Guide to applying for the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway
Last updated: 8 February 2026
Application deadlines
Applications are open for the Refugee Student Settlement Pathway on 16 February 2026. You must submit an Expression of Interest by no later than 2 March 2026 to be considered for this intake of the RSSP. Students who submit an eligible expression of interest will be invited to submit a full application due on 5pm on Monday 16 March, Melbourne Australia time (Australian Eastern Daylight Time).
How to apply
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Before you submit your Expression of Interest, check you are eligible to be considered for this year's intake of the RSSP:
Registered with UNHCR in Malaysia, India and Thailand.
18-30 years of age at the time of application.
Completed Senior Secondary School (Year 12) or an equivalent program (see options below)
Have not already completed a postgraduate degree (Masters or Doctorate).
Able to study and communicate competently in English (you will be tested on this)
Willing to travel to Australia without family members.
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To be considered for the RSSP, you must first submit an Expression of Interest form by 2 March 2026. If your form responses indicate you are eligible for the RSSP, you will be invited to submit a full application.
If your answers indicate you are not eligible, we will email you to let you know as soon as possible.
You must have a valid email address in order to complete the Expression of Interest.
Please complete the Expression of Interest in one sitting and make sure to "Submit" at the end.
Your data will be handled by Skill Path Australia in accordance with our our Privacy Policy
Reminder to submit your Expression of Interest by the deadline: 2 March 2026.
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If you are eligible to apply for the RSSP we will email you with an invitation to submit a full application. Full applications are due by no later than 5pm on Monday 16 March 2026. Please ensure to submit your application early to avoid any technical issues that may prevent you from submitting on time.
The application has three parts:
Verification of your UNHCR registration and any other identity documents
Confirming your English level
Confirming your academic interests, motivation and past results
We will email you on the email address you provide in your expression of interest. To avoid confusion please do not change your email midway through the application process. Make sure to check your junk mail folder to ensure you do not miss any emails about the application process.
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As part of the full application process you will be invited to take an online proctored Duolingo English Test.
If you have already taken a proctored Duolingo English Test in the past 2 years, and you are happy with your results, you may provide us with these scores through your Duolingo portal.
If you have not taken a recent Duolingo English Test, you will need to take a practice test and upload your scores. If your practice test scores show you have met a score of 95 or above we will send you a free DET test code. This code and instructions for taking the test will be sent to the same email address you have given us. Check your junk mail so you do not miss any correspondence from Skill Path or Duolingo.
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Ensure that all parts of your application are submitted well ahead of the deadline, including English test scores.
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Skill Path will begin shortlisting applicants on the 17th March 2026. Shortlisted students will be asked to submit a 60-90 second video outlining why you believe you should be selected for the RSSP.
We recommend you are prepared and pre-record your video ahead of time, so you are able to upload it quickly if you are shortlisted.
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Shortlisted students will be invited to participate in an interview with a panel of experts including representatives from participating universities, Skill Path and partner organisations including Refugee Education Australia. We will also have experts with migration and refugee experience on the panels.
You will be invited to attend an interview on a particular day/time. You must turn up to your interview on time. If you are unable to attend the interview at the scheduled time, you must contact Skill Path at least 48 hours in advance to reschedule. If you face technical barriers to participating in a video interview we will work with you to resolve these, depending on your location.
Interview will last approximately 45 minutes and cover your academic background, as well as your experiences, personal qualities, interests and motivation to apply for the RSSP. Interviews will be recorded for Skill Path records and to refer back to as we are finalising selection.
Streams
There are two streams in the RSSP:
Undergraduate stream: For students who have completed Senior Secondary School (Year 11 and 12) or an equivalent program (such as A-Levels or the GED) and have their graduation certificate and results. This stream is also available to students who are currently part way through an undergraduate course of study.
Postgraduate stream: For students who have completed a Bachelor's Degree and have their degree certificates and transcripts available. This stream is also available to students who are part way through a postgraduate course of study.
What courses are considered eligible for consideration
Undergraduate stream
To apply for the undergraduate stream you must have completed Senior Secondary School (Year 12) or an equivalent program that is accepted by Australian universities for either direct admission or pathways (eg. through foundations studies or a Diploma).
Postgraduate stream
To apply for the postgraduate stream you must have completed a Bachelors Degree at an accredited university. Skill Path relies on the Department of Education Country Profiles to assess accreditation of universities. If your university cannot be located on the DoE site we will make enquiries through our Admissions Advisory Group to assess your qualification and its equivalency to Australia’s qualifications framework.
If your qualification is not equivalent to an Australian undergraduate degree, you may need to switch into the undergraduate stream.
Need help?
You can consult our Help Centre for frequently asked questions. Or just share your specific questions with the Skill Path Bot or by emailing us at apply@skillpath.org.au.
