The Australian government offers all students an opportunity to study in the country, but first, you will have to obtain a student visa as a prerequisite. It will rely on your age, the type of study you want to pursue, and how long you want to stay in Australia for the visa you need. You will most usually need a student (subclass 500) visa as an international student, regardless of your study field. Here are the Australian visa application requirements.
Australian Visa Types and Requirements
The Subclass 500 Student Visa
A student subclass 500 visa, in place since July 1, 2016, enables you to stay in Australia for the duration of your study program, which is mostly up to five years and in line with your date of enrolment. You need to ensure that your visa stays valid for a smooth stay, and you abide by the conditions as specified on your student visa. You can read about this kind of visa in-depth on the Home Affairs Department of the Australian Government website.
Scope of Your Subclass 500 Visa
- You can enroll in your desired study program
- You can be accompanied to Australia by your family members
- You may apply to an online portal in or outside Australia
Basic Checks Before Applying
- In Australia, you should be enrolled in your required study program.
- You must be equal to or greater than six years of age
- You must hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) or either fall in any of the exemption categories
- You must show that you have a welfare arrangement (if you are under the age of 18)
Necessary Documents for an Australian Student Visa
When applying for your Australian student visa, you will normally need:
- Evidence of enrolment (your electronic enrolment confirmation)
- A valid passport
- Your application fee for a visa
- Your Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) statement
- Documents of academic and work experience
- Evidence of your English proficiency abilities (such as IELTS exam scores)
- Financial capacity proof (tuition fees, living expenses, dependent expenses, return airfare)
- Information of your (Overseas Student Health Cover) health insurance policy
- Statement of purpose
- Passport-size photographs
You will also need additional paperwork, such as parental consent if you are under 18 years of age.
Applying For An Australian Visa Online
To finish and submit your student visa application, you will need to build an account using DIBP’s online application framework. After you have submitted it, you can also track the status of your visa via ImmiAccount. Your application should be sent no later than six weeks before starting your course and no earlier than 12 weeks.
Australian Student Visa Fees
You must pay visa fees as an international student according to the group you fall into. Here are the fee Australian visa application requirements for fees.
| Visa subclass | Base application charge | Added applicant charges if 18 years or above | Added applicant charges if less than 18 years | The subsequent temporary application charge |
| Student visa (subclass 500) | AUD620 | AUD460 | AUD150 | AUD700 |
| Student visa (subclass 500) (subsequent entrant) | AUD620 | AUD460 | AUD150 | AUD700 |
| Student visa (subclass 500) – Foreign Affairs or Defence sector | nil | nil | nil | nil |
| Student visa (subclass 500) – Postgraduate research sector | AUD620 | nil | nil | nil |
Requirements For Australian Visa: English Language
You’ll have to provide proof of proficiency in the English language to receive your Australian student visa. To show your communication and correspondence capacity, this typically requires passing a healthy English language examination.
With more than three million tests taken in the past year, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the most common high-stakes English language proficiency test for research, work, and migration in the world. The findings of the IELTS are acknowledged in 140 countries around the world by more than 10,000 organizations, including educational institutions, employers, professional associations, and governments.
The minimum score needed for an Australian student visa in your IELTS is 5.5 in each of the four modules.
Ensuring That Your Visa Stays Valid
There are many things you need to do once you get your visa to ensure that it stays valid, including:
- Remain enrolled and ensure adequate progress and participation in the course
- Provide your university or college with your Australian address so that they can contact you (don’t forget to let them know if you move)
- Continue to be able to support yourself financially while in Australia
- Don’t violate the working conditions applicable to your visa
- You would need to apply for a new student visa if you would like to change your qualification level.
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