Student Visa Australia

Visa to Study in Australia

Student visas may be granted to international citizens wishing to undertake a course of study in Australia.  For a course to be eligible it must be administered on a full-time basis, and the institution must be government-registered to offer courses to international students.   

Courses extending over a period longer than three months require a Student visa.  Courses of a shorter duration may be undertaken on Visitor or Working Holiday visas. However, applicants may still prefer a Student visa for its advantages of subsidised student health cover and the possibility to work part-time.  

As a first step in applying for a Student visa, it is recommended that prospective applicants contact their local Australian Government office.  Here they will be provided with information on applying for course enrolment, as well as be advised of their visa Assessment Level.

Assessment Levels are ranked 1 to 5, depending on the applicant’s nationality and the education level of the course they wish to undertake.
Assessment Levels of 1 or 2 permit the applicant to enrol in the course, and to apply for a Student visa as soon as electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) is received.

Assessment Levels of 3, 4 or 5 require a Preliminary Assessment of the applicant’s ability to meet Student visa requirements, before he / she can enrol in the course.   An ‘Offer for a place in a course’ letter is required at this stage.   

Depending on the Assessment Level, a number of evidentiary standards must be satisfied, such as English language proficiency and the capacity to finance study expenses.  

Once visa requirements have been fulfilled and electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) is received, application must be made under the appropriate sub-class of Student visa, as determined by the education level of the course.
A multiple entry visa is issued in most cases, permitting entry and exit from Australia for the duration of the course.  All visa conditions are extended to the student’s spouse and dependants.