Australia is a favorite destination for many, thanks to its climate, society, politics, and economy. There is a significant Pakistani diaspora in Australia, with a majority holding high levels of education, professional positions, and successfully running businesses. Additionally, many Pakistani students choose to pursue higher education in Australian universities. Australia boasts over 1,000 institutions of higher learning, offering more than 22,000 courses. Notably, seven of the top 100 universities globally are located in Australia.
This blog is intended for Pakistani students who have already been accepted into an Australian institution of higher education and are currently in the process of applying for their Australian student visa.
Australia Student Visa Requirements
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for a student visa (subclass 500) to study in Australia:
Letter of Offer – When your course application is approved, you’ll get a Letter of Offer from your chosen school. Make sure to carefully review it before accepting. This letter will contain info about your course, enrollment conditions, and the fees you’ll have to pay if you agree.
- Understand your rights and the refund process. If you don’t start or complete your course, the letter will decide if you get a refund for your fees. If you’re not happy with any terms in the Letter of Offer, don’t accept it.
- Keep a copy of this letter. It helps you know your rights and is useful if you need to make a claim against your school.
Confirmation of Enrollment (CoE) – A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is a document from your school that proves you’re officially enrolled in a specific course. You’ll get it after accepting your admission offer and paying the deposit.
- Include a copy of your CoE in your student visa application to show the Australian Government that you’re enrolled in your chosen course.
- Important: They don’t give multiple CoEs for different courses. If you switch from a university degree to vocational training, you must meet all the visa requirements. You might get credit for previous learning.
Proof of English proficiency – Australian courses are in English, so you may need to show a certificate from an approved English test. It proves you have the needed English skills for your studies. There are specific tests accepted by the Australian Government like IELTS, and you can take them from anywhere in the world.
Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement – When applying for a student visa online, you must write a 300-word statement in English and provide supporting documents to prove you meet the genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement. You can attach these documents in your ImmiAccount.
- For guidance on what to include in your statement and which documents to provide, check the Department of Home Affairs website.
- Remember, the GTE requirement doesn’t aim to prevent students from studying in Australia and then applying for another visa if they develop skills the country needs.
Proof of sufficient funds – To get a student visa, you need to show that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay. You have two options:
- Show bank statements, scholarships, or grants to prove you can cover all your expenses, like travel, course fees, and rent.
- Provide evidence of your parent’s or partner’s annual income, which should be at least AUD$62,222 (or AUD$72,592 if bringing family members) for the year just before applying.
For specific fund requirements, visit the Department of Home Affairs website under ‘Gather your documents.’ Remember, living costs can vary in different parts of Australia, so research the area where you plan to live for accurate budgeting.
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) – As an international student in Australia, you must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your entire stay. Without it, your student visa application will be rejected.
OSHC helps with:
- Medical and hospital expenses during your studies.
- Covering the cost of most prescription medicines.
- Providing ambulance coverage in emergencies.
Remember to get an OSHC card for your doctor visits while in Australia.
Health requirement – Before coming to Australia, international students must be in good health, and you might need a health examination to meet the visa health requirement. You can use the My Health Declaration service to complete these examinations before applying for your visa.
Character requirement – To study in Australia, you must meet character requirements. You’ll need to answer questions about your behavior and history in your application. Sometimes, you might need to provide a police background check.
Apply using ImmiAccount – To get a student visa, follow the requirements on the Department of Home Affairs website and apply online through ImmiAccount. You don’t need an agent, but if you want help, use a registered migration agent or legal practitioner.
Only specific individuals can provide immigration assistance in Australia. An education agent can help with your study options but can’t provide immigration assistance if they’re not a registered migration agent or legal practitioner.
Check travel requirements – Stay informed about the most recent travel requirements by checking ‘Preparing for Your Travel’ page on Study Australia, an official Australian government source of information on studying in Australia.
Australia Student Visa Fees
As of October 20, 2023, the following conversion from AUD to PKR is accurate. All amounts are rounded to the nearest whole number.
Starting from July 2023, the student visa fees begin at AUD$650 (approximately Rs.115,000) per visa application.
Australia Student Visa Processing Time
Visa processing can be a time-consuming procedure, and delays are possible if you haven’t provided all the required information in your application.
In Australia, international students are typically admitted for the February and July terms, with February being the primary intake for international students.
As of February 2023 and July 2023, the current visa processing times, according to the ‘Visa processing times’ page on the Australian government’s Immigration and Citizenship website, are as follows:
- For the February 2023 intake, 90% of applications were processed within 29 days.
- For the July 2023 intake, 90% of applications were processed within 29 days.
However, postgraduate students experience longer processing times, with 90% of their applications being processed within 58 days.
We hope you find this guide helpful. For further information and queries, please feel free to contact travel and visa consultants in Pakistan.
You may further like to read:
How To Apply For a Passport in Pakistan
Get Your Passport Renewed Online
How to apply for an International Driving License in Pakistan?
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