What's new for students
Changes to the student visa Assessment Levels
From 1 September 2008 new student visa Assessment Levels will come into effect. The changes affect students from 52 countries across various education sectors.
All applications lodged on or after 1 September 2008 will be subject to the new Assessment Levels.
Applicants who have lodged valid applications before 1 September 2008 will not be affected by the Assessment Level changes. These applications will be assessed at the Assessment Level which was in effect at time they lodged their application.
More information on the student visa Assessment Levels, including the Assessment Levels that will be in effect from 1 September 2008, is available.
See: Student Visa Assessment Levels
Student eVisa form changes for online applications
From 9 August 2008 the online application for this visa is changing to include additional questions on Health and Character. This will affect all online applications.
You may be required to complete the new Personal Particulars Form. If so, the form and the request to complete it will be automatically displayed on the page immediately after payment.
Some student visa applicants may also need to complete a Student Supplement Form. Please follow the online instructions as required.
You are encouraged to complete your application with as much information as possible at time of lodgement. Applications with missing information may take longer to finalise.
Update for Students from Global College
The department has been advised that Global College closed on 30 June 2008. The department is providing extra time to students studying at Global College at the time of its closure to allow them to find enrolment in an alternative course.
See: Important information for former students of Global College (69KB PDF file)
Permission to work arrangements for student visa holders
From 26 April 2008, people granted student visas will automatically receive permission to work with their visa grant. Most student visa holders will no longer need to apply separately in Australia for permission to work.
See: New permission to work arrangements for students (57KB PDF file)
Visa label-free arrangements for student visa holders
You do not need a visa label in your passport to confirm your immigration status and visa entitlements in Australia. Instead, your visa information is held electronically and can be accessed using the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service.
See: Do I need an Australian visa label? (62KB PDF file)
Students from the People's Republic of China may still require a visa label to facilitate travel to Australia.
See: Visa evidencing in China
Student eVisa form changes - from 26 April 2008
The department has implemented changes to the Student eVisa forms for clients applying from outside Australia. The eVisa forms available online will be changed to contain additional questions on Health and Character.
To avoid any unnecessary delays in processing your application, you are encouraged to complete all of the additional information when completing your application online.
International Students who had their student visas automatically cancelled between 17 August 2005 and 3 February 2007
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has reversed the automatic cancellation of student visas under s.137J of the Migration Act 1958 that occurred between 17 August 2005 and 3 February 2007 inclusive.
See: Automatic cancellation of student visas
1 July 2007
Amendments to the Migration Regulations
Under 18 year old students
From 1 July 2007 under Standard 5 of the National Code 2007 education providers who approve welfare arrangements for under 18 year old students will be able to nominate the period for which they will approve the arrangements. As a result, there will be several amendments to the Migration Regulations.
See: Changes to the Migration Regulations relating to under 18 year old students (91KB PDF file)
More information on Standard 5 of the National Code 2007 is available on the DEST ESOS website.
See: DEST ESOS website
Change of provider
Student visa condition 8206, which restricts student visa holders from changing education provider within the first 12 months of their principal course of study, will have no effect after 1 July 2007.
Therefore, from 1 July 2007, student visa holders will no longer be required to lodge a change of provider application with the department.
Students intending to change education provider should contact their current education provider for information. In most circumstances the new education provider will be restricted from enrolling a student if they have not completed 6 months of their main course of study for which the visa was granted.
See: Changing courses or education providers
Course progress and attendance
Student visa condition 8202 has been amended to reflect changes to the monitoring of attendance and course progress requirements under Standards 10 and 11 of the National Code 2007. More information on the National Code 2007 is available on the AEI ESOS website.
See: AEI ESOS website
Students will now be required to achieve satisfactory attendance and course progress as determined by their Education Provider.