Australia Student Visa

Getting a Student Visa for Australia

Australia is a great country to balance study, work and lifestyle and fortunately the Australian Government grants temporary student visas for those without Australian citizenship. The standard of education here is of the highest quality and international study is a good way to gain confidence and make friends and professional international contacts.

Please note that this outline is a guide only, as visa conditions are subject to change. It is advised that you log onto the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship website to find out the latest news and conditions.

Courses for the duration of three months or less may be undertaken on a visitor visa or a working holiday visa however any full-time registered courses longer than this require a student visa. A registered course is one offered by an Australian training institute that has registered with the Australia Government to teach international students. The advantage of this visa is that it allows you to apply to work part-time as well as receive subsidised student health cover.

To get started it is recommended that you contact your local Australian Government office overseas so they can advise you on your application and what documents you will need to complete. They will advise you when and how to obtain an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (an eCoE) and how to enrol in an educational institution. Once this is complete and you have received your eCoE or letter of offer, you can apply for your student visa.


Requirements

The general requirements that all applicants must satisfy are of being in a good state of health, of upstanding character, of having appropriate health insurance for themselves and any family members coming over as well, of having no outstanding debts to Australia (or repayments are arranged) and if a minor under 18-years of having appropriate accommodation, welfare and financial support. Every candidate must have an eCoE in order to apply for a student visa, which is issued by the Australian education provider as evidence of enrolment. The eCoE tracks the visa application process all the way through to course completion and departure.

You may need to go for a Preliminary Assessment before you receive your eCoE, although this depends on your country of nationality and your student visa subclass, which will depend on your particular course of study. For instance, a visa subclass for a school-aged student wishing to study at an Australian high school is different to a university-aged student wishing to study a bachelor’s degree.

There are currently seven visa subclasses:

• 570 - Independent English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (although if ELICOS is a prerequisite to another course such as a bachelor degree, the student must apply under the subclass relevant to main course)
• 571 – School courses including primary, secondary, and approved secondary exchange student programs.
• 572 - Vocational education and training courses, covering Certificate I, II, III, and IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma.
• 573 - Higher education sector covering bachelor degrees, graduate certificate and graduate diplomas.
• 574 - Masters and doctorate degrees.
• 575 - Non-award foundation studies or other full-time course not leading to an Australian award
• 576 - AusAID or Defence sponsored courses

There are five assessment levels, 1 representing the lowest level of assessment and 5 representing the highest and most thorough. A Preliminary Assessment is necessary if you are in class 3, 4 or 5. Some assessment factors include English speaking ability, financial situation for living costs and course expenses, academic background and immigration history.

You will need to provide an ‘offer of a place in a course’ letter from your education provider when you submit your application to the visa processing office, outlining details such as your proposed entry level, your proposed course name and details on fees and course duration. The visa processing office will then perform a preliminary assessment of your intentions and whether you are an ideal candidate to study in Australia. Note that if you are assessment level 2, 3, 4 or 5 you must make your first student visa application OUTSIDE of Australia.

If the Preliminary Assessment is successful, your education provider will be asked to issue you with an eCoE certificate. Then, when you have appropriate health insurance, completed medical tests and have paid the tuition fees, you can receive your student visa.  

Assessment level 1 and 2 or any level applying once inside Australia must have a completed eCoE to provide with your application. If already within Australia a letter of offer is acceptable, but you must have an eCoE for grant of a student visa application.


Visa Conditions

Breaching any conditions may result in your visa being cancelled.

There are strict conditions for all student visas, although the specifics may vary according to visa subclass. Common requirements include satisfying the minimal hours and minimal results for your course, not receiving paid work (although you can apply for this after you begin studying, limited to a maximum of 20 hours per week), remaining with the course for the entire duration or at least 12 months and notifying your education provider with any change of details, such as home address. All students must maintain the conditions outlined in their visa, including continuing to cover living expenses and course costs.