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Last Updated: December 10, 2023

Australian Student Visa

Australia is a popular study destination for international students, as it imparts good quality education and provides a safe environment to students. Australia is already a proud host to students from more than 150 countries.

Choosing a Course

The universities in Australia offer a lot of courses and programs depending on the interests of the students. The students should choose an area of study well in advance so that they can apply for the visa in a timely manner. The popular courses available in Australia are:

Types of Student Visas and their Validity

Following are the types of Australian student visas available for international students:

Who Needs to Apply for the Australian Student Visa?

All international students who are over 6 years old and looking to study in Australia need to apply for the Subclass 500 Student Visa which is the only Australian student visa for long-term courses.

Cost of Australian Student Visas

Visa TypeCost
Subclass 500AUD 710
Student Guardian visaAUD 710
Training visaAUD 405
eVisitor visaFree
Working Holiday visaAUD 635

Steps to Applying for an Australian Student Visa

Applying to an Australian university

Before applying for a student visa, the student needs to be enrolled in a full-time course or courses and obtain a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) which confirms their enrollment. The course(s) should be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). The CoE is issued by the educational institution where the student is enrolled. A postgraduate student is exempt from this requirement.

Proof of English language proficiency

An international student, who is not a citizen of the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, or Ireland can be asked to prove their English language proficiency at any step of the visa process unless they have completed a 5-year English course in any of these countries or are already enrolled in ELICOS course in Australia. The English proficiency tests accepted are TOEFL (46 minimum scores), IELTS (5.5 minimum scores), Advanced Cambridge English test (162 minimum scores), PTE Academic (42 minimum scores), and Occupational English test (minimum of a B grade in each component). If the student does not meet the minimum score requirement, then they will be required to enroll in an ELICOS course for up to 20 weeks.

Proof of health insurance

An international student needs to get health insurance and must be covered by OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover), approved by an Australian health insurance provider to cover any medical or hospital bills incurred during their stay. The OSHC must be valid for the entire duration of the visa. The student visa is issued only for the duration of OSHC. It must include the arrival date of the student in Australia, which is usually one week or one month before the beginning of the course. The OSHC has to be valid till the last day of the visa, which is usually a month or two after the completion of the course. Certain Norwegian, Swedish, and Belgian students are exempt from this requirement if they have alternate health coverage.

Meet the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement

The candidate needs to prove that they are entering Australia temporarily to get an education and intend on returning to their home country upon completion of their education. The student needs to submit a personal statement that covers all the requirements of the GTE confirming their intention to study. All the details in the GTE have to be facts supported by evidence. The student should include their academic and work qualifications, their personal family situation, and how the course that they are enrolling in is going to enhance their future. The student might be called in for an interview if it is deemed necessary.

Proof of financial resources

The student needs to prove that they have sufficient funds to cover their cost of tuition as well as their living costs. International students must provide proof of savings of $24,505. The proof can be in the form of bank statements or the undertaking by a family member to cover up the cost, in which case the student needs to show proof that their sponsor has an annual income of at least AUD 62,222.

Proof of good character

The student needs to prove that they have an upstanding character and will obey Australian laws and ways of life. This means that the student should not have a criminal record and should not have been involved in illegal activities. Based on the information provided, additional documents may be required, such as a police certificate, a military certificate, or a letter of good conduct from an employer or educational institute.

Proof of good health

Students applying to study in Australia must meet the minimum health standards to keep the general population in the country safe. The student has to undergo a health examination and the results are then examined by a Medical Officer of the Commonwealth (MOC), to verify that the student does not suffer from any medical condition that can be a threat to public health or might lead to healthcare and community services that are in short supply. The student might be asked to sign a health undertaking by the MOC should the need arise.

Sign the Australian values statement

The student is required to sign the Australian Values Statement to confirm that they have read and understood the 'Life in Australia' booklet and will abide by the laws and rules of the country.

Applying for the visa online

The visa has to be applied online by creating an ImmiAccount, attaching the necessary documents, and paying the visa fees.

Steps to be taken after applying

Students should double-check their application after applying, for any mistakes or changes that might need to be made. The student can attach any additional information later on in the ImmiAccount or fill out Form 1023 if they have made any mistakes in their application. The student should also check their ImmiAccount regularly, in case any additional information is needed, which might include but is not limited to Biometrics and Health exams.

Documents required to apply for the Australian student visa

All of the documents have to be in English. If any document is in any other language, it has to be translated into English by a translator who is accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters, if located in Australia. All of the documents have to be scanned in colored ink and multi-page documents have to be uploaded as a single file. The documents needed are:
  1. Copy of valid passport
  2. Copy of birth certificate/driving license/national identity card
  3. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), for the course selected by the student
  4. Proof of Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), if applicable
  5. Proof of financial resources
  6. Proof of English language proficiency
  7. Proof of Genuine Temporary Entrant
  8. Previous academic transcripts
  9. Most recent curriculum vitae or resume outlining both employment and academic achievements for the past five years
  10. Proof of good health
  11. Proof of good character
  12. Australian values statement

Additional documents to be submitted by students if applicable

  1. Proof of name change, if applicable
  2. Form 956 Advice by a migration agent/exempt person and Form 956A - Appointment or withdrawal of an authorized recipient, if applicable
  3. Form 1229 completed and signed by parents or legal guardians only if the student is less than 18 years old
  4. Proof of employment history, if working, for example, recent payslips
  5. Master and Doctorate Course students should submit a letter from their education provider along with proper documents showcasing their financial ability to stay and study in Australia
  6. Students who are sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or by the Australian Department of Defense should submit a letter of support
  7. A secondary exchange student should submit an Acceptance Advice of Secondary Exchange Student form

Working While Studying in Australia

Student visa (subclass 500)

The Subclass 500 visa allows the students to work for 48 hours per fortnight after their course commences and unlimited hours during vacation breaks. No additional work permit is needed to work in Australia. The students are not allowed to work until the course has started, though, and after the completion of the course.
Example: If a student plans on working 15 hours in week 1, 20 hours in week 2, and 25 hours in week 3, the student cannot go ahead with working 25 hours in week 3 because the total hours worked in week 2 and week 3 exceed the limit of 40 hours per fortnight.
Exceptions:

Working Holiday Visa (Subclasses 417 and 462)

The students that hold a Working Holiday Visa can work for a period of up to 6 months at only one job with no other hourly restrictions.

Note: No matter what kind of visa the student holds, they still have to make sure that they are meeting the satisfactory grade requirements for the course.

Renewing the Australia Student Visa Subclass 500

The Subclass 500 visa cannot be renewed upon expiration, but if the student has not completed the course before the termination of the visa, they can apply for a new Subclass 500 visa. The procedure will be the same as the first time and the student will have to show proof that their course will not be completed within the time duration of the visa. The application should ideally be submitted at least a month before the expiration of the current visa if the student is already in Australia or at least 3 months before the expiration of the current visa if the student is outside Australia.

Working After Graduating

International students have several visa options to work in Australia temporarily after the completion of their course. The most popular ones are: Depending upon the degree, educational provider, and individual factors, the student can check on the homeaffairs website, regarding which work visa would work best for them.

Some Things to Remember




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