Overseas qualification assessment

You can get your overseas higher education qualifications assessed to show what the equivalent of your qualification is in Australia. This may help you enrol in study or to find a job.

Check if you can get the assessment

You can get a free assessment if you live in the ACT. You must also be one of the following:

• an Australian citizen
• a permanent resident
• a temporary skilled or family visa holder
• an ACT services access card holder.

We will not assess you if you hold a student, tourist, working holiday, diplomatic or consular visa.

If you do not live in the ACT, you can find contact details to have an assessment in another state.

What we assess

We compare your overseas qualification to an Australian qualification using the Australian Qualifications Framework.

We assess completed qualifications of these types:

• higher education
• post-secondary technical
• general vocational.

For example:

• certificate of higher education
• diploma
• postgraduate diploma
• bachelor's degree
• master's degree
• postgraduate diploma
• doctorate.

We do not assess:

• high school certificates
• trade qualifications
• short courses (less than one year of full-time study)
• incomplete courses
• single subjects
• work experience and skills
• Australian qualifications.

Using your assessment

You can use the assessment to show what the equivalent of your qualification is in Australia. This may help you enrol in study or to find a job.

Assessments do not qualify you for:

• migration to Australia
• admission to study
• employment.

We do not give advice on further study options, study eligibility or career development.

Assessments are provided at a course level. For example, if you have a bachelor’s degree specialising in nursing, our assessment will identify that you have a bachelor’s degree equivalent. It will not specify or validate your professional skills or area of study.

How to apply

Fill in the online form and upload documents that show your qualifications, residency and identity.

If you don’t have a copy of your academic certificate or transcript, you will need to request them from the institution where you studied.

Your documents must be copies that have been certified (stamped and signed) by an approved witness such as a justice of the peace.

You will need to upload the following documents:

• academic certificate
• academic transcript or mark sheet
• evidence of your residency status (permanent resident, Australian citizens, refugee/humanitarian) which could be in the form of a passport or a certificate of Australian citizenship or a letter from Department of Home Affairs
• proof of address in the ACT (driver’s licence or a utilities bill, including name and current address)
• original marriage certificate (if you have changed your name since finishing your qualification)
• a translation of your original documents if they are not in English (find an accredited translator).

Apply now

Apply for an Overseas Qualification Assessment

After you apply

If you include all the documents we need, it may take up to 4 weeks to assess your application.

Contact us