To study in Australia, one needs to obtain his/her Student visa to Australia. You must be able to prove to the Department of Home Affairs that you possess the necessary qualification for a Student visa to Australia. You need to meet the four necessary requirements and provide evidence of the following –
• Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement
• Financial requirements
• English proficiency requirements
• Health and character requirements
1. What is the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE)?
Genuine temporary entrant is used by the university and institution admissions to identify applicants using the Student visa to Australia program to stay in Australia, for the purpose of study, or to accompany a student as a dependent or as a guardian. It was introduced in November 2011, and grant to those who complete the temporary entrant criteria for University admission. A form must be filled by students who wish to stay in Australia for Educational causes only. The decision-makers at the Department of Home Affairs will consider the following factors:
• Circumstances in your home country
• Potential circumstances for you in Australia
• Value of your chosen course to your future
• Your immigration history
In order to get the GTE, you may be asked to attend a general interview at your nearest Australian embassy or consulate. Some applicants will only need to fill in a Student visa to Australia application form.
2. Financial Requirements
When completing your online Student visa to Australia application form, you’ll need to show that you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition fees, travel, and accommodation costs. The amount you need to show for accommodation costs is set at INR 10 Lakh for a year. If you have dependents such as a spouse or children, then you’ll need to show evidence of being able to cover the living costs for them too, including school fees. Also, you need to show that your parents or guardian is supporting you and have a minimum income of INR 32 Lakhs per year.
3. English proficiency requirement
This requirement is very crucial and important for a Student visa to Australia, especially if you’re coming from a non-English speaking country and haven’t completed 5 years in any English speaking country. You need to prove that you can speak English to the required level. For that, you need to give tests that check your language proficiency. There are various eligible tests that include the IELTA, TOEFL, PTE, and CAE. The minimum score you will need will depend on whether you are starting a full degree, doing a foundation course, or enrolling in a preliminary English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students (ELICOS).
4. Health requirement
Some students may be asked to take a medical and radiological check-up to show that they are in good health. You must attend an appointment with a doctor who has been approved by the Australian immigration department. Except for students from Belgium or Norway, all students are obliged to purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). The cost of the health insurance will vary depending on the provider and how long your purchase.
5. Character Requirement
To obtain an Australian student visa you should be of good character, which means that you should not have any criminal record check. You may also need to acquire a penal clearance certificate or get a police statement and may be asked to fill a Character Statutory Declaration Form.
These are some basic requirements you need to meet to successfully obtain a Student visa to Australia. Despite these here are some basic steps for university studies and longer programs that you will need to apply for a student visa:
Step-1: Before applying for a Student visa to Australia, you must be enrolled at an Australian University. After you receive an offer letter from your university and paid their tuition fees then you’ll receive a CoE, Confirmation of Enrolment. You’ll need this document to begin your visa application process.
Step-2: Everyone applies online for a Student visa to Australia. Before you start your Student visa to Australia application you need to create an account at https://online.immi.gov.au/lusc/register.
Step-3: This is a very crucial step as you need to fill your Student visa to Australia application form. The application can be filled at the earliest 194 days before your course starts. All international students apply for the same visa: the Student Visa (Subclass 500), which you must apply online. The CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment) that you received from your university, that you need to enter into the appropriate section in the online Student visa to Australia application. You can change your course afterward to study in Australia, but you’ll need to apply for a new visa to change the course. You can also fill your studies by studying two or more courses on the Student visa to Australia, where there is a clear progression from one course to another.
Step-4: Now comes to submit the necessary documents. The Department of Home Affairs website has a document checklist feature that will provide you with a list of documents required for your specific circumstances. Typically, students must submit the following:
- Completed Student visa to Australia application form (157A)
- Pay visa application fee (currently INR 36,000) receipt with a TRN number.
- Copy of passport biodata page
- Certificate of Enrolment or Letter of Offer
- Evidence of sufficient funds
- Evidence of health insurance cover
- English proficiency test results
- Criminal record check results
- Four recent passport-sized photographs
You need to submit a digitized copy of your all documents. Student visa to Australia application takes at least 4 weeks to process. If you study in Australia for more than 10 months and the course finishes at the end of an Australian academic year (mid-December), then your visa will be valid until 15 march of the following year. But if your course is longer than 10 months and finishes from January to October, your visa will usually be valid for two months following the completion of your course. To get a detailed list of all the documents goes to the Web evidentiary tool.
Step-5: After submitting all your documents and health checkup, then you have to wait for your visa confirmation. It depends on where you are applying from and how busy are the immigration authorities. You can check the status of your application by logging into the account at the immigration site and if needed enter your TNR-number. Log in at https://online.immi.gov.au/lusc/login. The Australian authorities will email you once your visa decision is ready. Your visa will come in electronic form but you can print the grant letter that you receive online once your Student visa to Australia is approved.
Step-6: Once you received your Student visa to Australia, you can enter Australia at the earliest 90 days before the course starts. If you want to live outside the campus, then confirm the tour address within 7 days of your arrival. Usually, you have the right to stay in Australia for 30 days after your course ends or 60 if the course lasts for more than 10 months. All these date limits are written on your visa and if that information differs from what we write here you should always follow the instructions on your Student visa to Australia.
