Student Visas - an Overview

The Australian Government's Overseas Student Program (OSP) allows people who are not Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents to study in Australia. If you want to study under the program, you must obtain a student visa before you can commence a course of study in Australia. However, you can only be granted a student visa by undertaking a registered course or part of a registered course on a full-time basis.

What is a registered course?
A registered course is an education or training course offered by an Australian education provider who is registered with the Australian Government to offer courses to overseas students. The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) lists all registered providers offering these courses and the courses offered. The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) can provide details of registered courses. You can also contact our office for information.

Which visa is appropriate?
The Australian education system is divided into four levels of schooling:

1. Primary education;
2. Secondary education;
3. Vocational education; and
4. Higher education.

In addition to these broad categories, overseas students wishing to undertake study in Australia, have the option to study in specific courses such as English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) and non-award courses.

The type of visa appropriate for you will depend primarily upon the course you intend to undertake. Specific visas cover specific courses.

Subclass 570: Independent ELICOS - English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) undertaken as a stand-alone course, not leading to an Australian award

Subclass 571: Schools - primary school, secondary school including junior and senior secondary, or approved secondary exchange programs

Subclass 572: Vocational Education and Training (VET) - Certificate I, II, III, and IV, Diploma, Advanced diploma

Subclass 573: Higher Education - Bachelor degree, Associate degree, Graduate certificate, Graduate diploma

Subclass 574: Masters and Doctorate - Master degree including master coursework and master research, or doctoral degree

Subclass 575: Non-award Foundation Studies/Other - Non-award foundation studies, such as full-time courses or components of courses not leading to an Australian award

Subclass 576: AusAID and Defence - Full-time courses of all types undertaken by AusAID or Defence students sponsored by the Australian Government

Assessment Levels and how your application will be assessed

A new system of assessment was introduced on 1 July 2001. Under the new arrangement, your Assessment Level is determined by your country of nationality and the education sector for which you seek a visa. Different Assessment Levels establish different threshold requirements. An applicant must meet these threshold requirements in order to be granted a student visa.

Assessment Level 1 represents the lowest assessment level and Assessment Level 5 the highest. The higher the assessment level, the more stringent the requirements. At each higher level, the minimum evidentiary threshold requirements are progressively raised and become harder to meet.

Applicants from countries that have a history of non compliance and visa violation attract a higher assessment level, and therefore must satisfy higher and stricter threshold criteria in their applications for student visas.

As an applicant for a student visa, you are assessed to ensure that you enter Australia for the purpose of study and will not contravene visa conditions. You must demonstrate that you have an acceptable level of English proficiency, sufficient financial resources to pay for living and study costs while you are in Australia and, if you have a spouse or dependent children, you must also show that you can support them. This last requirement applies even if your dependants will not be accompanying you to Australia.

Health and Character requirements

You will need to meet health and character requirements before you are granted a student visa.

Please contact us for detailed information from our Australian immigration consultants, or click here for a free Australian immigration assessment.