Student Visa Guide

  1. Primary Applicant:
    1. Country and education provider risk factors used to set the financial and English requirement
      • Lower Risk – Declaration only
      • Higher Risk – Regular evidentiary requirement
      • A student visa Matrix is an online tool that determines the risk factor and, subsequently, the required supporting evidence, including specifically English ability and access to fund
    2. Minimum English level:
      • Lower Risk country – The level is usually what satisfies the education provider English level
      • Higher Risk: combined IELTS (minimum 5) plus pre-course English tuition of up to 50 weeks, depending on the results. English Level requirements can sometimes be met based on previous studies in Australia or English-speaking countries.
    3. Financial capacity Evidence:
      • Spouse and or parent income (supported by official documents) can be used to assess:
        • 63K AUD for Single Applicant
        • 73LK AUD if there is a secondary application;

          OR
      • Genuine access to funds for 12 months (course cost, living expenses, health cover, dependents costs including school costs for school-age dependents, and return to home country (actual or on prorate basis), in any of the following.
        • Money deposit:
          • Approved list of financial institutions where funds held
          • In applicant’s name or not
          • Whether in Australia or outside and regulations about moving monies in the relevant country
          • Relationship between applicant and fund provider
          • How the money was accumulated
          • The length of time in account
          • Applicant’s age and family circumstances
          • If business:
            • The person committing the business must have authority.
            • Money must be transferred into the student’s account.
        • A loan from a financial institution;OR
        • Scholarships (including government loans and institutions):OR
        • Corporate (must be the employer of the student); OR
      • ASSESS Form for exchange students; OR
      • Letter of support from the Department of Defence for defence students
    4. Consideration when assessing genuine access to funds, the following is taken into account:
      • The employment history of the person providing the funds
      • Income and assets of the person providing the funds
      • The source of the funds and the nature of the relationship between the applicant and third party party (where applicable)
      • Whether the person providing the support has provided financial support to other students (s)
      • Comparing the applicant’s history of access to funds for a student visa
      • Information the department has on nationals of applicant’s home country immigration activities in Australia.
      • relevant intelligence and analysis reports on illegal immigration and malpractice
    5. Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) :
      • Main applicant:
        • The applicant’s circumstances in their home country:
          • The variety of similar courses in the applicant’s region
          • The wage comparison between Australia and their home country
          • Military commitment
          • Political Circumstances
          • Geographical circumstances (such as climate change)
          • Their ties with home (employment, community or familial ties)
        • The applicant’s potential circumstances in Australia:
          • Community and the familiar link are not necessarily detrimental. They could be viewed positively.
          • Adverse immigration history of family members requires scrutiny but not necessarily a refusal as the central assessment of the applicant’s circumstances.
          • Realistic assessment (given their age) of the applicant’s knowledge about Australia’s living arrangements in Australia, the course of study and the education provider
        • The value of the course to the applicant’s future:
          • An appropriate level of study based on previous study and employment, what is considered normal:
            • Bachelor or vocational after high school
            • Vocation course after a bachelor’s degree to enhance applicant’s employability.
          • Enhancing the applicant’s employability or career progression
          • The level of remuneration to receive in the home country after completing the course.
          • A strong reason for changing career pathway.
        • The applicant’s immigration history:
          • Visa refusals
          • Compliance with conditions
          • They are undertaking short courses that do not add value to the applicant’s circumstances in advancing career or employment opportunities in their home country.
          • In Australia for a long time without completing the substantial qualification.
          • Visa refusal and non-compliance with conditions in other countries.
          • If the applicant is a minor – the intentions of a parent, legal guardian or spouse/de facto partner of the applicant
        • other relevant matters:
          • Whether the study is primarily to obtain permanent residency or a work visa. These factors do not necessarily cause concerns on their own, and a case articulated well may succeed:
          • Research course and applicant interest in the subject matter.
          • Whether previously applied for protection
        • Risk factors relating to financial and English requirements do not have a specific bearing on the assessment of GTE
      • Evidence
        • Financial situation:
          • Employment for at least 12 months
          • Offer of employment on return home:
            •  If currently employed, accompanied by a statement of the need to improve skills for employment or career prospect
            • Tax returns and financial statement
          • Financial and personal ties with home country
          • Previous study
          • a range of professional or academic outcomes supporting the applicant’s need for a new career direction
    6. Other relevant information:
      • Other Risk Factor: Each student is treated to Home affairs’ internal risk factor to determine the level of risk associated with an application, based on the application’s and applicant’s individual characteristics. This differs from the risk factor for determining the evidentiary requirement.
      • Applicants with Multiple citizenships: Home Affairs’ internal risk systems will consider the risk associated with all citizenships declared by the applicant and score the application accordingly.
      • Postgraduate thesis students are a low-risk factor. Postgraduate thesis marking students are identified and treated as streamlined students under the SSVF immigration risk model. These students will not be required to provide evidence of their financial capacity. Being postgraduate research students, they are also exempt from providing evidence of English language proficiency. In limited circumstances, decision-makers may request evidence of financial capacity to cover Australia’s living and course (tuition) fees.
      • Applicants outside Australia are not able to rely on a letter of offer. They must be enrolled and provide a COE.
      • The principal course in a packaged course determines whether an application should be streamlined or assessed regularly. Packaged courses should be related and show reasonable course progression
      • Gaps between Studies: No more than two-month gaps between courses. The gap policy is flexible when between two visa applications.