Can a One-Year Australian Master's Qualify for the 485 Visa? The 92-Week and 16-Month Tests

The Short Answer

Yes, a one-year Australian master’s degree can qualify for the 485 visa — but only if it meets the 92 CRICOS weeks and 16 calendar months tests under the Australian study requirement. The nominal length of the course (“one year”) is not what the Department of Home Affairs looks at. What matters is how many CRICOS weeks the course is registered for, how long you actually spend studying in Australia, and whether any credit or failed subjects have reduced your eligible study period.

What the 485 Actually Requires

The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) Post-Higher Education Work stream is the main pathway for international students who have completed an Australian qualification and want to stay and work. To be eligible, you need to satisfy the Australian study requirement.

The Australian study requirement generally means:

• At least two academic years of study, which is defined as 92 CRICOS weeks
• Completed in Australia
• Over at least 16 calendar months
• In English
• While holding a visa that allows study

Two things stand out here. First, “two academic years” is not the same as “two calendar years.” Second, the 92-week figure is measured in CRICOS weeks, not in the number of subjects or semesters you complete.

Why a “One-Year” Master’s Can Still Hit 92 Weeks

CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. Every course offered to international students in Australia is registered with a specific duration measured in CRICOS weeks. That duration reflects the expected full-time study load for the course.

Here is the key point: a course marketed as “one year” might be registered for anywhere from 42 to 52 CRICOS weeks. A course marketed as “18 months” might be registered for 78 weeks. Neither of those automatically meets the 92-week threshold.

But a “one-year” master’s can still reach 92 CRICOS weeks if the course includes additional study components — a longer thesis, additional coursework, or a structured internship — that push the registered duration beyond the nominal calendar year. Some Australian universities design one-year master’s programs with a CRICOS duration that exceeds 92 weeks precisely because the study load is compressed or because the course includes a summer or intensive term.

So the first test is always: what is the CRICOS duration of your specific course, not the marketing duration?

The 16 Calendar Months Test

Even if your course is registered for 92 CRICOS weeks, you also need to have completed it in Australia over at least 16 calendar months. This is a separate and independent requirement.

The 16-month period is measured from the day you start your course to the day you complete it. It is not measured from the day your visa was granted, and it is not measured from the day you arrived in Australia.

This means a course that is registered for 92 weeks but is delivered in a highly compressed format — for example, with minimal breaks between teaching periods — could fall short of the 16 calendar months even if the CRICOS week count is satisfied. Conversely, a course that is nominally 92 weeks but includes standard semester breaks, summer breaks, and a longer thesis period will normally satisfy the 16-month test without any difficulty.

For onshore students, this matters because the 16-month clock runs continuously. If you take a leave of absence, that time typically does not count towards the 16 months. If you change courses, the clock may restart depending on how the courses are combined.

Combining Qualifications: The Hidden Flexibility

The Australian study requirement does not force you to complete a single course. More than one eligible qualification may be combined to meet the 92-week and 16-month tests.

This is where many onshore students find a practical path. Suppose you complete a Graduate Certificate (registered for 26 CRICOS weeks) followed by a Master’s (registered for 78 CRICOS weeks). The combined CRICOS duration is 104 weeks, which exceeds 92. If both qualifications are completed in Australia, in English, over at least 16 calendar months, you may satisfy the Australian study requirement even though neither course on its own was long enough.

The same logic applies to a Graduate Diploma followed by a Master’s, or two Master’s degrees, or a Bachelor’s followed by a Master’s. The key conditions are that all the qualifications are eligible and that the combined study period meets both the 92-week and 16-month thresholds.

This combination rule is particularly relevant for students who have already completed a shorter postgraduate qualification and are considering whether to add a one-year master’s on top. The question is not “does this one-year master’s alone qualify?” but “does my total eligible study in Australia meet the requirement?”

Credit Transfer: The Trap That Reduces Your Count

Credit transfer is one of the most common reasons a one-year master’s fails to satisfy the Australian study requirement.

When you receive credit towards a course based on prior study — whether from an overseas qualification or from a previous Australian qualification — the CRICOS duration of your remaining study is reduced. The Department of Home Affairs counts only the CRICOS weeks you actually complete in Australia, not the full registered duration of the course.

Here is a concrete example. A master’s course is registered for 104 CRICOS weeks. You receive credit for four subjects based on your prior bachelor’s degree. Your remaining study is 78 CRICOS weeks. Even though you are enrolled in a “two-year” master’s, your eligible study for the Australian study requirement is 78 weeks — below the 92-week threshold.

This is why the nominal course length is a poor predictor of 485 eligibility. The only reliable way to check is to look at your course’s CRICOS registration and calculate how many weeks you will actually complete after any credit is applied.

If you are considering a one-year master’s and you have been offered credit, you need to ask your education provider two questions:

1. What is the total CRICOS duration of the course?
2. How many CRICOS weeks remain after my approved credit is applied?

Failed Subjects: A Second Trap

The Australian study requirement counts only subjects you pass. Failed subjects do not count towards the 92-week requirement.

This is a hard rule. If you fail a subject and need to repeat it, the original attempt does not contribute to your eligible study. Only the successful completion counts. Depending on how your education provider structures the repeat, this can extend your study period — which is fine for the 16-month test — but it does not automatically add CRICOS weeks if the repeat is delivered within the same registered course duration.

The practical implication is straightforward: if you fail a subject in a one-year master’s that is already close to the 92-week threshold, you may fall short. The same failure in a longer course might not matter because you have more CRICOS weeks in reserve.

For onshore students, the message is to monitor your study plan against the 92-week and 16-month tests from day one, not in your final semester.

The 485 Post-Higher Education Work Stream: Duration of the Visa

Assuming you do satisfy the Australian study requirement, the Post-Higher Education Work stream normally provides:

• Two years for a coursework or extended master’s degree
• Three years for a research master’s or doctorate

These durations are subject to current eligibility and passport-specific arrangements. The Department of Home Affairs has introduced exceptions for certain passport holders — including Indian, Hong Kong, and British National Overseas passport holders — where different durations may apply. You should check the current arrangements on the Department of Home Affairs website at the time you apply.

Note that this is general information about the visa framework, not migration advice. Your individual circumstances, including your passport and the specific course you completed, will determine the duration you are eligible for.

What Does Not Qualify

Several common scenarios do not satisfy the Australian study requirement, even if the course is called a “master’s”:

• A one-year master’s with a CRICOS duration below 92 weeks. If the course is registered for 52 or 78 weeks, it does not meet the threshold on its own. Combining it with another eligible qualification may help.
• A one-year master’s completed entirely online from outside Australia. The study must be completed in Australia.
• A one-year master’s where you received significant credit that reduced your Australian study below 92 CRICOS weeks. The credit reduction applies regardless of the nominal course length.
• A one-year master’s completed in fewer than 16 calendar months. Even if the CRICOS weeks are satisfied, the calendar month test is independent.
• A one-year master’s studied on a visa that does not permit study. The visa you hold during the study period matters.

How to Check Your Own Position

If you are an onshore student considering a one-year master’s and you want to know whether it will count towards the 485, here is a practical checklist:

1. Find the CRICOS course code. Every registered course has a CRICOS code. Your education provider’s website or the CRICOS register will show the registered duration in weeks.
2. Confirm the CRICOS week count. Look for the exact number of weeks the course is registered for. Do not assume that “one year full-time” equals 52 weeks. It might be 42, 48, or 52 depending on how the provider structured the course.
3. Check your credit situation. If you have been offered credit, ask your provider to confirm how many CRICOS weeks remain after credit is applied. This number is what matters.
4. Map your calendar. Work out whether your study period in Australia will span at least 16 calendar months. Include your actual start and end dates.
5. Consider combining qualifications. If your one-year master’s alone is short of 92 weeks, ask whether any previous Australian qualifications you hold can be combined.

The 60-Day Rule for IELTS One Skill Retake (Melbourne University Only)

One related point that comes up frequently for onshore students is the IELTS One Skill Retake. As of the date of this article, the only Australian university we have verified as accepting the IELTS One Skill Retake is the University of Melbourne. The retake must be a full computer-delivered test taken at an eligible test centre, within 60 days of the original test, and the original test must still be within its validity period.

We have not verified that other Group of Eight universities accept the One Skill Retake. If you are applying to a specific university, check their English language requirements directly on their official website. Do not assume that because one university accepts a retake, others do too.

What This Means for Your Planning

The one-year master’s and the 485 are not incompatible. The compatibility depends entirely on the specific course structure, your study history, and your credit situation.

Three scenarios illustrate the range of outcomes:

Scenario A: A one-year master’s registered for 52 CRICOS weeks, no credit, completed in 12 calendar months. This does not satisfy the Australian study requirement. You would need to combine it with another eligible qualification or extend your study.

Scenario B: A one-year master’s registered for 104 CRICOS weeks (compressed delivery), completed in 16 calendar months. This satisfies both tests. The course is called “one year” but the CRICOS duration and calendar months are both met.

Scenario C: A one-year master’s registered for 78 CRICOS weeks, completed in 16 calendar months, with 26 weeks of prior Graduate Certificate study in Australia. The combined eligible study is 104 CRICOS weeks, completed over more than 16 calendar months. This satisfies the Australian study requirement.

The practical lesson is that the label “one-year master’s” tells you almost nothing about 485 eligibility. You need to look at the CRICOS registration, your credit situation, and your actual study timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I count a one-year master’s towards the 485 if it is less than 92 CRICOS weeks? Not on its own. You would need to combine it with another eligible Australian qualification to reach the 92-week threshold.

Does the 16-month period start from my visa grant date? No. It starts from the day you begin your eligible study in Australia and ends on the day you complete it.

Does credit from an overseas university reduce my Australian study count? Yes. Credit reduces the CRICOS weeks you complete in Australia, regardless of where the prior study was undertaken.

What if I fail a subject and repeat it? The failed attempt does not count. Only the successful completion counts towards the 92-week requirement.

Is the 485 duration always two years for a master’s? No. The standard duration is two years for a coursework or extended master’s and three years for a research master’s or doctorate, but passport-specific arrangements may differ. Check the current rules at the time of application.

Sources and Currency

This article is based on official information from the Australian Department of Home Affairs, specifically the pages on the Australian study requirement and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) Post-Higher Education Work stream. The information reflects the rules as at 15 August 2026.

Visa rules change. Before making any decisions, verify the current requirements directly on the Department of Home Affairs website and check your education provider’s CRICOS registration. This article is general information only and does not constitute migration or legal advice. For advice specific to your circumstances, consult a registered migration agent.