Australia CRICOS Course Check Guide for Nepali Students explains how to use the official Commonwealth Register to verify an education provider and course, distinguish provider and course codes, check the approved location and registration details, compare the listing with an offer and CoE, and complete extra TEQSA or training-register checks. A logo or agent brochure is not a substitute for the live government register.
Information checked on 24 July 2026 using current Australian Government Department of Education, CRICOS, TEQSA and ASQA guidance. Search the live register again before paying or accepting an offer.
CRICOS facts at a glance
| Question | Current official guidance |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Lists providers and courses approved for student-visa study |
| Provider search | Use legal name or CRICOS institution code |
| Course search | Match the exact course code and title |
| Location | Check the approved delivery location and state |
| Offer | Compare CRICOS details with offer and CoE records |
| Extra register | Use TEQSA or training.gov.au for sector details |
| Timing | Repeat the live check before commitment and enrolment |
Understand what CRICOS is
The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students is the official Australian Government register of providers offering courses to people studying in Australia on student visas.
It lists both institutions and approved courses. Finding only a provider name is not enough to prove a particular course and campus are registered.
Know why student-visa applicants use it
Education institutions can enrol and deliver courses to students in Australia on a student visa only when the relevant provider and course have CRICOS registration.
Use the register early in course selection. Do not wait until after paying a large deposit.
Open the official government register
Use the website hosted at cricos.education.gov.au. Confirm the Australian Government branding and domain before entering search details.
Ignore a sponsored search result that imitates the register. The official search is publicly available.
Search by institution name
The institution search accepts provider name, state or CRICOS institution code. Try the legal entity and trading name when marketing material uses different branding.
Open the complete result instead of relying on a search-engine snippet or old brochure.
Match the provider code
A CRICOS provider code uniquely identifies the registered institution. Compare every character with the website, offer letter and enrolment documents.
Do not confuse an Australian Business Number, RTO number or campus code with the CRICOS provider code.
Search the exact course
Use the course title, field, state or CRICOS course code. Similar course names can represent different levels, durations or locations.
Open the exact course entry offered to the student. A registered Bachelor course does not validate a separate diploma with a similar name.
Match the course code character by character
The CRICOS course code should match the offer and later Confirmation of Enrolment. Record leading zeroes and final letters.
Stop and ask the provider to explain any mismatch in writing. Do not let an agent replace one code informally.
Check the registered location
CRICOS information is connected to approved delivery locations. Confirm the campus city and state match the student’s plan and offer.
A provider can be registered in several states without offering every course at every campus.
Review course duration
Compare registered duration with the offer, study load and proposed CoE period. Credit or recognition of prior learning can affect an individual study plan.
Ask for a written explanation when the advertised timetable is much shorter than the registered course structure.
Compare tuition information carefully
The Department of Education says CRICOS can help compare costs of similar courses. Treat listed fees as a check, not the complete personal invoice.
Confirm tuition, deposit, materials, health cover, student services and refund terms directly in current documents.
Match the award level and course title
Check whether the listing is ELICOS, foundation, VET, undergraduate or postgraduate and whether it leads to the promised qualification.
A pathway package can contain several CRICOS codes. Verify each component, provider and progression condition.
Compare the offer letter with CRICOS
Match legal provider, trading name, course title, course code, campus, start date context and duration. Save both records together.
Ask the provider’s official admissions office about discrepancies before signing acceptance.
Compare the CoE when issued
The Confirmation of Enrolment should reflect the accepted registered course and provider. Check its details before using it in a visa application.
A CoE is a separate official enrolment record; a CRICOS search result is not itself a CoE.
Use TEQSA for higher education checks
TEQSA advises students to check the National Register for higher-education provider registration and course accreditation. Higher-education delivery to student-visa holders also requires CRICOS.
Use both registers for their different purposes. CRICOS presence alone does not display every quality or regulatory detail.
Use training.gov.au for VET checks
For vocational education, check the provider’s RTO status and scope on the official national training register in addition to CRICOS.
Confirm that the qualification or units appear within the provider’s current scope and that the CRICOS course matches the international offer.
Check third-party delivery claims
If teaching, recruitment or facilities involve another organisation, ask which legal provider issues the qualification and CoE and who handles complaints.
Verify the registered provider and approved arrangement through official information. Do not accept a franchise logo as proof.
Understand what CRICOS does not decide
Registration does not guarantee a visa, graduate employment, professional licensing, migration outcome, scholarship or personal course fit.
Assess admission requirements, accreditation, finances, location, teaching quality and career relevance separately.
Recheck status before payment
Provider and course details can change. Repeat the search immediately before paying a major deposit or accepting a changed intake.
Save a dated PDF or screenshot and the live URL. An old agent printout cannot prove current status.
Verify agent claims with the provider
Use the contact details on the provider’s official site, not only the number supplied in a chat. Ask whether the agent is authorised for the student’s location.
Never pay tuition to a personal account because an agent says the CRICOS code makes the payment safe.
Keep a course-verification file
Store CRICOS results, TEQSA or RTO checks, offer, fee schedule, refund policy, agent communications and CoE together.
This file supports decision review, visa preparation and a later complaint if documents conflict.
CRICOS scam warning signs
- A provider logo with no searchable CRICOS code
- A course code belonging to a different title or campus
- An offer using a trading name with no legal provider
- A request to ignore a register mismatch
- A claimed guaranteed visa because the course is registered
- A tuition payment to a personal or unrelated account
- An old screenshot offered instead of the live register
CRICOS verification workflow
- Search the provider. Match legal name and institution code.
- Search the course. Match exact title and course code.
- Check location. Confirm the offered campus.
- Compare details. Review duration, fees and level.
- Use sector registers. Check TEQSA or training.gov.au.
- Match documents. Compare offer and CoE.
- Save evidence. Keep dated results before payment.
Common CRICOS mistakes
- Checking the provider but not the exact course
- Confusing provider and course codes
- Ignoring the registered location
- Assuming every provider campus offers every course
- Treating CRICOS as a visa or employment guarantee
- Skipping TEQSA or RTO checks
- Relying on an old marketing screenshot
Frequently asked questions
What does CRICOS list?
It lists Australian providers and courses registered for people studying in Australia on student visas.
Is checking the university name enough?
No. Check the exact provider, course code and approved location offered to the student.
Does CRICOS registration guarantee a student visa?
No. It confirms provider and course registration, not an individual visa outcome.
What extra register should I use?
Use the TEQSA National Register for higher education or training.gov.au for VET provider scope.
When should I repeat the CRICOS check?
Repeat it before a major payment, after a course or campus change and when the CoE is issued.
Official sources
- Australian Government: official CRICOS register
- Department of Education: before studying in Australia
- CRICOS: institution search
- TEQSA: provider and course accreditation checks
- ASQA: VET provider and CRICOS context
Course-verification support in Nepal
For a visible review of CRICOS results, provider identity, offer details, course fit and application documents, use MKS Education study in Australia guidance. For IELTS, PTE, GRE, GMAT or SAT preparation before enrolment, compare current support at MKS Prep. The live government registers and provider-issued documents remain final.