Points for Specialist Educational Qualifications

For the general skilled migration points test, you can obtain 10 points if you have met the requirements for the award of a “specialist educational qualification”.

You would need to have completed either a:

Master’s degree by research (as opposed to a Master’s by coursework); or
Doctoral degree (PhD)

The qualification must have included study of at least 2 academic years in Australia and be awarded by an Australian educational institution.

The qualification must be in a field specified by the Department of Home Affairs. This covers “STEM” specialisations (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Important: a Master’s degree by coursework does not qualify for these points, even in a STEM field, and neither does a qualification completed overseas. The 10 STEM points are claimed in addition to the points for your qualification level and the 5 points for the Australian study requirement, if you meet it.

The “specialist education” fields are defined follows:

Broad Field of Education	Narrow Field of Education
*Natural and Physical Sciences*	Biological Sciences
	Chemical Sciences
	Earth Sciences
	Mathematical Sciences
	Natural and Physical Sciences
	Other Natural and Physical Sciences
	Physics and Astronomy
*Information Technology*	Computer Science
	Information Systems
	Information Technology
	Other Information Technology
*Engineering and Related Technologies*	Aerospace Engineering and Technology
	Civil Engineering
	Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Technology
	Engineering and Related Technologies
	Geomatic Engineering
	Manufacturing Engineering and Technology
	Maritime Engineering and Technology
	Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and Technology
	Other Engineering and Related Technologies
	Process and Resources Engineering

If you would like assistance in applying for General Skilled Migration, you may wish to book an appointment with one of our advisors. They can assess your likely eligibility and give you advice in writing about the migration pathways which may be appropriate to your situation.