Student Visa in Australia

Australia is quite famous for its open spaces of the outback bush, koalas and clean air and water etc and of course kangaroos. The truth is, Australia is not limited to it, this country has so much more to offer than that, especially in the field of education. Australia is a shelter home to students from all over the world.  Many international students are choosing to study in Australia because it has a number of advantages. This country is known for its friendly, laid-back nature, excellent high-quality education, and high standard of living.  Also, there are a number of scholarships available for studying there. Read hereto know how to aid the funding of your studies in the country. Studying in Australia requires a student visa which a student has to obtain. There are several steps in the process of obtaining a visa.

Refer to the infographic below to understand the steps to get an Australian Student Visa:

Know about the top universities in Australia

Australia is currently the third most popular destination for international students in the world after the United States and the UK. Australia has eight of the top 100 universities in the world which makes it most admired and popular among the students. There are many reputed institutions for various courses. Read here about the best engineering colleges in Australia. These advantages make Australia an ideal destination for studying abroad. There are some requirements for obtaining the student visa in Australia.

The Basics

In order to obtain an Australian student visa, you must be able to meet the Australian student visa requirements to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP).  Once you have met the requirements you shall further do the following:

• Fill Australian student visa application form
• Pay the visa application fee
• Attend an interview.

 Visa application form

Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) or a Letter of Offer confirmation will be required to prove that you have been accepted into a course registered under the Commonwealth Register of Institutions of Courses (CRICOS).  You may also have to deposit an amount towards your college fees.

You can change course afterwards to one of the same or a higher study level with the same visa. But you’ll need to apply for a new visa if you’re changing course to a lower level. Changing from a PhD to a master’s is an exception.

Evaluate your profile to discover which colleges in Australia match your profile

 Requirements for Visa

Australian student visa requirements have to be fulfilled by you while filling the online application form for the visa. You will have to that you have :

1. Command over the English language
2. Sufficient funds
3. No medical complications
4. No criminal background
   

   Language requirements:

• The DIBP website has enlisted eligibility tests, IELTS, TOEFL, IBT, Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic, and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE). Depending on the level of the course your score requirements will also vary.
• Proficiency in English both speaking and writing skills are required.
  

  Fund requirements:

• You will have to prove that you can bare your expenses for the study in Australia. The amount you need has to meet the cost of living in Australia i.e. AU$19,830  for a year excluding the amount you need to cover your travel expenses and the college fees.
• In case you have any dependents like children or a spouse you will have to prove that you will be able to cover their expenses too. If your spouse is also supporting you financially you can show that also.
  

  Health requirements:

• Students are required take a medical check-up to show they are in good health. This may not be a mandatory requirement for all.
• If you are required to go through a medical test you must attend an appointment with a doctor who has been approved by the Australian Immigration Department. If you are not from Belgium or Norway,  you are obliged to purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). this cover is given through universities also. You can purchase this cover from your universities or directly from the providers.
• There are five providers of this cover Australian Health Management, BUPA Australia, Medibank Private, Allianz Global Assistance and nib OSHC.
• Depending on the provider or the university and duration of your cover that is for how long you purchase the cover for, the price of the cover will vary.
  

  Character requirements:

  No country would like to invite trouble to their citizens. Thus there are character requirements which need to be fulfilled to get the visa:

• To obtain an Australian student visa it is necessary that you must be of good character without any blemish of serious crimes to be eligible to enter Australia.
• Criminal record check is done to make sure you don’t have a substantial criminal record.

 Documents required

• Australian student visa application form (157A)
• Passport
• Biodata page (some students may be asked to physically provide their passport)
• Certificate of Enrolment or Letter of Offer
• Proof of sufficient funds
• Proof of health insurance cover
• English language proficiency test results
• Criminal record check results
• Passport-sized photographs (recent)