Bachelor → Masters or Masters by Research
Finished your Bachelor? Moving up to a higher AQF level can still be lodged in Australia. And a Masters by Research brings real advantages: unlimited work once you start, and a 485 you can apply for up to age 49.
- Category
- Student
- For
- Bachelor graduates, and coursework Masters graduates considering research
- Onshore if
- You completed your course and the new one is a higher AQF level (higher education to higher education)
- Research advantages
- Unlimited work after commencing; 485 age limit under 50; longer 485 stay
- Government charge
- A$2,500 main applicant
- Our fee
- From A$1,250
Start here
Do this
- Check the AQF level of both courses
- Choose a course that keeps your 485 and skilled options open
- For research, contact potential supervisors early
- Start your Genuine Student answers with your real career story
Avoid this
- Moving to a course at the same or a lower level and expecting to stay onshore
- Choosing a vocational course after higher education if you need the exemption
- Copying a research proposal or template answers
- Leaving supervisor contact until the last minute
What a wrong turn can cost: Picking a course at the same AQF level means lodging offshore — and the wrong course can close the 485 or skilled pathway you were counting on.
Are you on the right track?
- Have you completed your current course (or will you before the new one starts)?
- Is the new course a higher AQF level, delivered by a higher education provider?
- For research: do you have a topic and a potential supervisor?
Unsure about any of these? Talk it through on a free call — you're not alone in this.
Is this you?
- You've finished (or are finishing) a Bachelor and want a Masters.
- You're curious about research and want a longer, more flexible pathway.
- You've done a coursework Masters and want a Masters by Research.
What changed
2 Oct 2026 Progression to a higher AQF level is one of the few ways current students can still lodge in Australia.
2 Oct 2026 Coursework Masters to Masters by Research is the same AQF level — that means lodging offshore.
Since 1 Jul 2024 Masters (research) and PhD graduates can apply for a 485 up to age 49.
Who qualifies
- Bachelor (AQF 7) to Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Honours (AQF 8), or any Masters (AQF 9) — can be lodged in Australia if you completed your course.
- If you completed a higher education course, your next course must also be higher education, delivered by a higher education provider.
- Coursework Masters (AQF 9) to Masters by Research (AQF 9) is the same level — lodge from outside Australia.
- Masters to PhD (AQF 10) — PhD applicants can lodge in Australia.
- Usual Student visa requirements: CoE, Genuine Student, funds, OSHC, English if required.
Step by step
- AQF and pathway checkYour current and proposed course checked — onshore or offshore, and how it affects your 485 and skilled options.
- Course shortlistCourses and providers that fit your history and goals.
- Research track (optional)Help finding supervisors, structuring your first email and research proposal outline — you write the content.
- Admission and CoEOffer and CoE coordinated with the provider.
- VisaGenuine Student answers, funds, OSHC, lodgement.
- Plan aheadYour 485 and PR roadmap from the start.
Document checklist
Your ticks are saved on this device only.
Common problems
Myths and facts
How we help you with Bachelor → Masters or Masters by Research
- 1UnderstandAn AQF and pathway check in your consultation.
- 2PlanA written plan: courses, research option, costs and timing.
- 3PrepareSupervisor outreach and proposal structure (research), or admission (coursework).
- 4LodgeStudent visa lodged — onshore if you qualify.
- 5DestinationYour 485 and PR roadmap mapped from day one.
What you'll receive
How we keep in touch: Fortnightly check-ins while you secure admission, then updates until your visa is granted.
Three ways to do it
An honest look at your options. Some people do this themselves, and that can work well.
| Topic | With Omar Nafiz | Doing it yourself | With another provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQF level check | Checked before you accept an offer | Often discovered at lodgement | Varies |
| Course choice | Matched to your 485 and skilled pathway | Often the cheapest or fastest | Often the provider they usually use |
| Research pathway | Supervisor outreach and proposal structure guided | Hard to start alone | Rarely offered |
| Genuine Student | Your progression explained in your own words | Often templated | Sometimes templated |
| After graduation | 485 and PR plan from day one | Planned later | Usually separate |
Free mini-course: Studying in Australia after 2 October
3 short lessons and quick checks. About 10 minutes.
A situation like yours
An illustrative situation, in Omar's words. Names and details are fictional. See all situations.
Coursework Masters to Masters by Research
- Age 34
- English Superior
- 🎓 Bachelor → Masters or Masters by Research
The situation. Mei has nearly finished a coursework Masters. She likes research and wants a Masters by Research next, then a way to stay.
How I'd approach it
What I check first. A coursework Masters to a Masters by Research is the same qualification level. That means the new Student visa has to be lodged from outside Australia. I tell her this before she pays any deposit.
The options. Lodge offshore and plan the dates. Choose a supervisor and a proposal first. Research graduates have their own 485 rules, and I check them on the official page before she commits.
Age and English. Mei is 34, so she sits in the 25-point band federally (33 to 39) and scores 226 for age in Victoria. Her Superior English scores 20 and 200. Her age points will keep falling each year, so I plan the research route and the points route side by side.
My caution. A research Masters is a real commitment, not a shortcut. Supervisors decide, and I will not suggest it just to keep someone in the country.
Illustrative situation. The names and details are fictional.
Questions people ask
Can I move from a Bachelor to a Masters without leaving Australia?
Usually yes, if you completed your Bachelor and the Masters is a higher AQF level delivered by a higher education provider.
Can I go from a coursework Masters to a Masters by Research onshore?
No — they're the same AQF level, so you'd lodge from outside Australia. A PhD can be lodged onshore.
What are the work rights for research students?
Once you've commenced a Masters by Research or PhD, there's no limit on work hours.
How does research affect my 485?
Masters (research) graduates can apply for a 485 up to age 49 and usually get a longer stay.
Pricing
Consultation
A full review of your situation and a written plan.
Masters progression (coursework)
AQF check, course shortlist, admission coordination and Student visa.
Masters by Research pathway
Supervisor outreach and proposal structure guidance, scholarship search, admission and Student visa.
Research pathway — offshore
For coursework Masters graduates moving to research: everything above plus an offshore lodgement timing plan.
Government visa charge (Department of Home Affairs, as at 1 July 2026)
| Visa | Main applicant | Extra 18+ | Extra under 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student visa (500), all other students | A$2,500 | A$1,530 | A$500 |
| Student visa (500), Postgraduate researchThe official table shows N/A for extra applicants. Check the official page before adding family members. | A$2,500 | N/A | N/A |
Checked 22 October 2026. Official pricing table · Estimate for your family
Our prices as at 22 October 2026. Packages are paid in stages, only after you sign a written service agreement. All services and fees.
Book
Talk to us about Bachelor → Masters or Masters by Research
Start with a free 15-minute phone call. If you need full advice, book a A$110 consultation — it comes off your package.
Often considered alongside
Official sources
- Home Affairs: applying for a Student visa while in Australia
- Study Australia: Student visa (work conditions)
- Study Australia: Temporary Graduate visa (485)
Figures checked 8 October 2026. Visa rules and charges change — we confirm everything for your situation before you pay for a package.