Student Visa (subclass 500)
The Student Visa allows you to study and work in Australia for up to five years, while studying in a full-time education programme registered with Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). You must:
- Be enrolled in a course of study in Australia
- Hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), or fall in one of the exemption categories
- Be 6 years or older
- If below 18 years, prove that you have financial and welfare arrangements for your study period
Visa Types
If you have decided to study in Australia, the type of visa you will need to apply for will depend on the type of study you choose and sometimes the length of the course.
Some study options you could apply for include:
- Primary and Secondary School
- English (ELICOS)
- Vocational Education and Training (VET)
- Higher Education
- Postgraduate Research
- Non-award
Australian student visa holders are normally eligible to work up to 20 hours per week during a semester and full time during semester holidays. If you have a scholarship, check the conditions to make sure you are allowed to work.
YOUR OBLIGATIONS
Even if you hire a registered Migration Agent, it is your responsibility to make sure you supply accurate information throughout the visa application process. If you make any false claims or provide any false documents, your visa may be cancelled.
AGENTS IN AUSTRALIA
In Australia, Migration Agents must be registered with the office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA). If you choose to use a Migration Agent, you should make sure you are using a registered Migration agent.
FIND A REGISTERED MIGRATION AGENT
The office of the MARA has a list of all agents with a valid registration. Go to “Find an Agent” where you can search by Personal Details (Family Name, Given Name, or Business Name) or Location Details (Postcode, Suburb or Country).
HOW TO APPLY for a visa
The Department of Home Affairs accepts all applications lodged, regardless of who lodges them. This means you do not necessarily need to use a Migration Agent. You are able to lodge any kind of visa application or asylum claim yourself and most applications can be lodged online.
However, a Migration Agent can be very useful if you do not feel confident in lodging an application yourself, or if your case is complex. They cannot influence the outcome of your visa, make the processing of your application any quicker, or guarantee you a visa. The MARA website can be found here.
Working in Australia
Australian student visa holders are normally eligible to work up to 20 hours per week during a semester and full time during semester holidays. To support the supply of certain services during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Home Affairs have introduced some temporary changes to allow student visa holders working in specific sectors to work more than 40 hours a fortnight. For more details visit the Department of Home Affairs. If you have a scholarship, check the conditions to make sure you are allowed to work.
Scholarships
There are many different scholarships available to international students on the Gold Coast. Scholarships are available directly through the education institutions as well as numerous other scholarships opportunities. It is best to contact the institution directly, see the list of opportunities below.