May 24, 2023
A top higher education provider and leading study destination, Australia, is globally renowned for setting international standards for excellence in education. The education system in this country consists of top-ranked and world-leading institutions, excellent course curricula, exceptional training facilities, and student support services. Moreover, Australia is a diverse country with welcoming people.
Planning to study in Australia is a career-enhancing step leading to numerous opportunities for professional and personal growth. However, to experience this growth one important step that acts as a bridge is the student visa application.
The student visa is an important document to study in a foreign country and Australia is no exception. So, here’s a detailed guide on Subclass 500 Australian Student Visa.
Keep reading to find out the essential guidelines that you would require to lodge a successful visa application to study in Australia.
The student visa Australia is called Subclass 500. This visa permits international students to live, work and study in Australia for a maximum of five years, or as per the course duration.
According to the latest changes announced by the Australian Government, with this Subclass 500 Student Visa, students are allowed to work for a maximum of 48 hours per fortnight. This student visa also includes family members like the visa applicant’s partner, and their or their partner’s dependent child who is unmarried and is below 18 years of age.
After knowing the fundamentals of this visa, let’s proceed to understand the other requirements.
To apply for a student visa, here’s the list of requirements and documents that every visa applicant would require.
1. Offer Letter
Firstly, to be eligible to apply for the student visa, you need to have an offer letter from the chosen education provider. This is a mandatory document for an Australian student visa application. So, read this offer letter carefully as it contains all the necessary information about the course details, enrolment conditions and fees.
2. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is a document that will be issued by the education institution after the verification of enrollment is done. This CoE is issued and sent after the applicant has accepted the offer and paid the deposit.
3. Proof of English Proficiency
If the applicant comes from a non-native English language speaking country, then they will need to prove their English proficiency. Tests like IELTS, PTE & TOEFL are widely accepted by Australian Universities and the Government.
4. Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) Requirement
To fulfil the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement, the applicant must write a personal statement that addresses the intent to come to Australia temporarily to gain a quality education. This personal statement should be in English and must be 300 words in total or have a 2000-character limit.
5. Proof of Sufficient Funds
The next vital requirement to apply for an Australian student visa is to provide proof of sufficient funds so that there is a surety that the applicants can sustain themselves throughout their stay. Proof of sufficient funds can be given by providing bank statements and evidence of grants and scholarships.
6. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
Having an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for international students in Australia is compulsory for the duration of their stay. Student visa applications will be denied if there is no proof of this insurance. The OSHC cover can be bought online.
7. Health Requirement
International students need to undergo a health examination and provide a medical certificate confirming that they meet the health requirements specified by the Australian Government.
8. Character Requirement
For a student visa, this character requirement needs to be provided. This requirement proves that the visa applicant does not have a criminal history.
Considering that we now know the Australian student visa requirements & documents. Let’s discuss the cost of visa application as well.
A Subclass 500 Student Visa costs AUD$ 710 at present for the main visa applicant. However, the visa fee is going to change from 1st July 2023 onwards. The revised visa fee will be AUD$ 710. This cost is considered unless they are exempt, furthermore, there are additional charges for each family member who applies for this visa. In addition to the visa costs, other expenses such as health checks, police certificates and biometrics will be extra and need to be paid by the visa applicant.
To help you streamline your visa application process, let’s discuss the step-by-step process of the student visa Australia application.
Step 1 – Pre- Application Process
International students should apply for the visa at least 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the course. Get all the guidelines about health examinations, required documentation, and have a valid passport ready before starting the visa application process.
Step 2 – Gather the Required Documents
To support the visa application, the applicant will have to give all the required documents. These documents consist of Identity documents, confirmation of enrolment, letters of support, acceptance forms, financial proofs, overseas student health cover, genuine temporary entrant documents, language proficiency proof, and dependent documents (if applicable).
Step 3 – Apply for the Student Visa
For international students, the visa application process is completely online. The visa applicant needs to create or log in to the ImmiAccount and attach all the required documents. Once the visa application is duly filled, the applicant will have to pay the visa fees and submit the application.
Step 4 - Post Application Process
After the visa application is successfully submitted. The applicant can log into their ImmiAccounts to check the application updates and messages from the visa department. During this step, any other information if asked for by the visa authorities should be provided.
Step 5 – Visa Decision
This is the last and final step of the visa application process. The visa department will update the applicant about their visa status. If the visa application is accepted, then the applicant will get their visa grant number, date of expiry and other visa conditions. If the visa is refused, then the authority will update about the same in writing. Furthermore, they will also update the applicant if they have a right to a review of the decision.
Thus, in 5 simple steps, your visa application is completed.
On an average, the visa processing timeline for Higher Education Sector takes at least 35 Days. This visa processing timeline can exceed this estimated duration if the visa application has some errors or verification is taking time. Thus, this timeline can vary on a case-to-case basis.
This is our detailed guide to the Subclass 500 Australian Student Visa. Visa application is the most important stage in the process to study abroad, thus the applicants need to be extra cautious will applying for the visa. That is why it is recommended to seek expert advice before starting the visa process.
KC Overseas Education, one of the best studies abroad consultants, has assisted more than 3,00,000 students and helped them achieve their aspirations to study abroad. If you are planning to study in Australia, then look no further than visiting our experts for application assistance. Find out more about Australia, visa documents and the application process with KC’s Australia experts.