How to Get an Australian Student Visa

Australia is a great country to study and live. It offers high-quality courses, a fantastic lifestyle and a welcoming environment for international students. Once you have been accepted into your Australian course, the next step is to organize your student visa.

1. Applying for a student visa
2. Student visa requirements
3. General requirements
4. Parents of students living in Australia
5. Help with your visa requirements
6. Fees and charges
7. Applying for a student visa

You cannot apply for your student visa until you are accepted by your Australian education provider and have received formal proof of offer or enrollment.

You will need a student visa for the whole time that you study in Australia.

You can apply for your student visa in person at your local Australian embassy or by mail. All assessment level 1 students outside Australia can apply for their student visa online. Citizens of India, Indonesia, Thailand or The People’s Republic of China may also apply online if they are residing in their own country at the time of application.

From 1 July 2016, there will only be one student visa available to study in Australia – the Student visa (subclass 500), the application for which must be lodged online through Immi Account.

Student visa requirements

Before you apply for an Australian course you should contact the Australian embassy in your country to find out if you will be eligible for a student visa, how to make your application, and what your document requirements will be. There is a list of Australian embassies on this website.

There are different visa requirements depending on:

• Course of study you are enrolled in
• Student visas are divided into seven subclasses that depend on the type of study you have enrolled in.
• Country of origin
• When applying for a student visa, carefully check the country assessment level for your home country.
• The visa assessment levels depend on where your passport was issued and your visa subclass.

General and other student visa requirements

Regardless of visa subclass or assessment level, there are a number of general requirements that international students must meet in order to be eligible for a student visa. These include requirements relating to:

• Health
• Character
• Health insurance
• Debts to the Commonwealth
• Custody, accommodation and general welfare arrangements for students under 18 years of age.
•  English language proficiency.

New living costs requirements

From July 2016, the amount you need to prove is your living costs (separate from tuition and travel) is set at AU$19,830 (~US$15,170) for a year. If you have dependents (such as a spouse and children), you will also need to show evidence of being able to cover living costs for them, including school fees or you can show evidence that your spouse or parents are willing to support you and that they earn at least AU$60,000 (~US$45,850) a year.

For details contact the Department of Immigration.

Parents of students living in Australia

As a parent or legal guardian of a child below 18 who is moving to Australia to study, you can also apply for permission to live in Australia as a student guardian. Student guardians can live in Australia for the duration of their child’s course or until the child turns 18.

In order to be eligible, parents or legal guardians must meet the requirements listed above, relating to health, character and financial status. It is especially important that a guardian shows that he or she is equipped to provide for the welfare of the student.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship can provide more details about eligibility and the application process for the student guardian visa. Visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website .

Help with your visa requirements

The best way to find out your specific visa requirements is to visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.

Fees and charges

No fee applies to students sponsored under Commonwealth approved programs, secondary exchange students and student affected by the closure of their education provider.

The Student visa application charge includes an International Education Contribution of $115. This contributes to Australian Government initiatives to support international education through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Note: In addition, there may be other expenses associated with your visa application, such as costs police checks, for medical examinations and the translation of documents into English, if necessary.