Australia has long been renowned for having one of the world’s most well-established education systems. For this reason, more and more people are now seeking to pursue their education in this country. To embark on an academic journey in Australia, you need to obtain an Australia student visa.
Is it difficult to get an Australia student visa? What are the document requirements and the application procedure for an Australia student visa? You will find the answers to these questions in this guide.
Australian student visas are issued to individuals who wish to study in Australia. It covers varying levels of education and types of courses. This visa allows international students to stay and study in Australia for the duration of their course.
What is the processing time for an Australia student visa? The processing of an Australia student visa takes around 3-10 weeks. This includes 2-4 weeks for your offer letter to be issued by your education institution and 1-6 weeks for your visa application to be processed by the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
However, the processing time can be longer than typically expected. Occasionally, it might take up to 2 months to receive your visa result. Besides, the time taken to issue an acceptance letter varies across institutions, which can either slow down or speed up your visa application process.
The application fees for an Australian student visa differ depending on the visa type. Some other costs might also arise during the document preparation process, such as the service charges for document photocopying, translation, notarization, and so on.
Main visa types for studying in Australia include:
The subclass 500 student visa allows international students to stay and study in Australia for a maximum of 5 years. The application fee for this type of visa is from 710 AUD per applicant. With a student visa (subclass 500), you are permitted to:
The subclass 407 training visa enables holders to stay in Australia for a maximum of 2 years to attend vocational training programs or internships to improve their professional or technical skills. The applicant must be sponsored by a business to apply for this visa. The application fee for the visa is 405 AUD per applicant. This visa allows you to:
To explore more in-depth the eligibility criteria, application fees, and paperwork requirements of these two visas and others, kindly visit the website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
The Australian Department of Home Affairs requires non-English documents to be translated into English. Therefore, you must have your documents translated as per regulations.
Here is the application checklist for an Australia student visa:
Since 2016, The Australian Government has announced the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF) with many provisions to make the process of applying for a student visa simpler, more fair, and transparent. Some key changes include:
Particularly, the Department of Home Affairs also noted that educational institutions in Australia are not encouraged to share their level of evidence with any third party to uphold immigration integrity.
Here’s how you can apply for an Australia student visa.
First thing first, you need to decide on which school to attend before anything else. Some of the important factors you should consider when researching education providers involve course duration, breaks and holidays, admission requirements and curriculum. It is advisable to look into different institutions to find the perfect fit for your preferences.
What comes next in the process is to prepare the required paperwork to apply for your chosen school. If you meet all the admission criteria, they will send you an Offer Letter that includes details about your course and tuition fees.
After paying your tuition, you will receive a Confirmation of Enrolment, which is also one of the mandated documents for your visa application
Next, you will have to get the required documents ready for your visa application. Please check out the document checklist we have provided above.
Also, note that the certified translations of your non-English documents are an important part of the process. Accurate translations of your documents can help increase your chances of getting a visa. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure you entrust this task to a reputable translation agency.
Having your health examined is a mandated step in your visa application process. You will need to undergo medical examinations at a clinic designated by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship. This aims to ensure that you meet the health requirements to stay and study in Australia.
On the other hand, if any serious or infectious disease is detected, chances are that your visa application will be denied, or you will be asked to receive treatment before your application continues to be processed. Once your test results come out, the clinic will submit them to the Visa Application Center for assessment.
Once all of your documents are in order, you can submit them and pay the application fees at one of the VFS Global centers.
Typically, you won’t have to undergo an interview if your application is complete and valid. However, if there is anything amiss with your paperwork, the Consular will schedule an interview with you for clarification of vague and unclear information. Your interview can last for 15 – 30 minutes.
Before your interview appointment, you should consider how you are going to respond to common visa interview questions related to your background, your purposes for studying in Australia, your post-graduation plans, and so forth. Coming in well-prepared will help your interview go smoothly and ultimately increase your chances of approval.
As a requirement from the Australian Department of Home Affairs, you will also need to provide your biometrics at the AFS office after your application submission.
For your biometric data collection, you need to book an appointment, prepare the essential paperwork and service fees and arrive at the center on time for your appointment.
If your application is approved, your visa will be granted. You can check your application status online through the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) system of the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
Here are 4 tips to keep in mind during your visa application process for higher chances of approval.
If an applicant is found to have forged their application documentation, not only will they be denied a visa, but their family members will also face visa denial and a lifetime ban from entering Australia. They may also be subject to fines or imprisonment as a penalty for document forgery. Therefore, under no circumstances should you alter or substitute any of your genuine documents.
To increase your chances of visa approval, it is essential that the translations of your non-English documents are accurate and presented in the same format as the originals. One way to ensure the quality of your translations is to use the document translation services provided by a reputable agency.
Australia student visa holders are permitted to work a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight. Keep a record of your work hours to ensure that you do not unintentionally breach this visa condition.
If the Australian Government discovers that you have exceeded the work hour limit, potential penalties include visa cancellation or deportation.
In Australia, to extend your visa, you must apply for a new visa before your current visa expires. If your course takes longer than expected or you wish to remain in Australia after graduation, monitor your visa expiry date closely.
This will allow you to prepare the necessary documents for a new visa application in a timely manner. If your current visa expires and you do not apply for a new visa within 28 days, you will be required to leave Australia.
To speed up the processing of your application, it is essential to have your personal documents (for example, birth certificate, citizen identity card, passport, household registration book, etc.) translated into English and notarized.
Consider using the translation services of a reputable agency to ensure the quality of your translations.
With years of expertise and experience in translating visa application documents, Thao & Co. translation company can be your trusted service provider. Our exceptional translation services have consistently assisted many of our clients in navigating their visa applications and increasing their chances of visa approval.
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