Students in park
31 January 2025

Streamlined study requirement for Temporary Graduate visas

The study requirement for a Temporary Graduate visa (TGV) has changed for Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma holders.

Temporary Graduate visa (TGV) streams and study requirements

The Temporary Graduate visa (TGV) program has three streams:

  1. The Post-Vocational Education Work (PVEW) stream
  2. Post-Higher Education Work (PHEW) stream
  3. Second Post-Higher Education Work stream.

The qualification that you use to apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) will determine which of these streams is right for you.  

  • If you hold an Associate Degree, Diploma or trade qualification, you should apply for the TGV Post-Vocational Education Work (PVEW) stream.
  • If you hold a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree or Doctoral (e.g. PhD) degree, you should apply for the TGV Post-Higher Education Work (PHEW) stream.
  • If you hold a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma, please see the information below about changes to the TGV (PHEW) stream study requirement.

Graduate Certificates

Graduate Certificates no longer meet the study requirement for the Temporary Graduate visa. You can still study a Graduate Certificate, but it can’t be used as an eligible qualification to apply for a TGV.

An eligible qualification, such as a Bachelor's degree, Master's degree or Doctoral (e.g. PhD) degree,) must have been completed in the six months before lodging your TGV application.

A Graduate Certificate can be completed while holding a TGV.

Graduate Diplomas

You can use a Graduate Diploma as an eligible qualification for the TGV (PHEW stream) if:

  1. Your Graduate Diploma follows your Australian-awarded Bachelor's, Master's or Doctorate (e.g. PhD) degree and is related to that qualification’s field of study; and
  2. You studied your Graduate Diploma program in the same, or next, academic year as the Bachelor's, Master's or Doctorate (e.g. PhD) degree you completed.

These requirements mean that Graduate Diploma level study will help you to build up specialised skills in your area of study and improve your career prospects.

Graduate Diplomas in a different area of study

You can study a Graduate Diploma that is not related to your previous Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral Degree, but this study would not qualify for a TGV.

You must have completed your eligible TGV qualification within six months of lodging your application.

A Graduate Diploma can be completed while holding a TGV.

Moving to the new arrangements

These changes came into effect on 14 December 2024.

Any graduates who lodged a TGV application prior to 14 December 2024 using a Graduate Diploma as their qualifying study will be assessed according to the regulations in force at the time of application.

Where needed, Graduate Certificate holders who previously applied for a TGV and are identified as negatively impacted will be contacted by the Department of Home Affairs.

Other visa options

In addition to a TGV, former students may be eligible for a range of visas including other temporary residence visas or the new Skills in Demand visa, which replaced the Temporary Skill Shortage visa on 7 December 2024.