CANBERRA, 5 September, 2026: Australia has banned new international student enrolments in the Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning) (GDML, BSB80120) from today ( 5 September, 2026), the first use of new ministerial course-cancellation powers under the ESOS Act.
The issue of excessive migration being pushed by the Coalition and One Nation, seems to have made Canberra to take a step-by-step approach and the ban on new visas for GDML is in this direction. An estimated 40,000 international students shifted to GDM. Half of those, reportedly, never complete the course. The ain being to prolong the stay in Australia and then move to another visa.
Assistant Minister for International Education Julian Hill said the move targets “significant and systemic integrity issues”, including high visa refusal and non-completion rates and evidence the course was being used for onshore course-hopping to extend stays without genuine study.
The Minister says, “The government will continue to act decisively to ensure Australia remains a trusted global education destination, to protect international students and to prevent misuse of the student visa system.
“The Coalition left behind a shocking mess in 2022, with unsustainably high growth in student numbers in the least reputable parts of the sector, and our high-quality student visa being degraded into a low-rent illegal work visa and misused by shonks.
“Australia continues to welcome genuine international students seeking a premium education and must maintain a ruthless focus on quality, integrity and a great student experience.”
Key points
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From 5 October, providers cannot issue new CoEs or enrol new overseas students in GDML; accepted students who have not yet commenced will be blocked from starting.
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Students who have already commenced can continue and complete the qualification.
- 452 VET providers are registered to deliver the course to international students, with 41,033 active Confirmations of Enrolment (CoEs) in the GDML, including 15,772 students recorded as currently studying the course.
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Domestic students are not affected; the ban applies only to international enrolments.
Assistant Minister for International Education, Julian Hill says, “The government will continue to act decisively to ensure Australia remains a trusted global education destination, to protect international students and to prevent misuse of the student visa system.
“The Coalition left behind a shocking mess in 2022, with unsustainably high growth in student numbers in the least reputable parts of the sector, and our high-quality student visa being degraded into a low-rent illegal work visa and misused by shonks.
“Australia continues to welcome genuine international students seeking a premium education and must maintain a ruthless focus on quality, integrity and a great student experience.”
