Student Visa
Exploring Australia's Student Visa
Australia stands out for its esteemed international education system, which welcomes students from around the globe. As a result, these visas not only open doors for pursuing courses in Australia but also offer opportunities to extend one’s stay after completing studies.
Furthermore, the Temporary Graduate Visa provides an excellent opportunity to extend one’s stay in Australia post-study. This extension facilitates gaining valuable work experience, which, in turn, contributes significantly to future skilled migration or employer-sponsored visas.
To embark on this educational journey, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Criteria for Obtaining a Student Visa
To embark on this educational journey, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Enrollment in a Registered Course
- Enrol in a course of study that is registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
English Language Proficiency
- Student Visa Minimum Test Scores: IELTS score 6.0 (or equivalent) required.
- ELICOS Course Minimum Scores: IELTS score 5.0 (or equivalent) for those taking an English Language Intensive Course.
- Foundation Programs: IELTS score 5.5 (or equivalent) for university pathway courses.
- Evidence of sufficient financial capacity to cover all the expenses during the intended stay in Australia. This includes covering course fees, travel, and living costs for you and any accompanying family members.
- As of 10th of May 2024 update – 12-month living costs are:
- Students (Primary applicant) – AUD29,710
- Spouse or de facto partner, an additional AUD 10,394
- For each child, an additional AUD4,449 (plus tuition fees if child is of school age)
- One year Tuition fee
- Travel expenses which can vary from AUD 1000 to AUD 3000 depending on your country and location when you lodge the application.
- Hold adequate health insurance for the whole period of stay in Australia.
- Meet the Australian health requirements.
- Meet the character requirements (a police certificate may also be required).
- If under 18 years old, social welfare agreements must be in place for the duration of the student’s stay in Australia.
Genuine Student requirements to be addressed:
- Give details of the applicant’s current circumstances. This includes ties to family, community, employment and economic circumstances.
- Explain why the applicant wishes to study this course in Australia with this particular education provider. This must also explain their understanding of the requirements of the intended course and studying and living in Australia.
- Explain how completing the course will be of benefit to the applicant.
- Give details of any other relevant information the applicant would like to include.
Navigating the student visa application process can be challenging. Therefore, having the support of migration agents is highly advisable, as even a small mistake can significantly impact your career.
At The Immigration Whizz, our experienced migration professionals are well-equipped with extensive knowledge of immigration law. Whether you’re applying for a partner visa or any other type of visa, they are committed to providing you with genuine advice and dedicated assistance throughout the entire application process.
Benefits of Australia's Student Visa:
Pursue an Australian educational course:
- Access to High-Quality Education: Australia is renowned for its world-class education system, offering a wide range of academic programs and courses across various disciplines. As a result, students can benefit from top-tier education in their chosen fields.
- International Recognition: Completing a course in Australia not only enhances one’s credentials but also opens doors to global opportunities. This is because Australian qualifications are highly regarded by employers and academic institutions worldwide, giving graduates a competitive edge.
Opportunity to engage in work alongside studies
- Financial Independence: By working part-time while studying, students not only cover living expenses but also reduce the financial burden on themselves and their families.
- Skill Development: Additionally, holding a job while studying allows students to gain practical skills, valuable work experience, and a deeper understanding of the local job market. As a result, this experience enhances their employability upon graduation.
Access to diverse types of Australian visitor visas, catering to various needs
- Flexibility: Australia offers a range of visitor visas tailored to different purposes, such as tourism, visiting family and friends, attending conferences, or participating in short-term courses or cultural exchanges.
- Extended Stay Options: Depending on the type of visa obtained, students may have the opportunity to extend their stay in Australia beyond their initial study period, either for further studies, work opportunities, or leisure purposes.
Types of Australia's Student Visa Available
Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500):
- Purpose: The Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500) is designed for international students who wish to undertake full-time study in Australia.
- Eligibility: To qualify for this visa, applicants must have been accepted into a registered Australian educational institution and meet certain health and character requirements.
Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485)
The Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) is intended for international students who have recently graduated from an Australian educational institution. This visa allows you to live, study or work in Australia temporarily. It gives you an opportunity to gain Australian experience in your occupation to plan your journey for Permanent residency visas and utilize your time wisely.
You can include your partner and children to this visa.
NOTE: The age requirement for this visa will change from under 50 to 35 inclusive from 1st of July 2024.
There are two different streams under this visa category and your eligibility for the stream depends on your qualification level which is explained below:
Graduate Work Stream: This stream is for graduates with skills and qualifications that are in demand in Australia’s labour market. It allows them to live, study, and work temporarily in Australia. To obtain a visa within this stream, you must be nominated for a qualification relevant to an occupation on the skilled occupation list. This stream lets you live, study and work in Australia temporarily for up to 18 months.
Eligibility for Graduate Stream:
- Applicants must have completed at least two years of study in Australia.
- have held a student visa in the last 6 months.
- Meet English language proficiency:
- Applicants must have completed at least two years of study in Australia.
- the United Kingdom
- the United States of America
- Canada
- New Zealand or
- the Republic of Ireland.
- You are a citizen of and hold a valid passport from:
- In the 12 months before you applied for the visa, you scored one of the following:
| English Test | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Listening | Overall |
| IELTS | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 |
| PTE | 48 | 51 | 42 | 43 | 57 |
| OET | B | B | B | B | |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced test | 162 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 176 |
- You will need to:
- nominate an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
- hold a degree, diploma or trade qualification closely related to that occupation.
- be assessed by a relevant assessing authority as having skills suitable for your nominated occupation.
- Your study must be relevant to your nominated occupation.
- Health Insurance.
- Australian Federal Police clearance.
Post study work Stream: This stream is for graduates who have completed a higher education degree (bachelor’s or higher) in Australia from an Australian CRICOS approved institution. It provides an extended stay in Australia to gain valuable work experience related to their field of study. This stream lets you live, work and study in Australia temporarily for up two years for an Australian bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, three years for a research-based master’s degree, and four years for a Doctorate.
Eligibility for Post study work stream:
- Applicants must have completed at least two years of study in Australia.
- have held a student visa in the last 6 months.
- Meet English language proficiency:
Eligibility for Post study work stream:
- the United Kingdom
- the United States of America
- Canada
- New Zealand or
- the Republic of Ireland.
- In the 12 months before you applied for the visa, you scored one of the following:
| English Test | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Listening | Overall |
| IELTS | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 |
| PTE | 48 | 51 | 42 | 43 | 57 |
| OET | B | B | B | B | |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced test | 162 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 176 |
- Health Insurance.
- Australian Federal Police clearance.
If you have any concerns about not meeting the age requirements under new rules, contact us. We may be able to find other visa options for you.
Student Guardian Visa
Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590)
The Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590) is indeed designed for individuals who wish to accompany and provide care for students who are under 18 years of age studying in Australia on a student visa. It allows the guardian to stay in Australia for the duration of the student’s course. You are advised to apply for this visa at least 6 weeks before the course start date of the student.
This visa is particularly useful for parents or legal guardians who want to support their children’s education in Australia by being physically present. It’s an important option for families considering sending their children to study abroad but want to ensure they have adequate support and supervision during their time away from home.
To be eligible for this visa, you must:
- Be the Student’s parent, custodian or relative. The relative includes Parent, stepparent, grandparent, step-grandparent, sibling, stepsibling, aunt, uncle, step-aunt, step-uncle, niece, nephew, step-niece, step-nephew, partner, child, stepchild.
- Genuine access to funds to support yourself and the student during your stay in Australia. You need enough money to pay for:
- travel costs for you and the student visa holder(s)
- 12 months of tuition fee for the student visa holder(s) or on pro rata basis if course in Australia is less than 12 months.
- 12 months of living costs for you, the student visa holder(s) and accompanying family members on pro rata basis if intended stay in Australia is less than 12 months. For you or students it is AUD 29,710 and for a child AUD 4,449.
- school fees for school-age children who accompany you. If under 6 years of age, schooling cost of at least AUD 13,502 per year depending on the state, territories, and schools in Australia.
Evidence you can provide includes:
- Savings in a bank account or a loan.
- Scholarship or financial support by someone from the family.
- A support letter from your spouse or de-facto partner with an annual income of AUD 102,500 or more in the 12 months prior to visa application.
- Health insurance for the stay in Australia.
- Meet GTE criteria which would assess if your intentions to stay in Australia temporarily are genuine or not. The factors that will be considered are:
- your personal circumstances in your home country
- your potential circumstances in Australia
- your immigration history
- anything else that relates to your plan to remain in Australia temporarily.
- Meet Character test requirements.
