Australian Student Visa: 500
Every year, thousands of students from around the world travel to Australia to further their education.
Australian Student Visa Overview
- You need to apply for an Australian student visa if you are intending to study in Australia for longer than 3 months.
- The Australian Student Visa allows you to study in most levels of education, from Primary education up to advanced degree level.
- The period granted for the Student visa varies with the length of the course, but generally will expire a month or so after the course is completed.
- Family members can be included in the Australian Student visa application, but is essential to meet the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement: GTE
You are not allowed to travel to Australia without the appropriate student visa if you plan to study for more than 3 months!
Australian Student Visa Requirements
In order to obtain the correct visa to study in Australia:
- You must be fully enrolled in an Australian institution and have received a Confirmation of Enrolment (COE). This will be issued by the Australian institution you will be attending – usually issued after the tuition fees have been received.
- You will require Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). OSHC is compulsory and you will not be able to apply for your Australian student visa until you have purchased a policy that is recommended by your host university. For more information on (OSHC) please visit medibank.com.au.
- All applicants are required to meet specific health, financial and character requirements as part of the application process.
- It is essential that you meet the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement: GTE
How long does an Australian Student Visa take to process?
Once we have received your student visa application and all requested information, it can take up to 10 days to process.
What do I need to apply for my Australian student visa?
- Downloadable Form
- Visa Application Fee
- Confirmation of Enrolment Form (COE). Your host university will issue this once the application has been accepted and your tuition fees have been paid in full.
- An acceptance letter from your host university in Australia. This will need to include the proposed study plan.
- Letter From your current institution confirming status as a Study Abroad Student.
- Overseas Health Insurance Receipt Issued when OSHC has been paid.
- Passport
- 2 Passport Sized Photographs
What does the visa allow me to do?
- An Australian student visa allows you to study in Australia for the period of your course, as well as take family members with you to accompany your stay in Australia.
- You will have to declare on your application that you are able to financially support yourself and any family members for the duration of your stay.
- These expenses include travel costs, tuition fees and living expenses. To find out more information, please see the financial requirements
- This type of visa also allows your spouse to study for up to 3 months; however, if your spouse wants to study for more than 3 months they must apply for their own student visa – this can be done from inside Australia.
Can I work on this visa?
- You will be automatically granted permission to work if your student visa is approved, though there will be restrictions on the number of hours you will be allowed to work in a week.
- As an international student, you are permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time – these restrictions are lifted during holidays.
- Family members are also permitted to work; however, they are not able to work until the student begins their course.
At Australian Travel Visas we have a dedicated team who deal with Australian visa applications.
You will have a named member of our team to advise and assist you with your Australian Student Visa application. They will arrange all the paperwork for your visa application, and deal with the Australian Government on your behalf; whilst keeping you updated along the way.
This methodology frees your time up, so you can concentrate on making the other essential arrangements for your move to Australia.
Australian Student Visa Financial Requirements
An Australian student visa will allow you to study in Australia for the duration of your course, as well as take additional family members with you.
You will have to declare on your application that you are able to financially support yourself and any family members who are accompanying you for the duration of your stay. These expenses include: travel cost, tuition fees and living expenses.
Financial Requirements for Australian Student Visas
To show you are able to support you and your families living expenses each year you will have to have a minimum of
- $12,000 AUD for yourself
- $4,200 AUD for your spouse,
- $2,400 AUD for your first child and
- $1,800 AUD for each other child.
If you have family member that are not accompanying you to Australia you will still need to show you have enough funds to support them.
Example of evidence that you may be requested include: bank statements, pay slips, bank loan documents, to show you have sufficient funds.
Additional Financial Requirements
If you have children between the ages of 5 – 18, it is compulsory that they attend full-time education for the duration of your course and therefore you will need to provide tuition fees for their education also. This accumulates to around $8,000 AUD per year plus your own course fees.
You can apply to work on this visa at an extra cost of $60 AUD. To help supplement your stay in Australia, family members can also apply for permission to work. This allows you to work on a casual basis for up to 20 hours a week.
Please Note: If you are studying for less than 12 months your family members are not eligible to travel to Australia with you on this visa; however, you will still have to show you are able to support them financially in your absence.
Australian Student Visa Character Requirements
Australian student visas will only be granted if the Australian Government is satisfied the applicant is of “good character”.
To determine your eligibility, there are various visa character requirements you must meet.
Character Requirements for Australian Student Visas
You will likely meet the Australian visa character requirements if none of the statements below applies to you:
- Been charged with any offence that is currently awaiting legal action.
- Been convicted of a crime or offence in any country including any conviction which is now removed from official records.
- Committed, or been involved in the commission of war crimes or crimes against humanity or human rights, or been involved in any activities that would represent a risk to Australian national security.
- Served in a military force or militia, undergone any military/paramilitary training, or been trained in weapons/explosives use however described.
- Left any country to avoid being removed or deported, or been excluded from or asked to leave any country (including Australia).
- Had any outstanding debts to the Australian Government or public authorities.
- If any of the statements above do apply to you, you will not necessarily be refused an Australian student visa.
You must provide full information on each statement. The Australian Department of Immigration will use this information to make a decision on whether or not you meet the Australian visa character requirements.
You must be truthful at all times as submitting incorrect information concerning visa character requirements may lead to the cancellation of your visa. Rarely, even if none of the statements apply to you, you may be asked to prove that this is the case.
Additional Character Requirements
A person will automatically fail to meet the visa character requirements where they have a substantial criminal record.
For a criminal record to be considered substantial the person must have been either:
- Given a life imprisonment or death sentence.
- Given a prison sentence of twelve months or more.
- Sentenced to two or more prison terms. (On either one or several occasions.)*
* Where the total of those terms is in excess of two years or been acquitted of a crime by using the defence of insanity or diminished responsibility due to unsoundness of mind, and been detained in a secure hospital or institution.
You will also fail the visa character requirement if you are currently, or ever have been associated with any individual or group that are suspected of being involved with criminal activity, or if they suspect that you may engage in criminal conduct in Australia.
Finally, you will automatically fail the character requirement if they suspect that you will incite discord in any segment of the Australian community or that you are not of general good character.
Australian Student Visa Health Requirements
In order to be eligible for an Australia student Visa, you must meet certain health requirements.
The Australian Government reserves the right to carry out checks to ensure that you are of an acceptable standard of health. This could include asking you to have a medical examination or X-Ray before they make a decision about your visa application. All medicals must be carried out by Doctors that are approved by the Australian Government.
If you decide to stay in Australia for longer than twelve months, it is extremely likely that they will require a medical. You will automatically be required to have a health examination if you are likely to enter any healthcare environment as a patient, visitor, trainee or employee. This is also the case if you are likely to enter a class room or child care environment.
The Australian government will require further information if you have or are suspected of having a medical condition. They will use this information to decide if you meet the visa health requirements and to determine if a visa can be granted. If you are pregnant or require any form of surgery you will be required to undergo a medical.
The Australian embassy may request that you have either a medical or certain tests if you have any of the following conditions:
- Blood Disorder
- Cancer
- Heart Disease
- Hepatitis B or C
- HIV Infection, including AIDS
- Kidney Disease, including Dialysis
- Liver Disease
- Mental Health problems*
- Respiratory problems*
* That have required hospital treatment
Also, if you either reside in, or have spent a period of time in any country that is not deemed to be at low risk of tuberculosis (TB) you may be required to submit a chest X – Ray to prove that you meet the visa health requirements. You may also need to have a chest X-Ray if you have had or currently have TB, have been in close contact with a person who has TB or have ever had an abnormal chest X-Ray result.
Criminal Convictions?
Australia has very strict rules regarding granting visas to individuals with Criminal convictions. You certainly can’t use the standard visitor visa applications.
There are bound to be some delays, and additional costs, but you may still be eligible
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