500 Visa is a class of Visa offered to international students who undertake full-time or training in Australia. It allows you to stay in Australia for up to 5 years in line with your enrolment and costs AUD620. Eligible students must apply with adequate time in hand because the visa processing period can depend from person to person.
The Visa also allows you to bring your family members to Australia during the course of your study. There is an additional charge for each family member applying for the Visa.
Application Process
To be eligible for the Visa, you must have the following:
- A written confirmation of enrolment (CoE) from your education provider in Australia. Your education provider must be registered with the (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Course for Overseas Students).
- A genuine intention to stay only for the duration of completion of studies and you do not plan to stay in Australia after the completion of your studies.
- An overseas health cover which will last you for the period of your stay
- The required level of English language proficiency (Some educational courses may exempt you from this)
- Adequate funds to ensure that you can stay in the country without liabilities. Your funds should be able to cover return airfares, your tuition fees, your living costs and the cost of living for any dependents you add in your visa application.
All visa applications are processed by creating an account on Australia’s official immigration website. As visa agents, we help you prepare the Visa and lodge the application on your behalf. Your application will undergo careful scrutiny to assess your immigration risk. This risk rating depends on two main factors:
- The risk rating of your education provider
- Your passport nationality
Anyone over the age of 6 can apply for the 500 visas. Those who are under 18 years of age will be required to produce information related to their welfare arrangement in Australia.
Enrolling in Multiple Courses
You can undertake more than one course during your stay in Australia. This is known as packaged courses. The courses should show a clear progression from one to another. The final course of your packaged course is considered to be your main course. This is why your requirement for proving English language proficiency and your financial abilities will be calculated with this course in mind.
Work While you Study
The student visa 500 allows you to work up to 40 hours a fortnight or 20 hours a week. You can only take up work after you have started your course. If you are enrolled in the ACT schools, then you are allowed to work a maximum of 10 hours during the academic school year.
Extending your Student Visa 500
Under certain circumstances, you may be required to apply for a visa extension. Depending on the reason for the extension request, you will either be granted a different sub-class of Visa, or you may have to go through the student visa 500 application process again.
If your Visa expires before graduation, then you can apply for a visitor visa (subclass 600), which will allow you to stay in Australia till the time of your graduation. To apply for a visitor visa in order to extend your visit till graduation day, you must provide a letter stating the same along with the date of graduation from your education provider.
If you decide to start a new course and would like to extend your stay in Australia to complete this new course, then you must apply for a fresh student visa with the CoE and all other paperwork required for a student visa.
Student visa holders in Australia are also eligible for a Temporary Graduate visa if you have completed a specific qualification in Australia in the last six months.
Including Family Members in the Visa Application
Family members who can be included are:
- Your partner
- Your or your partner’s children. The children must be less than 18 years of age and unmarried.
You will be required to declare your family members at the time of applying for the student visa 500. If you do not apply for Visa for your family members at the same time, then they can join you later by applying as a subsequent entrant.
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