Visa Guide

A student visa is required for international students who wish to study in Australia. The visa criteria for an Australia Study visa have changed, and a Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF) has been initiated from July 1, 2016. According to the new visa criteria imposed by the Australian Government’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection, all students planning to study in Australia must apply for a Visa under Subclass 500 beginning with effect from July 1, 2016.

Prior to July 1, 2016, applications were allowed under various subclasses. The most recent modifications have merged the previous subclasses 571-576 under subclass 500. As a result, students wanting to work in any of the sectors must apply for a Student Visa under Subclass 500 from July 1, 2016.

Recent Updates – Visa & Immigration in Australia

According to recent talks held on July 21, 2022 between Union Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister – Mr Dharmedra Pradhan and Australia’s Minister of Education – Mr Jason Clare, students have been assured by their Australian counterpart of an expeditious resolution to their visa-related problems.

Furthermore, there have been discussions on strengthening collaborations in educational sectors with assistance from Australia, which is well-known around the world. 

Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482)

This is a short-term visa introduced in Australia to address the issue of skilled labour shortages by bringing in more skilled workers through registered employers who are unable to source an appropriate workforce for their companies or businesses. Those applying for this visa must pay AUD 1,290 and will be allowed to stay for up to 2 years, or 4 years if there is an International Trade Obligation. Furthermore, this visa would allow applicants or workers to go to Australia an unlimited number of times, and those who are eligible would also be able to apply for PR.

Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) visa applications may take 44 days to 15 months to process. According to the eligibility criteria, applicants should be recommended to work in short-term skill occupations. They must also have two years of job experience and exclusively work for the dedicated sponsor.

Note: Hong Kong passport holders can stay up to 5 years with this visa. 

COVID-19 Pandemic (subclass 408) Visa:

A temporary (subclass 408) visa has been introduced by the Australian Government in order to encourage employment in critical skill sectors which saw a gradual decline amid COVID-19 restrictions. 

The Australian government has announced that it will open its borders to international students from Dec 1, 2021. Fully vaccinated eligible visa holders (including international students) can come without applying for a travel exemption. Students holding valid visas need to provide proof of their vaccination status (should be vaccinated with an approved vaccine) and a negative Covid-19 PCR test report was taken within three days of departure. Australia has approved both the vaccines Covishield and made in India Covaxin. Also, travellers need to comply with the quarantine requirements in the state or territory of their arrival. Also, travellers need to comply with the quarantine requirements in the state or territory of their arrival.

“The return of skilled workers and international students to Australia will further solidify our economic recovery, delivering the valued workers our economy requires and supporting our important education sector,” said the Australian Prime Minister.

Main Features of the new Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF) for Australian Student Visa

Previously, visas were categorized as Immigration Risk, while students from specific countries were categorized as Assessment Level Framework. The new guidelines replace the old Assessment Level Framework with a new combined nation and immigration risk framework, and paper applications have been permanently withdrawn. The New SSVF categorizes students based on both:

1. Nationality

It should be noted that the passport determines a student’s nationality.

The nationality on the passport would be considered regardless of where the students apply for the visa. For example, an overseas student studying in the United States and seeking for visa from the United States would be considered under the risk levels as specified for his or her country by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).

2. Education Provider’s risk of default

Some of the Universities in Australia have been marked as riskier than others.

The table below indicates the classification of students under the new SSVF rule

DIBP has a tool basis in which a student would be identified under the Streamlined/ Regular process. The tool would accordingly populate the list of documents students would be required to furnish. Students are advised to have all the documents ready as DIBP reserves the right to ask for either or all of the documents at the time of the application.

Australia Student Visa Fees

The cost of an Australian Student Visa (subclass 500) Base Application Charge is AUD 650 + AUD 485 (if 18 and above) or + AUD 160 (if under 18). The Australian Government does not require you to have a visa label on your passport to travel, enter, or remain in Australia. The following table throws light on the Australian student visa fees for reference for prospective applicants:

Note: All online applications and services are charged in Australian dollars.

MasterCard, VISA, and American Express are accepted credit cards for Australian student visa fees for overseas students. When paying with a credit card in Australian dollars, applicants may incur banking and currency conversion fees, as well as might need to take the risk associated with currency fluctuations.

Various Programs/ Sectors Eligible for Student Visa under Subclass 500

The following is a list of the various sectors/categories that have been merged to form the Subclass 500. Students who apply for and are accepted to one of the following institutions are eligible to apply for a student visa to Australia.

Independent ELICOS Sector:

Student can enrol for a short-term English language course in Australia for a short period of time. The courses, known as ELICOS (English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students), lead to a certificate I, II, III, or IV. The length of the courses varies.

Vocational Education and Training Sector

Vocational Education and Training Sector Students enrolled in a registered Vocational Education and Training Course (VET) by a TAFE institute or a private institute can apply for this subclass of visa.

That essentially covers students enrolled in either of the following courses:

• Certificate I, II, III and IV (except ELICOS)
• VET Diploma
• VET Advanced Diploma
• Vocational Graduate Certificate
• Vocational Graduate Diploma

Higher Education Sector
Students enrolling in a registered full-time higher education course at a university/college or institute are referred to as being in the Higher Education Sector.

This visa category includes the following courses:

• Courses at the undergraduate level at a University (Bachelor/Associate Degree)
• Courses for a postgraduate level at a university (master’s degree by coursework like MBA, MS, etc.)
• Post Graduate courses that offer a higher education diploma or advanced diploma like PGDBM, etc.

Essentially, these are courses that extend beyond a year. However, they can also be of a shorter duration.

Post Graduate Research Sector

This sector refers to students enrolled for

• Master’s degree in research
• Doctoral Degree

Student sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs or Trade or the Department of Défense also falls under one unified category.

Australian Student Visa Validity

Normally, the visa validity in Australia for international students is 5 years, but as of July 1, 2016, the visa validity would be determined by the duration of the course the student is enrolled in.

Australia Study Visa Requirements

Like in any visa, Australia study visa requirements are listed below for students applying for a visa and key pointers that they must keep at the back of their mind while submitting an application:

Full-Time Study

Students enrolled in a full-time study course are only eligible to apply for a Student Visa under Subclass 500. Part-time and distance learning courses do not qualify.

Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)

Getting an Australian Student Visa requires the student demonstrating that he or she is a Genuine Temporary Entrant. That is, you should be able to convince them that you are only going to Australia to study and will return to your native country at the end of the course or after a few years of experience. Your Visa Applications are accordingly assessed on various factors, namely;

• Your circumstances in your home country include your economic circumstances.
• Potential circumstances/opportunities for you in Australia
• Value of your chosen course to your future
• Your immigration history
• Any other relevant matters

Health Check-up and Insurance

You must present proof of excellent health in order to obtain an Australian student visa. You can accomplish this by presenting a certificate of good health. Only empanelled doctors can deliver the health check-up and certificate. You can schedule an appointment with the one nearest to you. In other countries, eMedical Facilities are available, and records are frequently updated in real time. You would be given a HAP id, which you would need to provide when filling the form. In addition, many other countries is considered a high-risk country, students must present a Chest X-Ray to proves that they do not suffer from Tuberculosis.

You can apply for a health check-up before or after starting the visa application. However, getting it beforehand would ensure quicker processing. Apart from a health check-up, you also need Health Insurance or an OSHC (Overseas Students’ Health Cover).

• At the time of the visa application, you should have an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of your visa.
• Depending on the duration of your health coverage, your visa tenure would be settled so make sure that it covers the duration of your course.
• The average cost of OSHC is AUS$ 591 for 12 months for a single student.
• How much time immigration takes for a student visa after a medical test in Australia depends upon the availability of the medical reports.
• It may take from one week to three weeks for the report to be sent to the Home Affairs Department of Australia.

Good Character

Students are required to provide proof of good character, which implies that they have no criminal charges against them and/or have never been deported from Australia before. On the form, a simple declaration of the same is accepted.

Documents Required for Student Visa for Australia:

Students can determine the documents that will be required using the tool available on the DIBP website. We provide you with all of the documentation that could be necessary under Streamlines and Regular Evidentiary paperwork.  Remember that since the application is only available online, students must have scanned copies of all the papers mentioned ready before starting their online application. Also, please remember that the list of Regular Evidentiary Documents is in addition to the documents required for the SSVF processing.

• Valid Passport – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in Australia.
• Non-immigrant Visa Application
• Application fee payment receipt
• Confirmation of Enrolment Form (COE) – To obtain a visa to study in Australia you must be fully enrolled in an Australian institution and receive a “Confirmation of Enrolment (COE)”. These forms are issued by the Australian institution you will be attending. The forms are usually issued after the tuition fees have been received.
• An acceptance letter from your host university will include the proposed study plan
• Overseas health insurance receipt (OSHC)
• Recent Digital photographs
• Transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools you attended
• English Language Test Scores
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Evidence of Financial Capacity

How and When to Apply for an Australian Student Visa?

The Australian Student Visa application process can take up to 124 days before the start of your course. You can also travel Australia up to 90 days before the start of your course. The Australian Student Visa application process form other countries is now completely online, according to the SSVF Guidelines. Here are the steps you must take.

1. To start an online application, you will need to create and log into your ImmiAccount.
2. Applicants should fill out the visa application form corresponding to the visa subclass under which they are eligible to apply. (Education agents and Registered Migration Agents (RMAs) based in other countries who are registered to access the student online lodgement facility can lodge student eVisa applications on the behalf of the student.)
3. To track your application, you will again need to log in to your ImmiAccount. You can use your account to attach documents, update passport details, change email, and address details, and check the progress of your application.
4. A Transaction Reference Number (TRN) is a unique number assigned to each online application. You will need this to track and manage your application, identify when you need to communicate with the visa centre and check your visa entitlements.

Dependents:

Dependents must also apply under Subclass 500 and pay the additional fee. You must declare all family members on your visa application, even if they do not intend to go to Australia with you. If you do not do this, your family members will not be eligible for dependent visas to join you in Australia later. The student’s partner gets a Dependent Visa and a valid work permit for the same duration as the primary applicant. This only applicable for the Master’s degree application.

What is the minimum IELTS band required for an Australian Student Visa?

Many students contact us with questions concerning the minimum IELTS band needed for an Australian Student Visa. However, let us clear this out once and for all. Aspirants for study abroad should be aware that their IELTS score has no impact on their Australia Student Visa because it is a university requirement. For an Australia visa, the top band in IELTS for undergraduate admissions should be 6.0, and no band less than 5.5, while the top band required for postgraduate courses is 6.5 to 7.0.

For postgraduate programs, candidates usually need an overall band score of 6.5 with no component band score lower than 6, and for undergraduate programs, candidates need an overall band score of 6.5 with no component band score lower than 6. Some programs, such as law, laboratory, nursing, and so on, have higher IELTS band requirements. Candidates should note that the IELTS Band score is only indicativein nature, the real value could change depending on your university of choice.

However, your IELTS score has no effect on your Australian Student Visa.

Part-Time Work Options under Student Visa Subclass 500
Part-time employment opportunities for students going to Australia have not changed. Students on Visa Subclass 500 are permitted to work up to 40 hours per week while the course is in session and for unlimited hours when the course is not in session (during breaks). The only restriction is that the student cannot begin working until the course begins.

A few things to remember:

• Students cannot work until the session begins. For instance, say your course starts in January 2019 and you reach Australia by December 2018, then you cannot take up employment till your session begins.
• In casework is a normal part of the curriculum of the course you are enrolled on then this limit does not apply. This is usually applicable in the case of compulsory internships or integrated courses.
• Also, students that fall under the Post Graduate Research Sector can work for unlimited hours when the research work or doctoral thesis begins. Also, in case there are any preliminary courses that the student has enrolled in, the student is eligible to work as per the 40 hours per fortnight rule mentioned above.
• Students completing the Australian study requirement can apply for a Post-study Work Permit under Graduate Stream. However, students enrolled in an ELICOS cannot apply for Post Study Work Permit for Australia.

Australian Student Visa Processing Time

The visa processing time has increased marginally in comparison to prior years during COVID-19. Because the new timeframe varies for each student visa application, processing time may take from 7 working days to 85 days at the maximum. Because many students are returning, this is the proposed visa processing timeline guide given in the table below for each of the subclass visas.

Scholarships for Studying In Australia

If you want to study in Australia, there are several scholarships available to help you pay for your education. However, there are several restrictions for obtaining a scholarship, which you can review in full before applying for the one that you are eligible for. The fellowships are provided to support international students’ education. Check out the list of popular scholarships for studying in Australia:

• Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship
• CCSE Graduate Scholarship
• Global Study Awards
• Golden Key Graduate Scholar Award
• BrokerFish International Student Scholarship