Australian student visa as the name suggests is meant for those who want to pursue their academic interests in Australian education system. The academic programs vary in nature including school level, graduate, post-graduate, doctoral, professional and vocational. Australian education system has been able to attract students across the globe, totalling over 250,000 on an average per year.
Given below are the revised student visa subclasses brought by the Australian Immigration Department from July 1st 2016. Referred as the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF), this change has made the entire process of applying student visa simple and hassle free.
Student Visa (Subclass 500)
Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)
Training and Research Visa (Subclass 402)
Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
Note: Those who hold a student visa with subclass numbers 570- 576, the visa will remain legitimate and the conditions will not change. However, the family members of the Student Visa holder are required to apply for a subclass 500 after July 1st 2016 in order to stay with them in Australia.
Visa Subclass
Student Visa (Subclass 500)
Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)
Assessment
There are three levels of assessment for candidates applying for a student visa depending on their country of passport. The purpose of these levels is to assess the level of risk posed by potential students studying in a specific country in a specific education sector and system.
Assessment level 1 is the lowest immigration risk and assessment level 3 the highest. As the level of these assessments goes higher, a candidate needs to present more number of supporting documents such as financial documents.
Basic Requirements
Validity of the course: An applicant must opt for a course which is listed in Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students – CRICOS
Health condition: An applicant is required to undergo certain health check-ups depending upon her visa type. The Australian Immigration Department has categorized various types of health-check-ups based on these things:
- Personal circumstances, including your country of citizenship
- Time spent in another country during the last five years
- Your intended activities in Australia.
- Length of stay in Australia
- Other health risks in home country or countries visited for more than three months within the last five years
Health examinations can be completed before you lodge your visa application, but no more than six months before your course starts
Financial requirements: Australian Immigration Department expects applicants to be able to manage the expenses for their travel, tuition and accommodation. The department has also made it mandatory for the applicants to take care of all these expenses for their partners and dependent children. Though, financial requirements vary with the nature of visa, an applicant must
- Have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government
- Or have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian government.
- Prove that the applicant can meet these financial requirements for the first 12 months of his stay in Australia
- Have enough money to support his partner and dependent children, even if they do not travel with him to Australia
- If an employer or Corporation is sponsoring you, they must conduct commercial activities outside the country in which it is based.
- They must also employ you in a role in relation to which your principal course is of direct relevance.
- It is very important that you provide correct documents to the department to convince it that you will have genuine access to the claimed funds to cover all your expenses while you are in Australia.
English language proficiency (IELTS – 5.5 band minimum, TOEFL, PTE, OET, CAE): This varies as per the different sub-class of student visa. Though, Academic or General IELTS test is often taken to meet English language proficiency requirements, you must double-check with your Australian education provider, which is the correct test you should take to be eligible for taking up the specific course. Also, tests older than two years are not acceptable.
Character requirements: This falls under Section 501 of the Migration Act 1958. It is mandatory that you are of a good character if you want to enter Australia. In order to prove this, an immigration application has the section called: ‘Character Declaration’ which is used to assess your character. At times, a police clearance certificate or other evidence may be needed satisfy the character requirements.
Temporary visas also must be in accordance with OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) which ideally should cover health insurance for an entire program
GTE (Genuine Temporary Entrant) requirement:
This is essentially an integrity measure set up by the Australian Immigration Department to ensure that only genuine applicants who actually want to pursue academic courses in Australia are granted this visa.
Following factors are taken into consideration:
- The applicant’s immigration history (compliance with the immigration law in the past – visited (Australia or other country) and returned back to their home country)
- Possible situations that applicant may have to face after moving to Australia
- The applicant’s present circumstances
- Greater Possible Economic condition in Australia in comparison to their home country
- In case of a minor applicant, intention of a parent, legal guardian or spouse is taken into consideration
- Relevance of your proposed course with your past qualification
- Any other factor that may influence your immigration to Australia
Work Permit Possibilities
Australian student visa allows you and your guardian to work as well. Some of the possibilities are:
- A student can take a job for forty hours a fortnight during the session
- During session breaks, a student can work for unlimited hours
- Secondary visa holders can work only for forty hours per fortnight
- Secondary visa holder can work fulltime if the primary visa holder’s Master course is progress
- Research students travelling on Visa 574 can work unlimited hours on commencement of their Masters or Doctoral courses
- Even secondary visa holders accompanying research scholars are allowed to work for unlimited hours.