If you are an international student whose dream has always been to study in Australia, there is a lot you need to know, especially how to apply for a student visa, because you will need one. There are other important details you must know as an international set to study in Australia.
In this article, we have provided valuable information on requirements, costs, rules, and so on.
If your stay in Australia is going to last longer than expected due to the kind of study program you’re going to study, then you need a student visa to stay in the country.
If you’re going to take a short course that is going to last from 12 to 16 weeks, then all you need is a tourist visa that will be enough to keep you in Australia throughout your studies. But, if traveling to Australia for university or college studies lasting over six months, then you need a student visa to continue to stay in the country
What are the requirements for a student visa in Australia?
Requirements for a Student Visa in Australia include the following:
- Confirmation of Enrolment (COE)
- Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)
- Financial Requirements
- English Proficiency Requirement
- Australian Health Requirement
- Australian Character Requirement
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
- Cost of Annual Living Amounts
Will an Australian student visa get rejected?
You will receive a checklist of documents that can be submitted online to the Australian High Commission for review. Your student visa application can be denied or rejected if you provide incorrect information or do not submit important documents as required.
Student Visa Australia Rules
Below is a list of the student visa rules for international students who want to apply.
- Be a certain age (school student), as would be required during the time of application
- Be enrolled in a course at an Australian university
- Make or provide proof of welfare arrangements if you are less than 18 years old.
- Have adequate health insurance during the time of application
- Have not held a certain visa as it would be required during the time of application
- Have enough money for your stay in Australia, and provide proof
- Be a genuine temporary entrant.
- Meet the character requirement as one of the student visa Australia rules
How to apply for a student visa in Australia
The First Step: How to Apply for Student Visa in Australia is to Apply for an Enrollment in a Tertiary Institution in Australia
The general requirement for applicants seeking a student visa in Australia is that they must be admitted to an Australian institution.
After you’ve received an admission letter from a school, you will need to pay the necessary tuition deposit. Your institution of choice will mail you a CoE, which is a Confirmation of Enrollment. You will need this particular document to begin your student visa application.
If you will be taking several programs, for instance first take a preparatory language and then study at college, you will need a CoE for each program you take.
You would have to create a personal account with the Australian immigration authorities
Nowadays you normally apply online for Australian visas. Before you begin your visa application, you have to create an account.
They will ask you to submit your name, phone number, and e-mail address. Then you get to generate a password and also accept their conditions of application.
How to apply student visa in Australia – ensure that you simply have all the required documents in digital format
To apply for a student visa you’ll need the listed documents:
- Your CoE
- OSHC health insurance.
- A passport that preferably should be valid for your whole stay in Australia since it will be a very difficult thing to exchange your passport there when you study on a student visa
- Evidence of a temporary stay:
- On your application form, you will have to certify that you only plan to stay temporarily in Australia.
- You can support this claim by attaching an indication of employment or a letter from your Institution in your home country or similar documents.
- Depending on the location you apply from and where you’ll study extra documents will be required.
Some common documents you might need are:
- Additional ID documents such as a birth certificate
- You must provide evidence that you can fund your studies, such as a bank statement or Scholarship.
- You must show evidence that you have what it takes to pass your intended studies, such as certified grade reports and IELTS test results.
- You must show that you have been employed before such as an employment contract, paychecks, etc.
- Documentation of criminal offenses if you have ever been convicted.
To get a more complete document list visit the checklist page and use the Document Checklist tool.
There you fill in your country and college and obtain a detailed list of required documents.
You also have to select who your sponsor is and choose “None of the above” unless you are sure that you belong to one of the other categories.
If you apply via online route all documents ought to be uploaded in digital format. So it’s good if you’ve got access to a scanner when you do the application otherwise you can scan everything beforehand.
All documents ought to be translated into English by an authorized translator. You may decide to pause your application process and continue later if you miss some documents.
How to apply student visa in Australia – Complete the visa application online
A Student visa subclass 500 – You need to apply for this.
The application may be made at the earliest 124 days before your course starts (according to the date on your CoE).
You apply online. Read more and follow the instructions here.
On the first page, fill in your nationality and your CoE code(s).
You should additionally select your Education sector, for example, ELICOS for language courses or Higher Education for courses that lead to a university degree.
More information is available on the form.
After that, you’ll be asked to submit or present personal details, and family details, answer experiential questions about your previous education and work experience, and submit details about your health and criminal record. You can save the application only as draft and take a break if you wish.
Pay the visa fee and obtain a TRN number
- When you have completed the application process you must pay the application fee which is presently 575 AUD.
- The easiest is to pay it with a credit card online. Read more about the payment here:
- When the application process and payment are done you’ll get a receipt with a TRN number (Transaction Reference Number).
- Make sure to avoid losing it so you’ll be able to check the status of your application.
Possible health checkup and interview
Depending on where you’ll study and where you reside, you would need to do a licensed medical checkup and/or a visa interview.
You will receive this information once you, complete the application process above if it applies to you.
Don’t start the health checkup before you have completed the application as you will need your TRN number and you will get instructions on what you need to check.
On this page, you can find doctors in your country who are approved by Australian Immigration to do this checkup.
Get your visa decision
How long it takes to get your visa call depends on the location you applied from and how occupied and busy the Australian immigration authorities are.
In our experience so far you always get your call within one or a few weeks once your application is complete. You can check the status of your application by signing in to the immigration website (with the account you created in step 2) and if required enter your TNR number.
Normally the Australian authorities would inform you by e-mail once your visa call is ready.
Your visa is electronic therefore if you would like physical proof you might need to print the grant letter that you receive online once your visa is approved.
Travel to Australia
Once you’ve received your visa you’ll be able to enter Australia at the earliest 3 months or 90 days before the course commencement date written on your CoE.
If you have not booked or reserved accommodation through your institution, you should inform them of your address in Australia within seven days of arriving there.
Usually, you have the legal right to remain in Australia for 30 days when your course ends or a period of 60 days if your course lasts longer than a maximum of 10 months.
All these date limits should be written on your visa and if that information differs from what we write here you should always follow the instructions on your visa.
Disclaimer: Stay Informed Group is not responsible if the information on this platform differs from any other platform or the official platform. The official platform has the right to update this information and change a few things without prior notice to Stay Informed Group.
Frequently Asked Questions on How to Apply for a Student Visa in Australia
What is a Student Visa for Australia?
Obtaining a student visa in Australia (Subclass 500) officially grants access to international students to live, study, and work part-time in the country while they are enrolled in a college or university.
What are the eligibility requirements?
Some of the eligibility requirements for the Subclass 500 visa include confirmation of enrolment (CoE) in a registered course, proof of available funds to cover tuition, living costs, and travel expenses, English proficiency (IELTS TOEFL, PTE), health insurance, genuine temporary entrant, and character requirements.
How do I apply for the visa?
Important documents for visa application include a passport, English proficiency, OSHC details, financial proof, CoE, and so on. With these documents in place, register for an account on the Australian Department of Home Affairs website. Next, complete an online application form for Subclass 500 on the ImmiAccount. Pay an application of AUD 650k, upload all required documents, and submit your application.
Is an Australian student visa easy to get?
The Australian study visa process is not difficult –it’s accessible for international students seeking to pursue a degree at an Australian university.
What documents are required for financial proof?
Bank statements showing available funds to cover for your tuition, proof of a scholarship, and proof of income from parents/sponsors are the important documents required for financial proof.
