Australia is one of the most sought after study abroad destinations, and the only one from the southern hemisphere! All international students need to apply for a student visa to participate in an eligible program in Australia. The process is similar to that for other countries, and this article gives you exactly what you need to get your dream Australian study visa.
What is the Australian Student Visa Subclass 500?
The official name for the Australian student visa is Subclass 500 Student Visa. The Australian Department of Home Affairs puts this visa under the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) category. If all this seem intimidating, don’t worry – it just means that you need a student visa and it is temporary i.e. the visa will expire after your studies are over.
What is GTE requirement?
The Australian Department of Home Affairs evaluates a number of factors such as those listed below to determine your application for student visa.
- Circumstances in your home country
- Potential circumstances for you in Australia
- Value of your chosen course to your future
- Your immigration history
You are required to make a personal statement and attend an interview in order to ensure that you intend to visit Australia temporarily and not as a potential migrant. Does that mean that you cannot take up a job after studies? No! You can always get a work visa once you land a job. The GTE requirement is only to ensure that you do not live inside Australia after your studies.
What do I need to apply for Australian Student Visa?
Before applying for your student visa, you need to ensure that you have all of the following.
- A Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) i.e. acceptance letter from an Australian institution listed under the Commonwealth Registrar of Institutions of Courses (CRICOS)
- Evidence of sufficient funds to cover 12 months of tuition plus living costs
- English language proficiency
- IELTS Academic with minimum score of 5.5
- TOEFL with minimum score of 46
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic with minimum score of 42
- Health Requirements: Medical checkups to show you are physically healthy
- Health Insurance: Purchase of the mandatory Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
- Character Requirements: A certificate of good character and lack of criminal history from your home country
A detailed checklist of all documents required for the visa can be found here.
How to apply for Australian Student Visa?
Once you have all of the above documents with you, you can proceed with the online application.
- Open an account on the ImmiAccount application system
- Fill the form with all necessary details
- Attach the following documents
- Passport bio data pages
- Certificate of Enrollment/Letter of Acceptance
- Evidence of sufficient funds
- Evidence of health insurance cover
- English proficiency test results
- Criminal record check results
- Four recent passport-sized photographs
- Pay the application fee: Currently AU$620
- Submit the application
- Update details such as address and contacts, if they change
- Check application status. Generally, student visas take up to four weeks to process. Meanwhile you can check the application status inside your login.
What are the benefits of the Student Visa?
The student visa allows you to attend the designated institute for the full length of the program. You are also allowed to travel in and out of Australia for the duration of your studies.
In addition, you can work up to 40 hours per fortnight during the academic session and 40 hours per week during holidays. For graduate programs i. e. Masters and PhDs, there are no restrictions on work time. Also note that voluntary work is not included in this time limit, so you are free to work with no restrictions so long as you are not getting paid for the same.
Excited? Australia, with its unique natural beauty and high urbanization, can offer a rewarding stay and a lucrative career. All you have to do is to sincerely work towards your admission and visa! So go for it!
At Beyond Consultant, we help you bring your dreams to life, by guiding in your overseas education journey. For a free consultation, please get in touch with us here.
