A Comprehensive Guide to Student Visas for Australia

There is no doubt designating Australia as an extremely popular study destination amongst international students across the world. What hasn’t captivated the attention of students, working professionals and more to shift from their origin country to the Australian continent. The beautiful and stretching landscapes, enormous buildings, historical monuments and much more to the never ending list have diverted the way of many individuals. Such attributes not only fulfil their social or life longing requirements but equally bring immoderate satisfaction to them. 

Concentrating on the education system of Australia, has created an incredible impact in the minds of international students. With the integration of advanced technology and innovative teaching methodologies, Australian institutions offer students a dynamic learning environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and practical skills development.

Australia welcomes an enormous amount of students based within or outside the continent to achieve their desired goals. Once you have fulfilled the required steps involved in taking admission to an Australian university the next step awaiting you is to complete the visa application. There are different types of Australian student visas for scholars, degree pursuers, etc who wish to take up their studies in Australia. After receiving an acceptance letter from an Australian university, students are good to start with their Australia student visa requirements. This blog will take you through all the proceedings of applying for an Australian study visa, along with other applicable details like Australia study visa fees, process, etc.
 

Updates in Australian Student Visa Requirements

To be eligible for a student visa, applicants must be accepted for full-time study in a course listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). Applicants must also meet financial, health insurance, English language proficiency and health and character requirements.

Students can apply to have partners and dependent children under the age of eighteen accompany them to Australia. These family members are known as secondary visa holders and are counted in student visa numbers. A parent or guardian seeking to accompany an international student to Australia may be eligible for a Student Guardian visa.

From 1 July 2023, Student visas include a visa condition that, once the course has commenced, allows most students to work for up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session and for unlimited hours during course breaks. The limitation imposed by this visa condition reflects the purpose of a student visa; it is to allow entry to Australia in order to study, not to work. Secondary visa holders are subject to a visa condition that limits them to 48 hours of work per fortnight at any time.

On 1 July 2016, the SSVF was implemented replacing both Streamlined Visa Processing arrangements and the Assessment Level Framework.

In order to meet the financial requirements for the grant of a student visa, applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have access to sufficient funds to cover tuition fees, travel costs, educational costs for any accompanying school-age children and living costs for the full study period.

Overseas students must have health insurance for the duration of their stay in Australia. The OSHC assists international students to meet the costs of medical and hospital care that they may need while in Australia. 

A decision to refuse a student visa application is made when a delegate of the Minister is not satisfied that the applicant meets the legal criteria for the grant of a visa. When refusing a visa application, the Department provides an applicant, or their agent, with a written decision record that sets out the reason for the decision.
 

Types of student Visa applicable to foster educational journey

There are multiple types of student visas available to study in Australia. Each visa has its own benefits and drawbacks. Also, these are customised keeping in mind the standards and interests of international students. The most common types of student visas applicable to foster an educational journey in Australia are: 

1. Student visa (subclass 500): The students who have enrolled on full-time courses in Australia, the subclass 500 visa is the primary visa for those students. It allows students to stay in Australia for the length of their course (maximum five years) and travel in and out of Australia. 

It covers a wide range of study levels, including primary and secondary education, vocational education and training (VET), higher education, and postgraduate research. 

It allows the student to work for 48 hours fortnight with the continuation of your course and no work limit for students who have pursued doctoral or masters degrees. 

These visa holders have the access to include their family members in certain circumstances and permit limited work rights.

2. Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590): These visa holders can stay in Australia up to the length of the course and age of the student visa holder. The students who need extra care and support and are under the age of 18 are accompanied by the student's parent, custodian or relative who is 21 years or older. It does not permit the holder to work in Australia.

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid. But you can't leave Australia without a student visa holder unless you have made alternative welfare arrangements. The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa. 

3. Training Visa (Subclass 407): As the name makes it very clear these visas are applicable for those individuals who take part in work-based training in Australia for up to two years. These are not permanent based visas. While not specifically a student visa, it may be applicable for certain types of training programs and can provide valuable educational experiences. 

In order to avail this visa you must either be sponsored, be nominated (unless your sponsor is a Commonwealth Government agency) or be invited (if your sponsor is a Commonwealth Government agency). 

4. Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485): This visa has a restriction which needs to be followed; you can stay in Australia only if you are an eligible international student who has graduated from an Australian CRICOS registered course. This visa is typically granted for a period of 18 months to 4 years, depending on the applicant's qualifications. It also allows students to work for unlimited hours in any sector. 

Graduate work stream: Designed for students who have recently graduated from Australian educational institutes. This stream allows graduates to remain in Australia temporarily to gain valuable work experience related to their field of study. 

The visa typically grants a stay of up to 18 months, Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders may stay for 5 years. ?Providing graduates with an opportunity to further develop their skills and enhance their prospects for permanent residency through other visa pathways, such as the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) or Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).

Post study work stream: It is quite similar to the graduate work stream as it allows students to work, study, and live in Australia for up to two to four years depending upon your qualifications. Applicants holding a select degree may be eligible for an extended 2 year stay on their visa.

The Post-Study Work Stream visa allows graduates to work full-time in any occupation and for any employer in Australia. It provides them with valuable work experience, which may enhance their eligibility for other visa options, such as the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) or the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186)

5. Student Visa (Subclass 590): The Subclass 590 visa is designed for individuals who want to study in Australia for a short-term course or program. It is suitable for students undertaking non-award courses, ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students), or other specialised short-term programs.

6. Student Visa (Subclass 570-576): Previously used visa subclasses for international students, including Subclass 570 (Independent ELICOS Sector), Subclass 571 (Schools Sector), Subclass 572 (Vocational Education and Training Sector), Subclass 573 (Higher Education Sector), Subclass 574 (Postgraduate Research Sector), Subclass 575 (Non-Award Sector), and Subclass 576 (Foreign Affairs or Defense Sector). These subclasses have been replaced by the Subclass 500 visa, but some students may still hold visas under these subclasses.
 

Essential Criteria for Australian Student Visa Application

You need to look into the basic visa requirements to overcome the hurdles approaching your way. The visa requirements do vary based on individual circumstances, course of study and other particular assessment criteria set by the Department of Home Affairs. 

Below mentioned are the key requirements for obtaining a study visa for Australia:

You must have an offer of enrollment or Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) from a registered Australian educational institution for a full-time course.

The course in which you intend to study must be registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

You must be aware of how crucial it is to demonstrate that you have enough funds to cover tuition fees, living expenses, and other student visa expenses in Australia. This typically includes bank statements or financial guarantees. Although you can take jobs in Australia as per the duration and flexibility of your course, having sufficient bank statements is essential. 

You must provide evidence of your genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily for the purpose of studying and that you intend to return to your home country upon completion of your studies.

Having proficiency in language is another essential asset for admission to Australia. Depending on your country of origin and the course you plan to undertake, you may need to provide evidence of English language proficiency through tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE Academic.

You are required to obtain health insurance coverage through an approved provider for the duration of your stay in Australia.

Submit a complete visa application online through the Department of Home Affairs website and pay the required visa application fee.

Last but not the least, If granted a student visa, you must comply with all visa conditions, including maintaining full-time enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, and adhering to work restrictions.
 

Conclusion

You can surely visit Australia without a visa in your dreams but not in reality because your visa is a central part of your complete journey to Australia. Therefore it is important for each and every individual to understand and identify the key requirements to obtain a visa and identify the different types of visas so that they can make correct and adequate decisions. By understanding the visa requirements to study in Australia, exploring the available options, and adhering to the necessary procedures, international students can embark on a transformative journey of learning, growth, and discovery in the Land Down Under. With determination, preparation, and the right support, the possibilities are limitless for those who choose to pursue their dreams in Australia.

For more details on the visa application in Australia, you can explore our website oz assignments. We provide assistance and assignment help to students who are in Australia or currently moving to Australia.