Visa applications

In July 2016, the Australian Government made the process of applying for a student visa simpler so that:

• all international students will apply for a single student visa (subclass 500)
• student guardians will apply for the new student guardian visa (subclass 590).

You will need to complete the following steps before applying for your student visa (subclass 500):

1. Apply for your VU course. You can apply directly to VU  or through VU representatives in your country.
2. Accept your offer. If you meet VU’s entry requirements, you will receive a letter of offer, which you must then accept. There may be conditions attached to your letter of offer, which you must meet before you can accept your offer.
3. Make sure that you have a valid passport.
4. Include all the relevant documents listed on the DIBP document checklist in your visa application. This includes your letter of offer and Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), which we will send to you once you accept your offer.
5. Create an ImmiAccount before you submit your student visa application through DIBP.
6. DIBP will guide you through the rest of the application process.

A successful student visa application should show proof of the following:

• English language proficiency
• evidence of funds to cover travel to Australia and 12 months’ living, course and (for school aged dependants) schooling costs for the student and accompanying family members
• genuine temporary entrant requirements
• health and character criteria
• arrangements for Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

As an international student in Australia, you must meet the conditions of your visa throughout your entire study. Read details about visa conditions for student visa holders.

In order to meet your visa conditions you must:

• be enrolled in a full-time, registered program*
• complete your study within the time shown on your confirmation of enrolment
• meet the financial requirements to cover your living costs (and costs for any dependants) during your study
• arrange education for your children aged 6-17 years, if you any who are accompanying you to Australia. International research students can send their children to a public school without paying any tuition fees.
• maintain satisfactory academic progress to avoid exclusion from your course. If you are reported for unsatisfactory progress during your study, please contact VUHQ (Student Service Centres) for advice. Use free VU student services to support your study if you need to.

*International students can only enrol in VU-registered programs that are listed on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Find out if your preferred course is registered.

Once your course starts you and your dependants can work up to 40 hours per fortnight (starting on a Monday) and unlimited hours during the holidays. Work that is part of your course at VU or genuine voluntary unpaid work is not included in the 40 hours.

You need a tax file number (TFN) to work in Australia – apply to the Australian Tax Office for a TFN.

Students and their families must not breach the work conditions that apply to their student visa. Full details about work conditions for student visa holders (from DIPB website).

If you want to share your visa details with your education provider or employer, you can do this through DIBP’s Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO).

If you are only studying a stand-alone English language course with VU you can apply to travel to Australia on a visitor visa (subclass 600). This visa may let you visit Australia for up to three, six or 12 months.