuine students to circumvent onshore course transfers, leading to prolonged stays in the country without legitimate education pursuits. Additionally, the course was associated with high rates of student visa refusals and non-completion.

The government emphasized that this action aims to enhance the quality of Australia's international education system and curb the improper use of student visas. Existing students currently enrolled in the course will not be compelled to depart or discontinue their studies, and providers are barred from enrolling new international students.

A total of 452 VET providers were previously registered to offer the GDML course, with 41,033 active Confirmations of Enrolment (CoEs) linked to the program, of which 15,772 students are currently studying. The decision reflects Australia's ongoing efforts to strengthen the integrity of its education and student visa systems, and the government stated it would continue to assess the measure's impact on the education sector, students, and the visa system.