In order to pursue higher studies in Australia, international students must complete sixteen years of education. As soon as they receive confirmation of their admission from the university, they can initiate the visa application process. One can apply for student visa for Australia from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s online lodgement facility website – www.immi.gov.au.
Visa Application Process
Please be advised that the following documents have to be submitted to the Australian embassy while applying for the student visa for Australia:
- Certificate of enrolment (COE): this certificate is a proof that the student has gained admission in a specific university.
- Proof of finance for covering 18 months of tuition fees and living expenses. It can be shown in the form of a bank loan, fixed deposits or a savings bank account. The tution fees amount will be mentioned in the COE.
The visa processing will only start. After the visa application form and documents are submitted to embassy.
Proof of Finance
Savings Bank Account
Funds should be in the account for a minimum of three months. The account must be in the name of the student, student’s parent or a joint account with the sponsor. The bank account’s pass book/statement must be recently updated. If it is a bank statement, it must be on the original letter head of the bank with the logo, contact details of the bank and bank’s official stamp. The letter along with the bank statement and passport must be recent.
Bank Loan
The loan letter should be dated recently and it should have the bank’s logo and its contact details. The loan letter should mention that all the formalities have been completed and the loan is ready for disbursement. Important information like the loan amount sanctioned, student’s name, university and course name, guarantor’s name etc. has to be stated as well.
Fixed Deposit
The fixed deposits must be at least 3 months old. A dated letter from the bank must be submitted stating that fixed deposits can be broken any time. The FD letter must be dated one month in advance of the visa application. 28 days will be counted from the date mentioned in the visa letter. Students have to show that they are able to cover the living costs of AUD $19830 for a maximum of 12 months.
English Language Requirement
Students must pass the English language exam like TOEFL or IELTS with the minimum acceptable scores. The below table indicates the minimum scores.
| IELTS | TOEFL |
| Listening 5.5 | Listening 17 |
| Speaking 5.5 | Reading 18 |
| Reading 5.5 | Speaking 20 |
| Writing 5.5 | Writing 17 |
Preparation of the visa
The student visa fee is AUD $550. (Rs. 27,439) based on the present exchange rate. The concerned authorities in the visa department will check your documents. They will help in completing the online visa form. They will help you to get an appointment at the VFS to submit your form. Applicants have to visit the VFS on the appointed date and get the biometric test for their finger prints and a digital picture. The average time to get the visa is 4 to 6 weeks.
Important Documents to be Submitted
- Confirmation of Enrolment (COE)
- Passport Copy
- Police clearance certificate
- Copy of birth certificate
- National identity card
- Driver license
- Evidence of Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
- Evidence of Financial capacity (Bank statements/ letters / loan statements etc)
- Evidence of English language proficiency
- Resume
- Copies of mark sheets
Common Reasons for Refusal
Applications for student visa for Australia may get rejected on certain grounds as listed below:
- Bank letter /statements not given on letterhead that should have contained the name and the logo of the bank. This is one of the most common reasons.
- If the bank statements are old and if the pass book has not been updated.
- If the birth certificate has been provided in a language other than English.
- Insufficient funds to cover the living costs and tution fees.
- Problems in verifying the bank account
- Loans dispensed into the account before the visa confirmation.
Visa processing in Australia is easy. Students should also meet the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement. The immigration authorities must be convinced through your application form that you are visiting Australia only for studies. For more details on the student visa for Australia, aspiring students can visit the official website of the embassy.
