5 Steps To Get A Student Visa In Australia For Singaporeans
Over the past few years, Australia has remained a popular option for international students. The high-quality education system, flourishing natural landscape and relaxed culture have a large appeal for young Singaporeans. But when it comes to actually migrating, many students are concerned about the visa process and having their application rejected. At NTRUST, we are experts when it comes to visa applications to Australia for international students. We’ve put together our top 5 tips on how to apply for a student visa to Australia to give you the best chance of acceptance.
1. Obtain A Certificate Of Enrollment
The first thing you will need to do when applying for a student or graduate visa is obtain a Certificate of Enrollment (COE) from a school in Australia. Once you have accepted your application and paid your tuition, the education provider will send you your COE. This document acts as proof that you have been accepted into an Australian education institution as a full time student and are therefore eligible for a student visa. Without it, you are unable to start your visa application. Many Australian universities rely heavily on international students and have a strong support network to help them obtain visas. Once you have been accepted and enrolled in your course, get in touch with your university to see if they have an assistance program for international students.
2. Set Up Your Account With The Immigration Services
Once you have a COE, you will need to establish an account with The Immigration Services. You can set up an account online through the Immigration Department website. To set up an account you will need to submit your name, a phone number and an email address. This is a legal document so make sure you agree with the terms and conditions before signing an agreement. Reading the document will also help you better understand your responsibilities throughout the application.
3. Prepare All The Necessary Documents
Alongside the COE, there are a few other documents you need to have on hand. The primary documents are your passport details, evidence of Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) health insurance, Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) requirement and Proof of Temporary Stay. The health insurance ensures you are covered for medical procedures and visits if you become unwell or have an accident. The GTE requirement and Proof of Temporary Stay demonstrates that you intend to stay in Australia for the short term. Even if you plan to apply for residency or citizenship later on, you still need to provide this document.
Alongside these, you may need to provide additional details such as your birth certificate, evidence you can finance your studies such as a bank statement, International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores or an equivalent. For a more detailed checklist, use the document checklist tool.
Many educational institutions have a minimum English language requirement which they gauge using IELTS scores. Passing this test is essential to accessing higher education in Australia and will improve your student experience. Even if IELTS are not a requirement for your course, good results can positively affect your student visa application.
4. Finish The Online Visa Application
Once you have all the documents together, it’s time to finish applying for your student visa (Subclass 500) online. This needs to be done at least 124 days before your course commences to ensure there is enough time to look over your application, conduct health check ups and attend interviews. You don’t have to complete the application all at once; this is a large document and you may want to take a break to make sure you can write your application with a clear head. With an account, you can save your application and come back to it later. The Department of Home Affairs in Australia has some tips on completing your visa application and migrating to Australia. Pay the application fee to finish up. It has to be noted that depending on the location of your school and where you stay, you may need to do a health check-up and a visa interview after the application.
5. Check Your Application Status
The final step for migrating to Australia from Singapore as a student is checking your student visa status. How long it takes to receive your decision depends on when you apply and whether you’ve applied correctly. If you’ve done everything properly, you should hear back within a few weeks. You can check your application status by logging into your immigration account, otherwise, you should receive an email from the Australian authorities once a decision has been made concerning your visa.
BONUS: Consult A NTRUST expert
If you want experienced and professional advice on getting a student visa or migration to Australia, then get in touch with NTRUST. NTRUST is Singapore’s leading Australian migration agency. We help thousands of Singapore applicants submit visa applications to the Australian government and help them with the migration process. Organise a chat with one of our team today to discuss how to improve your visa application.