STUDENT VISA (SUBCLASS 500 )

With this visa, you can

• Engage in a qualifying educational program in Australia.
• Journey within and beyond Australia.
• When your training program or course of study is in session, you may work up to 48 hours per week (students pursuing a master's by research or a doctorate, along with their families, have no work limit).

How long you can stay

This is a short-term visa that enables up to five years of study. The nature and duration of the course dictate the duration of stay.
Children attending primary schools in grades 1-4 are typically granted a student visa for a maximum of three years.

Stay longer

It is necessary to apply for a new student visa in order to continue studying in Australia.
One may be eligible for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) if the Student visa expires before graduation; however, this requires a letter from the educational institution stating the graduation date.
A Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) may be available if a student visa was held, is currently held, and certain qualifications were completed in Australia within the last six months.
It is necessary to apply for a new visa if you want to stay longer for any other reason. Investigating your visa options is advised.

Cost

For the primary applicant, the visa fees begin at AUD 1,600.00, unless they are exempt.
Every family member applying for a visa incurs an additional fee.
See Getting a refund for details on how eligible citizens of Timor-Leste and the Pacific Islands can apply for a partial refund of the cost.
There might be additional fees for biometrics, police certificates, and health examinations.
Utilize the Visa Pricing Estimator to determine the cost of a visa. Keep in mind that these additional expenses are not included in the estimator.

Students affected by COVID-19

Should a student visa have been issued on or after February 1, 2020, they may be eligible for a waiver of the visa application fee in order to apply for another student visa. The following are eligibility requirements:

• Postponed studies because of travel restrictions that prevented them from entering Australia.
• reduced to a part-time study schedule.
• incapacity to finish work-based training or internships.

This policy does not apply to students applying for new student visas for common causes, like:

• failing a subject or study unit.
• putting off for private reasons.
• taking a voluntary break from studying.

A student visa must be applied for, along with a completed Form 1545 COVID-19 Impacted Student (229KB PDF) from the education provider, in order for the application for a fee waiver to be considered.
A Bridging visa will not be issued automatically if you apply for a fee waiver in Australia; the fee exemption needs to be verified first. If, after applying for a fee waiver in Australia, a Bridging visa is not issued right away, there's no need to get in touch with the department.

This waiver is limited to the cost of applying for a visa.

Include family

Adding family members to your application for a visa is possible. Family members who qualify for student visas include:

• a collaborator.
• an under-18-year-old, single, dependent child of the applicant or their partner.

A child who turns 18 before the visa is approved cannot be granted a student visa; they must apply for their own visa.
Even if a family member has no intention of visiting Australia, they still need to list them on the student visa application. They won't be able to apply for a student visa to enter Australia later if they don't do this.
Family members may also use ImmiAccount to submit separate applications at a later date as subsequent entrants.
Any family member requesting a visa needs to fulfil certain character and health requirements.

It is crucial to verify the yearly educational expenses for dependent children enrolled in Australian public or private schools.
See the section under Gather documents, "Evidence you have enough money for your stay," for further information.

Apply from

Applying for a visa is possible from both inside and outside of Australia. You can choose the application whether you are in Australia or not. If you are applying from within Australia, you need to have a valid, eligible visa. See the "Have this visa if applying while in Australia" section under Eligibility for further details.

Packaged courses

For every course you intend to enrol in, a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is required. Your primary course of study, which is the final course in your package, is what determines the amount of financial and English language proficiency evidence you need to submit.
If you are applying for a visa with a package of courses, the time between the courses must not be more than two calendar months, unless the courses start at the beginning of the next academic year and end at the end of the regular academic year.
For instance, it is acceptable to have a three- to four-month break between classes if the school year ends in November and resumes in February.
Packed course periods are subject to standard visa grant periods.

Processing times

Use the visa processing time guide tool to get an idea of how long this visa will take to process. This tool displays the processing times for applications that have recently been decided; it is not application-specific and only acts as a general guide.
At present, Ministerial Direction No. 107 (325KB PDF) is dictating the priority order in which all student visa applications are being processed. Applications in lower priority categories may take longer to process because they are evaluated in date order within each priority category.
The processing of your application might take longer if:

• It is not correctly completed.
• Not all necessary documents are included, or more information is required.
• Verifying the provided information takes time.

Furthermore, if the appropriate visa application fee is not paid, your application will not be processed. You will be notified if this occurs.

Your obligations

All visa requirements must be met, and you and your family must abide by Australian law.
Please refer to the specific visa guidelines provided to understand what conditions will and might be attached to this visa.

Travel

For as long as the visa is valid, you are free to leave Australia and come back whenever you like. The duration of the visa is not extended by the time spent outside of Australia.

Visa label

Your visa will be digitally linked to your passport, and you will not receive a label in your passport.

NOTE: The charges outlined above are exclusive of ISEMS fees, which apply separately.

Be a certain age (school student)

School students who are not participating in a secondary school student exchange program must be at least 6 years of age to apply for this visa. In addition, they must:

• Be under 17 years of age when they start Year 9.
• Must be less than 18 years of age when they start Year 10.
• Be under 19 years of age at the beginning of Year 11.
• Be below the age of 20 years at the time they start Year 12.

Be enrolled in a course of study and provide evidence
To ensure your student visa application is valid and can be processed, you must include evidence of enrolment in your chosen study program.

Providing a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE):

If applying outside Australia: Submit a CoE for each course of study.
If applying within Australia: Provide a CoE or Letter of Offer for all intended courses. A CoE is required before visa approval.
Packaged Courses and CoEs: When applying for multiple courses, include all CoE codes in the application form to avoid potential limitations on your visa period.
Courses must have clear progression, with gaps shorter than two months unless aligning with academic year transitions.
Failure to include all CoE codes may result in visa coverage limited to the first CoE provided.

Other Evidence of Enrolment:

A CoE is not required for students enrolled in full-time courses under approved scholarship schemes, sponsored by the Australian Department of Defense, or participating in secondary exchange programs.
Provide a letter of support for scholarship or defense sponsorship.
Secondary exchange students submit an AASES form. Postgraduate research students awaiting thesis marking provide a letter from their education provider.

Make Welfare arrangements if you are under 18 years

If you are less than 18 years when you apply for a student visa, you must have arrangements in place for your welfare while you are in Australia.

If you will be 18 at the time of your arrival you may want to let the visa authorities know because you might not need to be required to provide some information about welfare in this instance.

For more information please see Welfare arrangements for students under 18.

Meet English language requirements

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency at the time you submit your visa application. Use the Document Checklist tool to find out which one you need.

Noting: Even if the Document Checklist says you do not need to provide evidence of English language, you may still be asked to provide it at any stage of the application process
If you have to, you must prove that you:

• Have achieved at least some minimum marks in an approved English language test.
• Be exempt under a subcategory listed in the guidelines.

Speak to our team to know more information about the requirements.

Have adequate health insurance

You and your family must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your entire stay in Australia. This coverage must be from an approved Australian health insurance provider, unless you qualify for an exception.

For more information on health insurance requirements for applicants inside and outside Australia, exemptions, and how to obtain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), please contact our team directly for personalized guidance.

Learn more about detailed eligibility criteria by contacting our team:

• Call: Navneet Singh - 0433 090 686 or 0421 513 729
• Email: admissions@isems.com.au
• Website: www.isems.com.au

NOTE: The charges outlined above are exclusive of ISEMS fees, which apply separately.

Before you apply
Before submitting your application, you may need to organize several items. These could involve completing a skills evaluation, taking an English language proficiency test, or undergoing a health assessment. Additionally, seeking assistance with your application might be beneficial.

Gather your documents
To verify your personal information, you might need to present papers that demonstrate your identity, character, abilities, professional background, health status, and proficiency in the English language.

Apply for the visa
You apply for this visa online.

After you apply
You will be informed about your application and accompanying documents. Please review the necessary steps you can and are required to take following your application submission.

Visa outcome
The decision on your visa application can be made whether you're inside or outside Australia. Before a Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa is granted, your employer's nomination must be approved. You'll be informed in writing about the outcome, including visa details if approved, or reasons for refusal and potential review rights if denied. The application fee is non-refundable in case of refusal.

For a detailed, step-by-step guide to the application process, please contact ISEMS.

NOTE: The charges outlined above are exclusive of ISEMS fees, which apply separately.

Once you have received your Student (subclass 500) visa, you may wish to withdraw any other pending visa applications that you have submitted to us.

If you are granted another substantive visa, your Student (subclass 500) visa will be no longer valid.

To withdraw any other visa application, please notify us in writing of your intention to do so.

Coming to Australia

Before you leave

Ensure you have the following:

• • A valid visa for entry into Australia
  • A valid passport or other acceptable travel document

Entering Australia provides information on what to expect at the border and what you can bring into the country.

At the Border

Upon arrival in Australia:

You must complete the Incoming Passenger Card , which will be provided to you onboard.
An automated process using facial recognition technology and E-Passports through SmartGate will enable to expedite your exit from the airport.

What you can do when you have this visa

• Take an eligible course of study in Australia.
• Travel in and out of Australia
• Work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course of study or training is in session.

What you must do when you have this visa

You and any family members who apply with you must comply with all visa conditions and Australian laws.

To see your specific conditions, work, and study entitlements, see your visa grant letter or Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO).

How long you can stay

This is a temporary visa. You can stay in Australia until the date that have been specified. The student visa grant period is determined by the type and length of the course.

VEVO can help you determine when you need to leave.

Staying longer

Extending this visa will not allow you to stay in Australia for longer. To continue your studies in Australia, you must apply for a new student visa.

If you want to stay longer without studying, you must obtain a new visa.

View your options.

Visa expiration before graduation.

If your student visa expires before you graduate, you may be able to apply for another visa that is appropriate for your situation, such as a visitor visa. You'll need a letter from your education provider stating the date of graduation.

Traveling on Your Visa

You can leave Australia and return as many times as you want while your visa is valid.
Time spent outside of Australia does not extend the visa. View your conditions on VEVO.

Proving Your Visa​

To confirm your visa status and view your conditions, use VEVO.

Working on this visa.

Student visa holders are not permitted to work in Australia until after they have begun their studies.

Student visa holders and their family members are permitted to work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course of study or training is in session.

Students pursuing a master's degree by research or a doctorate can work more than 48 hours per fortnight.

Students must be aware of any changes to visa conditions, including work rights.

Visit VEVO to learn about the visa conditions that may affect your employment situation.

Bringing a family member

You can include a family member in your application, or they can apply to join you as a subsequent applicant in ImmiAccount, as follows:

You declared existing family members when you submitted your application, or

They became family members after you were granted the visa.

Existing family members must have been declared at the time you submitted your application.
If a person became a family member after you submitted your application but before you were granted the visa, you must have informed us in writing before your visa was approved.

Regarding student visas, your family member is:

• Your partner or
• Your or your partner's dependent child who is unmarried and under the age of 18.

Existing family members must have been declared at the time you submitted your application.
If a person became a family member after you submitted your application but before you were granted the visa, you must have informed us in writing before your visa was approved.
For student visas, a family member can be your partner or an unmarried, dependent child under the age of 18.
Student Visa cannot be granted to your child if they are 18 years old at the time your visa is approved. Instead, they must apply for their own visa.

Siblings (two or more children without a parent) must apply for student visas separately.

When subsequent entrants are siblings (two or more children without a parent), they must submit separate student visa applications and pay the base application fee to join their parent.

Family members who apply for the visa must meet our health and character requirements, as well as be genuine temporary entrants.

If you are bringing school-aged children, check the annual school fees for them to attend public or private schools in Australia.

Newborn children

Learn what to do if you have a child.

If things change

Please inform us about the following updates:

• Changes to your phone number, email, address, or passport, as well as your relationship status and welfare arrangements.
• A child is born.

See how to notify of any changes in your situation.

If your study situation has changed
Learn what you should do if your study situation changes. This includes:

• • You are thinking of changing courses.
  • Consider changing your research topic
  • Finishing your course early, or deferring it if necessary.

Your visa may also be subject to visa conditions, which require you to obtain permission before making changes to your studies. Use VEVO to check the conditions of your visa.

Migration Amendment (Protecting Australia's Critical Technology) Regulations, 2022

If you apply for a student visa after July 1, 2022, it will be subject to visa condition 8208.

Education providers default.

In Australia, education provider default occurs when a registered provider closes or is unable to deliver a course due to sanctions.
If your provider defaults after you have submitted your student visa application, you must provide a new CoE for a new education provider.
Learn more about education provider defaults.

Leaving Australia

Before Departure

Ensure your travel documents are in order:

You must possess a valid passport or an acceptable travel document to depart Australia and return.

At the Border

Fast Exit Option

An automated process that utilizes facial recognition technology and your ePassport is available. Using SmartGate could expedite your exit from the airport.

After you leave​​

Claiming Your Superannuation (if leaving Australia permanently)

If you are leaving Australia with no plans to return, you may be eligible to claim your superannuation.

You likely have funds in a superannuation account if you:

• Are 18 years old or older
• Earned AUD 450 or more before tax in a month while working in Australia

Learn how to access your superannuation.

NOTE: The charges outlined above are exclusive of ISEMS fees, which apply separately.