Condition 8202 is the principal study-related visa condition placed on Australian student visas (subclass 500). It requires the visa holder to remain enrolled in a CRICOS-registered full-time course, to achieve satisfactory attendance, and to make satisfactory academic progress throughout the course. The condition creates an ongoing obligation — not just a requirement at the point of visa grant. Education providers registered under the ESOS framework are required to monitor and report students who are not meeting their study obligations through the PRISMS system (Provider Registration and International Student Management System). A provider-initiated breach report can trigger DHA review of the student's visa. Related conditions 8203 and 8204 impose restrictions on changing course or education provider without prior approval. This page explains the core requirements of condition 8202, the attendance and progress standards, the reporting framework, and the consequences of non-compliance.

For current condition 8202 requirements and the DHA conditions list, refer to the DHA visa conditions list and the subclass 500 Student visa page.

• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 8, condition 8202 — requires the student visa holder to be enrolled in a registered course; to be undertaking the course as a full-time student; and to achieve satisfactory attendance and satisfactory academic progress as assessed by the education provider
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 8, condition 8203 — restricts the student from changing the registered course they are undertaking without DHA's agreement (in certain circumstances); connects to the change of course assessment request process
• Migration Regulations 1994, Schedule 8, condition 8204 — restricts the student from changing education provider during the first six months of the principal course without DHA's agreement; the restriction is intended to prevent abuse of the student visa pathway
• Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) — the primary legislation governing registered providers' obligations to overseas students; registered providers must use PRISMS to report students who are not meeting their study obligations
• National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 (National Code) — sets minimum standards for attendance monitoring, intervention, and reporting by registered providers; attendance threshold guidance is in Standard 8 of the National Code
• DHA: Visa conditions list — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/conditions-list

The three elements of condition 8202

Condition 8202 has three core requirements that student visa holders must maintain throughout their study:

1. Remain enrolled in a registered course: the student must stay enrolled in the CRICOS-registered course that was notified to DHA — an unscheduled withdrawal or discontinuation from the course is a breach; the course must remain CRICOS-registered for the duration of study
2. Study full-time: the student must pursue the course as a full-time student; the definition of full-time study is set by each education provider and the National Code; a reduction to part-time study (other than in approved circumstances such as illness) is a breach
3. Satisfactory attendance and academic progress: the student must achieve attendance at scheduled classes at a level considered satisfactory by the education provider (typically at least 80% of scheduled contact hours) and must make satisfactory academic progress as assessed by the provider

Attendance monitoring — the 80% threshold

Under the National Code of Practice, education providers must monitor the attendance of student visa holders and take action where attendance falls below acceptable levels. Key points:

• The 80% attendance threshold is a widely used minimum standard — providers are required under the National Code to report students whose attendance falls below 80% of scheduled classes, unless the provider has approved an absence (for medical or compassionate reasons)
• Providers must have intervention strategies in place — when a student's attendance begins to drop, the provider should contact the student and implement support measures before reporting to DHA
• Approved absences (supported by medical certificates or other documentation) may count toward the attendance calculation, depending on the provider's policies
• Online and remote learning arrangements may affect how attendance is calculated — students studying through online delivery should check with their provider about how attendance is recorded

Satisfactory academic progress

As well as attendance, condition 8202 requires satisfactory academic progress. What constitutes satisfactory academic progress is assessed by the education provider based on their institutional policies. Non-satisfactory academic progress may include:

• Failing a course or significant number of units without a valid reason
• Repeated deferrals, withdrawals, or incomplete grades that suggest the student is not genuinely progressing through their course
• Falling behind the required study load in a way that suggests the student cannot complete the course in the visa period

PRISMS reporting — provider obligations

Registered education providers are required to use the PRISMS system to report students who breach condition 8202. The reporting process:

• The provider must contact the student and offer an opportunity to respond before reporting a breach of attendance or academic progress
• If the student cannot demonstrate they are meeting condition 8202, the provider issues a Notice of Intention to Report (NOIR) — the student has 20 working days to respond
• If the student does not respond or the response is unsatisfactory, the provider submits a breach report to DHA through PRISMS
• After receiving a provider breach report, DHA may send the student a notice to show cause why their visa should not be cancelled; the student has an opportunity to respond before a cancellation decision is made

Changing course or education provider — conditions 8203 and 8204

Related to condition 8202, conditions 8203 and 8204 restrict the student's ability to change course or provider without prior DHA approval in certain circumstances:

• Condition 8203 (change of course): the student may not change to a different registered course without DHA's agreement in circumstances where the change would not be consistent with the study plan underpinning the visa grant
• Condition 8204 (change of provider — first six months): in the first six months of the principal course, the student must not change education provider without DHA's agreement; after six months, a transfer may be possible without prior DHA approval, depending on the provider's policies and the National Code
• DHA assesses change of study assessment requests through the change of study assessment request tool

Students who wish to change their course or provider should review conditions 8202, 8203, and 8204 carefully and, where required, obtain DHA's agreement before transferring — changing without required approval is a visa breach.

Consequences of breaching condition 8202

Breach of condition 8202 can have serious consequences:

• Visa cancellation: DHA may cancel the student visa if satisfied the student has breached condition 8202 — the student will typically receive a notice to show cause and have an opportunity to respond before cancellation
• Mandatory cancellation in some circumstances: for students who are found to have breached specific conditions of their visa (depending on the nature of the breach and the visa subclass), mandatory cancellation provisions may apply under s 116 of the Migration Act
• Impact on future applications: a cancelled student visa for breach of study conditions may affect the student's ability to obtain future Australian visas, including graduate visas
• PGWP and 485 eligibility: breaches that affect the student's course completion record may affect eligibility for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) — which requires completion of a qualifying course — see the Australian study requirement page

Condition 8202 is one of the most commonly triggered grounds for student visa compliance action in Australia. The National Code's requirement to send a NOIR and allow a 20-working-day response period means students generally receive a warning before a breach report is filed — but students who ignore NOIRs or fail to engage with their provider's intervention processes can find their visa at risk. The interaction between condition 8202 and the PGWP/485 requirement is important for students planning a post-study work pathway: a student whose course is discontinued or who fails to complete satisfactorily may not meet the 16-month study requirement for the 485. Providers' attendance and progress policies vary — students should obtain their provider's specific policies at the start of their course. For current condition 8202 requirements and related DHA guidance, refer to the DHA visa conditions list and the subclass 500 Student visa page.