Guide to Australian Visa Requirements and Entry in Detail

A thrilling step toward a bright future is deciding to study in Australia. Several crucial details need to be finalized before you can proceed with this step. A guide to Australian Visa and Entry requirements is provided on this page. You will require a student visa, specifically the Student visa (subclass 500), one of the most essential items.

However, what is required to submit a successful application? A step-by-step guide to academic admission and visa requirements is provided below.

Requirements for Academic Entry

The course you want to take will have its own set of academic requirements, including the level of English you need to speak. The Study Australia Course Search tool lets you look through all of the available courses.

Please carefully review the course entry requirements on the websites of each education provider, and if you require any additional information, get in touch with the provider directly.

General Guidance 

Courses in English language: For more information, see “Proof of English Proficiency” below.
Schools: The admissions requirements vary from school to school and occasionally from state to territory.
Vocational education and training (VET): Most VET institutions do not have entrance exams. However, you may be required to have work experience or studied specific subjects for some courses.
Courses for undergraduates in higher education: An Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12) or an equivalent qualification will be required. There might also be specific subjects that are required for some undergraduate courses.
Courses for higher-education postgraduates: You need to have earned at least one undergraduate degree. Education providers may also take into account your capacity for research or relevant work experience.

How to Obtain a Student Visa | Australian Visa Requirements and Entry

A crucial step is organizing a student visa. Getting a student visa now will help you prepare for on-campus studies in Australia in the future, even if you are starting your studies online. A student visa (Visa subclass 485) may also assist you in preparing for a post-study work visa.

Please use the Course Search tool to download an application form from the provider’s website if you want to apply directly to an Australian education provider.

An Australian education agent can assist you with course application assistance. However, you will still need to provide your agent with all of the necessary paperwork to accompany your form.

Get Started with a Student Visa

Relevant documents include:

  • Certificates that verify your previous study, including any qualifications you already have.
  • Evidence of your English language proficiency.
  • Certificates or documents that verify previous study or work experience if you are seeking course credits. These must be translated into English.

Understanding the Subclass 500 Student Visa

You can live, work, and study in Australia for up to five years with a Student Visa (subclass 500), depending on your course.

You can typically work an unlimited number of hours during study breaks and a maximum of 40 hours per fortnight on this visa during the school year. During term time, however, the Australian government is temporarily allowing students in all fields to work more than their usual 40 hours per week. Currently, students do not have to wait until the start of their classes to start working. Instead, they can start working upon arrival in Australia.

Cost of a Visa

Unless you are exempt, student visa application fees in Australia start at AUD$650. The time taken to process an Australian student visa varies from person to person. The Department of Home Affairs website provides information on visa processing times.

Up until December 31, 2024, holders of student visas—including dependents—who arrived in Australia prior to March 19, 2024, are eligible to request a refund of their Visa Application Charge. The website of the Department of Home Affairs contains additional information.

Read More>>> Australian Visa Processing Times Get Better Now

Requirements for a Student Visa In Australia

Letter of Offer

A Letter of Offer from your selected educational institution will be sent to you in the event that your application is accepted.

Before you accept the Letter of Offer, carefully read it. If you accept the offer, it will include information about your course, enrollment requirements, and fees.

Make sure you know everything you can do, including how to get your money back; The agreement will be used to determine whether you will be reimbursed in the event that you do not begin or complete your course.

If you are dissatisfied with any of the terms in the Letter of Offer, you should not accept it.

Copy the Letter of Offer and keep it. If you need to file a claim against the institution, you will need this copy to understand your rights.

Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)

Your education provider will send you a document called a Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) to verify your enrollment in a particular course. After you have accepted the offer and paid your deposit, the CoE will be sent to you.

In order to provide the Australian government with evidence that you are enrolled in your declared course, you are required to submit a copy of this document with your visa application.

Proof of English Proficiency

Because Australian educational courses are taught in English, you will need to provide a certificate of results from an approved English language test if you are not a native English speaker. The Australian government will be able to see through this certificate that you have the necessary English proficiency to succeed in the course you’ve chosen.

You can only take certain tests that the Australian government will accept, but you can easily take all of them from anywhere in the world.

For each level of education, there are different minimum requirements, and some institutions have higher requirements for certain courses.

For more details, see the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ website on studying and training visas, and check the website of the education provider for English language requirements.

Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) Requirement

You are required to compose a statement that addresses two criteria in order to satisfy the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement:

1) That you are traveling to Australia solely for educational purposes and not for any other purpose.

2) That you won’t be staying in Australia for too long and that you won’t overstay your visa.

Include information about your ties to your hometown—such as friends and family or a job you have to return to—as well as how the course will help you achieve your academic or professional goals in the future.

By providing these details, it will demonstrate not only your true intention to study in Australia but also your intention to return home at the end of your visa.

Proof of Sufficient Funds

You must demonstrate that you will be able to support yourself throughout your stay in order to qualify for an Australian student visa. In order to satisfy this requirement, there are two choices:

Give bank statements and evidence of scholarships or grants. This will demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover all of your course-related costs, including rent, tuition, and travel.

Before you apply, provide evidence that your parent’s or partner’s annual income is at least AUD$62,222. The annual income must be at least AUD$72,592 for family members.

Go to the Department of Home Affairs’ website and select “Gather your documents” to learn more about the minimum funds required.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is required for international students studying in Australia for the duration of their stay.

Your student visa application will be rejected if you fail to provide evidence that you have purchased this insurance.

OSHC can assist you:

During your time studying in Australia, pay for medical or hospital care.

Cover the majority of prescription drugs.

In case of an emergency, cover you with an ambulance.

Order an OSHC card to use at doctor’s appointments while living in Australia while organizing your health insurance. On our insurance page, learn more.

Health Requirement

Before entering the country, all international students must be in good health, according to the Australian government. As a consequence of this, you might be required to submit to a medical examination and present a certificate from a doctor stating that you meet these health requirements.

Character Requirement

If you want to study in Australia, you must also meet certain character requirements. You will be asked some fundamental questions about your character and previous actions in your application. You might even be required to provide a police background check in some cases.