Study in Australia: 3 types of visas offered by the Australian govt to international students and their guardians

Naturally, students from India want to make it big in life and hop to Australia every year to pursue their dream courses. According to the official website of High Commission of India in Canberra, India continues to be the second-largest source country for international student enrolments in Australia.

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Furthermore, Indian students tend to study a range of courses that include Business, Information Technology, Engineering, Science, and Hospitality. As per the website, Indian students find it easier to transfer to the Australian education system due to the similarity in its education structures. Data shows a total of 122,391 Indian students were studying in Australia during January-September 2023.

So, if you are a student who is considering moving to Australia soon for your academic pursuits, here is what you will need to know about the types of visas provided by the Australian government to international students as well as their guardians.

In this article, we will look at what these three types of visas are:

1. Student visa (subclass 500)

The student visa (subclass 500) enables students to stay in Australia for up to 5 years and in line with their enrolment. The following benefits are offered by the visa:

• Students can participate in an eligible course of study in Australia.
• Students can travel in and out of Australia.
• They can also work up to 48 hours a fortnight when their course of study or training is in session.

Cost of the visa:

The cost of the visa begins from AUD 1,600.00.

What should students do to apply:

Applicants must ensure the points mentioned below to apply for this visa:

• Apply online in or outside Australia.
• Be enrolled in a course of study in Australia
• Must hold an Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), or fall in one of the exemption categories.
• Must prove students have a welfare arrangement, if they are under 18.

For more details, interested students can visit this direct link.

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2. Student Guardian visa (Subclass 590)

This visa is for those who wish to stay with and take care of their wards who are studying in Australia on a student visa, due to exceptional cases. It is a temporary visa the length of which will be determined by the student visa holder’s stay and age.

Cost:

The cost of this visa ranges from AUD1,600.00.

Things to keep in mind while applying for a student guardian visa:

• The applicant should be the student’s parent, custodian, or relative who is 21 years or older.
• The applicant should have and show evidence of sufficient funds to support themselves and the student during the stay.
• Must have adequate health insurance in place.
• Should be able to provide accommodation, welfare, and other support.

More details on this direct link.

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3. Training Visa (Subclass 407)

The training visa is a temporary visa that grants applicants a visa allowing them to stay in Australia for up to 2 years. It lets applicants visit Australia to complete workplace-based training or a professional development training program.

Cost:

The cost of the visa starts from AUD415.00 for the main applicant.

Things to keep in mind while applying for a Training Visa:

The applicant has to be sponsored.

He/she should be nominated (unless the sponsor is a Commonwealth Government agency).

The applicant should be invited (if your sponsor is a Commonwealth Government agency).

Click on this direct link to know more.

It may be mentioned here that Australia had announced plans in August to introduce a National Planning Level (NPL) to cap the number of new international students to 2,70,000 lakh for the 2025 academic year.