The Australian Government has moved to prevent new international students from enrolling in the Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning), citing concerns that the qualification has been misused to facilitate student transfers and undermine the integrity of the country’s international education system.
Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill announced the decision on September 4, marking the first use of new government powers to suspend or cancel specific courses offered to overseas students.
The measure applies specifically to the Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning), course code BSB80120, and does not extend to graduate diploma courses generally.
From October 5, 2026, education providers registered under the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) will be prohibited from issuing new Confirmations of Enrolment, enrolling new overseas students or allowing overseas students who have not yet commenced the course to begin their studies.
Confirmations of Enrolment linked to students who have not commenced the course will also be automatically cancelled on October 5.
However, international students who have already commenced the course by that date will be allowed to complete their studies with their current providers. The measure does not apply to domestic students.
The Australian Government said there was significant evidence that the qualification had been used to facilitate onshore transfers by “non-genuine students” and was associated with high rates of visa refusals and students failing to complete the course.
Government figures show that 452 vocational education and training providers are registered to offer the qualification to international students. There are currently 41,033 active Confirmations of Enrolment for the course, including 15,772 students recorded as studying it.
Hill said Australia would continue to welcome genuine international students while maintaining a strong focus on the quality and integrity of its international education and student visa systems.
The powers used for the decision were introduced through integrity reforms passed in 2025, which allow the government to suspend or cancel courses based on factors including systemic quality concerns, Australia’s skills needs and the public interest.