Student Visa Australia – Australia promotes innovation, creativity, and independent thinking throughout its universities. International students who study and live in Australia find their education challenging, fun, and rewarding. The Australian education system offers international students many options to pursue studies from ESL programs to graduate degree programs. Australia also has very strong vocational and technical programs which are offered through the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) system. And to pursue these courses, international students require a student visa which allows them to study in Australia for up to 5 years. The type of course and its duration determine the length of stay of an international student in Australia. An Australian student visa enables students to participate in an eligible course of study in Australia, travel in and out of Australia and work for up to 20 hours per week once their course starts.
In this article, we will explore the student visa application process for study in Australia, documents required, visa requirements and much more.
Student Visa Australia – Visa Requirements
Key visa requirements for studying in Australia are:
- Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement – The visa applicant must be able to demonstrate a genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily for the purpose of study, or to accompany a student as a dependent or as a guardian. The decision-makers at the Department of Home Affairs will consider the following factors:
- Circumstances in the applicant’s home country
- Potential circumstances for the applicant in Australia
- Value of applicant’s chosen course for their future
- Applicant’s immigration history
- Financial requirements – Students have to show sufficient funds which cancover tuition, travel and living costs. If they have dependents (such as a spouse and children), they will also need to show evidence of being able to cover their living costs.
- English proficiency – The Department of Home Affairs website has listed all the relevant tests that international students can take to show their English language proficiency. Some of these tests are IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic, and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE).
- Health and character record – Students need to provide proof of health insurance cover and character record.
Student Visa Australia – Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility conditions are based on the kind of study you wish to pursue in Australia. We have listed eligibility conditions for some of the studies:
For Course Study
If you are enrolling for a course study,include evidence of enrollment in the study with your student visa application. Students must get registered for a full-time course here. If you are applying outside Australia, then you need to provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for each course of study with your visa application.
Packaged Courses
If you are applying for more than 1 course in the student visa application then you must include all CoE codes in the application form.
If the applicant’s age is above 18 years, then they need to sign the Australian Values Statement here.
Students do not require to provide a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) if they are:
- Enrolled in a full-time course of study or training under a scholarship scheme approved by the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Able to provide a letter of support
- Being sponsored by the Australian Department of Defence
- Secondary exchange students
- Able to provide an Acceptance Advice of Secondary Exchange Student (AASES) form
Student Visa Australia – Visa Processing Time
Visa processing time varies based on the types of application and category/sector it belongs to. The types of sectors are listed below:
-
Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector
75% of applications in 15 days
90% of applications in 36 days -
Postgraduate Research Sector
75% of applications in 63 days
90% of applications in 5 months -
Independent ELICOS Sector
75% of applications in 25 days
90% of applications in 42 days -
Vocational Education and Training Sector
75% of applications in 44 days
90% of applications in 76 days -
Higher Education Sector
75% of applications in 41 days
90% of applications in 51 days
Student Visa Australia – Application Process
Before applying for a student visa, the student should obtain the Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) or a Letter of Offer confirming that he/she has been accepted into a course registered under the Commonwealth Register of Institutions of Courses (CRICOS). The COE will be in the form of an online code that he/she will be asked to enter into the appropriate section in the online visa application.
Steps to apply for Student Visa:
Step 1: Get a valid passport, organise health exams and help with the application (more details on the website).
Step 2: Gather documents required for the student visa.
Step 3: Create a login for “ImmiAccount” here, fill the application form, attach documents and pay the online application fees.
Student can make the payment while lodging an application in ImmiAccount via the following cards:
- Credit Card
- PayPal
- Union Pay
- BPAY
The visa costs AUD 575 for the main applicant unless they are exempted. There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa. The Department of Home Affairs sets six-monthly foreign currency exchange rates on 1 January and 1 July each year. The cost of the visa application in the applicant’s own currency will rise or fall in line with this exchange rate.
Once the application is approved, the applicant will be asked for biometrics and health checks.
If you need a study loan to study in Australia, check out Education loan For Australia article.
Student Visa Australia Study in Australia Steps
Student Visa Australia – Documents Required
The students must submit the following documents to apply for a student visa:
- Completed Australian student visa application form (157A)
- Paid visa application fee receipt (approx. AUD 560) in most cases
- Copy of passport biodata page
- Certificate of Enrolment or Letter of Offer
- Proof of sufficient funds
- Proof of health insurance cover
- English proficiency test results
- Criminal record check
- Four recent passport size photographs
Students can enter Australia on their student visa up to 90 days before their course starts. Within seven days of arrival, they must inform the education provider about their residential address, and also inform them within seven days if they change the address. Students may work for up to 40 hours per fortnight during term time, and full-time in the holidays while on a student visa.
Student Visa Australia – Top Universities in Australia
Based on QS rankings, the following universities have been top rated in the study abroad category for Australia:
- Australian National University
- University of Melbourne
- University of Sydney
- University of New South Wales
- University of Queensland
- Monash University
- University of Western Australia
- University of Adelaide
- University of Technology, Sydney
- University of Newcastle
Student Visa Australia – Top Courses in Australia
Post study every student looks for job opportunities and Australia, being a world-class place in terms of high-paid jobs in the world, offers some attractive opportunities to international students. The following courses yield great results for students who pursue them as they attract top jobs in Australia.
- Accountancy
- Actuarial Science
- Agricultural Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Civil, Structural and Construction Project Management
- Earth Sciences
- Computer Sciences & IT
- Psychology
- Travel and Tourism
