Australia is one of the most popular destinations chosen by students to pursue a course of study. The quality of education offered in Australia is superior and worth investing your money in. Moreover, there are also several post-study work opportunities available in the country. But international students need to acquire the Student Visa Subclass 500 to pursue any course of study in Australia.
A student visa 500 holder can live and study in Australia for five years maximum. They can also work after the commencement of their course of study. But they are allowed to work for only 40 hours per fortnight. During breaks, a student visa holder can work for unlimited hours. Some additional flexibility is offered to students pursuing a master’s degree or doctorate. Read this article to know about the requirements for acquiring this visa.
1. Documents Of Academic Qualification
According to the student visa 500 checklist, you need to provide your previous academic records. You should also provide certificates proving your work experience. It will help you in getting course credits. You need to ensure that all your certificates are in English. If the certificates are not in English, you will be required to translate them.
2. English Proficiency
If you are not a native English speaker, you need to give proof of your English proficiency. You will need a certificate from an English language test. There are only specific test certificates that are acceptable. But all the tests can be easily accessed around the globe. This certificate will ensure that your English proficiency will help you in pursuing your chosen course of study.
The requirements of English proficiency vary depending on your course of study. Some institutions have set higher criteria to ensure that you are fully eligible for the course. IELTS and PTE are two popular English Proficiency tests accepted in Australia. You need to score a minimum of 5.5 Band in IELTS. On the other hand, in PTE, you require 42 points at least to be eligible for studying in Australia.
3. Confirmation Of Enrolment
The student visa 500 requirements also involve evidence that shows you have enrolled yourself in an Australian university. Every overseas student is required to submit the COE letter. The COE letter enables all applicants to pursue CRICOS courses in any educational institution in Australia. But a postgraduate research student is exempted from providing the COE if they have to complete their thesis in Australia.
Sometimes a letter of offer is issued by the university. The letter will contain information such as the course fee you will have to pay if you accept the letter. The letter will also include all your rights as a student of the university. You should clearly understand all the terms specified in the letter of offer.
Accept the letter only if you are satisfied with the terms. It will even include information about the refund policy of the fees you pay if your visa application is not granted. You should keep a copy of the letter to make claims if any of your rights are denied in the future. If you receive a letter of offer, you will not get the COE without accepting the letter of offer.
4. GTE Written Statement
The Genuine Temporary Grant statement plays an integral role in your visa application. Your student visa 500 will be null and void if you fail to provide a GTE written statement. Immigration officers will review your intentions to study in Australia. If they find it to be genuine, you will receive your visa on time. Your student visa might require as long as 90 days to be processed.
You need to explain to the immigration officer why you choose to study in Australia. You will need to let the Department of Home Affairs know if you will leave the country after completing your course. You will also need to explain how the course of study will help you in the future. If you are about to pursue something different from your previous academic records, you need to be extra careful with this explanation.
Furthermore, you need to be clear about your immigration history. Do not forget to include necessary course details, including its duration. You will have to persuade the immigration agent that you will not overstay your visa. You can include things like you have to return to your family at home. This will help convince the immigration agent that you are coming to Australia only for a temporary period and you have no other intention apart from studying.
You need to interact with the immigration officer very carefully. Your visa application might get rejected if your replies are not genuine. You should be upfront and frank with the immigration agent. Do not lie or hide anything to avoid any trouble. Your main aim should be to convince the immigration officer about your intentions to study in Australia.
5. Proof Of Finances
Your visa application will be granted only when you can give sufficient proof of your funds. You need to convince the authorities that you have the required financial assets to support yourself during the study. You can provide evidence of your partner’s or your parent’s income. It has to be AUD 62,222 per year. If you are bringing family members to the country, the annual income needs to be a minimum of AUD 72,592.
You can also provide authentic evidence of any grant or scholarship you receive. The grant or scholarship should include enough to cover your travel expenses, rent, and course fee. You should seek advice from a reliable immigration agent in Perth to help you provide all the relevant proofs.
6. Overseas Student Health Cover
All international students in Australia need to have OSHC insurance. You need to be able to prove that you have bought this insurance. Your visa application might be rejected if you are unable to show proof that you have this insurance. You will get access to all medical facilities in Australia with this insurance. The OSHC insurance will be valid throughout your course. Your dependents can also avail themselves of the benefits offered under this insurance. The visa agents in Perth will be able to tell you about the benefits of OSHC insurance.
7. Health And Character Requirement
You need to be in the best health before entering Australia to pursue any course of study. The Australian government might require you to undergo specific medical tests. A certificate will be provided to you if you meet the necessary health requirements to enter the country.
You also need to meet specific character requirements. A visa applicant might have to answer some questions about your past conduct. Sometimes they even run a police background check. If you meet the required health and character requirements, your visa application will be accepted.
Closing Thoughts
These are the requirements to apply for a student visa 500 in Australia. You can attempt the visa application process all by yourself, but you can consult a migration agent who will make the visa application process easy. They will be to give you the advice to ensure your application gets accepted. They will help you avoid the common mistakes that can get your visa application rejected.