Student Visa Checklist – Australia Migration Visa

1-9

Please refer to our General Checklist here

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist

10.

If we indicate, you must provide evidence of your financial capacity.

You must have enough money to pay for your stay in Australia.

1. Cost of living – see notes below
2. course fee
3. travel expenses

Cost of living

• the primary applicant must provide evidence of sufficient available funds to: meet travel expenses; living costs and expenses of AUD 21,041 if the applicant intends to stay for 12 months or more or pro rata if less than 12 months; and if the course is less than 12 months, the full amount of course fees or if the course is longer than 12 months, the fees for the first 12 months of the course.
• meet for any secondary applicants: their travel expenses; living costs for partner of AUD 7,362 and dependent child AUD 3,152, if intending to stay for 12 months or more or pro rata if staying less than 12 months; and school fees for school age dependents of AUD 8,296 if staying more than 12 months or pro rata if staying less than 12 months, unless waived in specified circumstances.
• evidence of financial capacity that the primary applicant’s parent, spouse or de facto partner has a personal annual income, in the 12 months immediately before the application is made, is if there is no secondary applicant at least AUD 62,222 or
  if there is a secondary applicant – at least AUD 72,592.
• if the primary applicant is a Foreign Affairs student – the evidence of financial capacity is a letter of support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
• if the primary applicant is a Defence student – the evidence of financial capacity is a letter of support from the Department of Defence.

Living costs

12-month living costs are:

• for students or guardians – AUD21,041
• for partners coming with you – AUD7,362
• for a child coming with you – AUD3,152

Please provide evidence of sufficient funds

 Three ways to prove funds

1. deposits of money from a financial institution
2. government loans or loans from a financial institution
3. scholarships or similar financial support

Annual income

Alternatively, you can provide evidence your parents or your partner had a personal annual income of at least AUD62,222 in the 12 months immediately before you apply. If you bring family members, you must demonstrate your parents’ or partner’s income is at least AUD72,592.

If both your parents are working, we can consider their combined income. Provide evidence of your parents’ or partner’s income in the form of official government documents such as tax assessments less than 12 months old. We won’t accept bank statements or direct evidence from an employer.

Work out how much money you need.

You must have enough money to pay for:

• your travel
• 12 months of your course fees (or pro rata fees, if your course is less than 12 months)
• 12 months of living costs for you and any family members who come with you to Australia (or pro rata fees, if you are staying less than 12 months)
• school fees for any school-age children who accompany you (or pro rata fees, if the child will be at school for less than 12 months)

Use the following information to work out how much money you need. To calculate pro rata costs, divide the annual cost by 365 and multiply the result by the number of days you intend to stay in Australia.

Course fees

Use the first 12 months of your course fees. If your course is 12 months or less, use the total cost. Deduct any costs you have already paid – you must provide evidence you have paid them, such as a receipt or Confirmation of Enrolment.

If you are in Australia and your course has already started, calculate the course fee for 12 months starting on the date you lodge your application.

• Example 1: your course fee is AUD50,000 for 3 years. The fee for 12 months is the total course cost divided by the number of years you will be studying, so AUD50,000 divided by 3 years = AUD16,666, less any amount you have already paid if relevant.
• Example 2: your course fee is AUD15,000 for 10 months and you have already paid AUD5,000. Deduct the amount you have already paid from the total amount. AUD15,000 – AUD5,000 = AUD10,000.
• Example 3: your course fee is AUD20,000 for 18 months. The fee for 12 months is the total divided by the total number of months, then multiplied by 12. (AUD20,000/18) x 12 = AUD13,333. Deduct any costs you have already paid.

Schooling costs

If you are including any school-age children in your application, add schooling costs of at least AUD8,296 per year for each child. Costs vary between states, territories and schools in Australia – you are responsible for finding out how much the child’s schooling will cost.

You don’t have to provide evidence of schooling costs if you:

• are a PhD student and have enrolled your child in an Australian government school where the fees have been waived.
• have received an Australian Commonwealth Government scholarship, including Foreign Affairs and Defence sponsored students, and have enrolled your child in an Australian government school where the fees have been waived.

You must provide evidence the child is enrolled.

Travel costs

As a guide, when you calculate how much money you need, include:

• AUD2,500 for travel costs if you are applying from East or Southern Africa
• AUD3,000 for travel costs if you are applying from West Africa
• AUD2,000 for travel costs if you are applying from anywhere else outside Australia.
• AUD1,000 for travel costs if you are applying
• in Australia. If you will be returning to Africa include AUD1,500

For combined applications

Include the costs and expenses of the primary applicant. For family members also applying for the visa, include:

• 12 months living costs (or pro rata)
• any school fees.
• travel expenses

Other options

Secondary exchange students can prove they have enough money for their stay by providing a completed Acceptance Advice of Secondary Exchange Students (AASES) form.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) students can prove they have enough money for their stay by providing a letter of support from DFAT. They must also provide proof of the financial capacity of any family members travelling with them.

Department of Defence students can prove they have enough money for their stay by providing a letter of support from the Department of Defence. They must also provide proof of the financial capacity of any family members travelling with them.

Family members who apply after we have granted you a visa (subsequent entrants)

Family members who apply to join you later must also show us they have enough money to cover:

• the costs and expenses of the student visa holder, including any remaining portion of the 12 months school fees minus any amount already paid.
• 12 months living costs of all secondary applicants, including school fees.
• travel costs for all secondary applicants

Evidence you have genuine access to the money.

If we ask you to provide evidence of financial capacity, you must also prove you have access to it.

If someone else is providing you funds, give us:

• evidence of your relationship with them
• their identity documents.
• evidence of any financial support they have given you or another student visa holder in the past.

If the financial support provided involves a business, show us proof the business is operating.

If you are providing evidence of deposits of money, explain their source. 

Any education loan to cover your tuition or living costs should be paid out according to the agreement between you, the bank, and the education provider. If you receive any payments before we make a decision on your application, give us evidence including the terms of the loan and the full amount you will be paid.

If you are relying on another kind of loan, provide:

• evidence of the security you used.
• the terms of the loan
• evidence you can cover ongoing costs.

The best evidence you can provide of genuine access to funds if you are relying on a loan is evidence of disbursement.

Let your provider know any conditions on your education loan. Some loans offer deferred repayment against your future earnings. These loans can be conditional on you studying only a specified course with a certain provider.

11.

Evidence you are exempt from paying a visa application charge (VAC):

The following student visa applicants are not required to pay a visa application charge (VAC):

• Students awarded a scholarship funded by the Commonwealth Government of Australia
• Students and family members supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Student and family members supported by the Department of Defence
• Secondary exchange students
• Students affected by education provider default and lodge a new student visa application within 12 months of the provider default day
• Family members of students enrolled in a postgraduate research course
• Students who were unable to complete their course within their original student visa validity due to COVID-19 impacts. See COVID-19 and the border – Student visa.

If you are not sure, you should not claim exemption as we will not accept your application if you are not eligible and this may have consequences if you are in Australia, as an invalid application outcome could affect your visa status and you may not be eligible if your visa has already expired to apply for a further visa.

Note:

• You are not Commonwealth sponsored if you are sponsored by the government in your home country or your government has provided you with a loan. Most Commonwealth sponsored students are enrolled in post graduate research courses.
• If your education provider is still operating but was unable to deliver the course you were enrolled in, then you are not affected by education provider default.

12.

English language requirements

• You might need to provide evidence of your English language skills.
• You must have taken the English language test in the 2 years before you apply for a student visa.
• Competent English (minimum requirement)
• Evidence = Test Report Form and Number

Note: We can ask you for evidence of your English language skill after you have submitted your application, at any time while we are processing your application, even though the Document Checklist tool shows that you don’t need to provide evidence of your English language skill when you submit your application.

To prove you have competent English, show us evidence that:

• you are a citizen of and hold a valid passport issued by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland
  or
• in the 3 years before you applied for the visa, you scored one of the following:

13.

Be a genuine temporary entrant

How we assess your GTE statement

The GTE requirement is used to make sure the student visa program is accessed as intended. The student visa program is not a way for international students to maintain ongoing residency in Australia.

The GTE requirement helps identify applicants who are using the student visa program for motives other than gaining a quality education.

Situations in your home country (or country of residence)

We consider your:

• reason for not studying in your home country or region if a similar course is available there.
• ties to your home country that support an intention to return after study is finished.
• economic situation
• military service commitments
• political and civil unrest in your home country

Potential situation in Australia

We consider your:

• ties to Australia that present a strong incentive to stay in Australia.
• level of knowledge of the proposed course and education provider
• previous study and qualifications
• planned living arrangements.
• financial stability

Value of the course to your future

We consider:

• if the course is consistent with your current level of education
• if the course is relevant to past or proposed future employment in your home country or a third country
• expected salary and other benefits in your home country or a third country obtained with your qualifications from the proposed course of study.

Your immigration history

We consider:

• previous visa applications for Australia or other countries
• visa refusals or cancellations

If you are a minor, we consider the intentions of your parent, legal guardian or spouse.

 Write a personal statement addressing the GTE requirement.

As an applicant provide a personal statement in English addressing the GTE requirement. If you are not comfortable writing it in English, you can write your statement in your own language and submit a translated copy with your application.

You can provide further details of the written statement in the application form or attach a separate document with supporting documents.

We recommend you provide evidence for the information you provide in your written statement. Generic statements unsupported by evidence will not be weighed heavily in the GTE assessment.

We consider your personal circumstances when we make a decision. When we assess whether you are a genuine temporary entrant, we consider your situation as a whole.

Ministerial Direction 69 (52KB PDF) sets out a number of factors we take into account when determining if you meet the GTE requirement. It is not a checklist. We encourage you to read Ministerial Direction 69 before drafting your GTE statement. Examples of factors we might consider include:

What evidence and information to include in your GTE statement

We encourage you to provide evidence or information about:

Previous study

• academic transcripts showing qualifications achieved.
• name of the education provider(s)
• length of study
• certificates of attainment

Gap in previous study

• reasons why there is a gap in your studies including where you did not maintain enrolment.

Current employment

• your current employer
• company address
• period of employment
• details of your position
• the name and contact details of someone who can confirm the circumstances of your employment.

Ties to home country or country of residence

• evidence of financial, family, or social ties. You need to show you have significant incentives to return home.

Economic situation in home country or country of residence

• documents showing employment or business activities for 12 months before lodging an application.
• potential employment offers including salary and other benefits, after course completion.
• income tax return or bank statements

Employment in a third country

Potential employment offers, including salary and other benefits, after course completion.

Include as much information and evidence as possible in your GTE statement to help give us a full view of your situation. This will help us make a decision on your student visa application. Otherwise, we might need to ask you for more information, delaying our decision on your visa application.

14.

Work experience

Work experience outside Australia

In the last 10 years, how long have you worked in your nominated skilled occupation or closely related skilled occupation outside Australia?

Evidence to attach to your application

You must provide evidence of your specific work experience. This could include employment references and duty statements covering the required period. Please note that employment references must:

• be written on the official letterhead of the company or government department providing the reference.
• indicate clearly on the letterhead, the full address of the company, any telephone and fax numbers, and email and website addresses.
• have the name and position of the person authorised to sign the employment reference typed or stamped below that person’s signature. A reference with an illegible signature will not be accepted.
• include the direct contact number of the person writing the reference.
• indicate the exact period of employment, including:
  • whether permanent or temporary
  • full or part time
  • the main five duties undertaken
  • the salary earned
  • include a payslip from your current employment; this is especially important for applicants working in government departments.
  • position/s held
    Note: Positions should not be described by generic titles (for example, research officer) but according to the nature of the duties undertaken (for example, research chemist)

Other documents to confirm your work experience claims may include, but are not limited to:

• contracts
• tax returns
• group certificates
• superannuation information.

You are eligible to be awarded Australian work experience points if you have been employed in Australia:

• in an occupation listed on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)
• while holding a visa that allows you to work
• for at least 20 hours a week
• in a paid position
• at a skilled level in your nominated occupation or in a closely related occupation on the SOL
• for a period(s) totalling at least one (1) year in the four (4) years immediately before the day you lodge your application.

Evidence to attach to your application

If you are seeking points for Australian work experience, you must attach certified copies of your work references totalling the required one (1) year period.

Your work experience references must:

• be written on the official letterhead of the company or government department providing the reference. The letterhead should indicate clearly the full address of the company and any telephone, fax numbers, email and website addresses.
• include the name and position of the person authorised to sign the employment reference which should be typed or stamped below that person’s signature – a reference with an illegible signature will not be accepted.
• include the direct contact number of the person writing the reference.
• indicate the exact period of employment, including:
  • whether permanent or temporary
  • full or part time
  • the main five duties undertaken
  • the salary earned
• a payslip from your current employment should also be included – this is especially important for applicants working in government departments.
• position/s held
  Note: Positions should not be described by generic titles (for example, research officer) but according to the nature of the duties undertaken (for example, research chemist)

Other documents to confirm your work experience claims may include, but are not limited to:

• contracts
• tax returns
• group certificates
• superannuation information.

15.

Qualifications (Australian and overseas)

You can be awarded points for an Australian qualification if:

• you have completed an Australian qualification while present in Australia
• all instruction was in English.

Evidence to attach to your application

You must obtain documentary evidence of having completed one of the qualifications described above. This evidence includes:

• a certified copy of notification of your results or a transcript of your academic record
  and
• one of the following:
  • certified copy of your degree, diploma or trade certificate (if available)
  • a letter of completion from your educational institution which details:
    • the name of your course
    • the course duration
    • the qualification you have obtained
    • the pattern of study – full time versus part time
    • the medium of instruction was in English

16.

Regional Australia study, if applicable

You can be awarded points if you have met the Australian study requirement while living and studying in a ‘regional Australia low population growth metropolitan area’ in Australia.

If you are not sure of this, contact us.

Evidence to attach to your application

You must provide documentary evidence that you have lived and studied in ‘Regional Australia/ low population growth metropolitan areas’. This evidence may include, but is not limited to:

• documentary evidence of residency which covers the relevant period. This will usually include documents such as rental agreements and gas, power and telephone bills.
• evidence of studying at a campus in regional Australia or a low population growth metropolitan area if your academic transcript does not identify the campus.

To be awarded these points, documentary evidence as described above must be included with your application.

17.

Australian Values Statement, Please refer to our General Checklist

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist/

18.

Health documents, Please refer to our General Checklist

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist

19.

Adequate health insurance

You and your family members must have and maintain adequate health insurance for the whole of your stay in Australia.

You and your family members must be covered by Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) from an approved Australian health insurance provider, unless an ‘Exception’ applies.

Applicants outside Australia

Your cover must start from the day you and your family arrive in Australia, not the day your course starts.

If you have been granted a visa and want to travel to Australia before your course begins, the OSHC start date must be the same as the date you arrive, not the date your course starts. Generally, this is a minimum of 1 week to 1 month before your course starts.

You must:

• ensure you don’t enter Australia before your OSHC begins, and
• maintain your OSHC until you leave Australia.

You may be refused entry to Australia if you cannot prove you have health insurance in place when you arrive.

Applicants in Australia

Applicants must have OSHC. If your previous visa required you to have health insurance, cover must be continuous with no gap between your previous health cover and your OSHC.

Exceptions

You do not need to have OSHC if you are:

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

How to get Overseas Student Health Cover

To get OSHC:

• find an approved provider
• pay for your policy

Your education provider or agent might arrange OSHC for you.

If your education provider arranges your OSHC coverage, you will need to know the name of your health insurance provider, the date that your policy starts and finishes and should be aware of the terms and conditions of your policy. Your education provider will also need to include your health insurance information on your Certificate of Enrolment (CoE).

If you arrange OSHC coverage yourself, you will need to know the policy number to include in the visa application.

We will refuse your visa application if you don’t give us this information when you apply for your student visa.

Insurance for family members

If you have a single OSHC policy and you have family members, including children born in Australia after your arrival, consider getting a family policy. Every member of your family must have health insurance.

Any family member who joins you after you arrive in Australia must show us they have OSHC for the duration of their stay in Australia.

20.

Pay your debts to the Australian Government, Please refer to our General Checklist here

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist

21.

Best interests of the child , if applicable, Please refer to our General Checklist here

 https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist/

22.

Not had a visa cancelled or an application refused, Please refer to our General Checklist here

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist/

23.

Dependants under 18 documents, if applicable, Please refer to our General Checklist here

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist/

Evidence of school enrolment

You must give us evidence of education for any dependant child who has turned 5, but has not turned 18 years.

This can be a letter from the school (public or private) or from the State/Territory education department where you will be studying, and include enrolment details and fees paid.

24.

Dependants over 18 documents, if applicable

Only unmarried children under the age of 18 can be included as a dependant in your application.

If you have a child 18 or over, or a child who will turn 18 years before your student visa is granted they will need to apply for their own visa.

25.

Proof of dependency, Please refer to our General Checklist here

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist/

26.

Parental responsibility documents, if applicable, to the General Checklist here

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist/

27.

Prepare Your Documents, Please refer to the General Checklist here

https://dlegal.com.au/articles/migration/checklists/general-checklist/