What Is Student Visa?
A subclass 500 student visa allows you to live in Australia while you complete an eligible course of study at an accredited Australian educational institution. To be eligible for a student visa, you will need to be enrolled in a university course (bachelor’s, master’s degree or PhD), vocational course (TAFE or private vocational college) or enrolled in a primary/secondary school if you are school-aged. You also need to hold an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) and be over the age of 6. The cost to apply for a student visa is $630 (unless exempt) and can be done whether you are in or outside of Australia.
Is Student Visa A Temporary Visa?
A student visa is recognised as a temporary visa by the Australian government as it allows the visa holder to complete their course of study in Australia before returning to their home country. The length of time that your student visa will allow you to stay in Australia will depend on the duration of the course that you enrolled in.
How Long Can I Stay In Australia On A Student Visa?
A student visa allows you to stay in Australia for a maximum of five years. Your visa will be valid for as long as it takes to complete your enrolled course. It is important to note that it’s expected that you complete your course within the expected duration (based on full-time study load). For example, if you’re completing a bachelor’s degree, your visa will be valid for the amount of time it takes to complete the degree with a full-time study load (between 3 to 4 years).
If you’d like to stay longer in Australia than the period allowed by your student visa, you have a few options for extending your stay:
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- Continue studying or enrol in a new course and apply for a new student visa.
- Apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) to stay in Australia for your graduation.
- Apply for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), which is available for those who have completed specific eligible qualifications
- Apply for a Skilled Recognition Graduate visa (subclass 476) if you recently graduated from an engineering course at a recognised institution
- Apply for a completely new visa type that suits your circumstances.
What Can You Do On A Student Visa?
A student visa not only allows you to study in Australia but also to travel in/out of Australia, bring in family members (partner and/or dependent children) and work. People holding a student visa are usually only allowed to work up to 40 hours a fortnight. However, in response to workforce shortages, the Australian government has temporarily removed this restriction and allowed student visa holders to work an unlimited number of hours.
The condition of a student visa can vary with certain visa holders being restricted in terms of their future visa eligibility. You may also need to apply for approval if you decide to change your course of study, thesis or research topic and children (under the age of 18) will need to have an approved welfare arrangement in place.
The subclass 500 student visa is a temporary visa that allows you to stay in Australia for the duration of your enrolled course of study. You can apply to bring your family members with you and you are also allowed to work in Australia on this visa. If you’re considering applying for a student visa, contact AustraliaMigrate today for assistance.
