Australia is considered one of the best countries for studying. With 43 universities, some of which are deemed as world-class, the students from around the world come to study in this country. According to a report in 2019, Australia has seen an incoming of 720,150 students, which was an 11% increase from the numbers of 2018.
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Student visa of Australia
The government of Australia has provided a specific visa for this purpose. Known as the Student Visa Subclass 500, it allows the foreign students to study in the course of their choice in their chosen university. There are several conditions to fulfil to get a positive response for their application. It is best to consult the most experienced Migration Agent Adelaide for the intricacies of the application process.
One visa for all learners
International students are required to apply for and get the Visa Subclass 500 before they can come to Australia. This rule has to be followed by all types of students, irrespective of their country or home destination. The rule also applies to all subjects – whether it’s an undergraduate course (like a bachelor degree course in any Australian university), postgraduate degree (like a master or PhD degree), ELICOS (to study English in Australia), or for any Vocational Education and Training (VET) course (applicable for students looking to study shorter courses or job-ready skills).
The eligibility rules
The overseas students need to satisfy the following rules to ensure their application is accepted by the DoHA (Department of Home Affairs). Moreover, they need to provide documentary evidence about the following factors during their application. The Student Visa Subclass 500 Conditions are listed below:
· Age restriction
The candidate must be aged 6 or older to apply if he or she is a school student but is not participating in a secondary school exchange program). Moreover, they should also fulfil the following conditions:
i. At the start of year 9, they must be less than 17.
ii. At the start of year 10, they must be less than 10.
iii. They must be less than 19 when they begin year 11.
iv. At the start of year 12, they must be less than 20 years old.
· Evidence of enrolment in a course of study
The visa application must be accompanied by a Certificate of Enrolment (CoE) or it will be deemed invalid and cannot be processed. The student must be enrolled in a course registered to the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). He or she must also provide the CoEor a Letter of Offer for all of the selected courses before the visa is granted.
The candidate can also take multiple courses but will need to provide CoE for each of them, otherwise, the period mentioned in the application will be considered only. The course selected must be inter-related to one another and must lead to one another. The gap between the courses should not be more than two calendar months unless the end of the first course and the start of the second course falls between two consecutive academic years.
Likewise, the application must mention the CoE codes of all the courses selected; otherwise, the visa may cover only the course whose CoE is mentioned.
In the following cases, the student doesn’t need to provide a CoE, if he or she is:
- Signed up in a full-time course of study or training under a grant sanctioned by the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade; a letter of support may be provided.
- Supported by the Australian Department of Defence.
- A secondary exchange student (the applicant must provide an Acceptance Advice of Secondary Exchange Student (AASES) form).
- A Postgraduate researcher needing to stay in Australia when their theses are marked (a letter stating this fact from the education provider must be submitted).
· Welfare arrangements for under 18 years
For students under the age of 18 years, evidence of welfare arrangements must be completed for utilization in Australia.
· English language proficiency
The applicant must provide proof of their English language skills at the time of the application. This means that the candidate must secure minimum marks in any one of the international English language tests mentioned in the Student Visa 500 Checklist. Although, for some cases, this condition is exempted. To know more about either of these aspects, it is better to discuss it with the most experienced Visa Agent Adelaide.
· Have adequate health insurance
The candidate and/or his or her family must be under the coverage of appropriate health insurance. Here, insurance means a proper ‘Overseas Student Health Cover’ or OSHC from an official Australian health insurance provider. The duration of the visa must start from the students’ date of arrival in Australia, not the date of the commencement of the course. However, for Norwegian students covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme, Swedish students are protected by Kammarkollegiet, Belgian students under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia; exemption from the OSHC is granted.
Usually, the policy number, starting date, end date, and the name of the health insurance provider will have to be included in the visa application. The education provider also has to provide this information on the CoE.
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· Health and character requirement
The student must pass the health and character requirement before his or her application for the Student Visa Subclass 500 is accepted.
· No outstanding debts
The candidates must not have any outstanding debt with the Australian government. If they or any of their family members do have that, then they must pay it back or make arrangements to pay it back.
Other important aspects
The DoHA also considers several other important aspects before giving the final thumbs up. For example, they can reject the visa application if it goes against the best interests of an applicant under the age of 18. The applicants must also give their consent in writing to follow the rules of Australia and respect the Australian way of life. To know about all of this required information, you must contact the most experienced Immigration Agent Adelaide. It will help you to achieve the visa within a minimum time.
