Australia embraces international students openly- the country and its people both are warm and welcoming. Further, the fact that Australia is home to a large number of foreign students is both a cause and effect of its transparent student visa process. However, the journey from application to securing the visa is a critical one and as a student, you can’t afford to put a toe out of line.
At Starbright Overseas Education, we ensure that the whole process for visa application is swift, simple and effortless. We help all our students to fill the necessary forms, submit the required documents and make the process smooth for them. How?
Three Basic Steps to get an Australian Student Visa
# Step 1: Select your course and get the CoE
After you select the course and fill in the application form, you will receive the Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) from your university, provided you fulfill the admission criteria prescribed by the university or college.
Step # 2: Compile the requisite documents
Get all the necessary certificates and documents (health and character certificate, language test, insurance, OHSC, SOP) in order.
Step # 3: Apply for student visa
Apply for the student visa through the Australian immigration website or an education agent.
Let us now dig into the details!
Australia is one of the most popular destinations for international students. It has impressive English language schools, and outstanding universities and colleges to support international students. The culture is diverse, and the weather is pleasant most of the year. The quality of education and the country’s high standards of living inspire students from all over the world to come and experience the Australian way of living. How do you get there? You secure a visa first and foremost !!
Visa is an essential requirement to enter most of the international destinations, same is the case for Australia also. For Australia, immigrants are granted visas through the Australian Embassy or the Consulate located in a given city/country. Valid passport holders can also apply for tourist, work, or study visas through the Australian Department of Home Affairs Website.
The four most popular visas used to enter Australia are-
1. Subclass 500 Student visa
This visa would enable you to study full-time in an authorized institution of Australia for up to 5 years and bring family members along with you. Conditions for this visa are –
- You must be six years or older.
- You must have a full-time study offer from an Australian education institution.
- You need to attach a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) with your Application.
- To stay in Australia, you must hold an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) or fall under the exemption category.
- If you are below 18 years, you need to prove that you have financial and welfare arrangements for your study period.
Estimated Cost: Application cost for the Subclass 500 (student visa) starts at AUD 620 (INR 35,000) unless exempted.
2. Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
A temporary visa allows international students to live, study and work after they have finished their studies.
Conditions for this visa-
- You need to be below 50 years of age.
- Your recent qualification should be in a CRICOS (The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) registered course.
- You must fill your applications in Australia for this visa, and you must have an eligible student visa.
- You must meet health and character, study, health insurance and English proficiency requirements.
This visa does not impose restrictions on the number of hours you work and the type of work you do. You can work in Australia for a period of 18 months to four months depending on the qualification you’ve achieved.
Estimated Cost: Application cost for the Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) starts at AUD 1,650 (INR 90,000).
3. Skilled Regional (Provisional) Visa – Subclass 489
This visa is specifically for professional people who wish to get employment and live in Australia. The subclass 489 visa includes three pathways – the Invited pathway, the Extended Stay Path pathway, and the Subsequent entry pathway.
i) Invited Pathway
This is a temporary visa. Applicants must be below the age of 45 years and shall be nominated by the Australian States or by an eligible relative of the applicants. The cost of this visa is estimated to be AUD 4,115 (INR 2.3L). There is no standard processing time available for this pathway.
ii) Extended Stay Pathway
This is also a temporary visa for skilled people who want to get employment and live in regional Australia.
Conditions for this visa-
- You must hold subclass 487, 489, 475, or 496 visas.
- You need to study, live and work in specific regions of Australia.
Estimated Cost: The cost of applying for the Extended Stay pathway visa starts at AUD 360 (INR 20,000). There is no standard processing time available for this pathway.
iii)Subsequent Entry Pathway
This visa is for a family member of a person who holds a subclass 489 Skilled Regional (Provisional) visa or a subclass 496, 475, 495, or 487 visas.
Conditions for this visa-
- You have to be a family member of someone who holds subclass 489, 496, 487, 495, or 475 visas.
- You need to study, live and work in a specific regional area of Australia.
Estimated Cost: The cost of applying for this visa is estimated to be AUD 4115 (INR 2.3L) if the family member is an Invited Pathway applicant.
4. Skilled Independent Visa (Points Tested Stream) – Subclass 189
This visa is for the invited skilled workers. This allows them to work and live permanently anywhere in Australia. People on a Skilled Independent Visa- Subclass 189 can study and work in Australia, become Australian citizens and even sponsor their eligible relatives for permanent residence in Australia.
Conditions for this visa-
- You must get an invitation to apply for this visa.
- To get an invitation, you must be under the age of 45 years.
- You don’t need a nominator or sponsor for this visa.
Estimated Cost: The cost of applying for this visa is approximately AUD 4115 (INR 2.3L). The processing time ranges between 6 -7 months
So, as a student planning to study in Australia, you need to apply for a Subclass 500 Student visa. This visa will allow you to study full-time in Australia for up to five years.
If you have decided to move to Australia for higher education and you are still intimidated and confused with the visa process, don’t fret. We have further simplified the process, elaborating it for you, step-by-step. Following these steps would make your student visa application process smooth as silk.
1. Apply for the course and get Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
CoE is the first document you need to acquire. The process for the same has been further sub-divided into four parts.
A. Course Application–
You first need to search for the Universities that offer the course you are interested in. Ensure that the course you choose to enroll in should be registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
B. Language proficiency-
You are required to take an English test to prove your language proficiency. The following English language Tests are accepted in Australia-
- IELTS: International English Language Testing System.
- TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language.
- C1 Advanced: Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE).
- PTE: Pearson Test of English.
- OET: Occupational English Test.
C. Financial Stability–
You have to provide documents that show that you are financially stable to sponsor your tuition fees and your living and travelling expenses in Australia. Documents like Fixed deposits (FD), bank statements, parent’s income are accepted.
D. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)–
This document provides evidence that a student can enroll at an Australian university/educational institution and the university/ institution has accepted the student’s placement. Students need the CoE when they lodge the student visa applications to study in Australia.
To get a CoE, you can apply through the university representatives available in India, or you can ask your agents if you are applying through an agency. Once you’ve applied, you will be required to pay the first installment of the course fee to get the CoE. The CoE will have details of the curriculum and schedule for commencement of the classes along with fee details- how much fees you have paid, and how much is pending.
2. Get the Character & Health certificate.
After securing the CoE, the next step is to get the Character & Health Certificate
- Character certificate:
A certificate of good character is a vital document required to process the visa application. Further, a police clearance certificate is required to prove that you do not have any criminal records.
- Health certificate:
You may have to undergo medical tests to meet health requirements as part of the visa application process. A health certificate signed by a medical officer in India ensures that a person’s health has been examined and he/she is deemed medically fit.
3. Health Insurance (OHSC)
Overseas Student Health Cover (OHSC) is the medical/health insurance cover which is required for all international students coming to Australia to assist them with any medical and hospital costs. Applicants can compare and buy various health insurance packages which the OHSC companies provide (details are available on their respective websites). The OHSC can be bought online.
4. Write a statement of purpose (SOP)
After acquiring all the necessary documents and certificates, you shall start writing a brief essay describing yourself, your educational and financial background, and your reason for choosing Australia. You should also mention that your visit to Australia is temporary, and for the sole purpose of getting quality education.
5. Applying for Student Visa
To apply for the Student Visa, you first need to create an ImmiAccount. The credentials of ImmiAccount (like log-in ID and password) should be kept safe as they would be required later on and are necessary for the PR process.
After creating the ImmiAccount, you shall visit the Australian immigration website. Ensure that you keep all the documents scanned and handy for the application process.
After completing the application process successfully, you would be asked to submit your biometrics.
6. Cost of Visa and processing time
The estimated cost of an Australian student visa (Subclass 500) is AUD 620 (35,000 INR). Most of the students can get a student visa within one-two months period after applying for the same. However, the process may be prolonged for some students, depending upon the time taken to verify the documents and seeking of additional information by the concerned authorities, if required.
Important points that International students shall make a note of-
For the student visa application, all international students are required to adhere to specific rules, such as-
- Students can only work after their course commences. Also, they are not allowed to work for more than 40 hours per fortnight unless they are on a course break.
- Students pursuing a Doctorate or Masters are allowed to work full time on a student visa.
- Maintenance of attendance as stipulated by the education provider is mandatory.
- Health insurance (OHSC) should be kept updated and active throughout a student’s stay in Australia.
- Students need to inform their education provider of the address they’ll stay at in Australia within seven days of coming to Australia. Subsequently, if they change the address, then that too shall be informed within seven days of the change.
Applying for extension on student visa
A student visa is valid for five years. It can be renewed if the students are not able to complete their course before the visa expiry date. Also, they can extend their visas if they have submitted their postgraduate thesis or want to commence another course.
Inviting spouse/family members to Australia
The Department of Home Affairs allows the student to bring immediate family members (dependents) to Australia. These dependents include spouses and children under the age of 18. Students should declare their family unit on their initial visa application.
If a family member travels to Australia with the student, they can include them in their student visa (500) application. Similarly, if family members want to join the applicants after they have finished their studies, they can apply for Subclass 500 (subsequent Entrant) student visa. This visa can be acquired by obtaining a ‘nomination of dependent’ letter from the university/institution where the student is studying.
If someone becomes a dependent after the visa has been issued (Eg.- spouse), a new student visa must be applied for the addition of the spouse’s name in the new application. It shall also be explained in the new application why the name of new dependant was not included in the initial application. In case of childbirth in Australia, applicants must inform about their newborn to the Department of Home Affairs, and by law, the newborn will receive the same visa as the applicant.
We have got your covered!
Overwhelmed much? Do not worry. Applying for a visa is not as troublesome as it seems, it just requires careful attention. With proper instructions and guidance, the process gets simplified.
Starbright Overseas Education will be there to help you in the process. Call us now!
