Australia Student Visa Requirements

There is a great deal of preparation required for studying overseas. After you’ve chosen your country and program, the next step is to procure your student visa. Student visas are issued to people who wish to undertake a course of formal study. In Australia, people who wish to undertake a course of less than three months’ duration may study while holding a tourist visa. There are seven visa subclasses in Australia’s student visa program; the visa subclass under which you will be assessed is determined by your main course of study.

Eligibility

If you intend to study for more than three months, you will need to apply for a student visa. Student visas are only available to students who wish to undertake a registered course on a full time basis. Visas are not available for part time students or for studies by correspondence. A registered course is an education or training course offered by an Australian education provider who is registered with the Australian government to offer courses to overseas students.

To enter Australia, you must be of good character. The information you provide at the 'Character Declaration' section of the application form 157A, Application for a student (temporary) visa enables an assessment to be made in respect of your character.

Depending on your country of nationality and your principal course of study, you may need to undergo a Pre-Visa Assessment (PVA) before an Electronic Confirmation of Enrollment (eCoE) is issued by your Australian education provider.

Financial Ability

Students in Masters and Doctorate courses must provide evidence of cash assets for the first year’s tuition fee and living expenses (around $12,000 AUD), and access to additional funds (from acceptable sources) to meet the cost of the remainder of study and stay in Australia.

Health Requirements

Individuals applying to study in Australia must satisfy the health requirements specified in the Migration Regulations. Any family members who are included in the visa application are also required to satisfy health requirements. Students from low health risk countries such as Iceland, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, and Sweden are generally not required to undertake health examinations unless a health condition of special significance is declared.

To be covered for health insurance in Australia, you will need to pay the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for yourself and any family members traveling with you. Students from Norway and Sweden do not need to obtain OSHC if they are covered by acceptable health insurance schemes from their home countries.

Working on a Student Visa

To be eligible to work in Australia, you will need to apply for a visa with “permission to work” after you commence study. This visa has an additional cost of roughly $55 AUD. If you are granted permission, there will be restrictions on the number of hours you are allowed to work in a week. As an international student, you can work a maximum of 20 hours per week during the term, and unlimited hours during periods of vacation.