How to study in Australia - What You Need to Know First
Wanna know how to study in Australia?
Studying in Australia can be a very exciting and satisfying undertaking for adventurous students looking to study abroad. Besides adventure, and the obvious multicultural engagement, students studying abroad in Australia seem to be more well-adjusted later in life and in the workplace.
The research suggests that those who have studied abroad are more creative, more complex thinkers and show a stronger resolve when faced with difficult tasks or situations. There are a few things to consider when planning to study in abroad, this article will show you how to study in Australia by covering what’s involved.
There are some criteria you need to meet in order to study in Australia, the process you have to follow and your eligibility depend on the following;
The type of passport you own can have some bearing on your level of assessment. For example, if you have an EU passport or are a citizen of several countries, this might work in your favour.
Your study plans including the course and institution you chose.
Your assessment eligibility. If you are studying at a university or TAFE, these are recognized as eligible education providers. The Streamlined visa processing system will regard you as a low-risk student if you are studying at one of these providers making the eligibility assessment process easier for you.
Each student applicant is rated based on the risk that the student will overstay their student visa. This rating system has a scale from 1 to 3 increasing in risk. Students which are identified as a high-risk or AL3, will have their application scrutinized more closely than students with a lower risk ranking AL1.
To find out more information on how to study in Australia, a good place to start would be to contact the Department of Border Protection and Immigration. The DBPI will tell you what documentation you need, how to organize your visa if you are even eligible.
You can find a checklist tool on the DBPI website which will outline all the requirements for studying in Australia.
In order to be eligible to study in Australia, you must show that you are able to meet the following criteria:
If you are from a country rated as AL2 or AL3 in the risk scale mentioned earlier, you need to show that you can afford to cover your costs for one year. Typically, this amount is $22,000 to $30,000 for university (TAFE costs are around $12,000 for one year), living expenses are estimated at $18,610 by DIBP and extra if you have a child or spouse.
if you qualify for streamlined visa processing, you will have a similar risk rating to those students arriving from an AL1 country. This means that you don’t have to prove that you can cover your costs to be eligible. You will still be required to show that you have access to adequate funds when you apply for your visa. However, the institution you will be studying at might request that you can show that you will be able to afford tuition fees, accommodation and a return ticket.
You have to be a genuine student so your main purpose for being in Australia needs to be study. Your previous study, future plans and past employment need to also be relevant to your current study plans.
You should also be willing to show that you intend to return home after graduation. This is referred to as a genuine temporary entrant GTE by DIBP. They will want to see that there is more of a reason for you to return home than to stay in Australia after graduating.
How to study in Australia if you are ranked as AL2 or AL3?
For AL2 students, it’s a little easier as they can nominate anyone as having enough funds to cover their stay. AL3 students need to show that they have held the funds for over 3 months or an immediate family member has enough money to sponsor them while in Australia. An exception of this is if they have an uncle who is a citizen or has permanent residency in Australia.
There is a $550 fee associated with each individual visa applicant. This fee is non-refundable and can vary depending on if the applicant wishes to add family members on a combined visa application. Some other fees may include, police background checks, translator services and medical checks.
A great place to look for more information on fees, visa application process and how to study in Australia, you should visit the DBPI website.
Visas for student guardians
If you are the legal guardian of a student applying to study in Australia, you can apply for a Student guardian visa if the following criteria is met:
The student is under 18 (or over 18 in cases where the student requires a guardian for cultural or religious reasons)
The guardian meets the general visa eligibility requirements (applicant has good health, good character and is financially able to fund their stay in Australia)
The guardian is related to the student and is over 21 years of age
The guardian is able to provide support, accommodation and general welfare to the student.