Confirmation of Enrolment for Australia: How You Get a CoE and What to Check

TL;DR: A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is the electronic record your Australian university or college creates once you accept your offer and pay what it asks for, usually a tuition deposit. You need the CoE code to lodge a Student visa (subclass 500) application. Before you lodge, check the course name, CRICOS code, start and end dates and provider name on it, because the visa is built around those details.

An offer letter tells you a university wants you. A CoE tells the Australian Government you are enrolled. It is the document that turns an offer into a visa application, and it is created in a government system, so a mistake on it travels straight into your visa file.

Students preparing a confirmation of enrolment for Australia from Sri Lanka, or from anywhere else, often wait for it without knowing what to check when it arrives. This guide covers how a CoE is issued, what it contains and the checks to run before you lodge.

Waiting on an Australian offer and unsure what comes between acceptance and the visa? Check your eligibility with Prosper.

What a CoE is

Australian education providers that enrol international students must be registered on CRICOS, the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. Registered providers issue CoEs through PRISMS, the government's Provider Registration and International Student Management System.

So a CoE is not a letter your university writes. It is a record in a government system, sent to you as a document with a unique CoE code. Home Affairs can see the same record when it assesses your visa.

How you get a CoE

The order is usually the same at every provider:

1. Receive your offer. Read the conditions. A conditional offer must be made unconditional first, for example by sending final transcripts or English test results.
2. Pass the provider's own checks. Many providers run a genuine student check of their own before they issue a CoE. They may ask about your study plan, your finances or gaps in your study history.
3. Accept the offer and sign the written agreement. This sets out fees and the refund policy.
4. Pay what the provider asks for. Usually a tuition deposit, and often Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) if you ask the provider to arrange it.
5. Receive your CoE. Timing varies by provider.

Our guide to OSHC for an Australian student visa explains the insurance step.

Want help checking an offer's conditions before you pay a deposit?

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What to check on your CoE

Your visa application uses the CoE details, and a wrong date can mean a visa that ends too early or a course that cannot start. Check each line:

You can check that the provider and course are registered on the CRICOS register on the Australian Government's website. Search by provider or course code and confirm the course is listed for international students.

If anything is wrong, ask the provider to correct the CoE before you lodge. Fixing it afterwards is slower and can mean telling Home Affairs about the change.

Packaged courses: more than one CoE

If you are taking a pathway, such as an English course followed by a degree, or a diploma followed by a bachelor's degree, each course has its own CoE. You lodge one visa application with every CoE in the package, and the visa is granted to cover the whole package.

This matters more than it used to. Since 2 October, most Student visa holders who need a new Student visa must apply from outside Australia, unless an exemption applies. Planning the full package up front, with every CoE in place, is simpler than applying again later. Our guide to Australia student visa onshore applications explains the change.

After you lodge

• Keep your CoE code safe. You will need it for the visa application and later for any change to your enrolment.
• Tell your provider early about any delay. If you cannot start on the date shown, the provider decides whether to defer your enrolment and update your CoE. A changed start date can affect your visa, so do not change your plans without written confirmation.
• Choose your provider with the visa in mind. Visa processing priority for new students is linked to each provider's place against its enrolment allocation. Our guide to Australia student visa processing priority explains why your choice of university can affect visa speed.

Applying from Sri Lanka

• Tuition deposits paid from Sri Lanka usually move by international bank transfer, which can take several working days to clear. The CoE is issued only after the payment is received, so build those days into your timeline.
• Keep the bank's transfer receipt and send a copy to the provider with your acceptance, so the payment is matched to your file quickly.

FAQ

What is a CoE for an Australian student visa?
A Confirmation of Enrolment created by your registered provider in the government's PRISMS system. You need its code to lodge a Student visa application.

When do I get my CoE?
After you accept your offer, meet any conditions, pass the provider's checks and pay what it asks for, usually a tuition deposit.

Can I apply for the visa with only an offer letter?
For most applicants, no. Plan on needing the CoE before you lodge.

What if my CoE has the wrong dates?
Ask your provider to correct it before you lodge your visa application.

Do I need a separate CoE for a pathway course?
Yes. Each course in a package has its own CoE, and you include all of them in one visa application.

How do I check a course is registered?
Search the CRICOS register for the provider or course code.

PS: A CoE takes a few minutes to check and protects months of planning. If you want help choosing a provider and lining up your offer, CoE and visa for an Australian intake, check your eligibility with Prosper.

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