How to choose an Australian course and provider

A student from Kuwait has to pass two separate checks. Australia must allow the provider to teach student-visa holders, and Kuwait must recognise the university and the way you study. Getting admitted and getting your degree recognised are separate problems, so check recognition first and compare courses after that.

Start with Kuwait's approved list

Kuwait's Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) approved list for Australia comes from Ministerial Decision 44/2018, which the Kuwait Cultural Office (KCO) publishes.

• The list names universities only. It does not list individual programs, campuses, TAFEs or private colleges.
• On 3 October 2026, the National Bureau for Academic Accreditation (NBAQ) search tool listed 37 Australian universities for all majors. TEQSA's register shows 44 Australian universities, so some Australian universities are not on Kuwait's list.
• The program must be taught on campus with regular attendance, and it must already have graduated its first cohort.
• NBAQ also says students should not enrol in continuing-education programs, or in evening programs aimed at part-time students. A master's must not be an "executive" program.
• Get KCO approval before you enrol. KCO will not certify your offer if you apply for certification after your study start date.
• MoHE's prior approval does not guarantee that your degree will be granted equivalency after graduation.

Check CRICOS registration

The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is the Australian Government's list of providers that teach student-visa holders, and of the courses they offer.

• Only institutions registered under the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act and listed on CRICOS can enrol overseas students on a student visa.
• For a Student visa (subclass 500), you must be enrolled in a full-time course registered on CRICOS. You must also provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for every intended course. An application lodged without a CoE is invalid.
• Use CRICOS's Course Search and Institution Search to check both the provider and the exact course.

CRICOS registration means a provider may teach student-visa holders. It does not mean Kuwait recognises that provider.

Check the regulator: TEQSA or ASQA

• TEQSA (Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency) regulates higher education. Its National Register is the authoritative source on the status of registered higher education providers, and you can search it by provider or by course. The register's summary table, viewed on 3 October 2026, listed 220 providers, 44 of them Australian universities.
• ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) is the national regulator for vocational education and training (VET). Its student pages explain how to find a provider or course and what to do if you have a problem with a provider.
• Under the ESOS Act, TEQSA oversees registered higher education providers for overseas students, and the national VET regulator oversees registered VET providers.

Compare the course details

• Level and length. Study Australia gives typical lengths: a bachelor's degree takes about 3 years (4 with Honours), a postgraduate degree 1 to 2 years, and a foundation course usually 1 year.
• Campus and mode. Kuwait's conditions require on-campus study with regular attendance. KCO also expects you to study full time and be in Australia during each regular semester. The list names universities, not campuses, so confirm your specific campus and program with KCO.
• Program accreditation. NBAQ's criteria include program accreditation by an accreditation body that NBAQ accepts. In professional fields, ask the university which bodies accredit the course.
• First graduates. Ask whether the program has already graduated its first cohort. Newer programs can fail this condition.
• Fees, start dates and entry rules. Study Australia's Course Search shows fees, start dates and duration. Entry requirements vary, so read each provider's own requirements.

Think before you switch later

• Your student visa requires you to stay in a course at the same or a higher level. Moving to a lower-level course, or into an English (ELICOS) course, needs a new student visa.
• On 2 October 2026 the National Code was amended to extend the transfer restriction period from 6 to 12 months, until 30 June 2027. During this period, your current provider has to agree before you can move to another provider.
• If a provider closes or stops offering your course, the Tuition Protection Service may be able to help.
• On the Kuwaiti side, speak to KCO before changing university or program.