If you have been trained overseas, your qualifications may not be recognised by employers in Australia. To get your Australian qualification, you may have to be assessed or take an examination. ASDOT financial support helps you cover the cost of this.

To receive ASDOT funding, you need to be an Australian citizen, an Australian permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen living in Australia. You also need to be in a profession approved for ASDOT. You can find a list of approved professions on the Australian Education International website.

The Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE) administers the program. The Department of Human Services verifies your eligibility and submits applications to the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education for payment of the claim.

For more information, visit the Australian Education International website or email asdot@deewr.gov.au.

Eligibility & payment rates

Eligibility for ASDOT

You need to meet eligibility requirements at the time of your ASDOT application to get funding. You must:

  • be an Australian citizen; an Australian permanent resident; or a New Zealand citizen living in Australia
  • have, or be named on, a current Centrelink concession card (Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card only) or meet all of the requirements for the low-income test (if you are serving the two-year newly arrived migrant period, you are eligible to apply)
  • have not previously applied for ASDOT assistance for the same examination/assessment
  • have been trained overseas in a profession approved for ASDOT purposes, and
  • meet the three-month time limit for either your refund or upfront application. (For an upfront application, you must not apply earlier than three months before the date of examination. For a refund, you must apply within three months of completing your examination/assessment, regardless of the date the fees were paid on.)

Included professions for ASDOT

The professions with assessments or examinations for which ASDOT assistance is available are listed below:

  • architect
  • chiropractor
  • dentist
  • dietician
  • general medical practitioner
  • medical-laboratory scientist
  • medical specialist
  • nurse
  • occupational therapist
  • optometrist
  • pharmacist
  • physiotherapist
  • podiatrist
  • radiographer
  • veterinarian.

Further information about the professional assessments or examinations that ASDOT covers appears in the Assessment Subsidy for Overseas Trained Professionals (ASDOT) Approved Professional Assessments and Examinations brochure.

Applying

Applying for ASDOT

ASDOT applications must be submitted in person through the department.

Read more about applying

Resources

Approved professional assessments and examination

ASDOT helps overseas trained professionals facing financial hardships to meet Australian professional requirements. It provides financial assistance to cover the cost of approved assessments or examinations.

Download The Assessment Subsidy for Overseas Trained Professionals (ASDOT) Approved Professional Assessments and Examinations booklet to learn more.