Each year, thousands of international students seek to study in different schools in Australia. But to enroll in an institution in Australia, you need more than just enough good grades — you will also need an Australian student visa.
Unfortunately, visa application is never easy or straightforward. And if this is your first time, it becomes easier for you to get lost in the maze.
This is why we have put together this simple-to-follow guide on how to get a student visa (Subclass 500) in Australia to help you kickstart the process.
In this guide, you will find all the requirements, processes, and the exact steps to take to obtain your subclass 500 Australian student visa easily.
What is a Student visa (subclass 500)?
The subclass 500 visa grants international students the opportunity to study their dream courses at an Australian institution with a stay period of up to 5 years. The aim of the subclass 500 visa is to help you complete your full-time study at your desired institution(s) within the country.
The subclass 500 visa also permits you to work in Australia. You can work at a number of jobs to support yourself while studying in the country so long as your work does not exceed 40 hours every 2 weeks (deviations apply for specific cases).
Subclass 500 Study Visa in Australia – Requirements
One simple rule to follow in order to get your subclass 500 study visa approved is to submit all the necessary documents required by the home affairs department.
For the subclass 500 study visa in Australia, you will need to submit
- Proof that you are 6 years or above
- Your CoE — this is the confirmation letter of enrollment from your institution
- Your health insurance cover. You can find a list of the approved Australian government insurance covers on the Private Health website.
- Proof of adequate welfare arrangement in Australia if you are less than 18
- Provide evidence of your English language proficiency
- Proof of health checks
- If you will be including your spouse or a dependent in your subclass 500 visa, then you will also need the same health insurance cover for them from an approved health insurance company
- The health insurance must cover you and your dependent for the length of your stay in the country
- Recent bank statement to prove that you are financially able to take care of yourself (and your family) for your length of stay.
How to Apply for an Australian student visa
You can apply for the Australian student visa from within Australia or from anywhere around the world since the process can be completed online.
To get started, you will need to visit the Australian department of home affairs and create an account on the visa application page. This is an immigration account. All your documents will be submitted and accessed through the account.
After creating an account with your email address and phone number, you will need to submit scanned copies of your
- International valid Passport
- Proof of temporary stay in Australia.
- Confirmation of Enrollment (COE)
- OSHC – Overseas Student Health Cover (health insurance)
Other additional documents like date of birth, bank statement, English language test score, and police report might be required depending on your place of application.
Student Visa 500 Document Checklist Tool
Getting started with a visa application can be quite stressful and challenging. For one, the requirement of governments differs from country to country. Oftentimes, you may find yourself racing against time trying to obtain another new document required by the visa authority.
Thankfully, the Australian government has made everything easier for you — with the visa application checklist tool, you can easily pinpoint the exact type of documents you need to apply for any particular type of visa.
To find all the required documents for Student Visa 500:
- Visit the Home Affairs Visa checklist tool
- Select your home country
- Select your institution and course code
- Choose your study program
- And click on the display evidence button
This will display all the necessary documents you will need to get started with the student 500 visa application.
Australian visa processing time for 500 visa
The processing time for a 500 visa is often not very straightforward. But most times it can range from a week to two or three weeks. You track your visa application by logging in to the portal. This is often not necessary since the authority will notify you by email once your subclass 500 visa application has been approved.
Australian visa fee for visa subclass 500
The application fee for the student subclass is From AUD630, unless exempt. You can pay this online using a credit card.
Reasons for Student Visa Subclass 500 Rejection
There are many reasons why your student visa 500 application might be rejected. For instance, your country of origin often plays a decisive factor in your visa application. Students from politically and economically stable countries like the United States will find it easier to get their visa applications approved than students from developing countries like Bangladesh.
This is why it is important to provide sufficient proof that you have compelling reasons why you will be willing to return to your home country after completing your study program. Other reasons might be poor performance at the visa interviews (if applicable), inadequate funding sources and poor English test scores form the top reasons for student visa rejection.
International Students in Australia – Facts and Statistics
There are over 400,000 international students currently studying in Australia. China has the most international students in Australia with over 125,000 students. This is followed by India with approximately 70,000 students and Nepal with 35,000.
The number of international students in Australia has seen a steady decline post-COVID-19 pandemic with the number peaking at approximately 580,000 in 2020 and then declining to approximately 485,000 and 420,000 in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
While schools in Australia offer international students a variety of educational sectors to choose from, Higher education received the most application with 59% of international students enrolling in it. This is closely followed by the vocational educational training receiving a total of 35% of the pie.
Student Visa 500 – Pros and Cons
Pros
There are many advantages when you get a visa to study in a different country. Traveling to a new country provides you with ample opportunities to meet new and exciting people, discover new cultures, try new foods, and listen to other people’s opinions about your subject of interest.
The visa 500 grants you up to 5 years to stay and explore Australia aside from your course of study. You can work among the natives, learn their ways of life, and make new friends.
And there is also the opportunity to travel along with your loved ones as you can include your spouse or child in your student visa application
Cons
While traveling to Australia has a lot of perks for international students, you may find some downsides and cultural shocks when in the country. For instance, your first concern might be a language barrier.
While English is the predominantly spoken language in the country, you may find the accents a little different from that of your home country. This may slow you down a bit in your learning but with time you will get accustomed to it.
Studying abroad is also a lot more expensive than a typical school with the same degree in your home country. This means you get to spend more money for the same degree but then again you also get to meet new people and study in a new place.
Best ways to Get visa subclass 500
Getting your visa rejected can be quite traumatizing especially if you have been looking forward to studying your dream course in Australia.
You don’t have to make the same mistake most students make — taking a wild guess in the dark and hoping for the best when they apply for visas. We are here to help you and take all the guesswork out of visa applications.
With our premium service at the Immigration and Education Services (IES) Portal, we take care of your visa application process, submit all the right documents, and increase your chances of getting your visa approved significantly. You can contact us directly from our homepage or book a meeting with us to get started.
FAQ related to Visa 500
Yes, as a foreign student studying in Australia, you are allowed to change your course of study after a certain period of time, if you are no longer passionate about the course or feel it is no longer in line with your goals.
Yes, you will need health insurance from an insurance company approved by the Australian government. Your health insurance must cover your period of stay in the country.
You will need to provide some form of evidence for your English skill level. With IELTS being the most popular test for this, you may opt to take it. But if you have other acceptable evidence then you may not need it.
If you need to extend your stay period in Australia, then you will need to obtain a new confirmation of enrollment from an institution and then also extend your insurance coverage for the extended period, and then reapply for a visa.
On student visa 500, you are allowed to work for 40 hours every two weeks once you start the program in your institution.
Yes, you can travel in and out of Australia with your visa.
You cannot remain in the country once your student visa expires. If however, your program is still ongoing, then you may need to extend your visa.
This requires two-step work. You cannot get a permanent residency directly with a student visa. Instead, you can apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485 and then use it to get your permanent residency.
Yes — the visa 500 allows you to include immediate family members when applying for your visa.
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Conclusion
A Visa application is often a long and tedious process involving a lot of online paperwork. But you don’t have to do all the work — we have professionals in our team ready to do all the heavy lifting for you while you concentrate on preparing for your studies. Get in touch with our expert team right away.
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