Studying in Australia is a dream of many international students. As an Australian Migration Agent, you need to understand the process of getting an Australian student visa.
Studying abroad is a life-changing decision. When students come to you for your help, you need to be able to guide them properly so that they can make their best decision on choosing the courses and universities. For that, you need to well-prepare yourself with adequate knowledge on visa processing, update yourself with the recent regulations and policies, and have good relations with the best institutions or universities of Australia.
Not only that, visa application itself is an overwhelming process. It demands a lot of time for processing and patience for documentation. You need to be able to guide students in every step of the visa application.
So, here we will discuss the step-by-step process involved in applying for an Australian student visa.
Understanding Australia Student Visa Procedure: How does the process work & what are the steps involved?
Apply for Student Visa: Subclass 500 Student visa
To study in Australia, a student will need to get an Australian student visa. The Student visa (subclass 500) lets you stay in Australia for up to 5 years while they study at an educational institution and work up to 40 hours every 2-week period.
You can apply for this visa online by creating or logging in to Immi Account, attaching the students’ documents that include certifications of their nationality, academics, and work experiences.
Letter of Offer from the applied institution
After you apply, the student will get an offer letter from the university or institution. An offer letter is basically a letter/document sent by the university that you have applied for, which has a description of the course, orientation date, course commencement date, campus location, course fee, mode of study, tuition fee deposit, and so-on. The processing time for an offer letter generally takes up to 4 weeks depending upon the university.
Provide Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
A Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is a document that the university or institution provides to verify the student’s enrolment in a specific course. They will send the CoE to the applicant after the applicant accepts the offer letter and pays the deposit. A copy of this document should be included in the visa application as evidence for the applicant’s registration in the declared course.
English Proficiency Requirement
The applicant needs to provide evidence of English language proficiency while applying for an Australian student visa. International English Language Testing System, popularly known as IELTS, is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test. The test has four categories, writing, reading, listening, and speaking, and the applicant must obtain the IELTS score as demanded by the university and course in each band. The applicant must have taken the test in 2 years before applying for an Australian student visa.
Academic Requirements
The academic requirements for an Australian student visa depend upon the level of course. Every university has set its own entry requirements. You need to guide students on providing the course information about the university and the requirements to fulfill.
Some of the general entry requirements are mentioned as below:
- For schools, entry requirements are different as per schools. However, academic performance and ability is taken into consideration for the application process.
- For vocational education and training (VET), no entrance exams are necessary in general but some courses may demand specific subjects or work experience.
- For higher education undergraduate courses, applicants will need to have an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12) or the overseas equivalent. Some undergraduate courses may require specific prerequisite subjects.
- For higher education postgraduate courses, applicants must have completed at least one degree at the undergraduate level. This university may also ask for research ability or relevant work experience.
Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) Requirement
The Australian government wants to make sure that the students entering the country for higher education have the genuine motive of studying rather than other motives. For this, the applicant needs to fulfill the GTE requirement which includes academic details, the motive to study in Australia, current employment, ties to home country, economic situation, immigration history, and so on.
Financial Requirement
You need to understand that the applicants need to prove they have enough funds for their studies and lifestyle in Australia. The student either needs to show the bank statements as proof of enough money for the course, travel and rent or needs to show the parents’/ partner’s annual income of at least AUD$62,222. If the student chooses to bring the family members, the annual income should be at least AUD$72,592.
Health Requirement
The visa applicants needs to take a medical test to prove they are healthy. Also, the applicants need to get Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) from an approved Australian provider. The OSHC covers medical or hospital care while studying in Australia, prescription medicines, and ambulances in emergencies. Without this insurance, the visa application will be denied.
Character Requirement
To get an Australian student visa, the applicant should also possess good character. The applicant shouldn’t have a substantial criminal record or be a member of a criminal group. To prove this, the applicant needs to submit a police certificate.
Your role as a migration agent for visa application process
Every year, many aspiring students search for education and migration agents to help them guide in pursuing a study abroad career. You, as an education and migration agent, should be clear on your role and help students achieve their dream. Here are some of your roles in the visa application process.
Be familiar with immigration rules & regulations
Australia’s migration policies change time and again. Also, you, as an agent, have to understand and realize the rules and legal system in Australia as they are highly vague and are not easy to grab. You need to specialize in the laws and legal formalities and guide students better.
Deal with the Australian Immigration Department on behalf of the applicant
An applicant struggles with many situations that can come along during the visa filing process. If documentation is not done right, it may result in the rejection of the visa. Here, you come to play the part in easing the process by dealing with the Australian Immigration Department on behalf of the applicant. You need to have the expertise enough to confront the Australian authorities and clear the doubts raised by the authorities.
Follow proper Code of Conduct
You, being the registered Migration consultant, should be able to work in coordination with the Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA). This governing body ensures that you have adequate knowledge of migration law and procedures. Also, it ensures you are of sound character to assure credibility & integrity. So, you need to follow a proper code of conduct as dictated by OMARA to address the interests of applicants.
Save applicant’s significant time & stress
You need to take all the processing hassles and face the procedures so that the applicant won’t have to. This way, you need to serve in terms of saving their time and stress.
Conclusion
Now coming to the conclusion, you must have realized that being a migration agent is all you need to know and what all you need to do for visa processing. For more such informative content and tips, stay tuned with us.
