All overseas students MUST ensure that they have a valid Australian visa while studying in Australia.
Australia has very stringent Border Protection laws in place. The tables below describe different types of visas as defined by Department of Home Affairs. These tables can also be found on Department of Home Affairs website: https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/Trav/Stud/More/Visa-conditions/visa-conditions-students
Please make sure you comply with your student visa conditions. Breach of any condition may have sever consequences.
The table below describes the conditions that apply to all student visa holders.
Conditions that apply to all student visa holders
| Condition number | Who this applies to | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 8105 | All students | You cannot work more than 40 hours per fortnight when your course is in session (other than work which has been registered as a part of the course). A fortnight means any period of 14 days commencing on a Monday and ending at the end of the second following Sunday. You can work for more than 40 hours per fortnight during recognised vacation periods offered by your education provider. You cannot start paid work until you have started your course in Australia. No work limits apply if you are studying a Masters by research or Doctorate course in Australia. |
| 8202 | All students | You must remain enrolled in a registered course (unless you are a Foreign Affairs or Defence sponsored student or secondary exchange student in which case you must maintain full-time enrolment in your course of study or training). Note: A registered course is one that is on theCommonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).You must maintain enrolment in a registered course that is the same level as, or at a higher level than, the registered course for which you were granted a visa. See: Changing coursesYou must maintain satisfactory attendance in your course and course progress for each study period as required by your education provider. |
| 8501 | All students | You must maintain adequate arrangements for health insurance during your stay in Australia. Note: Under policy, you must maintain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). |
| 8516 | All students | You must continue to satisfy the requirements for grant of your student visa. This means, for example, that you continue to have sufficient financial capacity to support your study and stay in Australia. |
| 8517 | All students | You must maintain adequate schooling arrangements for your school-age dependents who joined you in Australia for more than 3 months as part of your student visa application. |
| 8532 | All students | If you are younger than 18 years of age, you must have accommodation and support, and your general welfare must be maintained for the duration of your stay in Australia.To maintain your welfare, you must stay in Australia with:
You must not change your arrangements without the written approval of your education provider. |
| 8533 | All students | You must tell your education provider:
|
The table below describes the conditions that might be attached to a student visa. You can find your visa conditions in VEVO.
| No. | Who this might apply to | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 8303 | Any student | You must not be involved in activities that are disruptive to, or in violence threaten harm to, the Australian community or a group within the Australian community. |
| 8534 | Any student | While you remain in Australia, you are not entitled to be granted a further substantive visa, other than:
|
| 8535 | Students sponsored by the Commonwealth or a foreign government | while you remain in Australia, you are not entitled to be granted a further substantive visa, other than:
Note: The effect of this visa condition is that, except in extremely limited circumstances, it will not be possible for you to remain in Australia beyond the date authorised by your visa. |
Length of stay for Student visas
Reference: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/student-500/length-of-stay
The length of stay is based on the course you intend to study. Additional time may be granted at the end of the course depending on its length. The ‘expiry date’ of your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) (and any welfare arrangements, where relevant) will also be taken into account. At minimum OSHC must cover the course length.
To be granted a student visa to cover the additional time students must have OSHC in place for the same period. For example, if your course is a year in length ending 30 August, you will be eligible for a student visa to 30 October, provided you have OSHC to that date.
You should consider this when deciding how much OSHC to purchase, as your visa end date cannot be changed once granted.
Subject to the ‘expiry date’ of your OSHC and any welfare arrangements (where relevant), your length of stay will generally be as follows:
| Length of course | Length of stay |
|---|---|
| 10 months or longer, finishing at the end of the Australian academic year (November to December) | We will usually grant a visa stay period to 15 March of the following year |
| 10 months or longer, finishing from January until October | We will usually grant a visa stay period of 2 months longer than the course |
| Less than 10 months | We will usually grant a visa stay period 1 month longer than the course |
The maximum length of stay for a Student visa will generally not exceed 5 years.