Study accounting in Australia as an international student

Course options and duration

A Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Accounting typically runs three years and is the standard undergraduate entry point. A Master of Professional Accounting (sometimes called a graduate diploma pathway for shorter programs) is aimed at students who hold an unrelated bachelor's degree and need to build accounting-specific core knowledge from scratch — these usually run one to two years depending on how much prior relevant study you bring in.

What matters for the migration outcome later isn't the degree title but subject coverage: the assessing bodies look for coverage of a defined set of core knowledge areas (financial accounting, management accounting, audit, taxation, commercial law, and others), so a degree that skips several of those areas — even if it's called "accounting" — can create a gap you have to fill separately with bridging study.

What it costs

As at 2026, published international tuition for a Bachelor of Commerce or Accounting typically sits in the broad AUD $30,000–45,000-a-year band, and a Master of Professional Accounting is often similar per year or slightly less, depending on the university. These are sticker prices from the provider's current fee schedule, not net cost after any scholarship, and they're set annually — check the specific university's current published fee before budgeting.

Work rights while studying, and the graduate visa window

Student visa (subclass 500) holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session and without a cap during scheduled breaks — as at 2026, worth confirming before relying on it. Accounting-adjacent part-time work (bookkeeping, admin roles at accounting firms) is common and can build genuinely relevant experience for later.

After graduation, the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream currently grants two years to bachelor's and coursework master's graduates and three years to research master's/PhD graduates, with a further one to two years possible for eligible regional-campus study. Age and English settings apply and are periodically reviewed — confirm current thresholds before assuming eligibility.

The migration pathway: occupation code and which body to choose

The core accounting occupations sit under ANZSCO 221111 (Accountant General), 221112 (Management Accountant) and 221113 (Taxation Accountant) — closely related codes with slightly different nominated duties. CPA Australia, CA ANZ and the IPA are all recognised assessing authorities for these codes, and applicants generally choose whichever body's process and fee structure best suits their qualification and circumstances, rather than being assigned one.

Each body has its own English requirement (commonly an overall IELTS-equivalent band with no individual component below a set minimum) and its own document and processing timeline — they are not interchangeable in process, even though the outcome (a positive skills assessment) serves the same visa purpose. Accountant occupations have appeared on Australia's skilled lists in various forms over recent years, but points allocation and list status change with each review — check the current list, and confirm which body and code suit your background with a MARA-registered agent.

Where the core-knowledge requirement catches people out

A commonly repeated requirement across the three assessing bodies is coverage of a defined number of core knowledge areas within your degree — commonly cited as needing coverage across most of a standard list (financial accounting and reporting, management accounting, taxation law, commercial law, audit and assurance, economics, quantitative methods, business finance, and others). If your degree, particularly a broader commerce or business degree with an accounting major, skipped several of these, you may need bridging or additional units before a positive assessment is achievable.

This is worth checking before enrolment, not after graduation — if migration is your goal, confirm your intended course's subject list against the current core-knowledge requirements published by CPA Australia, CA ANZ or the IPA rather than assuming an "accounting major" automatically ticks every box.

Is accounting a strong choice for a migration-focused international student?

Accounting's advantage is the choice of three assessing bodies rather than one gatekeeper, plus a well-defined, stable core-knowledge structure that most Australian accounting degrees are built to satisfy. The trade-off is that the core-knowledge check is genuinely specific — a degree with an accounting-sounding title doesn't guarantee it covers everything required, and English thresholds for these bodies can be demanding.

This article is general orientation on how the pathway works, not a confirmation that your specific transcript will pass assessment. A MARA-registered agent can review your actual subject list against current requirements — Migratio matches you with one free.

Which body should I use — CPA, CA ANZ or IPA?

All three are recognised assessing authorities for the core accountant ANZSCO codes, and the choice generally comes down to your qualification, career goals, and each body's specific requirements and fees. There isn't a single 'best' answer — it depends on your background, and a registered agent or the bodies' own eligibility checkers can help you compare.

Does any accounting degree qualify me for a skills assessment?

Not automatically. The assessing bodies check that your degree covered a defined set of core knowledge areas (financial accounting, audit, tax, commercial law and others), not just that the degree is titled 'accounting.' Some broader commerce degrees miss required areas and need bridging study to close the gap.

Is accountant on Australia's skilled occupation list?

Accountant occupations have commonly appeared on Australia's skilled lists in various forms, but list status and points value are reviewed periodically. Check the current list for the specific ANZSCO code you're nominating rather than assuming, and confirm with a MARA-registered agent.

How long can I work in Australia after an accounting degree?

As at 2026, the 485 Post-Higher Education Work stream grants two years to bachelor's and coursework master's graduates and three years to research master's/PhD graduates, with a possible further one to two years for eligible regional-campus study. Confirm current age and English settings before relying on this.