Australia has been a hub for international students and a global giant in education. Its cities are consistently ranked as some of the most liveable in the world and provide the first step for these international students in achieving their dreams to study in Australia, and as such the Australian student visa, and the process to get it must be done timely and accurately. In this article learn how to lodge your visa application to study in Australia, and how to avoid and recover from any inaccuracies.
How to apply?
- Talk with us or your student placement agent and lodge a student visa application at least 6-8 weeks before course commencement.
- Regularly check your Account for any requests from the Department of Home Affairs.
- Respond to any requests for further information or documentation as soon as you can – BEFORE the stated deadline (the sooner, the better).
- If you are having difficulty getting the required documentation, you should request an extension of time
- If you are requesting an extension, you should provide evidence of any actions you have taken to obtain the required information, such as a payment receipt or booking confirmation, in order to support your request for more time.
If you lodge an incomplete application [a non-decision ready application due lack of experience and knowledge], you will receive a notification with a Request for Information (RFI) from the Department of Home Affairs [it is up to you to not allow this by submitting a decision ready application].
When a request for further information is received, you must provide the requested information as soon as possible.
If you do not provide the requested information before the specified date, the Department of Home Affairs will finalise your visa application to Australia without the information they requested. Not having all the information assessed means your visa may not be approved.
While the processing of visas will continue to be a major priority for the Australian Government, it will still take some time to reduce the volume of applications still awaiting a decision.
If you are interested in studying in Australia
Please go to the link below and submit the ‘ International Student Enrolment Form’
Article collated by:
Dinesh Weerakkody