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Major changes to Australia's Student Visa Program came into effect on 1 July 2001.

· OVERSEAS STUDENTS - Who have completed or nearly completed their studies in Australia.
Please complete the visa assessment form online (click here) and we will then contact you to advise of your permanent resident visa options. If eligible, you can apply for a permanent resident visa immediately after you have successfully completed your course (that is, before graduation). In many cases, you will be able to remain in Australia with full work rights while your permanent resident visa is being processed.

· OVERSEAS STUDENTS - Who wish to take up a course of study in Australia.
For those overseas students who wish to study in Australia, we can provide you with information on the courses you wish to study. Please see www.uac.edu.au. This site provides substantial information regarding tertiary courses in Australia. Once you have chosen a course, simply contact us at visa@immigrationdownunder.com with your details, including the course in which you are interested, and we can make arrangements for your enrolment. Once enrolled, we can then lodge your student visa application.
The student visa class now has seven subclasses. Each subclass is based on the education sector of your intended principal course of study:
* 570 - Independent ELICOS
- for overseas students undertaking an ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) as a stand-alone course, and not as a prerequisite to commencing another course (for example, a degree course);
* 571 - Schools
- for overseas students undertaking a course of study at a primary school or a secondary school, including both junior and senior secondary school;
* 572 - Vocation Education and Training (VET)
- covers certificate I, II, III and IV, Diploma, Advanced diploma and Advanced certificate;
* 573 - Higher Education
- covers a Bachelor degree, Graduate certificate, and Graduate diploma.
* 574 - Masters and Doctorate
- covers a Masters degree by coursework or by research, and a Doctoral degree;
* 575 - Non-award Foundation Studies/Other
- covers foundation, bridging or other courses that do not lead to the award of a degree, diploma or other formal award; and
* 576 - AusAID or Defence Sponsored
- covers full-time study undertaken by AusAID- or Defence-sponsored students for the whole or part of an education or training course offered by an Australian education provider.
Student Visa Assessment Levels within each of the above subclasses

Different assessment levels within each of the student visa subclasses will determine eligibility for a student visa by establishing the threshold requirements that an applicant must meet in order to be granted a student visa. The assessment levels are prescribed according to the country of nationality and the education sector of study.

Assessment levels are from 1 to 5. The higher the assessment level, the greater the minimum evidentiary standards a student visa applicant has to satisfy in respect of criteria relating to:

· Financial capacity
· English proficiency
· Other relevant matters

Assessment level 3,4 and 5 applicants must make their initial student visa application whilst they are outside Australia.

Student visa holders can usually apply for permission to work once they are in Australia and have started their course of study. When work permission is granted a student can work for a total of 20 hours per week and during school holidays a student can work for 40 hours per week.

When taking into consideration financial ability a student will need to cover expenses such as tuition fees, airfares and living costs (the latter approx. A$12,000 per annum).

Levels 3 to 5 will have to undertake an IELTS Test to measure their level of English.

Other relevant matters are - acceptable health insurance, must be of good character and must be of sound health.

Last modified on Sunday, 31 August 2003