Admission & Visa Process

The purpose of this visa is to allow international students to undertake full-time education and training in Australia. This visa enables a student to stay in Australia for the duration of the relevant course. The student must enrol, or in some cases have a Letter of Offer, with an Australian education provider before lodging a visa application.

The exact requirements for this will depend upon the level of risk assigned to your application (The Immigration Risk) which is a combined immigration risk assessment determined by the risk rating of the education provider and your passport nationality.

As the visa applicant, you must do the following.

  • Enrol with an Australian Education Provider as a full-time student, and obtain written confirmation of enrolment (CoE)
  • Genuinely intend to complete the relevant period of study in Australia
  • Have the required level of English Language proficiency unless exempted
  • Have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the period of your intended stay in Australia
  • Have access to sufficient funds to cover your return airfares, tuition fees and the cost of living in Australia, as well as costs required for any dependents included in your application

The exact amount of funds a student requires is set by Department of Home Affairs (DOHA), and is determined by your chosen education provider, your course of study and other personal circumstances.

Documents required for the Offer Letter from the Education Provider

  • Original Passport (Including Old Passport) (All pages)
  • School Leaving Certificate / Birth Certificate
  • 10th, 12th Mark sheet And Attempt (credit) certificate
  • Diploma or ITI Mark sheets, Degree or Provisional Certificate
  • Bachelor mark sheets, Degree or Provisional Certificate
  • Master Mark sheet, Degree or Provisional Certificate
  • Transcript if available
  • Work Experience Letter (If applicable)
  • IELTS /English Language Certificate
  • Resume / CV
  • Any other relevant certificates (If applicable)
  • Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
  • SOP (Statement of Purpose)
  • Marriage Certificate (If applicable)

You can only meet the eligibility criteria for both institution and visa application if you have:

  • English language proficiency Certificates (IELTS or PTE)
  • Met health and character requirements
  • Acceptable Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
  • Evidence of Sufficient funds
  • Academic Certificates

English language requirements

Australian universities & colleges accept both IELTS & PTE scores as a proof of English proficiency. The following guideline for IELTS/PTE score is just an approximation, each University or institute will have their own benchmark score for their respective courses.

Programms English Test Score
Diploma programs IELTS – Overall band score of 5.5 with no band less than 5.0
PTE – Overall 45; no less than 36
Bachelor’s Degree IELTS – Overall band score of 6.0;
no less than 5.5 PTE – Overall 50; no less than 45
Graduate Diploma IELTS – Overall band score of 6.5;
no less than 6.0 PTE – Overall 6.5; no less than 50
Master Programs IELTS – Overall band score of 6.5;
no less than 6.0 PTE – Overall 6.5; no less than 50

Finance Sources

You must submit evidence of sufficient funds that must be prior from the date of application for the duration of your stay in Australia.

The accepted documents may include
  • Evidence of financial supporter’s occupation and annual income – letter from the supporter’s employer confirming employment, and including full contact details (address and telephone numbers), and supporter’s personal bank statements and tax returns for the last 3 years.
  • Education Loan disbursement letter.
  • Chartered Accountant Statements of the financial supporter.
  • In the case of company sponsorship, balance sheet and bond signed with the company.
  • Evidence of income sourced from agriculture such as evidence of ownership and valuation of land, income statement from the regional authority (Example: Patwari or Mandal office) and receipt of sales, and J forms.
  • Evidence of rental income such as evidence of ownership of property and lease deeds.
  • Evidence of retirement income such as a letter from the company at the time of retirement stating the amount of pension, and recent bank statement showing the credit of pension to account.

The immigration department must be satisfied that an applicant, once in Australia, will have genuine access to the funds they claim to possess to cover the travel, tuition and living costs for themselves and their family members.

Unacceptable Funds Acceptable Funds
KVP, NSC, Capital Account in business Fixed Deposits
Shares, debentures, bonds,
LIC surrender value
Balance in Savings Account
PPFs, EPF, GPF, PF, CPF Education loan
Co-op bank balance and FDs Personal loan (but disbursed fully)