Student visa requirements (Australia)

Student visa information on this website is an outline only and subject to change. For more detailed, accurate and up-to-date information on student visas and visa requirements please check the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) website.

The student visa has seven separate sub-classes for each education sector. You should apply under the visa sub-class for your principal course of study. Please note from 1 July 2004 there will be changes to some of these subclasses.

Student visa sub-classes
Subclass 570	Independent ELICOS
for international students undertaking ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) as a stand-alone course, and not as a prerequisite to commencing another course (for example, a degree course)
Subclass 571	Schools
for international students undertaking a course of study at a primary school or a secondary school, including both junior and senior secondary school, and an approved secondary exchange program
Subclass 572	Vocational education and Training (VET) sector
covers Certificate I, II, III and IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma.
Subclass 573	Higher education
covers a Bachelor degree, Associate Degree, Graduate Certificate, and Graduate Diploma
Subclass 574	Postgraduate Research
covers a Masters degree by coursework or by research, and a Doctoral degree
Subclass 575	Non-award
covers foundation, bridging or other courses that do not lead to the award of a degree, diploma or other formal award
Subclass 576	AusAID or Defence sponsored
covers full-time study undertaken by AusAID or Defence students sponsored by the Australian Government

General requirements

(Check 'Applying for a Student Visa' on Form 1160i)

you are of good character

you are of sound health

you have acceptable health insurance through the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for yourself and members of your family unit accompanying you to Australia

you have no outstanding debts to the Commonwealth of Australia, or have made arrangements acceptable to the Minister to repay such a debt

where you are under 18 years of age, acceptable arrangements for your accommodation, support and general welfare are in place

Offer of a place in a course and confirmation of enrolment

(Check 'Applying for a Student Visa' on Form 1160i)

If you are applying outside Australia and your visa application will be assessed at Assessment Level 3, 4 or 5, you should provide:

an ‘offer of a place in a course’ letter from your Australian education provider at the time you lodge your application; and an electronic confirmation of enrolment certificate issued by your education provider after you lodge your application if you are requested by the Australian overseas mission to do so.

This process allows a preliminary or Pre-Visa Assessment to be made on your application to see if you are genuinely seeking to enter Australia for the purpose of study. If you are applying outside Australia in Assessment Level 1 or 2, or in Australia in any Assessment Level, an electronic confirmation of enrolment certificate (CoE) is required before you lodge your application and a copy is to be provided with your application. Note: A letter of offer is acceptable where a client lodges an application within Australia, but they must have a CoE for grant of a student visa application. Student visa conditions you must satisfy attendance and course requirements and maintain a valid enrolment for your course you must not work unless you have been granted permission to do so you must maintain your Overseas Student Health (OSHC) cover while in Australia you must leave Australia before your visa expires you must remain with the education provider you originally enrolled with for the first 12 months of your course or, if the course is less than 12 months, for the duration of your course you must advise your education provider of your residential address within seven days of your arrival in Australia and must advise any changes of address within seven days if you change education provider you must inform your current education provider within seven days of issue of an eCoE if you are an unaccompanied student applicant under 18 years of age you must obtain written approval of your education provider before you change your address, support and welfare arrangements in Australia. More detail about visa conditions can be found on the DIAC website. Visa application forms Application for a student (temporary) visa Form 157A Application for an electronic student (temporary) visa Form 157E eligibility restricted to US Study Abroad, Norwegian and Swedish students over 18 years of age Application for a student visa with permission to work Form 157P only to be lodged after you have arrived in Australia and commenced study in a registered course in Australia Application for a student visa with permission to change education provider Form 157C Short Term Visitor/Tourist Visas - Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) ETA Visa information forms Applying for a student visa Form 1160i Country Assessment Levels - Student Visa Processing (you should read this document together with form 1160i) Charges (fees) Form 990i Student Dependant Nomination Form 991 Guradian Visa forms Form 157G Form 157N Health requirements for temporary entrants Form 1163i Making and processing visa applications Form 1025i Bridging visas Form 1024i Short Term Visitor/Tourist Visas - Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) ETA Preliminary Assessment A preliminary assessment will determine your eligibility for a student visa and is necessary if your country is at Assessment Level 3, 4 or 5. You will need to provide an ‘Offer of a place in a course’ letter from your education provider to the visa processing office. This letter should indicate your proposed entry level, name of course, CRICOS course and provider codes, proposed start and end dates and the full tuition fees for the course. When your application is received, the visa processing office will undertake a preliminary assessment of your ability to meet the student visa requirements applicable to you. If the assessment is favourable, the office will issue you a letter to give to your education provider authorising them to issue you with an eCoE certificate. You will be also advised to pay the tuition fees and OSHC premium, and undergo medical tests. The student visa will be granted when the Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) and all other requirements are satisfied. Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment An Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) is issued by your Australian education provider and is the only accepted evidence of enrolment for processing student visa applications. Depending on your country of nationality and your principal course of study you may have to undergo a preliminary assessment (see above) before an institution issues an eCoE. The institution will advise you of its requirements but generally it will require payment of at least one semester of course fees before issuing an eCoE. A copy of your eCoE must be submitted to your local DIAC office before a student visa can be issued. Information collected through the eCoE process includes the student visa application, visa grant and visa compliance data from a student's arrival in Australia and course commencement through to their departure from Australia.