Studying in Australia can be a great learning experience for you. For full-time study in an accredited institution, you require an Australian Student Visa 500. This visa will help you stay in Australia throughout the course duration, which may be up to 5 years. The student visa application procedure in Australia is easier than in other countries like the US and the UK. So, if you properly apply, no one can stop you from fulfilling your dream of studying in this beautiful country. Go through this blog to understand the advantages of the 500 Visa and the complete application procedure.
What are the benefits of Student Visa Subclass 500?
Once you obtain your Student Visa Subclass 500, you will get the following opportunities.
- You can pursue full-time studies in any registered course in Australia. Note that by full-time study in Australia, we mean courses with a duration of over 3 months.
- You can migrate to Australia with your close family members under this visa.
- You can work for 20 hours a week once your course begins. There are numerous part-time positions allocated for international students in Australia, with good salaries. So, working while studying will allow you to cover some of the major costs.
- Full-time work is also allowed, but only during semester breaks and holidays. Moreover, if you come to Australia to pursue a PhD or Masters, there will be no work restrictions.
How can you qualify to apply for this visa?
Once you plan to apply for this visa, you must check whether you meet the following eligibility criteria.
- Your age must be at least 6 years.
- Before you apply, you must obtain proof of enrolment to a full-time and eligible study program in Australia.
- As Australia is an English-speaking country and you will study in English, you must show evidence of having basic English language skills. For that, you have to sit in any English language test like IELTS or TOEFL. The required test score will depend on your education level. Sometimes, you can be allowed low test scores if you are enrolled in an English language course in Australia while applying. The test scores also vary according to universities. So, it is better to check out before applying.
However, you will be exempt from this requirement if you are a native English speaker and hold a passport of an English-speaking country like the UK, the US, Ireland, Canada, and New Zealand. Also, if you have studied for at least five years in any of these countries, you will not need to sit in any such exam.
- You and other applicants included in the application must have the OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover). It can be provided by either an approved insurance company or your university. This health insurance cover is important, and without it, you cannot receive your visa.
- You must be able to support your study and stay in Australia. These costs include travel costs, tuition fees, and accommodation costs. Currently, the minimum yearly living cost required is around AUD21000. If your spouse or parents support you, their yearly income should be higher than AUD60000.
If you are an exchange student in Australia, you are exempt from this requirement. In that case, you will need to show your AASES (Accepted Advice of Secondary Exchange Student) form.
You will also be exempt from this requirement if you are supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Defence.
- Satisfying relevant health and character requirements are necessary.
What is a Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement?
For the Visa 500, all students must meet the GTE requirement. It will be proof that you will return to your home country once your full-time course is over because the Student Visa 500 is a temporary visa and is granted only for the period of study. However, it does not mean that this visa prevents the holder from applying for another visa.
In your GTE statement, you have to include the following information:
- Your social and family ties in your home country
- Employment or financial ties in your home country
- Records of previous visa applications and academic records
- Prospects of taking this study course in Australia
- Political and economic situations in your country
What Requirements Should You Meet If You Are Under 18 Years Of Age?
If you have not turned 18 yet, you must make the following welfare arrangements.
- You must appoint a student guardian, who may be your parent, legal guardian, or a relative who is over 21 years. Make sure your guardian holds an Australian visa that will stay valid until you turn 18.
- You have to submit a CAAW (Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare) form issued by the Australian institute they want to join.
- You must attach the CAAW and AASES forms to your visa application, provided you’re an exchange student.
- If you are coming as a Defence or Foreign Affairs student, the relevant sponsoring agency must support you.
How Will The Visa Application Get Processed?
You can apply for your Visa Subclass 500 either inside or outside Australia. While being inside Australia, you must start the application before the expiry of your current visa. On the other hand, an offshore application must be started at least 6 weeks before the course begins. In both cases, you must give yourself enough time before making the application.
Before starting the procedure, you must obtain a CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment) document from the institute you want to study. To obtain this certificate, you must be accepted by the institute and pay the required fees. Make sure both the institution and the full-time course is CRICOS-registered.
You have to submit the following documents to make a complete application:
- A copy of your valid passport
- A national identity card
- Recent passport-size photographs
- GTE statement
- Proof of your health insurance
- Financial statements
- Result of your English language test
- Health examination reports
- Character-related documents
- Document to ensure you are taking help from a migration agent in Perth
At the step of submitting the documents, you also have to pay the visa application fee, which is currently AUD620.
After the submission, the Department of Home Affairs may ask you for further information. You must respond promptly. Otherwise, the process will get delayed.
Whom Can You Include In Your Application?
While applying, you can include close family members in your application. By close family members, we mean spouse or partner and dependent children.
How long does the visa application take to get processed?
The Subclass 500 Visa processing time depends on several factors, including seasonal peaks, application volume at a given time, and the education sector you will be entering. In general, the processing time is 4 weeks.
However, if you do not submit a complete application, you will be asked by the Immigration Department to complete the procedure. This way, the procedure can be prolonged.
Whom Should You Approach For Help?
Numerous firms provide top-class immigration services for Perth. So, if you want to take professional assistance from any Migration Agent Perth, you can write to them. A registered migration professional will give you the best guidance in each step of your application to ensure the best possible outcome. Not only that, but these firms also help students select the right institute and course.