Australia:
Please see this website for complete information:
http://www.immi.gov.au/immigration.htm
This visa is designed for international students applying to study in Australia and
whose main course of study is one of the following:
Bachelor degree
associate degree
graduate certificate
graduate diploma
Masters by coursework.
Who is this visa for?
This visa is for you if you want to do one of the following:
apply for your first student visa
renew your student visa
apply to join a family member who is in Australia on a student visa.
How much will this visa cost?
You must pay a non-refundable visa application charge of $430 when you lodge
your visa application.
See:
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i/students-visa-charges.htm
What does the visa let me do?
With this visa:
you can study in Australia
eligible dependant family members can accompany you to Australia
you and your family members can apply for permission to work
your spouse can study in Australia for up to three months.
Note: If your spouse wants to study for more than three months they must apply for their
own student visa. The application can be made in Australia.
What is your assessment level?
Your assessment level is determined by your nationality and course of study. For
more information about assessment levels, please read Information form 1219i,
Overseas Student Program - Assessment Levels.
See: Information form 1219i Overseas Student Program - Assessment Levels (58KB
PDF file) http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1219i.pdf
HOW THIS VISA WORKS: Before you apply for this visa, you must have applied for
and been accepted to study full-time at an educational institution in Australia.
Length of stay
This visa allows you to stay in Australia for the duration of your course. It permits
multiple entries to Australia. Dependent family members who come with you to
Australia are usually able to stay the same length of time as you, but they cannot
stay once you have left the country.
The table below outlines the usual duration for a student visa.
Duration of
Course
10 months or
less
Duration of Visa
Your visa will usually be granted for one month longer than the
end date of your course.
Longer than 10 Your visa will usually be granted for two months longer than the
months
end date of your course, if your course ends before November.
Note: If your course ends in November or December, your visa
will usually cease on March 15 of the following year.
Note: If your student visa expires before your graduation, you can apply for a
Visitor visa. You will need a letter from your education provider which states the
date of your graduation.
See: Visitors
Working while studying
Once you have arrived in Australia and started your course, you and your family
members can apply for permission to work.
The table below outlines the work entitlements for you and your dependent family
members if you are granted permission to work.
Type of Applicant
Students granted
Work Entitlement
You can work a maximum of 20 hours per week when
permission to work
your course is in session and unlimited hours when your
course is not in session.
Notes:
Work that is a formal registered part of your
course is not included in the limit of 20 hours per week.
If you are doing voluntary or unpaid work you
must apply for permission to work. It is included in the
limit of 20 hours per week.
Dependent family
members granted
permission to work
You can work a maximum of 20 hours per week
throughout the year.
Exceptions: Family members of students enrolled in
Masters by coursework can work unlimited hours once
the student starts their main course.
Important: You must also comply with the State and Territory laws of Australia.
Under all State and Territory laws, you cannot work during school hours if you are
under the school leaving age, which in most states is 15 years.
When is your course in session?
The department considers your course to be 'in session':
for the duration of the advertised semesters (including periods when exams are
being held)
if you have completed your studies and your Confirmation of Enrolment is still in
effect
if you are undertaking another course, during a break from your main course and
the points will be credited to your main course.
See:
http://www.immi.gov.au/students/students/working_while_studying/how-toapply.htm
Student visa definitions
Eligible family members
Your spouse and your spouse's dependent children.
Spouse
The person you are married to, or in a de facto (common law) relationship with.
You are in a de facto relationship if you have been living with a person of the
opposite sex for at least 12 months and you have a genuine and exclusive
relationship with them.
Dependent child
The natural or adopted child, or step-child of yourself or your spouse who has not
turned 18 and is not married or engaged to be married or in a de facto
relationship.
Fully funded student
A student whose travel, tuition and living expenses are paid by one of the
following:
the Australian Government or an Australian State or Territory government
the government of a foreign country
a provincial or state government of a foreign country (with the written support of
the national government)
a multilateral agency
Examples: United Nations, World Bank or Asian Development Bank or an
organisation gazetted by the Minister.
ELIGIBILITY: You must meet the following specific requirements to be eligible for
this visa.
Accepted in full-time study
You must be accepted for full-time study in a registered course or part of a
registered course to be eligible for this visa.
Note: A registered course is an education or training course offered by an Australian
education provider registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and
Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
See: CRICOS
Lodgement
Method
Proof of Acceptance
Online
You must provide the code from your electronic Confirmation
of Enrolment.
Mail or in person
You can provide a copy of one of the following:
your Confirmation of Enrolment
your Letter of Offer.
Financial requirements
You must have enough money to pay for travel, tuition and living expenses for
yourself, your spouse and your dependent children for the duration of your stay in
Australia. You must also have enough money to support your spouse and dependent
children, even if they do not travel with you to Australia.
Note: Specific financial requirements apply to fully funded students.
Health requirements
You must meet certain health requirements and may need to undergo a health
examination. The requirements vary based on:
your length of stay in Australia
other health risks in your home country or countries you have 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.
See:
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/health-requirements/index.htm
Health insurance
You must have health insurance while in Australia. Health insurance can be
provided by obtaining Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) which provides
medical and hospital insurance.
See:
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/Publishing.nsf/Content/healthprivatehealth-consumers-oshc.htm
You can ask your education provider to organise OSHC for you, or you can select an
approved OSHC provider yourself and pay the insurance.
Exceptions: You do not need OSHC if you are:
a Norwegian student covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme
a Swedish student covered by the National Board of Student Aid or by
Kammarkollegiet.
Proof of insurance: When you lodge your application, you must provide a receipt
or other proof of your OSHC payment. The OSHC should commence when you
arrive in Australia.
English language skills
Contact your Australian education provider who will advise you about the level of
English you need and the evidence you must provide.
Academic record and history
Your Australian education provider will advise you of the academic results you need
and the evidence you must provide.
Character
You must be of good character to enter Australia. The information you provide on
the 'Character Declaration' section of your application will be used to assess your
character.
Debts to the Australian Government
To enter Australia you must:
have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government
or
have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government.
Students under 18 years of age
You must meet all the above, and the additional eligiblity requirements.
OBLIGATIONS: You must uphold your visa conditions while studying and living
in Australia or your visa may be cancelled and you may have to leave Australia.
Course enrolment and attendance
You must remain enrolled in a full-time registered course.
Important: You must attend at least 80 percent of the contact hours for each term or
semester of your course. If the course is shorter than a term or semester, you must
attend 80 percent of the contact hours for the duration of the course.
Academic results
You must have satisfactory academic results for each term or semester of your
course. If your course is shorter than a term or semester, you must have satisfactory
academic results for the duration of the course.
Your education provider will advise the department if your results are not
satisfactory. The definition of 'satisfactory' is determined by your education
provider.
Changing your education provider
You must stay with your education provider for the first 12 months of your course.
If the course is less than 12 months, you must stay for the duration of the course.
If you are doing a pre-requisite course, you must stay with that education provider
for the length of the course, and then with the education provider of your main
course for the first 12 months.
Under the conditions described above, you can only change your education provider
in exceptional circumstances.
If you are changing your education provider, you must tell your current education
provider within seven days of receiving an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment
from the new education provider. You must complete Form 157C.
See: Form 157C Application for a student visa with permission to change education
provider (100KB PDF file)
Providing your home address
You must advise your education provider of your home address within seven days of
arriving in Australia. If you change your address during your stay in Australia, you
must advise your education provider within seven days.
Note: Your education provider needs your home address so they can contact you if
you do not satisfy the requirements of your course. If they cannot contact you, this
could result in your student visa being cancelled.
'No further stay' condition
Some visas are issued with a 'no further stay' condition. This condition means that
you cannot apply to stay in Australia beyond the date specified on your visa, except
in extremely limited circumstances.
Limited circumstances may include students who want to apply for:
a student visa with permission to work
a student visa that is supported by a sponsoring government agency
a Graduate Temporary Entry - Skilled visa
a visa to engage Australia's obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention
relating to the status of refugees.
Students Under 18 Years of Age
If you are under 18 years of age you must have written approval to change your
accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements. If your parents
approved your accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements, you must
have your parent's written approval to change these arrangements.
If your education provider approved your accommodation, support and general
welfare arrangements, you must have the education provider's written approval
provider to change these arrangements.
Financial Capacity
You must maintain enough money to pay for travel, tuition and living expenses for
yourself, your spouse and your dependent children for the duration of your stay in
Australia.
School age family members
Any family members of school age must attend school in Australia.
Health Insurance
You must maintain health insurance for you and your family members while in
Australia. Health insurance can be provided by obtaining Overseas Student Health
Cover (OSHC) which provides medical and hospital insurance.
APPLYING FOR THIS VISA: Complete applications
When you lodge your application, it is important that you include all the required
documents with your application. Lodging a complete application assists case
officers to quickly process your application.
If you cannot provide all the supporting documentation when you lodge your visa
application, tell the department which documents are missing and when you expect
to be able to provide them. Incomplete applications may be delayed or, in some
cases, refused.
See: Application Checklist Higher Education visa (Subclass 573) Assessment Level
1 (75KB PDF file) http://www.immi.gov.au/students/checklists/visa_573_1.pdf
Passport details
Your visa will be linked to the passport number you used in your application. You
must use the same passport to travel to and from Australia. Your passport should be
valid for at least six months from the time you lodge the application.
Important: To avoid significant delays at your departure point for Australia, you
must advise the department of new passport details before you travel to Australia.
Application charge
You must pay a charge when you lodge your application.
See: Fees & Charges http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/990i.htm
Other costs
There may also be other costs associated with the application, such as translating
documents into English. You will also need to pay for any medical examinations.
If required, you may also need to provide a police check. Charges for obtaining
police checks vary in each country. When required to obtain your own police
checks, you are personally responsible for all arrangements and charges.
How to apply
You can apply online, by mail or by courier.
Outside Australia
To apply for your first student visa or to renew your current student visa:
you can apply online, by mail or in person
Note: You cannot apply online more than 124 days (4 months) before your course starts.
a family member can apply online, by mail or in person on the same application
as the student.
Note: A family member cannot apply online separately from the student. They can apply
separately by mail or in person.
In Australia
To apply for your first student visa or to renew your current student visa:
you can apply online, by mail or in person
Note: You cannot apply online more than 93 days (3 months) before your course starts
a family member can apply online, by mail or in person on the same application
as the student.
Note: A family member cannot apply online separately from the student. They can apply
separately by mail or in person.
See:
http://www.immi.gov.au/students/students/chooser/573.htm
More Information
If you have read all of the available information for this visa, and still need help,
contact the department.
See:
http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/visa-enquiries/students-visas-outside.htm