Student Visas

Australia offers a variety of student visas which cater for various levels of qualifications. Applicants are also categorized in levels of 1 to 5 depending on the level of studies they are undertaking as well as their country of origin. The higher the level, the more evidence that is required in relation to lodging a student visa. Seeking advice from a specialist prior to lodging a student visa either in Australia or overseas is of great assistance, and can provide significant peace of mind that your choice of course is the right one for you.

Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS)

Before applying for a student visa, students must have been accepted for full-time study in a registered course in Australia or part of a ‘registered course’. A ‘registered course’ is an education or training course offered by an Australian education provider registered to offer courses to overseas students on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students

THE STUDENT VISA SUBCLASSES

570 Independent English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) Sector
• For students studying stand-alone English courses
571 Schools
• For students studying at primary and secondary schools, including secondary exchange students
572 Vocational Education & Training Sector - For students studying in courses leading to
• AQF I, II, III or IV Certificate or
• Diploma, Diploma or Advanced Diploma
573 Higher Education Sector - For students studying courses at institutions leading to
• Bachelor Degree, or
• Associate Degree, or
• Graduate Certificate, or
• Graduate Diploma, or
• Master’s degree by course work
574 Postgraduate Research Sector - For students studying courses at institutions leading to
• Master’s degree by research, or
• Doctorate degree
575 Non-Award Sector - For students studying
• non-award studies or other ‘foundation’ or ‘bridging’ courses (other than stand-alone ELICOS), or
• other full-time courses or components of courses not leading to an Australian award
576 AusAID and Defence Sector
• For students studying courses sponsored by AusAID or the Australian Department of Defence
• Students doing a ‘package course’ (e.g. a formal course following a sponsored prerequisite English language tuition) should not apply for this visa but for the visa pertinent to the principal course, if the principal course is not sponsored by AusAID or Defence
580 Student Guardian
• For parents/guardians or relatives of young students who wish to be in Australia in order to provide appropriate care and support and welfare arrangements to the students during their study

GENERAL ASSESSMENT

To be eligible for a student visa, an applicant needs to be satisfactorily assessed against a number of factors, including
• The course to be studied must be full-time
• The student’s health and character
• The student’s past academic record
• The student’s level of English proficiency
• The student’s financial capacity to undertake the course, including travel costs, living costs, tuition fees, etc.
• The student’s capacity to support any dependents in Australia (if any)
• The student’s general background/Country of origin
• The student’s past immigration history and incidences of non-compliance with visa conditions
• Whether the student has any outstanding debts owing to the Commonwealth

Student Visa Conditions

All student visas have various conditions:
• 8101 – you cannot work in Australia whilst holding your Student Visa. You may apply for permission to work once you have commenced studying.
 8202 – you must remain enrolled in an approved full-time course.
 8501 – you must have adequate health insurance during your stay in Australia (OSHC).
 8516 – you must continue to satisfy the requirements for the grant of your visa. It is essential that students are aware of these conditions, as a breach of a condition can result in cancellation. It is also very important to seek advice if a student becomes aware of breaching a condition, or is notified by their educational provider or Department of Immigration (DIAC) that they have breached a condition. Do not wait until after a student visa is cancelled! Students should also seek advice prior to seeking to change their course or educational provider.

Overseas Student Health Charge (OSHC)

What is OSHC?

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is your health insurance while you are studying in Australia. It provides you with the peace of mind that you need so you can get out there and really enjoy your journey. And, if your life takes an unexpected turn while you are here in Australia, Medibank Private will be with you every step of the way.

Why do you need OSHC?

It is a condition of your student visa that you have private health insurance for the duration of your stay in Australia.

OSHC will help you pay for medical and hospital care that you may need while studying in Australia and will contribute towards the cost of most prescription medicines (up to applicable limits), as well as medically necessary ambulance transport.

AUSME has tied up with Medibank Private to facilitate your OSHC Medibank Private is the preferred private health fund for almost three million Australians. It is also the number one choice for international students. As Australia’s leading private health fund, our staff are qualified to understand your specific requirements and are committed to providing outstanding service and affordable OSHC to you.

Who is covered?

You can choose OSHC either as a single or family: • singles membership covers you only • family membership covers you, your husband/wife and dependent children under 18, if they live with you in Australia. How do you get OSHC? To find out more about joining, contact us at AUSME