Student Visa Australia | The ultimate guide and all you need to know before applying
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Australia is one of the most popular choices of students. Moreover, it’s a place for people from all walks of life who hopes to continue their education overseas. Each year, many new international students join the Australian education system. So, Australia gives a diverse range of study options with more than 22,000 courses. And, they all are there to give you the best education you are looking for.
There are over 1,100 institutions in Australia. They all welcome international students with open arms. This ultimate guide will tell you all you need to know before applying for the Student Visa Australia.
What does a student visa mean?
Student visa Australia is the key that opens the door you should take if you wish to study in Australia. This visa lets you or your child study in any sector of education in Australia. These move from primary and secondary schools to higher education with universities. It also welcomes you to join courses like the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS). Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are also an open option.
Types of student visa categories/ subclasses
The way of Appling for a student visa in Australia was a bit complex in the past. But, the Department of Home Affairs of Australia has made it much easier in the current time. Earlier, there were few subclasses under the Australian student visa. But now they all have become one subclass. So, the visa you need to apply is always student visa subclass 500 no matter what subject you take.
The Student visa (subclass 500)
This visa lets its holder stay in Australia for 5 years. This should be for a full-time study. Moreover, it should be at an educational institution that matches the requested field of study. Therefore, it is important to remember that the visa subclass 500 is primarily a visa for studying, not for working. However, with this visa, the holder can work a maximum of 40 hours for every 14-day period (2 weeks). But you can’t get this privilege until the course starts. You can also include your family members in the application when applying. They could be your partner or a dependent child of yours.
This is a visa which you can apply online through the net from anywhere in the world. However, you have to fulfill the needed requirements. You can get more information about this from https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/
The processing time of the student visas Australia is as followed.
- Foreign Affairs or Defence Sector
- 75% of applications in 38 days
- 90% of applications in 65 days
- Postgraduate Research Sector
- 75% of applications in 7 months
- 90% of applications in 9 months
- Non-Award Sector
- 75% of applications in 52 days
- 90% of applications in 6 months
- Schools Sector
- 75% of applications in 5 months
- 90% of applications in 6 months
- Independent ELICOS Sector
- 75% of applications in 5 months
- 90% of applications in 6 months
- Vocational Education and Training Sector
- 75% of applications in 4 months
- 90% of applications in 6 months
- Higher Education Sector
- 75% of applications in 57 days
- 90% of applications in 5 months
Requirements for Australia student Visa
Age requirement
You have to be at least 6 years old to apply for this visa as a school student. In parallel with the years you are applying for, your age must be:
- 17 or below when you begin Year 9
- 18 or below when you begin Year 10
- 19 or below when you begin Year 11
- 20 or below when you begin Year 12
Should be enrolled in a course of study
It is important that you provide evidence of enrolment in a course of study with your student visa application. Otherwise, the department will not process your application.
The course you enrolled in should be a full-time course registered with the CRICOS. If you are applying outside Australia, you will have to provide a CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment). They should be for each course you wish to follow. However, things are different if you apply when you are in Australia. Then, you only have to be enrolled in a full-time course before the visa is given.
However, you do not have to forward a CoE if you;
- are under a scholarship scheme approved by the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- are sponsored by the Australian Department of Defense.
- only need to stay in Australia while your thesis is marked.
Welfare arrangements
You need to have enough welfare arrangements in place if you are a student who is below 18. However, you don’t need this if you will turn 18 at the arrival of yours to Australia. You can get more information about this from https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/
Language requirements
You must show that you have obtained a certain test score in an English language test. However, this score could be different according to your situation. This should be a test that the department has approved to obtain a student visa. You can contact us at Immigration agent Sydney to know more about these tests and their relevance.
The document checklist tool of https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/ might show that you don’t need to give evidence of your English language skill. But the department could still ask you for evidence of your English language skills while they are processing your application.
Health insurance requirements
You and any of your family members who you add to the application should maintain health insurance. So, that Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) will cover you throughout your whole stay in Australia.
The starting day of your cover should be the day you and your family set foot in Australia. Likewise, that would be a minimum of 7 days to 30 days before your course starts. Applicants need to have OSHC even if they are from Australia.
Have enough money
It’s vital to have enough funds to help you stay in Australia while you continue your education. So, it is wise to discuss with a professional beforehand. Then you could measure the cost of living, your course expenses, and travel expenses while applying to the course.
Be an honest applicant
You must understand that the students’ visa is a temporary visa. You must respect the laws of Australia and return home after studying in Australia. However, you can extend your stay, but you will have to do it in a legal manner. You can contact us at Immigration agent Sydney to know more.
Character requirement
You and any family member you include in your application must fulfill the character requirements asked by the Australian government. You can get more information about this from https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/ or contact us at Immigration agent Sydney.
Health requirement
You and any family member you include in your application should fulfill the health requirements asked by the Australian government. You can get more information about this from https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/ or contact us at Immigration agent Sydney.
Australian values statement
This is for the students above 18. First, you should have read or had explained to you, the Life in Australia booklet. Secondly, you should sign an Australian Values Statement. This is to make sure you will understand and respect the Australian way of life. Furthermore, this is a promise to obey Australian rules and regulations.
Payback your debt
You should check whether you or any family members of yours owe money to the Australian government. If so, you or they should pay them fully if you have any debts. On other hand, you could show that you will pay them later with proof.
Reasons for refusals
- If your visa got canceled or refused while you were in Australia before.
- If you have one of these visas
- Domestic Worker (Temporary) Diplomatic and Consular visa (subclass 426)
- Temporary Work (International Relations) visa (subclass 403) in the Domestic Worker (Diplomatic or consular) stream
- Diplomatic (Temporary) visa (subclass 995) – primary visa holder only.
- Transit visa (subclass 771)
- Visitor visa (subclass 600) in the Sponsored Family stream or in the Approved Destination Status stream
- If it is not in the best interests of an applicant who is under 18.
Cost of a student visa
The cost of the Student visa 500 starts from AUD $620 for the main applicant. An extra amount is added with each member who is added to the visa. Visa Pricing Estimator you can find under subclass 500 at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/ will help you to calculate the expenses.
Sources of funds and sponsorship for a student visa
The Australian government needs satisfactory proof that you will have access to funds to continue education while in the country. These funds should be enough to economically support you and your family members of yours if any are named in the application.
The department will look into the conditions and life of the person giving the funds. This is to make sure that you would genuinely have access to the funds. The things they look into are;
- the employment history of the applicant/person who is funding
- the income and assets of the applicant/person who is funding
- the source of the income used to meet the financial requirements
- the relationship between the applicant and the person who is funding
- if the person who is funding has funded another student visa applicant
Your work rights under an Australian student visa
With the student visa subclass 500, the students can work a maximum of 40 hours per 14 days (two weeks). However, they have to start their part-time work only after the registered course starts. It is important to remember this. Simply, if an international student didn’t obey the Australian restriction and worked for more hours, his or her visa could get canceled.
However, any work that is registered as a part of your course doesn’t involve in this time period. Students of masters by research or a doctorate degree are not limited to this working hour rule.
Dependent/spouse work rights under the Australian student visa
Family members (dependent/spouse) of the international student who stays under his/her student visa can work. But it should not increase 40 hours per fortnight. They also have the same work rights as a visa holder. However, the families of students obtaining a graduate degree are granted unlimited working hours. The family members would also have to start their work only after the registered course of the student starts. You can get more information about this from https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/ or contacting us at Immigration agent Sydney.
With this visa, you can participate in a course of study within one of the world’s best education systems. Moreover, you can work for a maximum of 40 hours every 14 days too. However, this will be from the day your course starts. You also can bring your family members and/or your partner when you come to Australia to study.
Traveling to other countries under an Australian student visa
You can come to Australia a maximum of 90 days before your course starts. You can travel out of Australia and return as many times as you want if your visa is still valid. However, the time you spend outside Australia will not have any effect on the time the visa is granted.
Pathways after a student visa – graduate visa to permanent residency
International students can stay in Australia from 18 months to 4 years with the Graduate Temporary Visa Subclass 485. There are two visa streams under subclass 485.
Graduate Workstream
This is for international students who have graduated with the skills and qualifications that they need for specific occupations Australia needs. This visa lets you live, study, and work in Australia temporarily.
Post-Study Workstream
This visa is for international students who have recently graduated with a degree from Australia. It also lets you live, work, and study in Australia, temporarily.
The working experience you gain through these 485 subclasses would help you to obtain visas with direct pathways to permanent residency or even citizenship. These could be visas such as TSS 482 visa or skilled visas such as subclass 190 or subclass 189.
Please contact us at Immigration agent Sydney for information.
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