Information about entering Australia and remote study options for students outside Australia.
On 28 January 2023, the Chinese Ministry of Education announced that they will not accredit any online studies undertaken by Chinese students at foreign universities in or after the Autumn semester for the Southern Hemisphere (Semester 1 2023). This means all Chinese students will need to study on campus from Semester 1 2023, or their qualification/degree may not be accredited by the Chinese Government.
RMIT strongly encourages all students to join us in Melbourne prior to Semester 1 2023 to maximise their learning journey and avoid delays in completing their qualification/degree. For more information, see the FAQs below.
For the latest information on COVID-19 requirements for entering and leaving Australia, go to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website.
On 5 January 2023, the Australian Government introduced requirements that all travellers arriving in Australia from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, are required to undertake a COVID-19 test within 48 hours prior to their scheduled departure time.
Passengers should be prepared to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flight and once they arrive in Australia.
For detailed information on accepted tests, required evidence, exemptions and requirements for transiting passengers, please check the Australian Government’s Department of Health website.
Government travel requirements may change. For the latest updates and directives, check the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website.
Most RMIT classes and learning experiences will resume back on campus in Semester 1 2023. To maximise each student’s university experience and learning journey, RMIT strongly encourages all students to join us in Melbourne prior to Semester 1 2023.
If you are an international student affected by travel restrictions or other circumstances beyond your control, some alternative and remote study options will continue to be offered, where possible, in Semester 1 2023 to ensure you can continue to progress your study remotely.
From 30 June 2023, studies will be delivered on campus and all students will be expected to engage in on-campus studies after this date, including for Semester 2 2023. This is in accordance with the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act and directives announced by the Australian Government in October 2022.
Please note, the information below on alternative/remote study options is applicable to Semester 1 2023 only. If you study flexibly during Semester 1 2023, you must check with your College (see below) about your obligations to study on campus in Semester 2 2023.
See the relevant College section below for detailed information on the status of Semester 1 2023 programs and courses that are offering alternative and remote study options.
Depending on the program or course and its requirements, alternative study options may include online learning activities and assessments or different program pathways.
Students enrolled in double degrees or degrees with courses from different disciplines may need to check information from different Colleges depending on their chosen disciplines.
For some programs, such as some with accreditation requirements, it is not possible to offer alternative or remote study options. Students should be aware that if they cannot attend campus, this may result in delays to their progression and program completion.
Programs and courses within the College of Business and Law (COBL) include accounting, information systems and supply chain, business, economics, finance, marketing, management and law.
Please click on the link below to see what programs and courses are available online in Semester 1 2023.
If you have any queries in relation to your courses or program, please contact Business Connect.
Schools within the College of Design and Social Context (DSC) include Architecture and Urban Design, Art, Design, Education, Fashion and Textiles, Global, Urban and Social Studies, Media and Communication and Property, Construction and Project Management.
Information on study options for students in DSC is available on a per-program basis through the link below. Please note that the information on the spreadsheet is still being progressively updated. If your program does not yet have detailed information, you will need to contact the school directly (details within the link) or consult your Enrolment Program Structure by clicking on the link within the sheet below.
For specific advice on progressing your program or course, contact the College of Design and Social Context by:
Programs and courses within the STEM College include computing technologies, engineering, maths, health and biomedical sciences, physical and natural sciences and biological sciences.
Through the link below you’ll find the courses that have been identified as NOT recommended for international students that are studying remotely outside of Australia.
For advice on how to choose your courses or navigate your program, please contact STEM College Student Lifecycle Team by:
Programs offered in the College of Vocational Education include Cert III, Cert IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma and Associate Degrees across a range of disciplines in Creative Industries, Built Environment and Sustainability, Future Technologies, Business and Enterprise and Social Care and Health.
For advice on how to choose your courses or navigate your program, contact us by:
In 2023, most RMIT classes and learning experiences will be delivered on campus. RMIT strongly encourages all students to join us in Melbourne prior to Semester 1 2023.
Chinese students
If you are a student from China, please be aware that, on 28 January, the Chinese Ministry of Education announced that they will not accredit any online studies undertaken by Chinese students at foreign universities in or after the Autumn semester for the Southern Hemisphere (Semester 1 2023).
This means all Chinese students will need to study on campus from Semester 1 2023, or their qualification/degree may not be accredited by the Chinese Government.
For this reason, RMIT strongly encourages all Chinese students to study on campus in Melbourne in 2023.
If you are unable to travel to Melbourne or will arrive after the start of classes, please see the question 'What are my options if I can't return to Melbourne for Semester 1 2023 or will arrive after the start of classes?' below.
Non-Chinese international students
If you are an international student from any country other than China and you are impacted by travel restrictions or other circumstance outside your control, you may be able to continue you studies remotely. Some alternative and remote study options will continue to be offered, where possible, in Semester 1 2023. See the 'Semester 1 2023 alternative and remote study options' section above for detailed information on the status of Semester 1 2023 programs and courses that are offering alternative and remote study options.
Semester 2 2023
From 30 June 2023, studies will be delivered on campus and all students will be expected to engage in on-campus studies after this date, including in Semester 2 2023.
Aim to arrive in Melbourne before your classes or orientation activities start. To find out when your orientation week is and when your classes start, check your relevant Important dates. Note, vocational education and higher education classes and orientation start on different dates.
RMIT understands that it may be difficult for some international students to arrive in Melbourne before Semester 1 classes start due to visa processing wait times, limited and delayed flights and other legitimate circumstances.
Chinese students
If you believe you can’t get to campus or may miss some classes, please contact the relevant service as soon as possible:
Your College will be able to provide advice and options depending on your program and situation. In some circumstances, you may be able to continue studying online until you arrive in Melbourne and can join face-to-face classes. If this is the case, you should keep the relevant documents and correspondence from RMIT as you may need to submit this, along with your application for certification, to the Chinese Ministry of Education in order to get your certification smoothly.
If online study is not an option for your program, you may need to apply for a leave of absence for Semester 1 2023 and return to campus to continue your studies in Semester 2 2023 or a later semester. To be granted a leave of absence you must meet the requirements of compassionate and compelling circumstances.
Non-Chinese international students
If you are an international student affected by travel restrictions or other circumstance outside your control, some alternative and remote study options will continue to be offered, where possible, in Semester 1 2023 to ensure that you can continue to progress your study remotely.
See the 'Semester 1 2023 alternative and remote study options' section above for detailed information on the status of Semester 1 2023 programs and courses that are offering alternative and remote study options.
Please note, for some programs, such as some with accreditation requirements, it is not possible to offer alternative or remote study options. If online study is not an option for your program, you may need to apply for a leave of absence for Semester 1 2023 and return to campus to continue your studies in Semester 2 2023 or a later semester. To be granted a leave of absence you must meet the requirements of compassionate and compelling circumstances.
Semester 2 2023
From 30 June 2023, studies will be delivered on campus and all students will be expected to engage in on-campus studies after this date, including in Semester 2 2023.
On 28 January, the Chinese Ministry of Education announced that they will not accredit any online studies undertaken by Chinese students at foreign universities in or after the Autumn semester for the Southern Hemisphere (Semester 1 2023).
This means all Chinese students will need to study on campus from Semester 1 2023, or their qualification/degree may not be accredited by the Chinese Government.
There are some exceptions for students who cannot travel to Melbourne for legitimate reasons (such as visa processing delays, lack of flights or lack of accommodation). In such circumstances, some students may be able to continue studying online until their arrive in Melbourne and can join face-to-face classes. If this is the case for you, please keep all relevant documents and correspondence from RMIT as you may need to submit this, along with your application for certification, to the Chinese Ministry of Education in order to get your certification smoothly.
The Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) has previously confirmed that qualifications obtained between 2020-22 that include online/remote study will be recognised by the Chinese Government, provided the student’s studies were disrupted by COVID-19. Students are advised to maintain records, wherever possible, of their communication with RMIT to provide to the CSCSE, verifying they have been impacted by COVID-19.
On 5 January 2023, the Australian Government introduced requirements that all travellers arriving in Australia from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, are required to undertake a COVID-19 test within 48 hours prior to their scheduled departure time.
Passengers from China, Hong Kong or Macau should be prepared to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flight and once they arrive in Australia.
For detailed information on accepted tests, required evidence, exemptions and requirements for transiting passengers, please check the Australian Government’s Department of Health website.
As of 23 January 2023, there are no testing requirements for any countries other than China, Hong Kong and Macau. This may change in future, so please check the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs website for the latest updates and directives.
RMIT offers a range of supports for students moving to Melbourne from overseas or interstate. Check out the following pages for information and contact points:
RMIT is committed to providing a blended learning experience for all their students. If a student has commenced courses wholly online due to travel restrictions, they will have opportunities to take advantage of the curricular and co-curricular on campus activities when they return to study in Australia.
If your course has on campus options, you can log into myTimetable and change your timetable online class to an on-campus option. If you are unable to do so or there are no available slots, please contact your program or course coordinator.
This will depend on the week of the semester and the assessment task and it is best to speak with your program or course coordinator before making a change. As RMIT’s delivery is focused on a blended mode of delivery, assessment and group work may take place either in person or online.
RMIT will support you in ensuring you meet the requirements of your course and program. If there are on-campus requirements for your course and you’re not able to complete all of them during the semester, please refer to the information on this page for remote study options. Please contact Student Connect for guidance and support.
If you're an international student, you may reduce your enrolment load or take a leave of absence only if you are impacted by for compassionate or compelling circumstances. These include some COVID-19 related circumstances.
For examples and evidence requirements, see compassionate and compelling circumstances. If you do meet the criteria of compassionate or compelling circumstances, you can then apply for a leave of absence or apply to reduce your enrolment load.
If your request for a reduced study load or leave of absence is approved, you may need to renew your student visa in the future.
Students can submit a request for the 1545 form through the RMIT Student Connect Portal. Students applying for a CoE extension will be automatically assessed for the 1545 form. RMIT will only sign the 1545 form for students that satisfy the strict eligibility criteria outlined by the Department of Home Affairs. The criteria is:
All RMIT students are able to access free and confidential mental health support. If you are based outside of Australia you can access the Medibank Student Health and Support Line 24/7 on +61 2 8905 0307. This information is freely available on the RMIT Student website.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.