The Most Unusual CRICOS Courses in Australia: 10 Real Programs You Probably Didn’t Expect to Find
When people search for CRICOS courses in Australia, they usually expect to find business, IT, hospitality, accounting, nursing, aged care or English language programs. But the official CRICOS database is much broader than that. It also includes highly specialised courses in circus arts, horse care, wine production, floristry, boating services, maritime archaeology, drone aviation, jewellery design and forestry.
That is what makes the CRICOS database so useful: it does not only show the most popular study options for international students. It also reveals how diverse Australia’s education system really is.
Below are 10 real and active examples of unusual CRICOS-registered courses found in the current database.
1. Bachelor of Circus Arts
CRICOS code: 078080F
Provider: Swinburne University of Technology
Location: Hawthorn, Victoria
Level: Bachelor Degree
Yes, circus arts can be a real higher education pathway in Australia.
The Bachelor of Circus Arts is one of the most unusual CRICOS-registered programs in the database. It shows that international education in Australia is not limited to classroom-based or corporate subjects. Some courses are built around physical performance, stagecraft, creativity, technical discipline and professional artistic development.
For an international student interested in performance, movement, acrobatics or contemporary circus, this is a very different type of study pathway compared with the usual business or IT options.
2. Associate Degree of Circus Arts
CRICOS code: 117404H
Provider: Australian College of the Arts Pty Ltd
Location: Collingwood, Victoria
Level: Associate Degree
The Associate Degree of Circus Arts is another real CRICOS example from the same unusual field.
This makes circus arts one of the most visually striking examples for anyone exploring the database. It is rare, memorable and very different from the courses most people associate with international study in Australia.
For an article or course search page, this is a perfect example of why filtering only by broad categories can hide some of the most interesting options.
3. Certificate III in Horse Care
CRICOS code: 113530A
Provider: Brisbane College of Australia Pty Ltd
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Level: Certificate III
The Certificate III in Horse Care is a practical vocational course focused on equine care.
This is not the kind of course most international students expect to see when they first open a CRICOS course search. It belongs to a much more specialised area: animal care, equine handling and practical horse-related work.
It is also a good reminder that VET courses in Australia can cover very specific industries, not only general business, cookery or community services.
4. Bachelor of Equine Science
CRICOS code: 012005G
Provider: Charles Sturt University
Location: Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Level: Bachelor Degree
The Bachelor of Equine Science is a stronger academic example from the same broad field as horse care.
Unlike a short practical course, this is a full bachelor degree connected to equine science. It may appeal to students interested in horses, animal science, rural industries, breeding, performance, welfare or related professional pathways.
For the article, this course is useful because it shows the depth of the CRICOS database: one student may find a practical horse care certificate, while another may discover a university-level equine science degree.
5. Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology
CRICOS code: 068885G
Provider: The University of Adelaide
Location: South Australia
Level: Bachelor Degree
The Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology is one of the best examples of an unusual but highly Australian study pathway.
Viticulture is related to grape growing. Oenology is related to winemaking. Together, they form a specialised field connected to wine production, vineyards, agriculture, science and food industries.
This course is not “exotic” because it is random. It is unusual because it is highly specialised. At the same time, it makes sense in Australia, where wine regions and agricultural production are an important part of the national economy.
For students who do not want a generic degree, this is the type of CRICOS course that can open a very specific professional direction.
6. Certificate III in Floristry
CRICOS code: 089027J
Provider: Holmesglen Institute
Location: Glen Waverley, Victoria
Level: Certificate III
The Certificate III in Floristry is a small but memorable example from the current CRICOS database.
Floristry is a practical creative field. It combines design, customer service, plant knowledge, event work and hands-on technical skills. Compared with mass-market study areas, it is a much more niche choice.
This course works well in the article because it shows that CRICOS also includes craft-based and design-oriented vocational education, not only academic degrees or migration-heavy study areas.
7. Certificate IV in Boating Services
CRICOS code: 117261G
Provider: Australian College of Pioneers Pty Ltd
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Level: Certificate IV
The Certificate IV in Boating Services is one of the rarest examples in this selection.
Boating services is a niche vocational area. It may involve practical and technical knowledge connected to boats, marine service environments or related operations.
This course is useful for the article because it adds variety. It is not arts, not agriculture, not business, not IT. It sits in a specialised marine-related space that most users would probably never think to search for.
8. Master of Maritime Archaeology
CRICOS code: 075592F
Provider: Flinders University
Location: Bedford Park, South Australia
Level: Master Degree
The Master of Maritime Archaeology is one of the strongest examples in the whole list.
It combines archaeology with maritime history, underwater heritage, shipwrecks, coastal sites and cultural research. As a postgraduate course, it is also a good example of how unusual CRICOS programs are not limited to vocational certificates.
This course gives the article a genuine “wow” moment. It sounds like something from a documentary, but it is a real CRICOS-registered academic program.
9. Bachelor of Aviation — Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems
CRICOS code: 114591B
Provider: UNSW
Location: Kensington, New South Wales
Level: Bachelor Degree
The Bachelor of Aviation (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) is a modern niche course connected to drone aviation and unmanned aircraft systems.
This is a very different kind of “unusual” course. It is not unusual because it is old-fashioned or artistic. It is unusual because it reflects a newer technical field.
Drone-related aviation can be relevant to areas such as surveying, logistics, emergency services, infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring, security, mapping and media production.
For students looking for a future-facing study pathway, this is one of the most interesting CRICOS examples in the database.
10. Advanced Diploma of Jewellery and Object Design
CRICOS code: 112024E
Provider: Melbourne Polytechnic
Location: Fairfield, Victoria
Level: Advanced Diploma
The Advanced Diploma of Jewellery and Object Design is a specialised creative course focused on design, craft, materials and object-making.
This is a good final example because it expands the article beyond performance, animals, wine, marine fields and aviation. It shows that the CRICOS database also includes highly specific design programs.
Jewellery and object design is not a generic creative course. It is a focused pathway for students who want to work with physical objects, small-scale design, making processes and applied creative practice.
Table: 10 Unusual CRICOS Courses Found in the Current Database
| Course | CRICOS Code | Provider | Location | Study Level |
| Bachelor of Circus Arts | 078080F | Swinburne University of Technology | Hawthorn, VIC | Bachelor Degree |
| Associate Degree of Circus Arts | 117404H | Australian College of the Arts Pty Ltd | Collingwood, VIC | Associate Degree |
| Certificate III in Horse Care | 113530A | Brisbane College of Australia Pty Ltd | Brisbane, QLD | Certificate III |
| Bachelor of Equine Science | 012005G | Charles Sturt University | Wagga Wagga, NSW | Bachelor Degree |
| Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology | 068885G | The University of Adelaide | South Australia | Bachelor Degree |
| Certificate III in Floristry | 089027J | Holmesglen Institute | Glen Waverley, VIC | Certificate III |
| Certificate IV in Boating Services | 117261G | Australian College of Pioneers Pty Ltd | Melbourne, VIC | Certificate IV |
| Master of Maritime Archaeology | 075592F | Flinders University | Bedford Park, SA | Master Degree |
| Bachelor of Aviation (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) | 114591B | UNSW | Kensington, NSW | Bachelor Degree |
| Advanced Diploma of Jewellery and Object Design | 112024E | Melbourne Polytechnic | Fairfield, VIC | Advanced Diploma |
What These Courses Tell Us About the CRICOS Database
These examples show that CRICOS is not just a list of mainstream courses. It is a large, structured database of Australian education options available to international students.
The unusual courses are important because they reveal three things.
First, Australia offers highly specialised study pathways. A student can search not only for business or IT, but also for equine science, maritime archaeology, circus performance or drone aviation.
Second, CRICOS includes different education levels. The examples above include Certificate III, Certificate IV, Advanced Diploma, Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree and Master Degree programs.
Third, location matters. Some unusual courses are connected to specific industries, regions or institutions. A wine-related degree in South Australia, equine science in regional New South Wales or maritime archaeology at Flinders University makes more sense when viewed together with the provider and location.
Why Students Should Search Beyond Popular Course Categories
Many international students begin with broad searches such as:
- business courses in Australia
- IT courses in Australia
- hospitality courses in Australia
- nursing courses in Australia
- English courses in Australia
These searches are useful, but they can also be limiting.
A student who only searches for broad categories may never discover a course that better matches their real interests. The CRICOS database contains thousands of active courses, and some of the most interesting options are hidden in small, specialised fields.
That is why a searchable CRICOS tool is useful. Instead of scrolling through a long static list, students can search by course name, CRICOS code, provider, city, state or study area.
How to Find Unusual CRICOS Courses Faster
The easiest way to find unusual courses is to search the database with specific keywords instead of only using broad categories.
For example, students can search for words such as:
- circus
- horse
- equine
- wine
- viticulture
- floristry
- boating
- maritime
- drone
- jewellery
- forestry
This type of search quickly surfaces courses that would normally be missed in a generic list.
A good CRICOS search tool should help users move from a broad idea to a verified course record in seconds. The most important fields to check are the course name, CRICOS course code, provider, study level, location and current registration status.
Final Thoughts
The most surprising thing about the CRICOS database is not only its size. It is the variety inside it.
Alongside the expected business, IT, hospitality and health courses, there are real CRICOS-registered programs in circus arts, horse care, equine science, winemaking, floristry, boating services, maritime archaeology, drone aviation and jewellery design.
For international students, this matters because choosing a course in Australia does not have to mean following the most common path. The database contains mainstream options, but it also contains highly specialised programs for students with very specific interests.
The best course search starts with verification. Check the CRICOS code, provider, location and course status before making any decision. Then compare the options carefully — because sometimes the most interesting Australian study pathway is not the one you expected to find.