Apply to study in Australia
Apply to study in Australia
How to choose the best course to study in Australia?
To study in Australia you’ll need to apply for both admission to an institution and also for a student visa from the Australian Government.
There are a number of steps you must go through including:
- Deciding on your preferred course and institution.
- Submitting your application to the institution.
- Receiving and accepting a Letter of Offer.
- Receiving your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE).
- Applying for your student visa.
There is a range of entry requirements that you will need to meet both for you institution application and your visa application. This can include:
- Academic requirements.
- English language requirements.
- Evidence of funds to support your study.
- Overseas student health cover.
If you’re already living or working in Australia, you may still be able to apply to study here as an international student.
Appointed Education Agents
Education agents in your home country can also help you with applying to study in Australia. It is a requirement under the ESOS Act, that all institutions maintain a list of their appointed agents and for that list to be published on their website. Please visit the institution’s website at which you intend to study to view a list of their agents near you.
How to apply
Once you’ve decided on a course and an institution, it’s time to apply for admission.
Application process
The first step is to apply for the course you want. There are two ways to apply:
1. Direct to the education provider
To apply direct, download the application form from the education provider’s website.If you are applying for courses at more than one institution, you will need to submit a separate application to each institution.
2. Through an Australian education agent
Most institutions partner with a number of agents. Details on the agents an institution works with can be found on their website or by contacting them directly.
You will need to prepare supporting documentation to send with your application. The documents vary depending on the course, provider and qualification you’re studying for. The most important documents include:
- Certificates that verify your previous study, including qualifications you already have.
- Evidence of your English language proficiency.
- Certificates or documents which verify previous study or work experience if you are seeking course credits. These must be translated into English.
Receiving your Letter of Offer
If your application is successful, you will receive a ‘Letter of Offer’. To confirm your offer you must respond to this letter by signing and sending an acceptance of offer back to the institution. This can usually be done by mail or, in some cases, by scanning and emailing the letter.The Letter of Offer is a contract between you and the institution. It sets out the course you will be enrolled in, enrolment conditions, the fees you need to pay, and the refund payable if you don’t complete your course with that provider. This contract is very important – if you don’t start your course, or finish your course, this written agreement will be used to determine if you will receive a refund.
Tip:
- Read the Letter of Offer carefully before you accept it.
- Make sure that you understand all your rights, including the refund arrangements.
- Do not accept the Letter of Offer if you are not happy with any of its terms.
- Keep a copy of the Letter of Offer. You will need this copy so that you are aware of your rights and if you have to make a claim against the institution.
Confirmation of Enrolment
After you have accepted your Offer and paid your deposit you will receive an ‘Electronic Confirmation of Enrolment’ (eCoE) by email. This will outline your course start date, total course fees and how long your course will run for.
Visa application
If you are applying for your Student Visa through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s online lodgement facility, you will need the details of your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment to lodge your visa application. If you are lodging a paper visa application you must provide the electronic Confirmation of Enrolment prior to the visa being granted.
Generally, secondary school exchange students and students sponsored by either Foreign Affairs (opens in a new window) or the Department of Defence are the only students who will not require a confirmation of enrolment certificate.
You should make sure that you meet requirements for a student visa before you accept an offer and pay any tuition fees.
Visa information
Australia introduced a simplified student visa framework (SSVF) on July 1st 2016.
Student visa (Subclass 500)
- independent ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students)
- schools (primary and secondary)
- secondary school exchange program
- vocational education and training (VET)
- higher education
- postgraduate research
- non-award courses
- international students sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs or Defence.
Other visa options
For shorter periods of study, you can apply for a Visitor or Working Holiday Visa. There is also a visa option specifically for student guardians.
Visitor Visa (Subclasses 600, 601, 651)
- Maximum 3 months study.
- Intention to visit Australia is genuine.
- Meet health and character requirements.
- Sufficient money to support yourself during stay in Australia.
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Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417 and 462)
- Maximum 4 months study.
- Aged 18 to 30 years and hold an eligible passport.
- Principal purpose to holiday in Australia.
- Enter or remain in Australia as a genuine visitor.
- Meet health and character requirements.
- Sufficient funds for airfares and personal support for stay in Australia.
Read more about Working Holiday Visas.
Student Guardian (Subclass 590)
- Provides for certain persons to reside with a student in Australia, where the student requires a guardian, ie: the student is under 18 years of age.
- Study up to 3 months or study ELICOS for 20 hours per week for duration of visa.
- Meet Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement.
- Sufficient funds for airfares and living costs.
- Meet health and character requirements.
- Acceptable health insurance.
Read more about Student Guardian visas on the DIBP website.
Temporary Graduate (Subclass 485)
- This visa allows eligible international students who have completed an Australian education to stay in Australia to gain work experience.
- You can work in Australia for a period of 18 months and up to 4 years, depending on your qualification.
- This visa does not restrict the type of work you may do or the number of hours you may work.
- Applications for this visa must be made in Australia and you must hold an eligible student visa in the last 6 months.
- You must meet Australian study, English proficiency, health insurance, health and character requirements.
- You must meet the specific requirements of the stream in which you are applying for this visa.
Entry requirements
To begin studying in Australia, there are a range of entry requirements you may have to meet.
English language requirements
In some cases, you may need to provide results of an English language test. Be aware that the English language skill level required by an institution can be different from the level of skill required for your student visa application.
Academic requirements
The academic requirements (including evidence of English language skills) you need to study in Australia will vary depending on the level of education you want to study. Institutions can have different entry requirements, so read the course information on their website carefully and contact them to ask for advice.
Here is some general guidance on entry requirements for the different levels of study:
- English language – Entry requirements vary between institutions, and according to the level of English language course you want to study.
- Schools – Entry requirements vary between schools depending on the state or territory you will be studying in. Academic performance and ability is considered during the application process.
- Vocational education and training – In most cases there are no entrance exams for VET institutions. However, some courses may have specific pre-requisite subjects or work experience requirements.
- Higher Education Undergraduate – To gain entry into an Australian undergraduate course you will need to have an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12), or the overseas equivalent. Some undergraduate courses may also have specific pre-requisite subjects.
- Higher Education Postgraduate – As well as the satisfactory completion of at least one degree at undergraduate level, your institution may take research ability or relevant work experience into consideration.
Tip: To meet the academic requirements of an Australian high school qualification, consider taking a Foundation course. Also called bridging study, they are intensive courses that will help you meet the entry requirements. They are usually one year long and are offered by most higher education institutions.
Visa requirements
The student visa you need depends on your chosen course of study. As a guide, the typical key requirements you will need to meet are:
- Issued an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) certificate.
- Meet the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement.
- Sufficient funds for airfares, course fees and living costs.
- English language proficiency.
- Meet health and character requirements.
- Acceptable Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
Overseas Student Health Cover
Australia has a special system of health cover for international students called Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). It will help you pay for medical or hospital care you may need while you’re studying in Australia; it will also contribute towards the cost of most prescription medicines and an ambulance in an emergency. When studying in Australia, you will need OSHC for yourself, and any family travelling with you, before you arrive. It is a requirement of your student visa that you maintain OSHC for the duration of your time on a student visa in Australia.
Read more about OSHC on the ‘Insurance’ page in the ‘Live in Australia’ section of this website.
Education agents
Once you’ve made the decision to study in Australia and you know where you want to study and which course you want to undertake, you can enrol directly with the institution. If, however, you need more help with the admission application process, or the Australia visa application process, you can choose to use an education agent.
An education agent can tell you about your options for studying and living in Australia and assist with your visa and institution applications. In many cases, agents have had experience studying in Australia and can share their experiences with you. In addition, because they are dealing every day with application and visa application requirements they will be able to give you guidance for your particular situation.
Here are some tips for choosing an agent:
- Under Australian Government law, every Australian education institution that uses the services of an education agent needs to have a contract with that organisation.
- Australian education institutions usually have more than one education agent appointed in a country so speak to more than one agent – collect and compare information.
- Under Australian Government law, every Australian education institution has to list on their website every education agent it has appointed to represent them in each country.
- Choose an education agent with experience helping students study in Australia – they will have a good knowledge of the Australian education system, visas and life in Australia.
- Make sure that the agent is an authorised representative of the institution that you want to apply to. You can ask to see their letter of appointment from the institutions if you want.
- Ask about any fees that may be levied for using their services.
- Have a third party or friend help you understand the documents before you sign any documents.
- Remember, education agents cannot guarantee a permanent visa or work placement in Australia after you graduate. Their job is to help with applications, so if it sounds too good to be true, keep looking. A reputable agent will be honest about the application process.
If you need migration advice use a migration agent who is registered in Australia. Some Registered Migration Agents are located overseas or have representatives in international markets. If an education agent is based in Australia, it is against the law for them to provide you with migration advice, unless they are also a Registered Migration Agent.
