About us
The Overseas Students Ombudsman (OSO)
The Overseas Students Ombudsman investigates complaints about problems that overseas students or intending overseas students may have with private education and training in Australia.
The legal basis for the Ombudsman role is the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Legislation Amendment Act 2011, passed by the Australian Parliament on 21 March 2011.
The Ombudsman also provides information about best practice complaints handling to help private education providers manage internal complaints effectively and publishes reports on problems and broader issues in international education identified through investigations.
The Ombudsman:
- provides a free service
- is independent and impartial, and does not represent either overseas students or private education providers
- can make recommendations arising out of investigations
- is a function of the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman can only investigate a complaint if:
- it relates to a private education provider registered with the Australian Government on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas students (CRICOS)
- the problem relates to an overseas student who is already studying in Australia on a student visa or is intending to come to Australia soon.
The Ombudsman cannot investigate a complaint if:
- it relates to a public or government education provider. These complaints can be directed to the Ombudsman for your state or territory. See State and Territory Ombudsmen.
The Ombudsman may also decide not to investigate complaints if:
- the complaint has not first been raised with the education provider
- another organisation is better able to help.