Study in Australia 2024

Anyone enrolling as an international student on a course lasting four months or more in Australia will need a student visa. In order to apply for an Australian student visa, you must have an unconditional offer of place at a university, have accepted that place in writing and paid the required tuition fee deposit. The program you choose must be between 12 and 52 weeks in order to be eligible for a student visa.

This subclass 500 visa must be applied for using the online system.

Before applying for a visa, you will need to obtain a Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) or a Letter of Offer confirming that you have been accepted into a course registered under the Commonwealth Register of Institutions of Courses (CRICOS).

When completing your online visa application form, you will need to provide evidence that you meet:

1. Financial requirements - the amount you need to prove you have for living costs (separate from tuition and travel) is set at AU$19,830 (~US$15,170) for a year. Alternatively, 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.
2. English proficiency requirement - If you’re not from an English-speaking country (and haven’t completed at least five years’ study in an English-speaking country) you’ll need to prove you can speak English to the required level with IELTS, TOEFL iBT, Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic, or Cambridge Advanced English (CAE).
3. Health requirement - Some students may be asked to take a medical and/or a radiological check-up to show they are in good health (this applies, for example, to those who intend to train as a doctor, dentist or nurse). Except those from Belgium or Norway, all students are obliged to purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
4. Character requirements - Australian student visa requirements stipulate that you must be of good character to enter Australia. This includes a criminal record check.

Typically, students must submit the following:

• Completed Australian student visa application form (157A)
• Paid visa application fee – currently AU$550 (~US$420 in most cases
• Copy of passport biodata page (some students may be asked to physically provide their passport)
• 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

After you have assembled and scanned your supporting documents, you’ll need to create an account and apply with the online ‘ImmiAccount’ application system: https://www.border.gov.au/immiaccount.

Your student visa application may be rejected, among other things, if you provide incorrect or incomplete documents, or if you do not meet the necessary financial, character, or health requirements.