ELICOS Sector
Introduction
ELICOS Sector: Temporary Visa (Subclass 570) – Assessment Level 3
English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS)
This visa is for international students who want to study English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) in Australia. This includes:
- courses that lead to a certificate I, II, III or IV
- courses that result in no formal Australian award.
If you are studying ELICOS as a pre-requisite to another course, you must apply for the visa appropriate to your main course of study. If you are studying several courses, the main course is the higher level course.
Example: If you plan to complete a three-month ELICOS before starting a Bachelor of Arts degree, you must apply for the Higher Education Sector visa.
Important: Before you apply for this visa, you must have been accepted to study full-time at an educational institution in Australia.
This visa is for you if you want to do one of the following:
- apply for your first student visa
- renew your student visa
- apply to join a family member who is in Australia on a student visa.
With this visa:
- you can study in Australia
- your dependant family members may accompany you to Australia if:
- you are a fully funded applicant, or;
- you will be or have been studying an ELICOS course or courses of 12 months or more duration.
- when you have commenced your course of study in Australia, you can work up to 20 hours per week while your course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks.
- your family members can work up to 20 hours per week provided you have commenced your course of study in Australia.
Note: If you have been granted Student visa before 26 April 2008 you and your dependent family members may need to apply separately for Permission to Work. - your spouse (if eligible to accompany you to Australia) can study in Australia for up to three months.
Note: If your spouse wants to study for more than three months they must apply for their own student visa. The application can be made in Australia.
Your assessment level is determined by your nationality and course of study.
Before you apply for this visa, you must have applied for and been accepted to study full-time at an educational institution in Australia.
Length of stay
This visa allows you to stay in Australia for the duration of your course. It permits multiple entries to Australia. Dependent family members who come with you to Australia are usually able to stay the same length of time as you, but they cannot stay once you have left the country.
The table below outlines the usual duration for a student visa.
| Duration of Course | Duration of Visa |
|---|---|
|
10 months or less |
Your visa will usually be granted for one month longer than the end date of your course. |
|
Longer than 10 months |
Your visa will usually be granted for two months longer than the end date of your course, if your course ends before November. |
Note: If your student visa expires before your graduation, you can apply for a Visitor visa. You will need a letter from your education provider which states the date of your graduation.
Working while studying
If you have been granted a Student visa on or after 26 April 2008, you and your dependent family members will already have Permission to Work automatically included with your visa. Further information on the conditions that apply to working while studying is available.
If you were granted a student visa before 26 April 2008 and have not yet applied for Permission to Work, you and your dependent family members may only apply for Permission to Work after you have started your course in Australia.
The table below outlines the work entitlements for you and your dependent family members if you have Permission to Work.
| Type of Applicant | Work Entitlement |
|---|---|
|
Students with Permission to Work |
You can work a maximum of 20 hours per week when your course is in session and unlimited hours when your course is not in session. You cannot undertake work until you have started your course in Australia. Note: Work that is a formal registered part of your course is not included in the limit of 20 hours per week. If you are doing voluntary or unpaid work you must apply for permission to work. It is included in the limit of 20 hours per week. A week begins on Monday and ends on the following Sunday. |
|
Dependent family members with Permission to Work |
You can work a maximum of 20 hours per week throughout the year. A week begins on Monday and ends on the following Sunday. Exceptions: Family members of the following students can work unlimited hours once the student starts their main course:
You cannot undertake work until the primary student visa holder has started their course in Australia. |
Important: You must also comply with the State and Territory laws of Australia. Under all State and Territory laws, you cannot work during school hours if you are under the school leaving age, which in most states is 15 years.
When is your course in session?
The department considers your course to be ‘in session’:
- for the duration of the advertised semesters (including periods when exams are being held)
- if you have completed your studies and your Confirmation of Enrolment is still in effect
- if you are undertaking another course, during a break from your main course and the points will be credited to your main course.
Student visa definitions
Eligible family members
Your spouse and your spouse’s dependent children.
Spouse
The person you are married to, or in a de facto (common law) relationship with. You are in a de facto relationship if you have been living with a person of the opposite sex for at least 12 months and you have a genuine and exclusive relationship with them.
Dependent child
The natural or adopted child, or step-child of yourself or your spouse who has not turned 18 and is not married or engaged to be married or in a de facto relationship.
Fully funded student
A student whose travel, tuition and living expenses are paid by one of the following:
- the Australian Government or an Australian State or Territory government
- the government of a foreign country
- a provincial or state government of a foreign country (with the written support of the national government)
- a multilateral agency
Examples: United Nations, World Bank or Asian Development Bank or an organisation gazetted by the Minister.
Eligibility
Student Eligibility
You must meet the following specific requirements to be eligible for this visa.
Accepted in full-time study
You must be accepted for full-time study in a registered course or part of a registered course to be eligible for this visa.
Note: A registered course is an education or training course offered by an Australian education provider registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).
| Lodgement Method | Proof of Acceptance |
|---|---|
|
Online |
You must provide the code from your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment. |
|
Post or in person |
|
Financial requirements
You must have enough money to pay for travel, tuition and living expenses for yourself, your spouse and your dependent children for the duration of your stay in Australia. You must also have enough money to support your spouse and dependent children, even if they do not travel with you to Australia.
Note: Specific financial requirements apply to fully funded students.
Health requirements
You must meet certain health requirements and may need to undergo a health examination. The requirements vary based on:
- your length of stay in Australia
- other health risks in your home country or countries you have visited for more than three months within the last five years.
Health examinations can be completed before you lodge your visa application, but no more than six months before your course starts.
Health insurance
You must have health insurance while in Australia. Health insurance can be provided by obtaining Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) which provides medical and hospital insurance.
You can ask your education provider to organise OSHC for you, or you can select an approved OSHC provider yourself and pay the insurance.
Exceptions: You do not need OSHC if you are:
- a Norwegian student covered by the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme
- a Swedish student covered by the National Board of Student Aid or by Kammarkollegiet.
Proof of insurance: When you lodge your application, you must provide a receipt or other proof of your OSHC payment. The OSHC should commence when you arrive in Australia.
English language skills
Contact your Australian education provider who will advise you about the level of English you need and the evidence you must provide.
Academic record and history
You must provide school reports and academic records as evidence of your previous schooling, training or other study.
You can do a maximum of 50 weeks of ELICOS on this visa. If you are applying to renew your student visa and you have previously studied ELICOS, your total period of ELICOS study while in Australia must not exceed 60 weeks.
Character requirements
You must be of good character to enter Australia. The information you provide on the ‘Character Declaration’ section of your application will be used to assess your character.
Debts to the Australian Government
To enter Australia you must:
- have no outstanding debts to the Australian Government or
- have arranged to repay any outstanding debts to the Australian Government. Students under 18 years of age
Students under 18 years of age
You must meet all the above, and the additional eligiblity requirements.
Australian Values Statement
If you are aged 18 years or over, you must declare that you will respect Australian values and obey the laws of Australia. For this visa, the values statement is included in the general declaration section of the application form. When you sign the application form it means you will also be signing the values statement. You will not be required to have read the Life in Australia book, but may do so if you wish.
You are also encouraged to gain an understanding of Australia, its people and their way of life, before applying for this visa.
Family Member Eligibility
Your family members are only eligible to accompany you to Australia if your course is 12 months or longer.
You must declare all family members on your application, even if they do not plan to travel with you to Australia. If you do not declare all family members on your application, they will not be eligible to come as dependants after you have arrived in Australia. You must also provide proof of your relationship to them, in the form of officially issued birth and marriage certificates.
Your family members must meet specific requirements to be eligible for this visa as a student dependant.
Financial requirements
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have enough money to support your family members while they are in Australia.
Health requirements
Your dependant family members must meet certain health requirements and may need to undergo a health examination. The requirements vary based on:
- length of stay in Australia
- other health risks in home country or countries visited for more than three (3) months within the last five (5) years
Note: Health examinations can be completed before you lodge your visa application, but no more than six (6) months before your course starts.
Health insurance
Your family members must have health insurance while in Australia. You can include them in your Overseas Student Health Cover, which provides medical and hospital insurance.
Proof of insurance: When you lodge your application, you must provide a receipt or other proof of your health insurance payment covering your family members.
Character requirements
Your family members must be of good character to enter Australia. The information provided on the Character Declaration section of your application, will be used to assess the character of your family members.
Australian Values Statement
All visa applicants aged 18 years or over, must declare that they will respect Australian values and obey the laws of Australia. For applicants of this visa, the values statement is included in the general declaration section of the application form. By signing the form applicants will also be signing the values statement. Applicants for this visa will not be required to have read the Life in Australia book, but may do so if they wish.
Visa applicants are also encouraged to gain an understanding of Australia, its people and their way of life, before applying for this visa.
Obligations
Student Obligations
You must uphold your visa conditions while studying and living in Australia or your visa may be cancelled and you may have to leave Australia.
Course enrolment, attendance and progress
You must remain enrolled in a course registered on CRICOS.
You must maintain satisfactory attendance in your course as required by your education provider.
You must make satisfactory course progress for each study period.
Your education provider will advise the department if your attendance or course progress is not satisfactory. The definition of ’satisfactory’ is determined by your education provider.
Changing your education provider
From 1 July 2007 the ‘no change of provider’ condition (8206), which restricted student visa holders from changing education provider within the first 12 months of their main course of study ceased to have effect.
If you want to change your level of qualification, you will need to apply for a new student visa because your visa subclass will change.
Example: You want to change from a Diploma to a PhD degree.
Providing your home address
You must advise your education provider of your home address within seven days of arriving in Australia. Also, if you change your address during your stay in Australia, you must advise your education provider within seven days.
Note: Your education provider needs your home address so they can contact you if you do not satisfy the requirements of your course. If they cannot contact you, this could result in your student visa being cancelled.
‘No further stay’ condition
Some visas are issued with a ‘no further stay’ condition. This condition means that you cannot apply to stay in Australia beyond the date specified on your visa, except in extremely limited circumstances.
Limited circumstances may include students who want to apply for:
- a student visa with permission to work
- a student visa that is supported by a sponsoring government agency
- a Graduate Temporary Entry - Skilled visa
- a visa to engage Australia’s obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees.
Students Under 18 Years of Age
If you are under 18 years of age you must maintain your accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements for the duration of your visa or until you turn 18.
If your welfare arrangements are approved by your education provider you can not travel to Australia until your welfare arrangements commence. The date your welfare arrangements commence is the welfare start date that your education provider has nominated on the Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation/Welfare Arrangements (CAAW) letter.
If your welfare arrangements change after your visa has been granted you must inform the department of these changes.
If your parents/legal custodian approved your accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements for you to stay with a relative in Australia, you must have their written approval to change these arrangements.
If your education provider approved your accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements, you must have the education provider’s written approval to change these arrangements.
Financial Capacity
You must maintain enough money to pay for travel, tuition and living expenses for yourself, your spouse and your dependent children for the duration of your stay in Australia.
School age family members
Any family members of school age (between 5 and 18 years) living in Australia must attend school in Australia.
Health Insurance
You must maintain health insurance for you and your family members while in Australia. Health insurance can be provided by obtaining Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) which provides medical and hospital insurance.
Family Member Obligations
Your dependant family members must maintain their visa conditions. A breach of these conditions may result in your visa being cancelled and you may have to leave Australia.
Your family members must:
- remain a member of your family for the duration of their stay in Australia
- have adequate financial support
- maintain adequate health cover
- work no more than 20 hours per week
- attend school if they are of school age.
Important: It is your responsibility to ensure that your family members meet the above conditions.
‘No further stay’ condition
Some visas are issued with a ‘no further stay’ condition. If this condition applies to any of your family members, it means they cannot stay in Australia beyond the date specified on their visa, except in extremely limited circumstances.
Limited circumstances may include family members who want to apply for:
- a student visa with permission to work
- a student visa that is supported by a sponsoring government agency
- a Graduate Temporary Entry - Skilled visa
- a visa to engage Australia’s obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees.
Student Visa Charges
| Charge Type | Charge Amount |
|---|---|
|
Visa Application Charge |
$540 |
|
Permission to Work Note: If you were granted a Student visa on or after 26 April 2008, you will already have Permission to Work automatically included with your visa. If you were granted a Student visa before 26 April 2008 and have not yet applied for Permission to Work, you and your dependent family members may only apply for Permission to Work after you have started your course in Australia. |
$70 |
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