For international studentsFreeNot a visa agent

My college or education provider closed. What happens now?

What the law requires your provider to do, how the Government’s Tuition Protection Service helps, and what to check about your visa.

General information only — not migration advice.

What happens, step by step

Provider closes or stops your courseThis is called a "provider default", when a college closes, stops a course mid-way, or fails to start one you are enrolled in.
The provider must respondThe provider is required by law to notify you in writing that a default has occurred.
Within the required period: offer an alternative course, or refund eligible unused tuitionUnder the ESOS Act, the provider has 14 days to either place you in an alternative course at another registered provider, or refund your unspent tuition fees. "Unspent" means tuition not yet delivered, it excludes OSHC, equipment, accommodation, and administration fees.
If this does not happenIf the provider cannot meet this obligation, for example, because it has already closed, the Tuition Protection Service steps in.
The Government tuition protection service may helpThe TPS can help you find an alternative course or recover a refund. Visit tps.gov.au
Check your enrolment and visa positionRemaining enrolled is a condition of your student visa. Contact Home Affairs about your specific situation.

Step 5 links to the official Australian Government Tuition Protection Service website: tps.gov.au.

Who to contact first

The college's administrator or appointed insolvency administrator
Contact them first. They are legally required to notify you and organise a placement or refund.
Tuition Protection Service (tps.gov.au)
If the provider has not responded within the required period, or if you cannot reach anyone at the college.
Your education agent (if you have one)
Your agent may be able to help you find an alternative course or navigate the TPS process.
A registered migration agent (MARA)
For questions about your student visa — particularly whether it remains valid while you find a new provider.

To verify a migration agent’s registration number (MARN), use the public MARA register.

Your visa while you find a new provider

It is a condition of the student visa to remain enrolled in a registered course. Not re-enrolling after a provider closure may affect your visa. Check the Department of Home Affairs guidance on this specific situation directly — do not rely on general information for visa decisions.

Department of Home Affairs — Education provider default and your visa (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au).

Source and legal framework

Source: Tuition Protection Service — International Students, Australian Government, Department of Education. Retrieved 6 August 2026.

Method: Provider default obligations are set out under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act) and the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students. The 14-day response window is stated in the TPS rules published on the source page above.

Related legislation and official resources: ESOS Act framework (education.gov.au) · Tuition Protection Service (tps.gov.au) · Home Affairs: provider default and your visa

Not migration advice. Rules and administrative practice may change — always verify with the official source.

Source date: 6 August 2026.