AUSTRALIAN STUDENT VISA
subclass 500
INFORMATION

What are the required documents to apply for a student visa?

The list of documents you need to prepare include but not limited to:

• A valid passport with more than 6 months validity
• Confirmation of Enrolment (COE)
• Genuine Student Test (GST)
• English Proficiency Requirement
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
• Evidence of Financial Capacity Requirement
• Character Requirement
• Health Requirement
• Other supporting documents as requested by the case officer

Before you can apply for the course, our experienced consultant need to first have a review at your education and work history to help determine whether this course is suitable for you.

What is the required amount of fund for evidence of financial capacity?

The living and study expenses in Australia can get expensive, hence the Australian Department of Home Affairs wants to make sure that you are able to finance your study and stay here without any difficulty. You must provide sufficient fund to cover your travel cost and 12 months of living expenses and tuition fees for you and your accompanying family members and school costs for any school aged dependants.

The guideline for single applicant's living cost is AUD 29,710 annually. If you are bringing a spouse or partner, the additional living cost is AUD 10,394, and AUD 4,449 for each dependent below 18 years old.

What is my obligation to maintain a Student Visa?

As an international student, you will need to adhere to conditions imposed on your visa. For example, maintaining proper course enrolment attached to the student visa, keeping a valid OSHC, not working for more than 48 hours per fortnight during the study session, following and observing the Australian law and value, and other conditions that come with your student visa grant.

Can I include my family or partner under my student visa?

Yes, as long as you provide the evidence of relationship to your family. To include your de facto partner, you will need to satisfy the de facto relationship requirement for at least 12 months prior to the visa lodgement.

How much does an Australian student visa cost?

The student visa application fee in 2024 is $710 for single applicant. If you want to include a dependent (18 years old and older), his/ her visa application fee is $538, and $183for each additional application for those under 18 years old.

Please note that you will be required to provide evidence/ documentation to prove your relationship to your dependent(s). For more detail about the accepted documents, please contact our friendly staff.

What is the minimum English language requirement to apply for a student visa?

To ensure that you will be able to complete the course in Australia thoroughly, you will need to have at least functional English skill. You can provide English test result such as IELTS, and the minimum score requirement is 6. Beside IELTS, you can take other English tests as well such as PTE (50), TOEFL iBT (64), or Cambridge English: Advanced (169).

If you are a citizen of an English speaking country, you may be exempted from this requirement.

Can I study online courses and apply for a student visa?

As per condition of a student visa, international students are required to study at least 20 hours per week. Some of the hours can be allocated to self-study online, but face-to-face class attendance is still required. Besides, Online courses are usually not CRICOS registered to apply for Australian student visa.

What is OSHC?

OSHC stands for Overseas Student Health Cover. It is a health insurance specifically tailored for international students. All international students must have OSHC when applying for student visa with the exception of:

• Norwegian students covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme
• Swedish students covered by Kammarkollegiet
• Belgian students covered under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia

Can I work while studying under student visa?

As an international student, you will need to adhere to conditions imposed on your visa. For example, maintaining proper course enrolment attached to the student visa, keeping a valid OSHC, not working for more than 40 hours per fortnight during the study session, following and observing the Australian law and value, and other conditions that come with your student visa grant.

What is the standard processing time for a student visa application?

The student visa processing time varies from one application to another. At the moment, the guideline given by the Department of Home Affairs for student visa processing is between 4 to 5 months. However, there are instances where the student visa is being processed and finalised within a few weeks time only.

Can I extend my student visa in Australia?

You can apply for a student visa in Australia, even while holding another visa (for example, working holiday visa or tourist visa). You may apply for a further student visa while in Australia, provided your current visa is not subject to a 'NO FUTHER STAY’ condition. You will have to apply for new visa before your current visa expires. For further steps on how to extned your student visa, please visit this page.

What is the GST requirement?

GST or Genuine Student Test requirement is an evidence requested by Department of Home Affairs to ensure the genuine intention to study and stay is only temporary. In the GST, you can include evidence or information about your education and/ or employment background, ties to homecountry (financially or socially), economic situation in homecountry, potential employment offers, etc. As part of our free service to students enrolling through us, we check and assess all documents and GST requirement thoroughly before submitting the visa application ensure a higher student visa success rate.