PR, Citizens, Student Visas and Temporary Visas: What Each Can Study

Residency status is the first thing that decides subsidy eligibility. This guide goes through it visa by visa: which statuses can access subsidised places, what student visa holders can study, where temporary and bridging visas sit, and why the same course often has both a subsidised and an international intake.

11 min read · Updated 2026-08-26

There are several eligibility criteria, but most people who get stuck get stuck on the first one: residency status.

This guide goes through it by status. One caution up front: visa subclasses carry many details and exceptions, and what follows is general information about common situations, not migration advice — how your particular subclass is treated is determined by the RTO and the state authority.

Australian citizens and permanent residents

The most straightforward group. Citizens and PR holders are domestic students and can apply for subsidised places in every state, including fee-free courses.

The other two criteria still apply: which state you live in, and what you have already studied. PR status settles whether you can participate; it does not settle whether you get a place this time.

New Zealand citizens

New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category Visa (subclass 444) are treated as domestic students in most state programs. Some programs add a residency-period requirement.

Humanitarian and some temporary visas

Refugee and humanitarian visa holders are included as domestic students in most states. Some temporary visas — certain partner subclasses and some bridging visas — qualify in particular states, but the variation between states is large, and this is the area most often got wrong.

If you hold a temporary or bridging visa, do not rely on what you read online. Give your subclass number (820, 309, 485 and so on) to an advisor and let the provider check the current rules — they are the only ones who can check it accurately.

Student visas (subclass 500)

Student visa holders generally cannot use government-subsidised places. Subsidies are a state investment in the domestic workforce.

That does not mean there is nothing to study. There are two routes:

  • Fee for service — the same qualification and the same certificate, with tuition paid in full.
  • International student courses — intakes designed for non-domestic students, with different entry requirements and timetables.

Courses marked "International" on FastSkill are the second kind — for example CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood in WA.

One more thing student visa holders must confirm themselves: whether studying this course affects the conditions of your existing visa. A student visa is tied to a specific CoE, and enrolling in something else may have consequences. That is a migration question for a registered migration agent (MARA), not something a training provider can answer.

Why one course has two intakes

Browsing the catalogue you will see the same qualification code listed twice — once subsidised, once international. That is not duplication:

  • The qualification is identical — the same nationally recognised certificate
  • The fee basis is different
  • Entry requirements, timetable intensity and sometimes start dates differ

So the first step in choosing an intake is not picking a date. It is working out which group you are in.

At a glance

StatusSubsidised / fee-freeFee for serviceInternational intakes
Australian citizenUsually eligible to applyYesGenerally not applicable
Permanent residentUsually eligible to applyYesGenerally not applicable
NZ citizen (444)Eligible in most statesYesGenerally not applicable
Humanitarian visaEligible in most statesYesGenerally not applicable
Other temporary visasDepends on subclass and stateYesSometimes
Student visa (500)Generally not eligibleYesYes
"Usually eligible to apply" means the residency criterion is met — not that a place is assured. Address, prior qualifications and remaining places all still apply.

The fastest way to get a clear answer

  1. Take the eligibility check — it asks about status and state.
  2. When an advisor calls, give the subclass number. "I'm on a temporary visa" does not help much; "I hold an 820" can be checked immediately.
  3. Have your visa grant letter or VEVO record ready — the provider will ask for it.
Subsidy eligibility is assessed case by case by the relevant state authority and the Registered Training Organisation. This guide is general information only and is not migration, legal or financial advice.
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