How to apply for Australian student visa in 6 easy steps

Get a student visa for Australia is not easy. You have to find out which visa will work for you, what all documents you will need, and learn how to apply for Australian student visa.

What’s more, you also have to look at medical papers, travel insurance, and get documents that will prove you have enough money to study in Australia.

To help you ease your visa process, I have compiled this super-informative blog for you. It talks about the Australian student visa application fee, process, validity, and much more! Read on to get the details. 

Do I need an Australian student visa?

In case you’re looking for up to only 3 months in Australia, you should apply for a Visitor Visa. And if you’re interested in studying there for up to 4 months, you could choose to get a Working Holiday Visa.

However, in order to study in Australia for more than 4 months, you will be needing the Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500). This visa will allow you to study one of the following courses in Australia-

1. Independent ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students)
2. Vocational education and training (VET)
3. Higher education
4. Postgraduate research
5. International students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs or Defense

Using this visa, you can also travel in and out of the country, work part-time for up to 40 hours every 2 weeks, and stay for a maximum period of 5 years in Australia.

What are the different Australian student visa types?

Overall, there are three different Australian student visa types, each covering different aspects of studying in Australia, like taking up a full-time course, doing some practical training, or accompanying a student to Australia.

Let’s take a look at them one by one.

1. Student Visa (Subclass 500) – This visa will allow you to take up a full-time course in Australia, work part-time, and live there for up to 5 years 
2. Student Guardian Visa (Subclass 590) – If you wish to support a student who is under 18, you will need to apply for this visa
3. Training Visa (Subclass 407) – Allowing you to do workplace-based training, this visa will allow you to participate in a classroom-based professional development training program and stay in Australia for up to 2 years

However, if you’re looking to do a course that will only last for three or four months, go ahead and apply for a Visitor Visa or a Working Holiday Visa.

Australian student visa application process

The Australian student visa application process is fairly straightforward and won’t take much time to finish.

Still, when applying for the visa, make sure you start the process at least 6 months before the start date of your course. 

Here’s how to apply for an Australian student visa-

1. First of all, head to the Department of Home Affairs website, enter a few details and get a list of all the papers you need to submit. Gather all these documents and keep their copies ready (I have included a rough list below)
2. Create an ImmiAccount on the website, login, fill the application form, and attach necessary documents
3. Double-check all the details you have entered and submit your application
4. Pay the Australian student visa cost, which is about AUD 620
5. After this, you may be asked to submit a few other essentials, like biometrics, police certificates, and health exam results (which will add to your Australian student visa cost)
6. Check your application progress using your ImmiAccount and wait for the visa outcome

I have mentioned that you should apply for the visa at least 6 months in advance. But the processing time for an Australian student visa will depend on your course type.

For example, postgraduate visas take 5-8 months to process, while higher education visas can be issued anytime between 78 days and 4 months.

Once you get your visa decision, take a copy of it. Keep this with you when you fly to Australia and you will be allowed to stay back and study for up to 5 years!

COVID-19 update

The official Australian embassy states that students should not apply for an Australian visa until after they have checked the latest COVID-19 updates on their website.

Currently, we found that the Travel restrictions and Exemptions on their website say ‘Expert health advice currently considers India a high-risk COVID-19 country. The ABF will not approve discretionary inwards travel exemptions for anyone who is currently located in India.’

The best you can do right now is check the website regularly and apply when they say you can.

To get more information on the latest student visa news, you can always come back and recheck our COVID update blog.

Document requirements for an Australian student visa

The list of document requirements for an Australian student visa depends on a number of factors. These include your country of passport, education provider, and the type of program you’re planning to study.

Enter these details on the Department of Home Affairs website. There, you will find a list of the exact documents you need to upload. 

But to give you a rough idea, I have compiled a list of all possible documents you might need-
1. A copy of your passport, along with a copy of your birth certificate, national identity card, or drivers license
2. A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) for all intended courses
3. Evidence of adequate health insurance
4. As evidence of financial capacity, you will have to provide one of these 2 proofs-
    A. Funds that cover your travel, living, and tuition expenses for 12 months
    B. Evidence that your parents have an annual income of at least AUD 62,222
5. Proof of proficiency in English
6. A statement that you intend to stay in Australia only temporarily, including-
    A. Your academic transcripts
    B. Degree certificate, and
    C. A letter of statement from the university that has admitted you

The list of documents required might expand in special cases. Like if you have special needs, want to bring family, or are below 18 years of age while applying for the visa.

To get these details, I suggest you visit the Australian immigration website.

How long can I stay back for, after graduation?

Your student visa will expire as soon as you graduate.

But you want to stay back, you can apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa (Subclass 485) and work in Australia.

The Temporary Graduate Visa allows eligible international students (who have completed an Australian education) to stay and gain work experience in Australia. Depending on your qualification, you can stay back for a period of one and a half to four years.

During your stay, there is no limitation on the type of work you do or the number of hours you choose to work for.

All you have to do is make sure you apply for this visa 6 months in advance, have proper documentation, and are eligible to work in your field of interest!

One last thing…

So, there you have it. An ultimate guide on how to turn from a student in Australia into a permanent resident of the country!

Let me know if you found this information helpful. And in case you feel I missed out on anything, drop a comment or reach out to us! 

I’d be very happy to answer any questions you may have. Until then, happy planning!